OFF BOOK: The Improvised Musical - LIVE from The Curious Comedy Theater 

The gamechanger episode on dropout brought me here and I'm never looking back.

I absolutely adore how she just packs as much information about the rules of mock trial into her lines trying to teach him just what the fuck they’re singing a musical about /as/ they’re making it

“Dude Mathew’s mom is a very nice lady so tread lightly”

The fact that all of Jess’s characters constantly back up her original character (the mom)‘s risky dishes cracks me up

I absolutely love the implication that the pre trial kids would recognize Beethoven and Bach but didn’t recognize an airplane on first glance

I love how she gets a wry little smile a few seconds before she sings a clever line. They are both legit geniuses.

I'd just like to thank Game Changer for leading my RU-vid Algorithm to this. So good!

Major props to the pianist

She’s so proud of “prose-CUTE” but there’s something so hilarious about “I’m a gentile…”

It took me about 20 watches to realize when Alicia said “6 months from now?” when asked to Winter Formal, Jess wasn’t just throwing Zach a curveball. Matthew says Passover was a week ago so the timeline actually makes sense. The way they kept the plot so cohesive is amazing.

• *Character Breakdown* • - *Matthew:* Sophomore, witness, anxious about parsley (Zach) - *Matthew‘s Mom:* Parent, hostess, all around very nice lady (Jess) - *Clark:* Senior, prosecution opener, gay for ceramics teacher Mr. Pacu (Jess) - *Brian:* Senior, prosecution closer, concerned with his legacy (Zach) - *Alicia:* Sophomore, defense opener, genius (Jess) - *Spencer:* Senior, defense closer, gay for Atticus Finch (Zach) - *Xander:* Pre trial lawyer, grade unknown, codependent friend (Zach) - *Xander’s Friend:* Pre trial lawyer, grade unknown, concerned about codependent friendship (Jess) - *Matthew’s Dad:* Parent, husband of Matthew’s Mom, loves his wife’s genius decisions (Zach) (for everyone else struggling to keep track of names) let me know if i missed anything!

"I'll take the parsley off the garlic bread..." "No. Leave it. It's ~inspired~." That's my favorite part 😂

Fun fact! On a podcast, Jess talks about how even though she didn't know Zach in high school, they discovered they both did Mock Trial the same year, and the case was The People vs. Madison Casco. I love Zach's little smile when she brings it up in this haha

There's something about the cool kids talking about somebody's mom as "a very nice lady" that feels so specifically high school in a way I wouldn't have thought it would

I love how Clark and Brian talk like they’re like typical “bro dudes” yet they’re both gay, often have deep conversations, care about Fung Shue, and are really nice people

I love how she just throws everything she knows about mock trial out there and they just go with it

all of a sudden I want a full broadway musical about a high school mock trial team

i'm an improv nerd, a musical nerd, a podcast nerd, and a comedy nerd. think i've found my new obsession in these two

I love the look on Zach's face around 4:17 as he realizes that Jess is making him do a whole ass musical about mock trial

I'm here chasing the high that Mountport gave me.

“one Matt Damon genius” may be the best written line in the history of musical theater

“You’re smart and prosiCUTE”

How on earth do you improvise multiple story-lines which then somehow all coincide and then end up with a resolution for everybody, culminating in a closing number which ties the whole show together. Incredible.

I can’t believe this evolved into a highschool love story where the female romantic lead kicked the subplot off with “I’m a gentile.”

35:18 - “Dude fills out those trousers!” I love how Jess tried to get Zach off guard but he comes back and she’s the one who breaks.

"Oh my gosh no...it's not my s-story to tell, but oh my gosh no." I love everything about this entire thing, but that line in particular made me lose it.

1. Game Changer 2. When Jess is prepping to say “prose-cute” her face should be in the dictionary next to the phrase self-satisfied.

The cast: Matthew (Sophomore Park Ranger Witness who likes Alisha) Mrs. Matthew’s Mom Mrs. Matthew’s Mom’s Husband Alisha (Genius Sophomore defender who likes Matthew) Spencer (Gay senior defender) Brian (Openly gay and legacy obsessed senior whose captain of the prosecution team) Clarke (Openly gay co-counsel prosecutor bro) Zander’s best friend (Pretrial gal who wants more friends) Zander (Pretrial boy who’s scared of the unknown) Mr. Piku (Hot ceramics teacher who fills out those trousers)

I don't think the pianist gets enough credit. Transitioning into songs and out of songs so seamlessly and making them up on the spot is so hard!

The fact that this school apparently has a specifically dedicated ceramics teacher with a kiln and not a debate team confuses me so much but I love it so much that I really don’t care ❤️

As a Jewish theater kid in mock trial, I thought this was brilliant. Though as a witness, I feel that we were undervalued.

“Oh that’s not a cloud it’s an airplane okay” the way he sung that made me so happy for some reason

This had more character development than some movies out nowadays

We Object to Fear: The Musical: Song timestamps: That Dish is a Risk 4:40 Legacy 8:08 Atticus Finch 12:10 Looking at Clouds 18:24 Fear and Admiration 22:17 They Won't Object (To a Brand New Friend) 25:13 (For context dialogue, actual song starts at 26:05) (Kind of) Genius 31:42 The one about the ceramics teacher who really *Fills OUT those trousers* 35:51 Some Codependent Bullshit 37:56 Passover 42:39 Governed By Fear (Finale) 49:40 Preview of “Maritime Law?, Maritime Nah” 1:00:42

The song about Good Will Hunting left me speechless.

