HFF hit show “Turbulence!” heads for NYC

Robot Teammate is heading for the Big Apple!

The Los Angeles-based comedy improv troupe is crossing the country in October to make its New York debut debut at the SoHo Playhouse as part of the Fringe Encore Series. The troupe will be performing its original scripted musical, Turbulence!, which won Best Musical, Best World Premiere, Critics’ Choice, and A Little New Music’s Award for Outstanding Songwriting at the Hollywood Fringe Festival (HFF) this past June.

The story: The 4242 Intergalympics have arrived, and the competition between humans on Earth and Mars is at a fever pitch. An epic race around the sun concludes the events, but the untimely demise of Earth’s designated competitors means the haphazard crew of the S.S. Albacore and their android assistant Mambo 4 (Dave Reynolds) must go to bat. Can Captain Davin Galaxy (Miles Crosman) win the respect of his team in time to win the race and prove that Earth isn’t the shabby dirt turd the Martians think it is? Will astrophysicist Dr. Joules Johnson (Kat Primeau) be able to master turbulent energy to their advantage? Can demolition derby mechanic Mick Cribbins (Chris Bramante) translate his expertise in space? And will nihilist navigation specialist Pattern MaGerk (Molly Dworsky) find a way to really care about it all?

Since this marks the ensemble’s debut on the East Coast, performers/writers/producers Chris Bramante, Molly Dworsky and Kat Primeau were happy to participate in a roundtable interview about this exciting event.

How did the opportunity arise for Robot Teammate to make its New York theater debut with Turbulence!?

Molly Dworsky: Our Fringe audiences have come to know us as passionate creators of new comedy musicals and have honored us by filling the seats of our venue and telling their friends to come, too. Our hard-earned reputation garnered interest from an important stranger this year — a theater scout from New York who saw Turbulence! He reached out to us see if we’d like to co-produce the show at his theater, the SoHo Playhouse, for its Fringe Encore series. We were elated and said yes immediately!

Has any member of the cast worked in New York theater before? If so, what were the circumstances?

Chris Bramante: Beyond writing and performing in playwright colloquiums when I was studying at NYU Tisch, this will be my very first actual New York theater production. When I think about it that way…well, hot dog! I’m even more psyched than I already was, which was quite a darn bit.

Kat Primeau: I did an Off-Broadway Playwrights Festival years ago, performing Dana Lynn Formby’s beautiful short play, Armed with Peanut Butter, and later spent time interning at Culture Project, a political theater company. I had the time of my life, dropping postcards off at theaters around Manhattan and feeling the electricity of the sidewalks powering me along as we endeavored to make the world a better place through art.

What’s the most exciting aspect of bringing the show to the SoHo Playhouse?

Molly: While Robot Teammate has traveled for the weekend here and there around the Southwest for festivals, two-day residencies and workshops, we have never undergone a cross-country trip together, nor have we tested a run of a show outside of California. This will be groundbreaking for our team, and we all love this work and each other so much. We are over the moon about sharing the experience of New York theater performance with each other.

Chris: I’m excited about being a mere few blocks away from Blue Ribbon Sushi. But even more so, getting to assemble and meet with other artists bringing their work to the Festival and this super dope venue. As a Hamilton obsessee, the fact that the theater used to be owned by Aaron Burr (sir) is also a fun bit of something.

Kat: I love viewing theater from all around the world. It’s always a treat to see different artists’ processes and products. I love meeting new producing entities and getting insight to what work and subject matter interests them. It’s consumer research, understanding what artists and audiences are hungry for. I’m really looking forward to connecting with international and regional companies also participating in the festival. An opportunity to travel with your craft is always amazing, especially when it reunites you with old producing partners and new potential collaborators!

What are you most looking forward to experiencing in the Big Apple?

Molly: I’m sure it’s slightly different for everyone, but I’m excited to not have to worry about driving or parking! I can’t wait to walk everywhere and use great public transportation. Also, connecting with dear friends in New York will be a top priority.

Chris: New York is a second home to me, as I lived there for five years, first studying at NYU Tisch’s Department of Dramatic Writing and then working my first job in media at ABC News. I cannot wait to see all my friends, family and professors who are still living and thriving in the city. I’ve been performing with Robot Teammate out in Los Angeles for over five years and so many of my beloved people have never gotten the chance to see my little musicbot family. I hope the current student body of the Department of Dramatic Writing attends. Ya see, kids? Study hard and show up to class and then one day you can stomp around in shiny silver hot pants just like this alum.

Kat: I can’t wait to spend time with my friends from Ohio University, eat a ton of bagels and actually see Autumn again!

How do you think New York audiences will receive Turbulence!?

Molly: We hope our show can transcend coastal preferences and be as well-received in the theater capitol of the world, if not more beloved, than it was in Los Angeles. Because our show is feel-good, family-friendly and only an hour long, we think it can be like a chocolate cookie of a show instead of some of the more hardy and harder-to-swallow meals like the serious/dramatic/two+ hour shows. This show is fun, and we know people tend to need an escape from a scarily un-fun reality right now.

Chris: I think they will love it. Hey, it’s a fast-paced, zany comedy with catchy synthpop tunes at an affordable ticket price. It’s theater that a tourist can pop in and pop out of. Perfect for a family that can’t afford the higher Broadway prices but still wants to experience a theater production in New York.

Have you had any interaction with New York improv theater companies yet? Have they offered you any tips or guidance?

Kat: We are performing at the New York Musical Improv Festival at the Magnet Theater on October 22nd with a really incredible team we met at West Coast Music Improv Festival earlier this year, American Immigrant. We are excited to see them and a bunch of talented musical improvisers while we are in town, and are reaching out to our friends in comedy for advice and support. I have to give a shout-out to my theater company buddies at the TEAM and Theatre for New Audiences who have been especially helpful so far!

Since winning a bunch of awards at the 2017 Fringe, what kind of interest has the show engendered and how has it benefited the company?

Chris: It has given us a chance to bring our show to the musical epicenter of the planet, so that’s incredible. We hope to create lasting connections with theater communities out here while we’re in the midst of the run.

Molly: It seems that successes come and go so quickly in Hollywood (or anywhere). We’ve enjoyed putting our laurels on our promotional materials, but it’s a challenge to get our art in the right hands — to someone who could really make a difference for our creative careers. Mostly, the awards give us confidence to keep working toward our dreams and confirms that what we’re doing is really resonating with our friends and fans.

Is anyone going to squeeze in some New York theater while you’re there? If so, what do you want to see?

Chris: Yep! As a huge animation fanboy, I really just gotta see Anastasia. I love it too much to not. I would also love to take my shot at the Hamilton lottery to see the new cast (was lucky enough to see Lin, Leslie, Renee and the original cast two years ago). Most certainly I want to check out Sleep No More. Would love recommendations! What should we see?

Kat: My first goal is to get to the Hayden Planetarium and convince Neil deGrasse Tyson to come to our show. Second goal is supporting friends who are performing currently in the city. Third goal is exploring some immersive productions, new musical workshops and recommendations your readers leave us in the comments! Fourth is watching Broadway shows on tape at the New York Public Library.

Molly: We’d all die to see the Tony Award-winning Dear Evan Hansen, but we know we’re not alone in that desire. We’ll all definitely be visiting the TKTS line during our days off and drinking in whatever we can of your magical city. Hopefully this run of Turbulence! won’t be Robot Teammate’s last trip to New York together and we’ll get to visit and see more shows as often as possible.

Turbulence! will play at various times from October 13-22 at the SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street. Exact showtimes and tickets can be obtained by visiting the theater’s web site.