FLOP! An Improvised Musical Fiasco

Length: 90 minutes long including a 20-minute intermission  (Act 1 is 40 min and Act 2 is 30 min). Please note this is an estimate, as show length will be slightly different every performance. 

More about the play 

For every performance, the actors will take suggestions from the audience and improvise a new musical on their feet, with improvised accompaniment by a pianist. These are musical theatre comedic masters at the top of their game. Each performance will be a unique creation. Repeat viewings are encouraged.  

Who is this suitable for?

This show is improvised and is different every night. It frequently incorporates mature themes, and so while we cannot put a definite age rating on it, we generally advise that some adult content should be expected. 

An age rating is based on a general idea. You are the best judge of what content is a good fit for you as an individual. Feel free to contact the box office if this note does not answer your questions.

Content notes

If you have any questions or would like more information, we encourage you to connect with our Access Manager, Drea (email here, or by phone 613-236-5192 x 235).

What is the world of the show? What is the vibe?

Improv is a type of theatre where things are made up on the spot. In this show, the performers are put in a difficult position: the playwright quit, there’s no sheet music, their director has been sent to rehab, the choreographer has been cancelled and they must still perform a show! The three actors create a story on the spot using suggestions from the audience while the pianist improvises music to accompany them. This improvised musical will be full of laughter and skill, as you witness a performance that will never be repeated. 

Who could perform such a monumental feat?!
Glad you asked. This show is created by Alan Kliffer and Ron Pederson. Alan is the Artistic Director of Second City NYC, and has been producing, writing, directing and teaching comedy for over 20 years. Ron Pederson is an alumnus of Toronto’s Second City, and is a Canadian Comedy Award nominee. You might recognize him from MadTV, Stratford Festival, or from stages all over North America. Ron is joined onstage by Jan Caruana and Hannah Spear, also both Toronto Second City alumni. Jan Caruana is a multiple award-winning writer and performer, recognizable from North American stages and TV shows like Baroness Von Sketch Show. Hannah has been improvising across Canada for 15 years. She holds a Dora Award nomination for her work on The Second City Toronto's Mainstage.

OK, OK, but has anyone ever seen these folks…um…make up a musical on the spot?!

Yes, GCTC Artistic Director Sarah Kitz has seen them do this. She wept with laughter and was awed by their skill. These are ingeniously funny, quick-witted people. And they can sing!

Some things you can expect to be part of the show:  

• Audience participation - the actors will ask you to shout out an answer to their question. The actors may point to a specific audience member to answer the question they ask. 

• Live electronic piano music

• Live singing

• Unexpected sounds and light shifts

• Possible swearing and mature themes

What technical elements might this show include?

• Moving lights (some possible lighting effects may have quick shifts in lights with moving lights)

• LED lighting on the two sides of the audience. These are lights that are like stars shining between the panels of the audience theatre walls. 

• Haze 

As with the nature of improv, where things are created each night, we cannot offer more detailed notes. Themes and discussions will be influenced by the audience suggestions and how the actors interpret them onstage live.