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Monday, January 21, 2019

Day 318 You’re the Next Contestant, Come on Down to the CLO Cabaret's Game On - an Interactive Game Show Musical Comedy


Growing up my family were game show enthusiasts. The daytime TV of my childhood was riddled with shows, Password, Match Game, Let’s Make a Deal, The Price is Right and more.  We played along dreaming of winning the big prize. The CLO premier show, Game On captures the spirit of the game in a musical comedy where you are the studio audience and maybe the next contestant.  



The  audience is part of the "live" taping of Game On
Reflection
Game On  seizes  all the excitement of  a game show by mixing Deal or No Deal (a show where contestants pick a briefcase hoping that it holds  a million dollars and the banker tries to buy your case)  and  Family Feud (a show where contestants  guess the most popular answer  to a survey question).  

The audience is part of the “live” taping of Game On.  A smiling and spunky host, Monty Price (Jason Shavers) assisted by his sparkly “Vanna White like” assistant, Gillian Van Ness (Marissa Buchheit) entered the audience  to obtain responses to the question, “Name something that you can’t hold on to.”  When Monty held the microphone in front me, I guessed “boyfriend?”  


As the contestant from my vantage on stage, I saw a smile filled audience 
My answer, being one of the top four, prompted  Gillian  to escort me- yes me, the me who did not even have a glass of wine that night- to the stage. I shared the spotlight with CLO players, exes Debra (Marissa Buchheit) and Felix (Connor McCanlus) and sweet retired Grace (Christina Laitta).  I walked like a deer in the headlights to my contestant podium.   My resounding thought was,“I should have said SOAP not BOYFRIEND. The answer SOAP would have kept me safe in my seat.” 
Jason Shavers(Monty Price and Christine Laitta (Grace)

My shock  must  have added to the humor since  from the vantage of the stage, I saw a smile filled audience and heard the continual  hum of laughter.  My fifteen minutes of fame ended when one of my answers did not make the survey and I willingly scurried back to my audience seat.

The three remaining contestants played on singing “I Want It.”  Who would not want 10 million dollars? The dream of a  life changing win draws us to play and watch a game show. 

As the game continued, Debra and Flex gained more than money. Grace, whose past was devoted to her family, contemplated the next chapter in her life as the company sang “What Does She Want?”  They all  danced with high octane down the center stage to “Gotta Play the Game” as they all played both the game of chance and the game of life.

Game On gives you a night of laughter and superb vocals from the CLO cast. This fun and fast paced show celebrates the idea of hitting it big in a flash. Come on down to the intimate Greer Cabaret Theater and play along  and maybe you'll be the next contestant.

(Game On runs until January 27, 2019 at the Greer Cabaret Theater. For tickets go to pittsburghclo.org.)

Other Sources
pittsburghclo.org
Trustarts.org