Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, or The Peril of Choice (2016) ———-
Music by: Dennis Curley
Written and Directed by: Joshua Will
The company that brought you Department of Redundancy Department and Push Button Get Bacon brings you a new satirical comedy that dares to ask:
Do we need 27 different varieties of Oreos? Do we long for change yet fear something new? Is it okay to play with your Tasseled Wobbegong? It’s nice having choice, but too many options is just plain hell.
Online medical diagnoses, fast food value menus, presidential elections, homophones … just a few of the reasons Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.
Caveat Emptor? Nah. Unless you don’t like “funny, clever, sketch comedy, perhaps like what Saturday Night Live is supposed to be” (Cherry and Spoon). If that’s the case, you’ll have to deal with that analysis paralysis on your own because they’re not psychologists (well, one of them is).
“Satire aficionados know The Recovery Party can be thought of as the Mensa Society for local comics” CityPages (full review)
“Sharp social satire with occasional flights into the absurd.” MinnesotaTheaterLove (full review)
“This is smart laugh-out-loud satire. The writing and execution are as clever as you’ll find anywhere. Anywhere!” HowWasTheShow (full review)
“Incredible … Quick-witted and funny.” MinnesotaPublic Radio (full review)
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things P1 from The Recovery Party on Vimeo.
Workshopped and Performed by:
Jeffrey Cloninger Jim Robinson Dennis Curley
— SEX and SENSIBILITY (MN Fringe Festival 2014)
Workshopped and Performed by: Dawn Brodey, Jim Cunningham, Eriq Nelson, Amy Shomshak and Joshua Will
Written by: Joshua Will
Directed by: John Gaspard andJoshua Will
Presented in Cooperation with Houdini Productions
———————————–
PUSH BUTTON. GET BACON. (2013) ———-
Minnesotans love summer, laughter, good theater, bowling, tall boys, and, of course, mechanically-dispensed pork products.
All those things come together this July when the critically-acclaimed comedic minds at THE RECOVERY PARTY (Big Smile Campaign Team, Department of Redundancy Department) return to the BLB stage with their all-new sketch comedy review: PUSH BUTTON GET BACON.
Heralded for their “smart writing and relevant satire,“1 THE RECOVERY PARTY promises a “laugh-out-loud funny”2 comedy SmörgÃ¥sbord.
Featuring performances from an all-star cast of seasoned comedy veterans, PUSH BUTTON GET BACON includes material workshopped by two Emmy Award winners, several Dudley Riggs/Brave New Workshop alumni, and a former Saturday Night Live writer.
With more than 20 different sketches, songs, and monologues, the show tackles such hot-button topics as mail-order brides, evaporated milk, and the unconditional love of 3.2 beer.
Audiences will soak up “class ‘A’ sketch comedyâ€3 served up by “a solid comedic companyâ€4 (there will also be a fair amount of cross-dressing, foul-language, and sex jokes).
But what’s PUSH BUTTON GET BACON really about? It’s about 90 minutes.
1. Minnesota Playlist 2. Minnesota Public Radio 3. HowWasTheShow.com 4. CityPages
PUSH BUTTON. GET BACON. Promo v1 from The Recovery Party on Vimeo.
Workshopped and Performed by: Jeffrey Cloninger, Dennis Curley, Andrea Guilford, Jen Maren, Jim Robinson and Joshua Will
Music Arranged and Performed by: Dennis Curley
Songs by: Dennis Curley, Greta Grosch, Peter Guertin and Joshua Will
Additional Material by: Tane Danger, Jim Robinson, Shanan Custer, Logan Martin and Matthew Craig
Written and Directed by: Joshua Will
———- the VOW factor (2012)
(Co-produced with Table Salt Productions)
Synopsis:
Table Salt Productions, in conjunction with The Recovery Party, invites you to “save the date†for the wedding event of the season—The VOW Factor at the Bryant-Lake Bowl!
Dudley Riggs / Brave New Workshop alumni don’t fade away—their satirical voices become louder than ever. Good thing, too. With the numerous issues and agendas dividing our political landscape, it’s reassuring to know that veterans of the longest running satirical theater in the country are ready to speak their minds, point out the ridiculousness that surrounds us, and offer up a few solutions to every day problems.
They might even sing a song or two.
Talented writers, performers and musicians responsible for some of the Twin Cities’ most memorable comedy productions (Minnesota! It’s Not Just for Lutherans Anymore; Happiness for Dummies: An Idiot’s Guide to the Soul and Church Basement Ladies 2) have banded together to take on one of the hottest and most controversial issues to face our nation today: Marriage.
The VOW Factor takes a CIVIL (somewhat) look at the STATE of MARRIAGE today as it sets out to prove, once and for all, in a completely (almost) unbiased fashion, that marriage should be a right, a blessing, and a scorching pain for EVERYONE.
Filled with side-splitting sketch comedy, meaningful monologues, sentimental ballads and a few surprises, and performed by “a solid comedic company†(City Pages) that is “just plain brilliant†(HowWasTheShow.com), The VOW Factor promises a fair and balanced evening of laughs and thought-provoking material, whether or not you’re open-minded enough to accept that EVERYONE has the right to marital “bliss.â€
the VOW factor (promo one) from The Recovery Party on Vimeo.
