The Professor

The Professor
Years Active	2011-Present
Directed by	Justin Davis (2010-2012) Michael Ferstenfeld (2013-Present)
Cast	Andrew Pish Bridget Brewer Clay Towery Colin Bates Emily Breedlove Jeff Britt Jordan T. Maxwell Justin Davis Karen Jane DeWitt Katie Thornton Kayla Lane Freeman Lacy Shawn Lindsey Reeves Michael Ferstenfeld Mike Nystul Peter Rogers Quinn Buckner Ryan Austin Steve Harwood
Tech	Michael Yew

The Professor (full name: The Professor: Improv Inspired by Doctor Who) is a narrative improv troupe that presents improv in the style of the British science-fiction franchise Doctor Who.

Summary

While identical in concept to Doctor Who, the shows performed by The Professor don't occupy the exact same universe as Doctor Who. The central character is "The Professor", and no mention is made of specific Whoniverse villains.

In the first two seasons, no scenes ever occurred in TARDIS. Onstage, the exit of the TARDIS was represented by a free-standing blue door. In season two, this door could flip around to a non-blue side, and thus become a non-TARDIS door on the set.

Typically, one actor plays the Professor for a contiguous run of shows, with different actors playing (pre-determined) "companion" characters (or, in rare cases, pairs of companions) from week to week.

History

Prior to the founding of the troupe, the idea of "Improvised Doctor Who" had long been floating around in the improv community.[1] In June 2011, Justin Davis posted a facebook status inviting all interested parties to join him for an improv take on Doctor Who. The Professor then premiered at The Hideout Theatre on Thursday, June 23, 2011 as part of The Threefer, and played an 8pm show at the Hideout two days later.

Its first full run was a six-week set of Friday shows at The Institution Theater from October 14, 2011 to November 18, 2011. Its second run was at Salvage Vanguard Theater (produced by Gnap!), on Fridays and Saturdays from March 23, 2012 to April 21, 2012. In between runs, the troupe played one-off shows, including The TV Set in July 2012[2]

At the end of 2012, Justin Davis stepped down as director. At the start of 2013, Michael Ferstenfeld took over as director, and the troupe resumed performing one-off shows like The TV Set[3]. For their third run in late 2013, Ferstenfeld incorporated scene-painting, the interior of the T.A.R.D.I.S., voice modulation, and homemade robots, drawing more influence from "classic" Doctor Who, 1963-1989, the years preceding Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat.

Casts

"Season Zero"

Jordan T. Maxwell as the First Professor.

The first two test shows in June 2010 featured Jordan T. Maxwell as the First Professor.

• Jordan T. Maxwell
• Justin Davis
• Karen Jane DeWitt
• Katie Thornton
• Mike Nystul

(Emily Breedlove rehearsed with the cast, but did not play in either show.)

Season One

Michael Ferstenfeld as the Second Professor.

Andrew Pish as the Third Professor.

The first run of shows, from October to November of 2011, featured Michael Ferstenfeld and Andrew Pish as the Second and Third Professors.

• Clay Towery
• Colin Bates
• Emily Breedlove
• Karen Jane DeWitt
• Katie Thornton
• Kayla Lane Freeman
• Lindsey Reeves
• Quinn Buckner

Season Two

Peter Rogers as the Fourth Professor.

The second run of shows, from March to April of 2012, introduced Peter Rogers and Karen Jane DeWitt as the Fourth and Fifth Professors, with Michael Ferstenfeld also reprising his take on the role.

• Clay Towery
• Colin Bates
• Emily Breedlove
• Katie Thornton
• Kayla Lane Freeman
• Lacy Shawn
• Lindsey Reeves
• Quinn Buckner
• Ryan Austin

Season Three

Season three rann on Saturdays at The Institution Theater in November 2013.

• Bridget Brewer
• Jeff Britt
• Jordan T. Maxwell
• Lacy Shawn
• Michael Ferstenfeld
• Peter Rogers
• Quinn Buckner
• Steve Harwood

The run featured tech by Michael Yew.

Media

Videos

• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of their 10/7/11 performance (1x01: "Caddywhompus").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of their 10/14/11 performance (1x02: "The Charm of Rune").
  • Video of the regeneration scene by Michael Ferstenfeld.
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of their 10/21/11 performance (1x03: "The Price of Periwinkles").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 10/28/11 performance (1x04: "Are We Off-World Yet?").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 11/4/11 performance (1x05: "The Shapes We Draw").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 11/11/11 performance (1x06: "Dinner for One").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 11/18/11 performance (1x07: "The Animal Within").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 12/17/11 performance (Christmas Special: "We Three Improvisors").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 3/30/12 performance ("My Way").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 4/2/12 performance ("Chesapeekaboo!").
• Video by Peter Rogers of the 4/20/12 performance ("All the World's a Stage?").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 4/21/12 performance (season two finale).
• Video by Peter Rogers of the 8/29/12 performance at The Institution.
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 9/29/12 performance at Improvaganza, in Honolulu ("The Empire of the Sea").
• Video by Michael Ferstenfeld of the 1/25/13 performance at The Institution Theater.
• Videos of the 8/28/13 show at The 2013 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival: story #1, story #2
• Video of their 10/19/13 show with Mister Morbid.

Photos

• Photoset by Michael Yew that includes their 6/23/11 performance in The Threefer.
• Photoset by Roy Moore of their 10/14/11 performance (1x02: "The Charm of Rune").
• Photoset by Roy Moore of their 10/21/11 performance (1x03: "The Price of Periwinkles").
  • Photoset by Michael Yew that includes the performance.
• Photoset by Roy Moore of the 11/4/11 performance (1x05: "The Shapes We Draw").
• Photoset by Roy Moore of the 11/11/11 performance (1x06: "Dinner for One").
• Photoset by Roy Moore of the 11/18/11 performance (1x07: "The Animal Within").
• Photoset by Roy Moore of the 3/30/12 performance ("My Way").
  • Photoset by Michael Yew of the same show.
• Photoset by Claudio Fox that includes their 7/20/12 performance in The TV Set.
• Casual photos by Peter Rogers from the 9/29/12 performance at Improvaganza, in Honolulu ("The Empire of the Sea").
• Photoset by Michael Yew of the 1/18/13 performance at The TV Set.
• Photoset by Chad Wellington that includes their 5/5/13 performance at "Nerd Nite" at The Institution Theater.
• Photoset by Roy Moore that includes the 8/28/13 show at The 2013 Out of Bounds Comedy Festival.
  • Photoset by Heidi Rogers that includes the same show.
• Photoset by Michael Yew from backstage at the 11/23/13 show, which included a Austin-made T.A.R.D.I.S.

Publicity

• "Distress Call" video from 6/16/12.

More Information

• The troupe's web site.
• 2010 forum thread about improvising Doctor Who in Austin.
• Jordan T. Maxwell's show proposal for "Professor Why" for The Well Hung Jury Memorial Scholarship.
• Forum announcement of the premiere.
• Forum announcement of the second show.
• Cast announcement for season one.
• Cast announcement for season two.
• Show announcement for season two.
• 2012 Interview with director Justin Davis and cast members Ryan Austin, Emily Breedlove, Colin Thomas Bates, and Peter Rogers. on The Theft Forum.
• A 2012 Tor.com blog story about season two.
• Facebook event for the third season.