Backstage Pass: Victoria Henley has a laugh at SAK Comedy Lab, Free Daps

by VICTORIA HENLEY
CTFashionMag.com

Founded in 1991 and praised by countless prestigious media outlets (including the New York Times) across the United States, SAK Comedy Lab is the premiere theater for world class improvisation and comedy in the heart of Orlando.

Sak Comedy Lab has firmly established itself as not only the city’s go-to destination for improvisational entertainment, but also a launching pad for some of the comedy industry’s brightest stars.

Famous alumni include Wayne Brady (from the wildly popular television series, “Whose Line is It Anyway”) as well as writers, directors, and producers for “Mad TV,” “Saturday Night Live” and sitcoms such as “Scrubs,” “The Office” and “30 Rock.”

Sak Comedy Lab is the quintessential outing for any comedy enthusiast looking to enjoy some of the finest quality improv entertainment in the state of Florida.

I was afforded the exclusive opportunity to enjoy three of Sak Comedy’s Lab’s award winning shows.

DUEL OF FOOLS

One of Sak Comedy Club’s most popular resident shows, “Duel of Fools” features a cast of the venue’s headlining performers as they “duke it out” in a variety of high octane, action-packed competitions, featuring numerous styles of improvisation and a vast array of comedy genres for an entertainment experience which is equally entertaining, intelligent, and engaging.

Emceed by Gina Bobina, brimming with bubbly enthusiasm and razor sharp wit, the evening’s format featured the cast of players split into various teams “battling” in challenges ranging from improvised songs, an indescribably hilarious portion that involved a specific type of “pig Latin,” an edge-of-your-seat “fast forward/rewind” challenge and more, through which each player resorted to their own keen and unique set of wits, and improvisational talents to create a truly one-of-a-kind comedy experience that is completely unscripted and custom-created right before the audience’s very eyes.

Audiences are granted the opportunity to participate in the show as the performers regularly seek out suggestions from the crowd, including, but not limited to, the categories of: favorite food, favorite music genre, favorite movies, television programs, vacation destinations, etc. Upon collecting suggestions from the audience members, outrageously funny competition style skits are created in real time based upon the aforementioned audience based ideas.

At the conclusion of the competition, a challenge winner is announced, and fans are sure to delight in the fact that each and every Duel of Fools show offers completely different content, and improvisational entertainment experiences as each performance is completely unique and custom built for the moment.

KING OF THE HILL

“King of the Hill” stars Sak Comedy Club’s renowned cast of headliners: including the evening’s emcee, Gina Bobina, and a rousingly funny roster of players, including: Jose, Josh, Jay, Jamie, and Richard.

One of the most popular, hot ticket shows at the Sak Comedy Lab, it features a beloved format infusing classic improvisation and word games with elements of physical comedy and highly involved audience interaction.

The cast, a group of consummate professionals armed with remarkable stage presence, razor-sharp wit, and unmatched improvisational skill, went head-to-head for the coveted title of “King of the Hill,” competing in numerous zany and highly entertaining themed competitions, including the “Moving Bodies” segment (where volunteers were selected from the audience to maneuver and manipulate the comic’s bodies, as the comedians created a story line to accompany the body movements), “Human Robots” (a portion of the show in which one quick thinking volunteer is assigned to point the comics in the “right direction” in order to deter them from walking off the stage or into a wall), a remarkable “Guessing Game” in which one comic is left to his own devices to rely on elusive tips and clues to solve a puzzle based upon previously taken audience suggestions, and a trove of other hilariously creative hijinks that kept the nearly sold out crowd in stitches from start to finish.

A visit to any of Sak Comedy Club’s residents shows makes it truly evident why this venue continues to set the standard for high quality, live improv entertainment.

FREE DAPS

A wildly popular recurring production at Sak Comedy Lab, Free Daps (a pulse pounding, rapid fire fusion of improvisation, rap battles, dance, acoustic music, and audience participation, unlike anything you’ve ever seen before) is an Orlando-based act that can be best described as an epic rap battle meets “Whose Line is it Anyway” meets “Saturday Night Live.”

Created by decorated rap battle champion and stand up comedian, Isaac Knox, Free Daps features a diverse and inimitably skilled cast including S.B The Anomaly (rapper/dancer, and hip hop artist), Heath McNease (singer/songwriter, and sketch comedy/parody artist), Jordan Keyes (a founding member of the group, whose unfathomably fast-paced rapping skills are reminiscent of the legendary Eminem, yet stand in a league of their own), Franco (an outrageously offbeat comic who steals scenes with his unconventional delivery), and Madd Illz (beat boxer/rapper/comic ).

The cast, personable and engaging, took time to interact and pose for photo ops with their loyal fan base following the evening’s performance, and they frequently tour the nation performing at a vast array of corporate/private events, festivals, and more . Be sure to follow their social media pages below for exclusive behind the scenes content as well as a full roster of upcoming tour dates.

Special thanks to the wonderful Chris Dinger for facilitating our visit for this spotlight feature!