Touring show is now up at the Denver Center’s Garner Galleria

Fans of improvisation are in for a treat in the side-splitting production of Broadway’s Next Hit Musical at the Denver Center’s Garner Galleria. This New York City-based group presents a unique opportunity for the audience to create a new musical of their own, culminating in “The Phony Awards” and a condensed version of the musical from which the song originates. All this without a script or director to guide the talented performers, resulting in a non-stop two-hour laugh fest.

The cast, though small, is a powerhouse for Broadway’s Next Hit Musical. It features the exceptionally talented Rob Schiffmann, Deb Rabbai, Heidi Gleichauf, Pat Swearingen and your evening’s host, the engaging emcee Greg Triggs. The impressive Gary Adler masterfully handles the musical portions of the production on the red-hot piano stage left.

The show begins before the audience even enters the theatre. Audience members are encouraged to create song titles for a yet-to-be-produced Broadway musical and write them down for later use by the company.

As the creative energy surges, the audience is seated, and emcee Triggs warms the audience with a set that includes numerous nods to Denver. He hit on some of the many newsworthy trials and tribulations currently affecting our city, such as the downtown construction and the ongoing revamping of the 16th Street Mall. This personalized touch is met with appreciation from the audience, rewarding it with bursts of laughter and applause.

Audience input

Drawn from a fishbowl, the song titles are retrieved. At the performance I attended, the made-up titles included “Oh No,” “Not on the Fly” and “Legalize Nuclear Bombs.” All potential hits for the upcoming Phony Awards and a partially mounted production.

Ultimately, “Oh No” won The Phony Award and was given a partial-scale production in the second act. Remember, all of this is performed without a script or musical score, and it is merely the company’s extreme improvisational talent that effortlessly and humorously carries the action forward.

It is impossible to distinguish the efforts of each company member, as they are all accomplished performers, especially in the art of improvisation. Schiffmann and Rabbai are the company’s co-artistic directors, and co-producers, along with co-producers Ralph Buckley and Greg Triggs.

Swearingen, an actor from New York, is ultra-amusing throughout the performance, playing a cat, perhaps in homage to the real hit musical CATS.  Gleichauf has recently appeared off-Broadway in the musical With or Without You, originating the role of Sandy. Adler and Triggs make invaluable contributions as the musical director and emcee, respectively.

Broadway’s Next Hit Musical is a crowd-pleaser, offering a delightful and hilarious experience. The show is filled with delicious moments of audience interaction that seamlessly blend the two worlds of on-stage and off, and the company members are masters at doing so. They are a seasoned troupe that knows what the audience is looking for and delivers it in spades. Their originality in developing a musical around audience suggestions is impressive and spot-on. No specific director is mentioned, which makes sense, given that each performance has its own unique and spontaneous flavor.

Broadway’s Next Hit Musical delights and entertains for two hours with non-stop fun and laughter. There is some rotation in the cast so that you may be treated to other performers throughout the run of the show.  If you are looking for several hours away from the depressing 24-hour news cycle or simply the rigors of day-to-day life, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical is a great diversion.