Paul and Storm

Every time we think new w00tstocks can’t possibly live up to the past ones, we are proved laughably wrong. We continue to be amazed by the energy and good feelings generated by audience and performers alike, and Chicago and Minneapolis BROUGHT IT. The energy was so strong, in fact, that the show ran nearly 5 hours in Chicago and 4 1/2 in Minneapolis—to the delight of the overwhelming majority, who were laughing and cheering just as hard at the end as at the beginning.

Some highlights from the shows:

• Peter Sagal’s (host of NPR’s “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me) amazing “I, Henchman” monologue in Chicago. We can only imagine its next stop is “This American Life”
• Working with MST3K vets Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (Rifftrax) and Trace Beaulieu (Cinematic Titanic), enjoying and participating in the brand new songs by the former, and laughing hysterically at the later’s readings from his upcoming children’s book (illustrated by our good friend Len Peralta)
• Watching the aforementioned Len draw custom posters, live and on stage, in both cities
• John Scalzi’s monologue as an inter-species high school’s Vice Principle
• Seeing the audiences embrace the comedy of our longtime friends Tim Cavanagh and Tim Bedore
• Watching the crowds (predictably) fall in love with Molly Lewis and her ukule-ling
• Real Rock Star Drummer Jason Finn amping things up throughout the night
• Bill Amend’s utterly hysterical comic page parodies—where “Love Is” and Pedobear collide
• Witnessing as Professor James Kakalios brought the worlds of physics and superheroes together, to thunderous applause
• 36 minute version of “The Captain’s Wife’s Lament” in Chicago (thx to Dan Coulter for the vid), halted only by the rational cursing of Peter Sagal. Epic—and never to be repeated
• Wil’s childlike glee when he saw the custom TARDIS cake
• A successful marriage proposal in Minneapolis, complete with Wil Wheaton video setup. We seriously got teared up. Also never to be repeated, so DO NOT ASK US TO PULL THAT KIND OF STUNT AGAIN!
• Wil setting the tone for the night, and watching him command the crowd during his Rocky Horror story (aided and abetted by yours trulies, which always brings out our inner squee)
• Adam singing “I Will Survive” as Gollum. Yes, it was just as awesome as you imagine it was.
• Neil-effing-Gaiman’s “surprise” cameo. We are ever delighted by his charm and willingness to hang out with miscreants such as ourselves.

Super-mega thanks to our Dungeon Master (stage manager) “Dammit” Liz, and  to all of the volunteers who helped everything run mega-smooth, including Mike Lombardo, Michael Cianfrani of Tinyrun and returning talent-wrangler Chris Wright, all of whom are stars in their own right.