Minnesota Fringe Festival 2010

Noted children's book authors Tim and Chris must write and illustrate their next book before the show is over and they are going to need all they help they can get, including yours!

This interactive improvisational show will engage the children in the audience in the process of creating the show. What will the hero will be doing? Who will she be meeting? What obstacles will she have to overcome? Kids finally get to write their own fringe show (with a little help).

When the show is over, they won't just have a brand new story, they'll be able to see the cover of the book that goes with it!

Tim Wick and Christopher Jones have been writing comedy sketches together for nearly ten years. Tim is a local comedian and musician and Christopher is a professional Comic Book artist with DC and Marvel. This is their first full length show for their production company Snikt! Bamf! Thwip!

You can see a transcript of an interview with Tim and Chris for behindthefringe.com here.

And you can listen to an interview conducted for the Twin Cities Theatre Podcast here!

Also, Matthew Everett had this to say about our preview: [Chris] and Tim have a great way of bantering with and playing off of one another. Since they have their roots in improv, it all seemed very natural and believable, not the least bit awkward or staged.

Bill Corbett also included us in his Fringe Track.

"Story Time Time Bomb: Best kids show this year, no contest. I may go again just to watch the kids." - Tweet

"Two Thumbs way up!" - Tim's kids

Fringe Famous says: "What do you get when you put a really good comic book illustrator together with some fine improvisors and a bunch of silly kids? Turns out, you get a pretty fun forty-five minutes of theatre."

Fringe Blogger Wendy Gennaula calls our show whiz-bang fun!

For pictures of the art created at each show, you can check out this photo album on our facebook page!

Chrisopher Jones
Role: Chris (also writer and co-producer)
Christopher Jones is an artist who has fallen from the heights of drawing Batman for a living to having to illustrate children's books under less-than-ideal circumstances. He is also the co-creator of Dr. Blink Superhero Shrink with John Kovalic, but that doesn't seem to be helping him. He blames most of his troubles on Tim.

Tim Wick
Role: Tim (also writer and co-producer)
Tim is the producer of Vilfication Tennis and also performs as a member of the local comedy music act The Dregs. While neither would indicate that he'd be much good in a show for children, Tim has two children and they love stories. Story Time Time Bomb is just a story he's writing for his kids. With the help of other people's kids.

He has written several comedy sketches with Chrisopher Jones over the years but this is their first full length production. He hopes there are many more.

Amy Rummenie
Role: Director

Matt Allex
Role: Hired Actor
Matt Allex regularly performs in Vilification Tennis, and seasonally at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. He has also pops up here and there on the internets as a writer and occasional fill-in podcast host. He’s hoping that after his two children see this show, they will think he’s cool.

Bill Marth
Role: Publisher
Bill Marth isn't as big of a jerk as this show makes him out to be. He's been a community theatre geek since 1996, performing with theatres from Prior Lake to White Bear Lake, from Maple Grove to... um... White Bear Lake. Most recently he appeared in Morris Park's Cinderella and Cromulent's Wyrd Sisters. In his other life he works for a bank. Before he was roped into Tim and Chris's skit for Convergence last month he had never met any of these people before, and thus cannot be held liable for any claims or disputes arising from your enjoyment of this show. Thank you.

Butch Roy
Role: Sound guy

Jen Scott
Role: Hired Actor
Jen Scott is thrilled to be a part of StoryStory...! If you are under 12, you might have seen Jen at the Science Museum of Minnesota, portraying raindrops and freezing things. If you are over 18, you might have recently seen her in Huge Theater's "Overheard in Minneapolis", Actors' Theater of Minnesota's "Tony n' Tina's Wedding", or at other such things. If you are in between 12 - 18, you understand many things that Jen does not, like certain music videos and bubble tea.


If you wish to see Jen in other Fringe shows this year, please check out octoberdandy.com for details. Thanks so much!

User reviews

Sound effects and silly props
by Fringivitis Vulgaris Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I attended without benefit nor burden of children and I thoroughly enjoyed this show. The team collaborates amazingly well for an improv show with kiddie content, although they might wish to get contemporary with the pop-culture checkpoints. (Pikachu? Really?) Sound Guy has a nice sense of humor too.

