Thrilling Adventure Hour

The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a staged production in the style of old time radio that is held monthly at the Coronet Theatre. The show has been running since March 2005.^[1] It is live audio theater. Each episode features three non-serialized segments as well as songs and commercials from fictional sponsors. The show is written by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker and directed by Aaron Ginsburg. The show's original songs are written by Acker & Blacker with composer and band leader Andy Paley.

Contents 1 History 2 Recurring segments 2.1 Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars 2.2 Beyond Belief 2.3 Other segments 3 Sponsors 4 Podcasting 5 The WorkJuice Players 6 Notable Guest Stars 7 Andy Paley Orchestra 8 References 9 External links

History

The roots of the Thrilling Adventure Hour began in Ben Blacker's living room where Ben Acker and Ben Blacker held a reading of their film script for a space western called Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars.

Struck by the quality of the performances, Acker and Blacker decided to launch a stage show with a radio conceit, so that the performers had the luxury of holding scripts in their hands and minimal blocking. The conceit allowed for Acker and Blacker to not impose too greatly on their actor friends, while maintaining a regular deadline for generating material, honing their craft and work-shopping content in front of an audience.^[2]

The Thrilling Adventure and Supernatural Suspense Hour began a five year run at M Bar in Hollywood in March 2005. The original WorkJuice Players were Dave (Gruber) Allen, Paget Brewster, Craig Cackowski, Mark Gagliardi, Marc Evan Jackson, Hal Lublin, Annie Savage and Paul F Tompkins.

In episode six, Eban Schletter performed live musical accompaniment. Schletter wrote the theme song to Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars.

In episode seven, the show was joined by Andy Paley. Acker & Blacker and Paley created musical content for the show. Paley arranged Schletter's Sparks Nevada theme and performed themes and songs with his Andy Paley Orchestra, which, at the time, consisted of Jillinda Palmer, Ben Jaffe and Brittney Westover.

In episode eight, the show was joined by Joel Spence, a Foley artist and actor. Soon thereafter, Aaron Ginsburg joined as director. Shortly after that, Samm Levine, Danny Strong and John DiMaggio joined the cast. Then James Urbaniak, John Ennis and Autumn Reeser.

The band Common Rotation made a guest appearance in the show and played afterward. Common Rotation became a regular staple following the Thrilling Adventure Hour. Marc Evan Jackson hosted Common Rotation's segment, which featured songs performed by Common Rotation as well as WorkJuice players and guest stars.

The final performance of The Thrilling Adventure and Supernatural Suspense Hour at M Bar was in January 2010. In March 2010, The Thrilling Adventure Hour shortened its title and started its run at Largo at the Coronet where it continues.^[3]

Beginning in January 2011, the Thrilling Adventure Hour began podcasting sketches from past performances.^[4]

In January 2011, the cast took the show on the road for the first time and performed two shows at SF Sketchfest.^[5]

In October 2011, the Thrilling Adventure Hour podcast joined the network of podcasts released by Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Industries.

Recurring segments

Most episodes feature both Sparks Nevada and Beyond Belief. Normally Sparks Nevada begins a show and Beyond Belief ends the show.

Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars

Marc Evan Jackson plays Sparks Nevada, an Earth man sent to protect the Red Planet from the universe's robot outlaws, alien invaders and other galactic threats. Mark Gagliardi plays Sparks Nevada's trusty native Martian sidekick, Croach the Tracker. Busy Philipps plays The Red Plains Rider, a human raised by Martians who rides the red plains of Mars in vigilante fashion. Nathan Fillion plays Cactoid Jim, wild as a cactoid, and heroic "King of the Martian Frontier." Linda Cardellini plays Rebecca Rose Rushmore, a popular writer of space cowboy novels who has come to Mars from Earth to live the sort of adventures she had only written about. Josh Malina plays the Barkeep of the Space Saloon. He does not want any trouble in his place.

Beyond Belief

Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster play Frank and Sadie Doyle, a pair of fast-talking married mediums. Although this pair of high-society types would rather enjoy martinis and each other's company, Frank and Sadie usually end up solving paranormal mysteries.

Other segments

Episodes of The Thrilling Adventure Hour tend to include one of the following segments.^[6]

• Jefferson Reid, Ace American! A man and his friends fight Nazis in WWII.
• Amelia Earhart: Fearless Flyer A woman fights Nazis in history.
• The Adventures of Captain Laserbeam A super-hero defeats villains.
• The Cross-Time Adventures of Colonel Tick-Tock A gentleman mends the timeline.
• Jumbo the Elephant A Cuban elephant plays in an all-animal jazz combo and saves holidays.
• Tales from the Black Lagoon An actor is framed for murder in 1954 Hollywood.
• Moonshine Holler A depression era hobo fairy tale in which a millionaire renounces his riches and becomes a vagrant in order to win the love of the Hobo Princess. His mentor's name is Gummy.

Sponsors

• WorkJuice Coffee
• Patriot Cigarettes Cigarettes
• Patriot Elites A line of cigarettes for the wealthy

Podcasting

The Thrilling Adventure Hour began podcasting in January 2011.

