Last
Tuesday evening I sat waiting, sipping a tall mocha latte with extra foam. I
was scheduled to meet Minneapolis’ own improv comedy group, HappyFunTime. But
they were fashionably late. I was
dabbing my tongue with a piece of ice to cool down the burn I had given myself
when I realized that I was a fictitious character; a figment of the minds of
the members of HappyFunTime. This was
disappointing, naturally, but I was still determined to find out about this
“HappyFunTime Video Premiere.”
In
walked the four improvisers who call themselves HFT.
Fictitious
Interviewer: Hey what took you
guys so long?
Wes: Mmmhtraphic wass gmmphhad.
Nica: Come on, Wes, seriously. Swallow before you talk.
He said traffic was bad. But the real
reason is that Wes wanted doughnuts.
F.I.: I see. Why don’t we get started. So, tell me about
HappyFunTime. What do you guys do?
Nate: We do accounting for small to mid size businesses
and light industrial manufacturers.
Mike: What he means by “accounting” is improv and sketch
comedy. By “midsize businesses” he means Churches, Schools, Camps. Colleges,
and midsize businesses.
Wes: And by “light industrial manufacturers” he means
small villages in Madagascar.
Nica: Come on guys.
Seriously. What they mean is we
do improv and sketch comedy all over the country for all sorts of people.
F.I.: Right. Got it. So how did HFT get started?
Nate: Well we were all working for an accounting firm
for a small to mid-
Wes: We were all doing different types of performing.
Some of us were juggling, some of us were acting, and almost all of us were
doing improv before HFT.
F.I.: Why do you guys do what you do?
Mike: We believe that there is true joy in knowing
Christ.
Nate: …we also believe that God created laughter as a
part of experiencing that joy.
Nica: …yeah, and we think that humor doesn’t have to be
crude or bring people down, but it can be uplifting and encouraging. That’s a
big part of what we want to do with our shows; encourage people.
Wes: That, and we really aren’t qualified to do
anything else.
F.I.: Is improv the only thing that you guys do?
Nica: Oh no no no no. No. We also produce video
sketches.
Nate: We call them “sketch comedy parables.”
F.I.: What is a “sketch comedy parable?”
Wes: It’s a wacky little sketch that has a Biblical
message in it.
Mike: In the same way that Jesus told a story that
related to his audience, we try to tell people a story that helps them to see a
Biblical truth in a new way.
Nate: Like sin being a big pond of sewage.
Nica: Or like the Word of God being a map for our lives.
Wes: Or like a doughnut being something I want to eat
right now. Again.
F.I.: Ah. Well that seems very interesting. Where could
a guy like me see your crazy videos?
Wes: That’s a tough question. I don’t think I can
answer that one.
Nica: Actually, Wes, this is the perfect time to talk
about our
Video Premiere on
March 12th.
Wes: Oh right. Well you, and anybody who wants to, can
come out to the Heart Alive Theater in Brooklyn Center Minnesota on March 12
th
for the HappyFunTime Video Premiere. Stand up comedian Daren Streblow is going
to kick the night off for us, we’re even going to do a little improv, and then
show our newest batch of videos.
F.I.: Really? When is it?
Wes: March 12
th
at 7 pm
F.I.: How much
does it cost?
Wes: It’s free.
And open to anybody. Bring your youth group, family, friends, distant cousin,
and former state representative. Anybody.
F.I.: Where can
folks find directions to the theater?
Wes: They can find a map at
www.happyfuntime.com or call
612.741.BLUE.
F.I.: Cool. I’ll be there. Well you guys have been
great. Thanks for letting me talk to you about what you do and stuff. I gotta
go, I’m double-parked. See ya.
Wes:
Weird. The interview is still going on but the interviewer left.
Nate:
That’s because he was fictitious.
Mike:
What’s that mean?
Nate:
That means we can have coffee!
Mike: Ooh, I get the foam. Mmmm…foam.
Wes: I get his scone. It’s kinda like a doughnut.
Nica: Come on, guys. Seriously.
Don’t forget to check out
www.happyfuntime.com for more info!
