Split-second timing crucial for ‘City’ comedy troupe at Flamingo

Friday, Jan. 14, 2005 | 9:43 a.m.

Almost four years have passed since the legendary improv group "Second City" replaced the popular musical comedy "Forever Plaid" at the Flamingo.

While "Plaid" (see story above) routinely filled the 200-seat theater, an executive decision was made to take the room in a different direction.

Was the decision good or bad?

It was bad in that it deprived "Plaid" fans of their favorite show.

It was good in that it brought a classic production to Las Vegas that had lots of potential.

All's well that ends well.

Now fans of both troupes may be satisfied "City" (which opened in March 2001) is still going strong at the Flamingo, and "Plaid" (which closed in December 2000) makes its return Saturday night, debuting at the Gold Coast.

"Second City" producers have continued their tradition of bringing some of the most talented and creative performers in the country to their stage.

There have been a number of cast changes since the production debuted. Only Seamus McCarthy is still with the show. Jason Sudeikis (one of the original actors in the Las Vegas production) recently left to write for "Saturday Night Live."

The current cast: McCarthy; Pittsburgh native Lauren Dowden (an alumnus of "Second City" in Cleveland); Martin Garcia of Austin, Texas (who trained at the Second City Training Center in Chicago); Bridget Kloss of Rockford, Ill., who has a degree in elementary education; and Brian Shortall, a Chicago native and a former member of the Second City touring company.

There is not a weak link in this ensemble of performers.

Their timing is almost always on the mark, their ability to pull topical humor out of the air is brilliant and all of them seem to be having a great time onstage, creating a great time for the audience.

Rarely does an improvised bit not work, though a scene in a recent performance ran into a dead end. Even the most talented of actors probably would have a hard time coming up spontaneously with a funny routine about a plunger.

"Second City" is a blend of improvised and scripted scenes.

Only on Wednesdays does the cast work entirely without a script, relying on fans for inspiration.

But even the scripts are written by the cast, so in essence the show is entirely theirs. As cast members are replaced, shows change to reflect their individual personalities.

One of the most popular bits in the show is one that is largely scripted, but pieces of information about a member of the audience are used to drive the script.

Bill, a Las Vegas police officer, was questioned about his job, his favorite meal (tacos and enchiladas) and what he enjoyed doing in his spare time (snowboarding).

Those facts were woven into a script that featured a telethon for stamping out abusers of tacos and enchiladas.

In another funny scene, Kloss and Dowden performed as showgirls, and throughout the exotic motions they carried on a conversation about different aspects of their life offstage -- the church choir, service with the Peace Corps, a degree in criminal justice and other things. The contradictions in what they were saying and what they were doing was hilarious.

The only scene that didn't work well for me was one in which McCarthy, Shortall and Garcia were in the bleachers at Wrigley Field discussing various sports curses. It was too drawn out, with too few laughs to move it forward.

But that was a minor flaw in an otherwise sparkling production.

Because there is a certain amount of improv in every show, fans will never see the same show twice.

The improvised bits included asking the audience for an object that might be found in an attic or garage (a fan was used); a location that would fit onstage (a telephone booth); a common statement heard every day ("You wouldn't believe it ..."); and a physical activity you don't perform every day (sex).

Out of those items, the actors created some memorable moments:

"You wouldn't believe it, but I used to stalk you."

Fanning herself, Kloss cried, "I think I'm going through the change. My ovaries are weeping."

McCarthy, in a scene with Dowden in which "sex" was the operational word, said, "Somebody ordered you a sex-o-gram. Is it your birthday?"

"Yes," Dowden replied. "Let me put on some lipstick."

"You won't need it for what I'm going to do to you," McCarthy leered. "Happy birthday. My name's Chuck. I'm the guy who likes to make love to people."