By Chris Cooper

The Story Pirates, an improvisational storytelling group, recently returned to West Chester University, bringing its hilarious and unpredictable Create-A-Show to the Madeline Wing Adler Theater.

The group that has been dubbed a “theatrical treasure” by The New York Times and described as “a mix between School House Rock and Monty Python” was founded in 2004 to celebrate the words and ideas of young people. Since then, the Story Pirates have become nationally known, and have performed live in front of sellout crowds from coast to coast.

Its appearance was hosted by WCU Live! – a division of the university’s Department of Cultural and Community Affairs that is now in its 22nd year of presenting the best touring artists to the community.

As in all of its performances, the Story Pirates solicited ideas from the audience to improvise the show on the spot.

[uam_ad id=”58459″]

Advertisement

“Parents and kids raised their hands and made suggestions, and they tailored the story from there,” said Leighann Fields, Administrative Assistant for Cultural and Community Affairs for WCU Live! “The show ended up being about a turtle named Fred who lived at Lincoln Financial Field. The audience loved it – they were laughing the whole time.”

The audience was comprised mainly of families, with some kids arriving in their very own Story Pirates t-shirts. After the show, most of the guests remained behind to mingle with the performers and purchase merchandise in the lobby, apparently unconcerned about the winter weather outside.

“The show was very well received,” said Fields. “It all took place right in the middle of the snowstorm, but surprisingly, we still had a really great turnout.”

The next event on the WCU Live! calendar is Tapestry: A Tribute to Carole King, the show that honors one of America’s most prolific and revered singer-songwriters and faithfully recreates the memorable sounds of such favorites as “You’ve Got a Friend” and “Natural Woman.”

Click here to purchase tickets for the performance on Jan. 19 or to learn about other upcoming events.

[uam_ad id=”58462″]