I-VI: A One-Man Show

This weekend, Sean Keller, local nerdy comedian and actor, will be starring in I-VI: A One-Man Show at The Bard’s Town. The show promises to be a solo adaptation of the Star Wars Saga (Episodes I-VI), a mix of a play and sketch comedy, where Keller single-handed guides the audience through both trilogies by performing more than 50 characters, aided by a self-recorded Star Wars soundtrack.

“There have been so many different Star Wars projects throughout the years, and I can guarantee that no one has seen one quite like this,” Keller said.

Keller is a Louisville nerd notable for his roles on local web series, Bagged & Bored (read us gush about it), and comedy events, like The Roast of Harry Potter where he played Gandalf the Grey. Sean is known locally for his unique brand of nerdy humor and eerily spot-on vocal impressions.

“I’ve been doing voices and impersonations since I was a kid,” Keller said. “I grew up a huge Star Wars fan and my friends and I would often riff on scenes from the movies — similar to what shows like Robot Chicken & Family Guy have done in the past.”

Keller said he had the idea for a one-man Star Wars show last year when Charles Ross was in town doing his One Man Star Wars show. One of the other roasters in his roast troupe, Character Assassination, made a comment along the lines of, “Sean Keller – this is you in ten years .” Keller said his love for Star Wars was well known and he was also known for his voice impressions among the roasters. Though, he was hesitant to do a show that someone else was doing.

“Then, I started to research Ross’s show a little bit,” Keller said. “He was doing the original trilogy in 60-75 minutes; no props, no set, just him. I watched a few clips of his show on YouTube and one thing really stuck out to me: 99% of everything that came out of his mouth during his show was verbatim from the scripts of those films. He would crack an occasional joke, but he was basically just doing a very faithful retelling of those films.”

Keller said he knew he could do the show and put a very different spin on it, make it funnier, and improvise the dialogue so the audience didn’t know what to expect. And, he said he doesn’t pull punches when it comes to the worst aspects of the films.

“Star Wars fans know these movies,” he said. “They don’t need an instant replay of events, word-for-word. While Ross’s show was very family friendly, mine is absolutely not. It’s definitely R-rated.”

Keller said he honed his stagecraft and worked a huge screen into his show that will show environmental artwork of the different worlds the characters are traveling to (much of the artwork being done by someone we shall call, “Jar Jar Banksy” – “He wants his identity kept secret,” Keller said). Keller also recorded original versions of the iconic music of Star Wars and added lyrics to for comedic effect. But, while the presentation of the show is set to be much more than a blank stage, Keller said his ultimate goal wasn’t to just put on a pretty set piece.

“While doing a one man show, playing many different characters without costumes and props can certainly be impressive, the goal of my show is to make people laugh,” he said. “That’s what’s most important to me, and what I’m most excited about.”

The show is meant to cater to both casual fans and religious Star Wars fanatics alike, though – as noted above – don’t bring your children; it is an R-rated affair. The show starts at 10 p.m. tonight and tomorrow at The Bard’s Town. You can purchase tickets in advance for $15 or $20 at the door. The Bard’s Town is located at 1801 Bardstown Road Louisville, KY 40205. Find out more details and tell your friends about it on Facebook