Synergy Theater Kicks Off Its 2025-26 Season with A World Debut Farce!
By Ed Brice
Synergy Theater, the folks who brought you Spontaneous Hitchcock! and Improvised Dungeons and Dragons!, returns to the Lesher Center for the Arts (1601 Civic Drive), Walnut Creek, CA. with the world debut of their improvised farce, Thanksgiving Unscripted: An Improvised Dinner Party Gone Wrong! This completely improvised two-act comedy proves the old adage that anything that can go wrong at a holiday gathering, definitely will – especially if it’s really, really funny! It currently plays through Sunday, November 16, 2025.
It’s a silly, comical farce about a gathering of 10 family relatives & friends in 1993 for Thanksgiving Day at a family member’s apartment.
Although they are related or friends they are also all dysfunctional, distant, and carrying their own emotional problems.
They all try to get along but invariably cause more chaos… in a very humorous way!
The first act was 45 minutes before pausing to have their Thanksgiving feast and take a break from their foibles.
“Thanksgiving Unscripted” has all the broad humor you would expect from a farce; stock characters, pratfalls, ridiculous disguises that are, of course, shocking effective, outrageous lies and coverups. In the second act, the tension continues to build in its comical fashion to a climax. Then, when the situation is as dire as possible, as the old saying goes, “All’s well that ends well!” for this quirky conglomeration.
“A good farce is fueled by desperation,” says Synergy Theater’s Artistic Director Kenn Adams (who also plays the role of Larry, the next-door neighbor). “So, in rehearsals, we practice improvising characters who are desperately in need of something like finding a private moment to confess their love or hiding their little pet dog that they weren’t supposed to bring. And then, of course, the other characters find ways of making life hard for them like constantly interrupting the private moment or being terribly allergic to the dog and sneezing violently whenever its near.”
“The people in a farce are incredibly gullible,” says company member Arastoo Darakhshan (who plays Stephen, the brother who wanted to live in the apartment). “People tell the most ridiculous lies, and everyone believes them. Or they put on a different hat and glasses and nobody recognizes them. It’s fun playing characters that are so easily fooled.”
“In the end, though, it’s all about finding connection.” explains veteran company member Lynn Shiels (who plays Cheryl, Stephen’s girlfriend, the nurse), “That’s what we learn from a farce, I think. No matter how crazy and chaotic the world can get, if we all find a way to come together, we can figure out how to get by.”
Other cast members include Valerie Regalia (Beth, the hostess who hides eviction from her husband, who is also the show’s creator and director), Ben Piper (John, the host who suffers from kidney stones), Elyse Iovino (Tiffany, the woman that Larry wanted to marry), Griffen Bier (Mr. Cooper, the landlord), Justin Carns (the neighbor who cames over for the “pie party”), Adrian Bosada (Billy Bob, Tiffany’s ex-boyfriend who was in the mafia), and Geraldine Carolan (Dana, Larry’s ex-girlfriend who wanted him back).
For tickets or more information please phone (925) 943-7469 or visit www.lesherartscenter.org.
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Photo caption: (L to R): “Thanksgiving Unscripted” characters Stephen (Arastoo Darakhshan), Beth (Valerie Regalia), John (Ben Piper), and Tiffany (Elyse Iovino). (Photo by Valerie Jord)