Pan Theater | 2135 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612 | ph: 415 724-
No More Lost Helens
This is a difficult story to retell, but it’s one that we must. It happened at one
of our early shows in September. It was a typical Saturday night at Pan Theater.
Awkward Face was warming-
The show started in our typical fashion. We did an intro and started playing our games. The reaction was positive. There was cheering and yelling from the audience, so we knew we were on a roll.
We did our typical line up. A line up is usually eight games or scenes. That brings in the show at between fifty five minutes to an hour. Then it happened.
A gentleman sitting in back stood up just as we were about to start our last game. No worries. Maybe he had to go to the bathroom or had to leave early. Problem solved, or so I thought. I did fear it would be another Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Touring Co. show heckler.
Let me explain. During the show we sponsored with the UCB Touring Co. at the Oakland
Metro a drunk audience member stood up during the middle of the set and started yelling
– “I’m funnier than they are.” We literally had to escort her out.
Anyways, back to my story. It turned out the man wasn’t a UCB Touring Co. Heckler.
It as worse... much worse. He started to yell out, “Stop the show. My wife is lost
in the maze!”
The minute he did, we all knew what happened. It has happened several
times at Pan. It is the secret we don’t talk about.
Most audience members make it through the maze without a problem. …
Usually, there
will be a group of friends who arrange to meet in front of the building before the
show. Once through the glass doors, one part of the group successfully navigates
the maze and makes it to the ticketing area which is which is the middle of the building
on the left side, but around the corner. They do it by carefully following our signs
through the maze. They follow the arrows that lead to the actual theater entrance...
This part is hard to talk about, but every now and again, we lose audience members. It isn’t due to the show, but rather the maze from the entrance of our building at 2135 Broadway to the entrance of the theater. There is a literal maze that must be walked. Over the last year there were five people that had to be rescued.
And then there is Helen Morgan.
She had bought a ticket online. She entered the theater,
chatted with the performers warming up and never made it through the maze. We looked
and looked for her but never found her. The Oakland PD sent a rescue squad. We even
tried sending out a Saint Bernard. She was never found.
Sometimes during practice
we hear footsteps and a faint voice, “I don’t want to miss the show. I’m almost there.”
We know it is Helen. We know she is somewhere in the maze.
Back to my story. We did eventually find our lost patron, and she and her and her
husband stayed for the second part of the show. But we’re scared. We don’t want there
to be another Helen Morgan. We’re working really hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.
We want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you, or to your friends.
We have decided
there will not be another Helen Morgan.
Using the power of improv we came up with a top secret plan to re-
Every audience member will make it to the show.
To make sure you, or other potential show attendees don’t miss a show and wander
the maze for eternity, we’ve started an IndieGoGo campaign to raise the funds to
eliminate the maze. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and it requires
funding. The project is the no more lost Helens project. Help us make sure there
isn’t another Helen Morgan.
For Helen, for yourself, and for future Pan Theater goers..please
contribute. When you do you’ll get amazing perks and show and class rewards. Think
of it like a coupon with a cause. Click here to save others from Helen’s fate.
If you ever come to a show and while you’re coming in…hear “I’m almost there,” say
“hi” to Helen for us. Please support Pan Theater’s IndieGoGo (kickstarter style campaign).
Pictures from the Awkward Face show Helen went to see
Helen Morgan
June, 2011