Family Fun at it's silliest.
by John Newstrom Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The distinctive style of Tim Wick and Christopher Jones shines in this production that strives to entertain adults while delighting children - and both appear to come with relative ease. With a cast whose improvisation skills seem to know few boundaries this 45 minute show never takes a beat to allow the audience to catch it's breath. If you missed this please all hit from the comedic duo be sure to watch for their names next year in whatever brilliant production they dream up next.

Awesome Good Time
by Sid Solomon Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A fast and furious show of improvised story creation fueled by the ideas of kids in attendance. A perfect balance of humor for young and old. Tons of fun. Excellent cast and crew.

"The cake was a lie"
by Dave Romm Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Add a kitty if you're a kid, or surrounded by kids in the Arena. Alas, the 7pm show had neither advantage for me. The cast tries very hard to write an interactive children's story, and usually succeeds. It was a pleasant diversion, with lots of people I know. More kids would have made it better. A Shockwave Radio Theater Review.

Longer reviews with pictures at Baron Dave's LiveJournal and snarky comments on Facebook.

everyone works better with a deadline
by Jennifer Walker Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Full disclosure: I'd watch Matt do just about anything; he's incredibly witty and fun no matter what. Tim and Chris are a great team, and they lead the rest of the cast through a very fun adventure. There were only 3 kids in the audience this afternoon and I think it probably would have been a very different show had there been more kids to play off of. Tim still had a ton of energy and the rest of the cast came right along with him, which made for a great time!

Quite a bit of fun!
by Biff Torkelson Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This is quite good. We saw it on Saturday night at 7, not the best time for a lot of kids, but the four kids in the audience (as well as the many more adults) were enthralled.

The non-improv bits were pretty good, mostly classic Tim & Chris-style script, with occasional flashes of Scrimshaw-worthy dialogue.

Special praise goes to the always entertaining Jen Scott, who plays the lead. Her eyes were as big as an anime character as she explored the world around her.

Fun
by Levi Weinhagen Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Fun show. Bring your kids and encourage them to be loud.

Great fun on both kid and adult levels!
by TJ Hara Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Neither having kids of my own nor particularly being one at heart, I went to see this show on the strength of Tim and Chris's other endeavors throughout the year. Tim seems a natural performer with a razor-sharp wit, and he and Chris are fluid collaborators on stage. What they've created is a show that treats and respects its audience as full participants, not talking down to the kids and not excluding the adults. Matt and Jen take the framework Tim and Chris provide, and plenty of details solicited from the kids in the audience, and turn an increasingly silly story into a truly hilarious performance.

Fun, fun, fun!
by Justin Alexander Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Unless you hate kids, you'll love Story Time Time Bomb. Not only is the improv hilarious, but the Arena's theater-in-the-round allows you to really enjoy the pure, bubbling delight which dances through the kids in the front row.

The show also manages to channel the pure, creative exuberance of the children into a madcap adventure quite unlike the tamer stuff you'll find in your common fare. It gives a kind of unique insight into the genesis of all myth. (Our own tale was studded with monsters boasting 10-foot-long blue tongues, a dragon suffering from nightmares, and three-headed lizard drummers living in their girlfriends' apartment on the moon.)

This is a show for kids which through its pure, zany fun manages to transcend the limitation and become a joy for anyone willing to pull up a seat for the tale-telling.

And if you have kids you're looking to bring to the show? Then this is a 5 kitty guarantee for you.

Time Enough For Fun
by David Rust Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that the folk who put on this production are good friends of mine. I've known Tim and Chris for over a decade, now, and gotten very enamored of their personal styles of humor and creativity. And, yes, this is -indeed- a show aimed at kids. Both of those points aside, this was one of the most enjoyable hours I've spent at this year's Fringe.

The concept of doing an improv play made up from audience suggestions is not new. But to do this with an audience of kids and have the results illustrated seems to be very fresh. Further, the comedy is well-spaced so that it impacts both kids and adults. (A trio of youngsters in the front just kept losing it when the sound-effect for the dragon played.)

