Strange Worlds

Strange Worlds
Theater	The Hideout Theatre
Directed by	Jordan T. Maxwell
Cast	Alexander Hilary Andreas Fabis Heidi Rogers Jayme Ramsay Jessica Arjet Lacy Shawn Madeline M. Marc Majcher Peter Rogers Ryan Austin
Crew	Cindy Page Chad Wellington Michael Yew
Run	Mar/Apr 2013

A drawing by Ryan Austin of the cast of heroes from Strange Worlds.

Strange Worlds was a mainstage show at The Hideout Theatre based on 30s pulp adventure.

Summary

The show was an improvised serial anthology based in the tropes of the pulps of the 30s and 40s. The cast developed hero characters in rehearsals, and each performance featured two adventures, each featuring one of those heroes, and an shorter interstitial story ("Strange Times") that followed a reporter and cop as they investigated the blowback from those stories.

The technical improvisors for the show are Cindy Page, Chad Wellington, and Michael Yew.

History

Here is Jordan T. Maxwell's explanation of the name's origin:

I got turned on to the pulps after reading the first issue of Planetary, the last line (and pseudo-motto) of which is "Strange world. Let's keep it that way." When I was trying to think of something that sounded like the title of an old pulp anthology, those first two words were just right.

Characters

• The Beacon (Marc Majcher) is a stage magician and debunker named Rick White, cursed by gypsies to attract supernatural forces at all times.
• Jack Ryder of Neptune (Ryan Austin) is an American sailor who, while returning home from the war, is sucked into a wormhole that deposits him on the fantastical planet of Neptune (known to its natives as Shano).
• Simon Doyle (Peter Rogers) AKA "Codename: Sleuth" is a brilliant British agent who was thrown out of SIS because of his ceaseless pursuit of a shadowy international cabal known only as "The Spiderweb". He now lives in the United States, tracking the group's agents and zeroing in on its sinister purpose.
• Dr. Lily Wilde (Madeline M.), jungle professor, is an anthropologist raised in the jungles of the Amazon. With her ready fists and her keen scientific insights, she fights all of the enemies of the natural world and its denizens.
• Maxine Maker (Jessica Arjet) is a clever gadgeteer who uses her inventions to fight mad scientists, giant robots, and the like, in a world that's often biased against female engineers.
• The Grey Bishop (Andreas Fabis) is Martin Van Sant, a Dutch bookshop owner and chess enthusiast who, in his spare time, dons a domino mask and matches wits against master criminals as "The Grey Bishop". His morally ambiguous crimefighting methods often leave a body count, and he has a penchant for leaving chess pieces with his victims: pawns for minor henchmen, perhaps a bishop for a higher lieutenant, and so on.
• The Peregrine (Lacy Shawn) is Annie Peregrine, a street urchin who moonlights as the city's most feared cat burglar (and occasionally dons the guise of high-society girl Anna Margaret Volare). She targets the corrupt rich, and commits her crimes with the help of a slingshot with a variety of useful pellets, and Hawkimedes, a particularly well-trained hawk.
• Bellwether Blue (Jayme Ramsay) is an ace pilot, the daughter of a great (and deceased) war hero. She flies with her two "Liberty Aces", Tank (Alexander Hilary) and Spunk (Marc Majcher), and often fights fascists intent on world domination.

The Protagonists of Strange Times

• Morgan McNulty (Heidi Rogers) is a city cop with a penchant for violence. She's been suspended from active duty at least once for this.
• Nate Jester (Alexander Hilary) is a former war reporter who now covers oddball, freak occurrences for the city paper.

Show Summaries

• Episode 1 (3/2/13):
  • Maxine Maker and the Scintillating Confabulator!
  • Strange Times: The Body
  • The Grey Bishop: The Ruby and the Tiger
• Episode 2 (3/9/13):
  • The Beacon and the Dancing Skeleton
  • Strange Times: The Pendant
  • Bellwether Blue Versus the Shadow Asps
• Episode 3 (3/23/13):
  • Jack Ryder and the Temples of Neptune
  • Strange Times: The Trident
  • The Peregrine and the Web of Youth
• Episode 4 (3/30/13):
  • Lily Wilde Versus the Ravenous Cats
  • Strange Times: The Tattoo
  • Codename: Sleuth and the Case of the Assassin's Sting

Media

Main Run

• Episode 1 (3/2/13):
  • Photoset by Steve Rogers.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • Maxine Maker and the Scintillating Confabulator!
    • Strange Times: The Body.
    • The Grey Bishop in "The Ruby and the Tiger".
• Episode 2 (3/9/13):
  • Photoset by Steve Rogers.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • The Beacon and the Dancing Skeleton.
      • (Unedited version of the show.)
    • Strange Times: The Pendant.
    • Bellwether Blue Versus the Shadow Asps.
• Episode 3 (3/23/13):
  • Photoset by Steve Rogers.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • Jack Ryder and the Temples of Neptune.
    • Strange Times: The Trident.
    • The Peregrine and the Web of Youth.
• Episode 4 (3/30/13):
  • Photoset by Jon Bolden.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • Lily Wilde Versus the Ravenous Cats.
    • Strange Times: The Tattoo.
    • Codename: Sleuth and the Case of the Assassin's Sting.
• Episode 5 (4/6/13):
  • Photoset by Claudio Fox.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • The Beacon and the Enchanted Mirror.
    • Strange Times: The Tunnels.
    • The Peregrine and the Tempest Equation.
• Episode 6 (4/13/13):
  • Photoset by Steve Rogers.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • Codename: Sleuth and the Case of the Fractured Wing.
    • Strange Times: The President.
    • Maxine Maker and the Sumptuous Nanoreciprocator!
• Episode 7 (4/20/13):
  • Photoset by Steve Rogers.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • Lily Wilde and the Orchid of Death.
    • Strange Times: The Supplies.
    • The Grey Bishop in "The Queen's Gambit".
• Episode 8 (4/27/13):
  • Photoset by Dave Alley.
  • Videos by Ryan Austin (with editing by Peter Rogers):
    • Worlds Collide, Chapter 1: The Twilight of Neptune.
    • Strange Times: The Invasion.
    • Worlds Collide, Chapter 2: The Tomb of Heartbreak.
• Photoset of the cast party by Michael Yew.
• A photoset of video title cards by Peter Rogers (from photos by Jon Bolden).

Post-Run

• "Shaken Not Stirred" Party (5/1/13):
  • Video of Codename: Sleuth and the Case of the Diamonds in the Rough.
• "NerdProv" (5/3/13):
  • Video of the Grey Bishop in "The Sicilian Defense".
• The New York Unscripted Festival (5/31/13 and 6/2/13):
  • Video of The Beacon and the Soul of the Wizard.
  • Video of Codename: Sleuth and the Case of the Laughing Cascade.
  • Video of Bellwether Blue versus the Vermin Young.
  • Video of the Grey Bishop in "The Exchange Variation".
  • Casual photos by Michael Yew.
• Photoset by Warren Henderson of a 3/27/14 fundraiser show for their trip to the Alaska State Improv Festival.
  • Video by Warren Henderson of the same show.
• Photoset by Steve Rogers of the 4/11/14 show at The 2014 Improvised Play Festival.

Other

• Photo of Kaci Beeler's set design.

More Information

• The 2007 'format manifesto' for an improvised pulp show by Jordan T. Maxwell.
• "Ryan Austin Vs. The Perils of Pulp": a post from Ryan Austin about the rehearsal process.
• Review of the closing-night show by Andrew Buck.