Workshopped and Performed by: Michelle Cassioppi, Dennis Curley, Rachael Flanery, Jim Robinson and Joshua Will
Music Written and Performed by: Dennis Curley
Written by: Jim Robinson and Joshua Will
Directed by: Joshua Will
Show Page can be found here.
DANGER! WILL/ROBINSON (2011) ———-
(Co-produced with Table Salt Productions)
One is an Emmy Award-winning writer. The other possesses two Masters, a PhD, and an honorary degree in funny. Both are hysterically miserable.
Jim “sketch comedy is clearly his calling†Robinson and Joshua “satirical backbone with élan†Will, two of the Twin Cities’ sharpest, funniest and most handsomest sketch comedy writers, have a few things they’d like to get off their chests.
Danger! Will/Robinson, a joint production of Table Salt Productions (Whistling Past the Graveyard, Love After Hours) and The Recovery Party (Big Smile Campaign Team, Department of Redundancy Department), dives deep into the archives to revisit some of Joshua and Jim’s personal favorite sketches as well as a slew of new material that tackles everything from the perils of dating, what to do with a dead hooker, and what [censored] color to paint the [censored] walls.
Joined by Dennis “lovely songs†Curley and a few equally talented and frustrated performers, DANGER! WILL/ROBINSON invites you to share an evening of self-indulgent satirical sketch comedy … that is, if they’re not too busy patting themselves on the back.
Workshopped and Performed by: Michelle Cassioppi, Dennis Curley, Julie Grover, Jay Melchoir (1st run), Eriq Nelson (2nd Run), Jim Robinson and Joshua Will
Music Written and Performed by: Dennis Curley
Written by: Jim Robinson and Joshua Will
Directed by: Joshua Will and Dennis Curley
To visit archived show page, please click HERE.
DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCY DEPARTMENT (2009-10) ———-
Bigger! Funnier! More Redundanter! The Recovery Party is pleased and proud to present, Department of Redundancy Department. This original* sketch comedy revue holds a mirror up to society, dwells on the past and downright steals from others as it scrutinizes the pure joy that is unrelenting human interaction. There’s also a song involving the Lesser Wooly Horseshoe Bat.
* mostly
Redundant favorites – such as Spontaneous Osmosis, The Tale of Ye Olde Temp (or, I Hate the Ren-Fest), Disability Insensitivity, Chinchilla! and the ever-confusing / smile-inducing Hawaiian War Chant Dance all return (along with few surprises) in addition to all your favorite sketches.
Departmental members include comedy veterans from Dudley Riggs & The Brave New Workshop, Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding, Church Basement Ladies and countless Bryant-Lake Bowl productions. The writer/director won an Emmy award for a television special that no one’s ever heard of. One cast member is even a doctor of something. So, in addition to being polished and professional, you can be assured that the Department of Redundancy Department will be professional. Department of Redundancy Department – funny, biting, hilarious and funny.
Workshopped and Performed by: Jeffrey Cloninger, Dennis Curley, Shanan Custer, Greta Grosch, Jen Maren (2nd run), Jim Robinson and Joshua Will
Music by: Dennis Curley and Greta Grosch
Written and Directed by: Joshua Will
Visit the “Department of Redundancy Department†archived show page HERE
SONG and SKETCH for HAPPY LAUGH TIME (2004) ———-
Synopsis:
What’s it about?
It’s about 90 minutes.
Seriously. What’s it about?
THE RECOVERY PARTY satirizes, sex, politics, religion and sex. Nothing is sacred – not even small, furry animals. We don’t want to give anything away, but here are a few sketch titles” “Whoa-man,” “The Last Temptation of Michael Eisner (or: Jesus Christ, Prime-Time Star),” “Spontaneous Osmosis,” The A.D.D. Love Ballad,” and “PHAT!” just to name a few.
Workshopped and Performed by: Ahna Brandvik, Brian Frey, Greta Grosch, Rick Logan and Joshua Will
Music by: Greta Grosch
Written and Directed by: Joshua Will
Visit the “Song and Sketch for Happy Laugh Time” archived show page HERE.
BIG SMILE CAMPAIGN TEAM (2002/03) ———-
Synopsis:
Satirically examining human interaction, organized religion and the unconditional love for 3.2 beer.
Workshopped and Performed by: Brian Frey, Greta Grosch, Dennis Harlander, Nick Knudson, Jen Maren and Joshua Will
Music by: Greta Grosch
Written and Directed by: Joshua Will 
Visit the “Big Smile Campaign Team†archived show page HERE.
———- 2000 P.S.I. (2001)
Workshopped and Performed by: Traci Czech, Bob Field, Brian Frey, Dennis Harlander, Dan McNeil, Jen Maren and Joshua Will
Music by: Mike Hallenbeck
Written and Directed by: Joshua Will
THE PHALLIC MENACE: An Insider’s Guide to America (1999) ————
Official Entry in the 1999 Edinburgh Fringe Theatre Festival (Scotland, U.K).
Also performed at The Brave New Workshop, Kieran’s Irish Pub (M’pls, MN) and Renegade Theater (Duluth, MN).
Performed by: Amanda Brewer Valley, Dan McNeil, Kim Schultz, Joshua Will and Cedric Yarbrough
with Chris Carlson (U.S. tour), Ben Chadwick (tech support) and Eugene Huddleston (music)
Directed by: Joshua Will