Each story is different so I suspect you can get new enjoyment out of this play time and time again. Add to Tim's rapid-fire delivery and Chris' fantastic, comic-book artwork the acting on stage and you have something everyone should see.

There were some bumps towards the end of the performance and I think the kids will love it slightly more than their folks but there's plenty that sails over the shorter audience members' heads for the taller folk in the upper seats. Kids (above the squirmy age of 2-1/2 but -say- below 10) will think of this as a 5-kitteh production!

Fun Improv for all ages!
by Hal Bichel Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
All the actors had great chemistry and really understood how to play to both kids and adults. This show is a gem in that it's improv all ages can enjoy. The hour flew by and I laughed quite a bit. Thanks for a great show!

Kid and parent approved
by Leah Weaver Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
My almost 4 year old really loved this show, and I enjoyed it too, which is no mean feat. Recommended!

Great all age show
by Shevvi Crowley Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
My 8 year old and I both loved this show as it seemed everyone else in the audience did. This is a good intro to improv and the hour just flew by. Kudos to the two actors that perform the story while it is being created.

Kids and parents enjoyed
by Jen Reise Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Creative, funny and fresh, from actors and writers who get kids. Our 6 year old loved it and the 3 year old got into it. Mom laughed out loud several times! Recommended.

Even my 11-year-old liked it
by Gregory Abbott Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Time Bomb was a wonderful improv for kids of all ages AND adults. A rare combination. Part of the dilemma of going to the Fringe with kids is that most of the plays I really want to see aren't appropriate for my child. And some of the kids shows out there are funny for 4-year-olds but boring for those pre-tweens. Jones and Wick made one of those rare gems that got kids into the story and had adults laughing along with it. Even my reluctant 11-year-old, dragged along by his parents, had to admit that it was one of the best plays at the Fringe. Getting that from him is high praise.

Dirigibles
by Rachel Teagle Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Such a fun show. Their interaction with the kids was really warm and the enthusiasm is immensely infectious, particularly Jen Scott, whose enthusiasm could fill several very enthusiastic swimming pools. Bring your kids! Come hang out and watch kids give very surprising suggestions - What gross thing should our hero wade through? Lutefisk. What should the villian wear? Armor Made of Human Bones. With this intrepid and experienced crew, you're in good hands.

Good stuff
by Publius McGee Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
If you have a kid, bring them to this show. If you don't have a kid, go anyway. Between the nerdy references, the sound guy's choices, and the terrifically smart "hired actors," adults will have plenty to enjoy, even if they don't want to participate.

The improv was really great, especially for the frantic pace, and it was cool to see suggestions coming from little kids.

Better Than I Expected
by Erica Mauter Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I was a little skeptical about a kids show (I picked this one because the show I wanted to see in another Rarig theater was sold out). But it was actually pretty funny. It's a little long; you get the gist of how it works the first 5 times through. And there's a lot of yelling, trying to keep the energy up. The improv keeps it fresh, though. Definitely fun for kids and still funny for adults.

Very impressed
by B K Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I was blown away with how good this show was. Looking around the theater the children seemed to be hanging on every word. Amazed that their suggestions were being written into the story unfolding before them.
It was a very funny show put on by some great entertainers. I am excited to see this one again.

Laughter is good for the soul
by Careswen ferch Madoc Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I haven't laughed this hard in a very long time. Impressive blend of improv and scripted comedy. Even the scripted stuff seems so natural, it makes it that much funnier.

Great show for kids AND adults!
by Sandy Burke Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This was a thoroughly entertaining show that both my kids (ages 6 and 9) enjoyed and I laughed out loud even more than they did! All the actors were able to engage the audience and get even the most reticent child to participate on some level. And the improvisational abilities of all of the performers were outstanding. The one-liners that they came-up with after the audience members gave them some piece to work with were hilarious! For instance, after my son could not come up with any security object he sleeps with, they decided on "The Chalice Of Nothingness" to help accompany the heroes on their journey -to which one replied "That's very zen!" There were many more (I'm not doing it justice) and I highly recommend this show. It will be different every day, since most parts are determined by the audience - so you should go more than once!

