The Black Vault

The Black Vault
Theater	The Hideout Theatre
Directed by	Marc Majcher
Cast	Andreas Fabis Brad Hawkins Clay Towery Emily Breedlove Jay Michael Jayme Ramsay Jessica Arjet Justin Davis Marc Majcher Paul Normandin Peter Rogers Roy Janik Ryan Hill
Crew	Cindy Page Michael Yew Neal Tibrewala
Run	Sep/Oct 2012

The Black Vault was an improvised longform show performed in the style of the novels and stories of H.P. Lovecraft.

Format

Each show in the mainstage run was divided into three stories. A predetermined group of characters would begin on stage, establishing a framing sequence. Eventually, one of the characters would say a phrase which might constitute the title of a Lovecraftian story, and the title was taken up by one of the show's two predetermined main characters. That character would then narrate a story, stepping into and out of the scene as desired. At the conclusion of the story, the framing sequence would resume, until a second title ess announced, at which case the second narrator would begin his or her story. After that, the framing sequence resumed for a final time, at which point the frame itself became the third story and one (non-predetermined) character from the frame became the final narrator.

Style

The Black Vault stories were generally of three main styles:

• Weird horror -- Tales of unnatural doings moored in such horror tropes as reanimation of the dead, infestation, mind control, or madness.
• Dreamscape -- Following the style of Lovecraft's "Dream Cycle," these stories focused on the inner life of the dreaming mind, usually with a fantasy or science fiction bent.
• Cosmic horror -- As in the stories in Lovecraft's "Cthulhu Mythos," these stories focused on unknowable and largely unseen forces from beyond the stars, represented on Earth by mysterious cults and strange ancient artifacts.

History

After its mainstage run, there were a number of one-off shows:

• 12/6/12: "Lovecraft Secrets", a mash-up with Austin Secrets that played at The Free Fringe.
• 4/13/13: a 25-minute show played The 2013 Improvised Play Festival.
• 5/5/13: a 25-minute show played "nerd-prov", a nerd-themed quadruple-bill at The Institution Theater.
• 5/23/13: "Pick Your Own Black Vault", a mash-up with Pick Your Own Path that played at The Free Fringe.
• 6/23/13: the show was hour 32 of The 44-Hour Improv Marathon.

Media

Videos

• Sample video of Marc Majcher's introduction to the show.
• Video of the 9/15/12 performance.
• Video of the 9/22/12 performance.
• Video of the last third of the 10/6/12 performance.
• Video of the 10/13/12 performance.
• Video of the 10/20/12 performance.
• Video of the 10/27/12 performance.
• Video of the 10/31/12 performance.
• Video of the one-off "Lovecraft Secrets" show (a mash-up with Austin Secrets at The Free Fringe), from 12/6/12.
• Video of the 4/13/13 performance at The 2013 Improvised Play Festival.
• Video of the 5/5/13 performance, which was part of "Nerdprov" at The Institution Theater.
• Video of "Pick Your Own Black Vault" (a mash-up with Pick Your Own Path at The Free Fringe), from 5/23/13.
• Video of the 6/22/13 performance, part of The 44-Hour Improv Marathon.
• Audio of the 10/11/13 performance, part of Mister Morbid's Moonlight Movie Mayhem Madness Massacre.

Photos

• Photoset by Steve Rogers of the 9/8/12 performance.
• Photoset by Roy Moore of the 10/6/12 performance.
• Photoset by Roy Moore of the 10/27/12 performance.
• Photoset by Roy Moore of the 10/31/12 performance.

Other

• Photo of Kaci Beeler's set design.

More Information

• The show's web page.
• A blog post by Roy Janik about the rehearsal process.
• Interview with director Marc Majcher and cast members Jessica Arjet, Ryan Hill, and Paul Normandin on The Theft Forum.

Press

• Review of the show in The Austin Chronicle.