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Merrily Dysfunctional

Arlington Heights Post

By Dan Pearson | Contributor

December 14, 2006
Mixing ho ho ho with a dash of humbug, The Second City's Dysfunctional Holiday Revue returns to the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights for the eighth year.
Now playing through New Year's Eve, this mirthful suburban holiday tradition is being billed as offering "one cup seasonal satire; two cups Joseph and Mary; a pinch of spiked eggnog and a dash of dysfunction."

"For me, the holidays have always been dysfunctional," admitted Brad Morris, 31, a member of the Second City touring company.

"I am always amazed by the people who can make their gingerbread houses and get in and out of that couple of weeks without anyone being upset or hurt," continued the Chicago native who grew up in what he called "the notoriously rugged" Lincoln Park area.

"In my house, my dad's family celebrates Christmas and my mom's family celebrates Hanukkah so that is pretty dysfunctional right there. In my experience, it usually ends up with someone crying, and you and they are not exactly sure why."
Comedy is central

Offering sketches, songs and improvised scenes, "The Second City Dysfunctional Holiday Revue" also features the comedic talents and comic insights of Second City Green touring company members Christina Anthony, Meagan Flanigan, Anthony LeBlanc, Robyn Norris, TJ Miller and musical director Julie Nichols.

"Between our director Pat O'Brien and the cast, you have such an interesting mix of people, and they all make me laugh offstage as well as on, so it is easy being green," he quipped, adding "I would rather be green that feeling blue."

Morris, who moves up to the Second City Main Stage in January, says having the Christmas blues is one of the topics addressed in the new revue, which consists of two 45 minute sets followed by 20 to 30 minutes of improvisation based on audience suggestions after each show, except on Thursday nights.

"There is a nice combination of perspectives on the holidays including the frustration, for sure," he declared.

Among the sketches conceived by Morris are the worst holiday airplane flight you ever take, and another concerning an adult woman who still believes in Santa Claus and her unfortunate co-worker who has to break the news.

"I co-wrote that with Meagan Flanigan, the director's sister," he explained. "Someone yelled 'evil' from the audience at me the other night when I was telling her there is no Santa Claus."

According the revue's director Pat O'Brien, one of "the neat and challenging aspects" of the show in Arlington Heights is the mix of lots of new sketches mixed in with archive material.

"That is because Second City does a holiday show at Metropolis every year and we assume a lot of the audience members are coming back every year so we make it a point to not repeat anything from previous years," said O'Brien, 30, a Michigan native who has been directed the Green touring company since March.
A new look

New material generated for this new revue includes a mother who doesn't relate well to her son who sneaks onto his on-line chatroom to talk to his friends to learn more about him, a grandmother wanting to volunteer to serve in Iraq, and scene at a school Christmas pageant where a couple of guys get uncomfortable and enthusiastic watching a potentially lesbian pair of women holding hands.

"We also have one song that deals with what color was Jesus, as some people theorize that Jesus might have been African," said O'Brien.

Director O'Brien gets high marks from this cast member. "Pat is one of the best improv performers in town," Morris said, "so he is able to bring out great performances because he has been on the other side and knows what works."

So you might consider ringing in the new year with either the 6:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. shows which include champagne, party favors and a toast -- your choice of wheat, white or wry.

"It should be a rowdy party," said Morris.

"And it is a little sad, honestly," he added, referring to his departure from this group after Dec. 31. "This is the company I have been with for two years and I have made some great friends. I am excited to get started with this new process, but it is nice way to wrap to be at the Metropolis with really great audiences."

For tickets and show information, click here.

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