1. Beyond Belief - "Hell is the Loneliest Number"
2. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "Inside Out In Outer Space"
3. Jefferson Reid, Ace American - "1"
4. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "Part One"
5. Beyond Belief - "Wishing Hell"
6. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "The Agony of the Feet"
7. Captain Laserbeam - "Stolen Kisses"
8. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "Part Two"
9. Amelia Earhart, Fearless Flyer - "The Wild Blue Yonder"
10. Beyond Belief - "The Devil and Mr. Jones"
11. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "A Comet's Tale"
    • 11.5: A Word From Our Sponsors - "Thomas Jefferson on Patriot Brand Cigarettes"
12. Down in Moonshine Holler - "The Cadillac of Beans"
13. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "Part Three"
    • 13.5: A Word From Patriot Elites - "Mystery Celebrity Paget Brewster"
14. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "Blast From the Past"
15. Beyond Belief - "Second Star to the Wrong"
16. The Cross-Time Adventures of Colonel Tick-Tock - "Gilbert and Sullivan"
      (recorded in San Francisco as part of the 2011 San Francisco SketchFest
17. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "Part Four"
18. Captain Laserbeam - "Waterfowl Play"
19. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "Inside Out in Outer Space, Again!"
20. Beyond Belief - "She Blinded Me With Seance"
21. Jefferson Reid, Ace American - "Ace and Mr. President"
22. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "Part Five"
23. Down in Moonshine Holler - "The Lottery"
24. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "Spiders, Man"
25. Beyond Belief - "Rosemary's Baby Shower"
26. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "The Complete Tales (parts 1-5)"
27. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "Danger 2.0"
28. Captain Laserbeam - "Royal Pains"
29. Down in Moonshine Holler - "Beanstalk"
    • 29.5: A Word From Patriot Brand Cigarettes - "Elites"
30. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "The Year I Knew Too Much"
31. The Cross-Time Adventures of Colonel Tick Tock - "Electric Rivalries"
32. Beyond Belief - "Love, Love Me Doom"
33. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "She Blinded Me With Technology"
34. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "The Year I Knew Too Much - part 2"
35. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "Space-iversary"
36. Captain Laserbeam - "Irrational Numbler"
37. Beyond Belief - "Bang Bang You're Dead"
38. This American Wife - "Interview with Sparks and Croach"
39. This American Wife - "Interview with Frank and Sadie"
40. This American Wife - "Interview with Banjo and Gummy"
41. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "The Search For Marnie Bennett - part 1"
42. Beyond Belief - "White Hunter, Drunk Heart"
43. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "Companeros"
44. Amelia Earhart, Fearless Flyer - "Vive Le Reich?"
45. The Cross-Time Adventures of Colonel Tick Tock - "An Odd Couple"
46. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "The Search For Marnie Bennett - part 2"
47. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars - "The Return of Croach the Tracker and the Introduction of Two New Important Characters!”
48. Beyond Belief - "Vampire Weekend"
49. Captain Laserbeam - "Poetic Injustice"
    • 49.1 A Word From WorkJuice Coffee - "Filibuster"
    • 49.2 A Word From WorkJuice Coffee - "Dressing Room"
50. Tales From the Black Lagoon - "The Search For Marnie Bennett - part 3"
51. Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars "A Mind is a Terrible Thing... in Space!"
52. "Christmas on Mars" (90 minute show)

The WorkJuice Players

The WorkJuice Players is the formal collection of actors that routinely contribute their abilities to the Thrilling Adventure Hour.

Dave (Gruber) Allen Paget Brewster Craig Cackowski Julia Duffy John DiMaggio John Ennis Mark Gagliardi

Currie Graham Chris Hardwick Marc Evan Jackson Hal Lublin Tom Lenk Samm Levine Busy Philipps

Autumn Reeser Annie Savage Joel Spence Danny Strong Paul F. Tompkins James Urbaniak Kirsten Vangsness

Notable Guest Stars

Carlos Alazraqui David Anders Scott Aukerman Steve Bannos Alex Barreto Brian Baumgartner Jim Beaver Amber Benson David Berman Dan Bern Matt Braunger Alison Brie Yvette Nicole Brown Adam Busch Erin Cahill Linda Cardellini Jeremy Carter Parvesh Cheena Gordon Clapp Andrew Daly Garret Dillahunt Eric Edelstein Nathan Fillion Dave Foley

David Fury Dana Gould Matt Gourley Matthew Gray Gubler Janie Haddad Elin Hampton Colin Hanks Neil Patrick Harris Simon Helberg Ed Helms John Hodgman Michael Hogan Susan Hogan Toby Huss David Koechner Gillian Jacobs Tom Kenny Justin Kirk Jen Kirkman Nick Kroll Jerry Lacy Juliet Landau Riki Lindhome

Donal Logue Yuri Lowenthal Josh Malina Aimee Mann Mark McConville Bruce McCulloch Kate Micucci Danica McKellar Nick Offerman Patton Oswalt Grant-Lee Phillips Mike Phirman Aubrey Plaza Kevin Pollak Danny Pudi Andy Richter Jason Ritter Paul Scheer Travis Schudlt Laura Silverman

JK Simmons Michael Sinterniklaas Jesse Spencer Martin Starr Rider Strong Maria Thayer Becky Thyre Sarah Thyre Jim Turner Janet Varney Sara Watkins Sean Watkins Billy West Tom Wilson Shannon Woodward Chris Wylde Natalie Zea

Andy Paley Orchestra

The Andy Paley Orchestra is the formal collection of musicians that contribute their abilities to the Thrilling Adventure Hour.

Mike Bolger Charles Burns Maria Deluca Jonathan Dinerstein Ben Jaffe Nick Jandl Sean Johnson Jordan Katz

James King Andy Paley Jillinda Palmer Sara Radle Suzanne Santo Mike Uhler Becky Ward Brittney Westover

References

External links

• The Thrilling Adventure Hour
• Old Time Laughs at the Largo