Bring your kids (or come alone!)
by Windy Bowlsby Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Disclosure: I know and am friends with most of this cast. But part of why I'm friends with them is that they are fabulously talented and brilliantly funny.
This is a delightful piece of crazy, with high-energy antics, not remotely "dumbed-down" for the kids which means the adults can enjoy it too.
Make time on your schedule to sit back and giggle and guffaw with this show!

Great Fringe Fluff
by Mark Long Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
The show is exactly as advertised--fun, silly story-making with audience participation.

It's very enjoyable and a nice break from anything else you are seeing at Rarig that is too loud, too weird or too depressing. Calling it the "Rarig Sorbet" course for the unchildrened is not an insult; I love all of my meal courses equally.

Awesome show
by Naomi Kritzer Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
My kids loved this and so did I. Absolutely hilarious, with great use of audience participation.

Energetic and Fun
by Ed Burke Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Funny energetic play with plenty of audience participation. Semi-improv (the main story line is set, but they improvise elements of the characters and setting). Great for kids - both of mine (ages 6 & 9) loved it. But also great for grownups.

Kids who want to offer suggestions about the story should sit near the front. Kids who'd rather just watch should probably sit a few rows back.

Creative and interesting
by Matlisa Semrad Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
It was fun. The artist did a really good drawing.

Fun for Everyone!
by Carla Mantel Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I did not bring a child to this play. I don't actually have one, and couldn't borrow one on such short notice. It didn't matter. I spent most of the show doubled over in laughter. The audience participation element is especially engaging, and the improvisation skills top-notch.

A Kid's Show That's Great For Every Age!
by Andrew Fafoutakis Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Definite must-see! Tim and Chris have put together a show that's fun, fast, and furious that made this 27 year-old theatre-cynic feel like a kid again. Jen Scott and Matt Allex work overtime, but they bring incredible laughs and energy. Butch Roy is a maestro with improving sound and gave the show even more extra laughs. We got lucky that the kids gave brilliant suggestions, but any audience will have a blast! Laughed so hard I was crying and oh so family-friendly!

Oh Yes.
by m. freiert Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
A pair of author illustrators utilize a pair of actors and the audience as a focus group to write their next childrens book.

Well written scripted dialogue presented in a delightfully fresh manner combines with brilliant improve and great children (and the rest of the audience) interaction to make a delightful show.

Definitely a must see.

(Full disclosure, I know a few of the cast, but well enough that I wouldn't lie to them about their performance. This far exceeded my expectations from some great entertainers.)

Another Excellent Children's Show
by Gabriel Heller Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Another show I wish I could give 4 1/2 kitties. I had my fingers crossed that this show would do the impossible. I imagined the artist sketching multiple pictures in front of the audience in a desperate attempt to keep up with the story. But I'm not a visual artist and have no idea if that would even have been possible. And that would be hard to do in an arena. On the other hand, the 'author' 'artist' 'actors' and audience improvised a wondrously funny tale, the single conceptual cartoon produced was very credible and had everything called for and the bit and the end with the money-man was priceless. Of course I can't guarantee that the show you go to will feature a dirigible the size of Hawaii, a Minotaur who learns to play a guitar that is also a machine gun, a treacherous pool of lutefisk, or a 40-foot penguin guarding "The Duct Tape Of Alacrity," unless you bring your children and bribe them with candy to suggest those things. Personally I could have done without the audience participatory calls and hand gestures, but that's me. I'm sure everyone else including you and your children will love them, and the rest of the show as well.

My 7-year-old son loved it!
by Waverley Street Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A new story book is improv-ed with lots of slapstick and linguistic humor. It's both kid and adult friendly. It's fast-paced with lots of audience and kid interaction, but at times can get too constant in its yelling. The two actors do a wonderful job incorporating the audience suggestions, keeping the ball rolling, and changing characters. It's a great intro to improv for kids. It has elements they recognize from reading: characters, settings, conflicts - and the wild unpredictability of improv.