Performances

Moving.  Inspiring.  Like nothing I’ve seen before.  Those are the words we hear most often after our performances.  And: You obviously really trust each other.

We create songs in the moment.  Choreograph dances to music composed on the spot.  Surprise ourselves with stories that tumble from our tongues.  Using audience ideas as inspiration, Alligator Mouth Improv offers one-of-a-kind performances that can never be repeated.

Take a minute to check out our videos.   If you can’t see us in person, it’s the best way to grasp what we do.

Black Box Theatres

Dressed in black, under minimal lighting, we step (or jump, or roll, or tiptoe) onto a bare stage and say yes to whatever comes.  Our connection to the audience is palpable because they are risking with us.  Everyone is along for the same ride, and we have no idea where that ride will take us.

Small, simple, intimate performance spaces suit us. Because of the inherent risk and deep levels of authenticity that are required, an improvised performance provides an immediacy and intimacy that are extremely engaging for an audience. They feel connected to the performers and to each other.

In theatre settings, we usually have a theme which is introduced with an evocative question (for example, “what comes from the space between us?”). Audiences are invited to submit their thoughts and/or stories on that theme, and their input is used to fuel the performance as it unfolds.

Improvisation as an art form is not about showing what we can do, it's about revealing our truth in each unfolding moment.  This isn't improv comedy.  Our performances move from playful to profound and back again. We dive in deep and see where it takes us, often creating worlds that are abstract, poetic, and dream-like.

Like our motto says: Come with no expectations; leave with a greater sense of what's possible. 

Performance Deli

What are you hungry for? An improvised story? A song composed in the moment? A dance created just for you? You can have it all at Performance Deli: Art Made to Order!  

During a Performance Deli, customers stop in anytime we are open. They select from a printed menu of improvisational forms—ranging from dramatic to playful. They give their order to our waitstaff, and enjoy the other patrons' performances until their order is up. The waitstaff asks for payment for their selection, which is whatever is required to make the improvisation work—a theme word, choosing an object, maybe even participating! They enjoy their piece, then stay until their hunger for performance art is satisfied.

When the deli debuted in an empty storefront in Corning, NY, in July 2009, it made quite a splash!  Nearly 500 people came through the door during the seven days we were open.  See news video from WENY-TV of the opening day or read a newspaper article published in the local paper.  Contact us if you're interested in setting up a deli in your town!  

Moving Possibilities

If you felt limitless, what would you do? Many of the answers involve social change. Create world peace.  Start a school for poor kids.  Save the planet.  Out my girlfriend.

To make any change manifest, one must first be able to imagine it.  That's the essence of the Moving Possibilities project—to provide that kick start to the imagination via a multi-arts exhibit and improvised performances available for traveling to your community. Designed to be performed outside where passersby are invited to stop and watch for a minute or two or stay for the whole hour, Moving Possibilities includes improvised movement and music, as well as poetry, visual art, and audience interaction. Perfect for street festivals, libraries, and any celebration of potential and possibility. Contact us if you are interested in staging Moving Possibilities. 

Videos

All pieces are created in the moment, unscripted, and the topics are not planned.  To see even more, visit our YouTube channel.

Ruby & Bo

An instrumentalist, a speaker/singer, and two dancers improvise a story based on the audience-supplied theme of “challenge.” Anyone can lead; we inspire each other as we go.

Peter Chwazik, Amber Espar, Sean Lukasik, Rhonda Morton

Ruby & Bo Talk Back

Cast and audience talk about "Ruby & Bo" and how an improvised ensemble works together to create a piece in the moment.

Trash Loop

At our Performance Deli, Dan Morton introduces an on-line order for "Loop Soup" from Shawn in NJ, who chooses "trash" as his theme word. An instrumentalist sets up a loop to play over and three performers create a movement, vocal, and spoken word piece.

Peter Chwazik, Amber Espar, Sean Lukasik, Rhonda Morton

Sometimes You Dream

At our Performance Deli, someone orders "Duotones" and gives us the theme word of "deli" for creating this duet together in the moment.

Peter Chwazik, Rhonda Morton

Mask Platter

At our Performance Deli, a patron orders "Mask Platter," chooses a mask, and tells Laurie McDowell, our assistant, that her greatest passion is singing. A performer dons the mask and creates a piece inspired by the customer's passion.

Amber Espar

Verbosity

At our Performance Deli, we offer specials that change daily, like "Verbosity." A patron gives us the theme word "friend," and three performers create a simple yet memorable piece

Amber Espar, Sean Lukasik, Rhonda Morton

Risking Reciprocity

In this playful Contact Improvisation dance of giving and receiving, two people ask, "Does trust come from me, from you, or from us?"

Sean Lukasik, Rhonda Morton

“Rhonda Morton’s piece, Moving Possibilities, is both challenging and easily accessible to a broad audience.  Because everyone understands what it means to 'get from point A to point B,' the piece is a powerful metaphor for growth and survival.  Morton’s well-honed improvisational skills are beautifully matched by Chwazik’s fine musicianship.”

Lois Welk
Director
Dance USA/Philadelphia