Authored By seanphippster

The creator of a popular standup comedy showcase will debut a new show at JJ’s Bohemia Tuesday night.

AdventureFight is a “fantasy role-playing comedy show” featuring a cast of eclectic characters who embark on a quest. The performers will participate in “daring battles” as attendees observe their antics from the audience.

Admission will be “five gold coins” ($5), or guests can enjoy the show for free if they come dressed in fantasy attire.

The show is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Click here for more information.

Ian Sharp is the creator of both ComedyFight and AdventureFight. As “the Dungeon Master,” he will help guide four actors through a new adventure each week.

“I would say it’s a lot like if ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ was set in the world of ‘Game of Thrones,'” Sharp said. “I present the players with a scenario, and they use their creative talents to draw swords, cast spells and use their cunning to maneuver the situation.”

Like “Dungeons & Dragons,” Sharp will roll dice to help determine the players’ moves. A longtime fan of the genre, Sharp has always been into fantasy gaming and pop culture.

“I grew up on ‘He-Man,’ ‘Lord of the Rings,’ ‘Conan the Barbarian,’ ‘Willow,’ etc.,” he said. “I’ve recently taken a nosedive back into tabletop gaming, and the latest edition of ‘D&D’ is just so much fun.”

The AdventureFight cast features Bryant Smith as “Lil’ Mickey a Half-Orc Barbarian,” Jon Bloodworth as “Randy Bananas the Drow Rogue,” Alex Howard as “Keith Smith the Human Cleric” and Michael Isaacs as “Fluxtable ‘Flux’ Goresex the Dragonborn Wizard.”

A character called “Prince Donnie,” presumably local comedian Donnie Marsh, will also make an appearance.

Sharp said the settings and campaigns of AdventureFight will be familiar to anyone who has experienced role-playing games before.

“For the first one, we’re keeping it very traditional,” he said. “That means taverns, wilderness, caverns and, of course, dungeons.”

Audience participation

AdventureFight most closely resembles the format of “HarmonQuest,” an animated series set in the world of fantasy role-playing. The show stars Dan Harmon, the creator of shows such as “Community” and “Rick and Morty.”

Watch a clip from the show below:

But the added audience participation to the live show is what Sharp thinks is going to draw new people in. The audience will be an important component of the show and could affect the outcome of the campaign.

Nonplayer characters (known as NPCs) are common in role-playing games. More often than not, these players are performed by the Dungeon Master. These characters are sometimes shopkeepers, bartenders and villains.

In AdventureFight, the NPC role will go to select audience members. Before each show, guests can sign up to participate if called upon.

“When a new NPC comes into the story, I will draw a card, and that person will get to perform as the NPC for five minutes or so,” Sharp said. “I’ll have a brief character sheet made to give the person some hints if they get stuck.”

Sharp said the show will evolve like ComedyFight into whatever it needs to be.

“I feel like if comedy is going to continue to thrive in this area, we have to be willing to take chances and try new concepts other than traditional standup shows,” he said. “I still love and support standup, but the causal showgoer may eventually become fatigued if there’s no variety.”