HISTORY of the FUTURE--a COMPASS cabaret format

In 1956 Chicago COMPASS was the first theatre of improvisation--based on scenarios. Today there are in the world about 1000 such theatres--most of them based on comedy sketches

As the producer of the first COMPASS, I'm offering a new program that brings scenarios back--as brief explorations of the future. My first trial was in Toronto August, with visions of
immigrants from USA streaming into Canada,
a mother waiting for Second Coming & a daughter laboring with actuality,
ancient residents at a nursing home wrestling for new electronic braces
the bureaucracy of no gas, no oil, no propane.
These blossomed in front of an audience that had invented many of them.

Our theme for the workshop was MORE WITH LESS as we looked for ways the
often negative notion of the future could be viewed positively. The beauty of
the program lies in the fact that it rests not on arcane estimates of peak oil,
solar complexes and electric cars but on the smarts of the same people who
will see and shape the show.

HISTORY of the FUTURE will hopefully find one or more sponsors in 2010 so that it can travel to where it's welcome in 2011. Meanwhile I hope to negotiate with sponsors, design a form that attracts scenarios and mount rehearsals of the format in nearby towns and cities.