“They won’t object” was so wholesome I love it

"That dish is a risk" is truly an inspiring song

After the first song I realized that this is all I want to watch for the rest of my life.

The absolute joy they both radiate during “I won’t object” every time one of them makes a new pun is the only thing keeping me going in the year 2022

no idea where this came from in my suggestions but im 10 minutes in and yeah dude thats exactly how i remember high school mock trial

Holy shit the mom’s verse of “They won’t object” is fantastic

Seeing Jess’s brain click when she thought of the passover line is hilarious

I CAN’T GET OVER HOW AWESOME THE CHARACTERS ARE LIKE THEY EACH GO THROUGH SUCH INDIVIDUAL GROWTH IN ONE HOUR OF IMPROV THAT’S SO DAMN IMPRESSIVE

The hit song "Some Codependent Bullshit" really spoke to me personally. I had a friend and literally every night we fell asleep with facetime on. We literally couldn't sleep without it

this looks obscenely difficult

The RU-vid algorithm is completely vindicated by recommending this video to me.

I've seen/listened to this so many times I'm starting to analyze their improve thought patterns (still amazed at how quick on their feet they are) here are some specifics - 40:29 - 'we can still be friends, but maybe not friends like this' - Jess was prepping "kiss", but it didn't fit the characters (she was probably thinking of the Matthew/Alicia dynamic) so she changed it to "and forever you i'll love" but now she felt she went too many lines without a rhyme, so she went with "glove" which was nonsensical, and then Zach played along with it. That's Yes&ing to the extreme. later on 50:47 she even calls back to it with the whole "and if i put my hand, and your hand was also there" which is the only way you could share a glove. She keeps up with all the names and grades, the calendar (Passover/Winter formal) all the while making great jokes and awesome lyrics and melodies.. that's genius. Zach's the perfect counterpart (with great melodies/songs/lyrics/callbacks of his own) Edit: 47:17 Jess had the idea of how to end the bridge (that starts with 'lets not skip ahead') but she needed Zach to figure what she was aiming for - so he'll sing "let's just set one thing" - and she'll finish with "and not pass over the rest" - and it's almost like she's feeding him the lines (mouthing the words). And they're so in sync he just got it in time. Wonderful Edit 2: I wonder if Jess actually knew the name of the bitter herb (Maror) which can adequately rhyme with word/herb setting Zach up.. by the way she reacts to 'kinda-sorta-you bet' it seems she did. she's a genius gentile, after all

I think one of my favourite parts of this musical is the little dialogue between Clark and Brian, after 'Atticus Finch' and before 'Looking at clouds'. Because its unscripted, the actors were having a genuine conversation discussing Matthew's mother's significance as both a parent and family member as a whole - which I just love💌

We Object to Fear 04:52 That Dish is a Risk 08:06 Legacy 13:00 Never In a Pinch 18:42 Looking at Clouds 22:40 Equal Parts Fear and Admiration 26:15 Don't Object to a Brand New Friend 32:00 One Kind of Genius 35:50 Mr Pécoux 38:50 Co-dependent Bullshit 42:38 Passover This 49:40 Governed by Fear

I genuinely love that the Co-dependency song is so on theme that the second singer of each phrase is forced to finish the rhyme that the other started

People vs Tinker = Tinker v. Des Moines - Landmark Supreme Court Ruling on Behalf of Student Expression. Mary Beth Tinker was a 13-year-old junior high school student in December 1965 when she and a group of students decided to wear black armbands to school to protest the war in Vietnam.

At first I thought this was scripted from the fluidity of the dialogue, then when I noticed some minor imperfections, I thought that they must have been lucky in the start. By the end I was dumbfounded by the sheer skill and mutual understanding these two artist have to be able to construct a story on the fly while still making it interesting and consistently entertaining. Bravo.

Characters: Matthew, Matthew’s Mom, Brian, Clark, Alicia, Spencer, Xander, Xander’s Friend, Matthew’s Dad.

Lmao when she came out with "I'm a gentile" out of nowhere I did a double spit-take into the sink.

RIP Ruth Bader-Ginsberg, she really made this script come to life and it wouldn't have been such a hit-success without her. Gone but never forgotten.

the crazy amount of talent these two have fills me with equal parts fear and admiration

Kudos to the subtitles tracking which character they're playing at what time. I definitely lost track a couple of times when I watched this earlier without them.

Okay, now that Game Changer episode makes more sense.

51:45 that was a risky rhythm to slide in there, but they nailed it. I'm equally impressed by the pianist as I am the singers.

they character switch SO smoothly

this is better than any scripted musical I've ever seen tbh

I had no idea what this was gonna be and it ended up being one of the coolest things I've seen on RU-vid. These two kick ass!

Matthew's mom is such a sweet pure character.

"That one looks like a bust of beethoven, except it's more like Bach" lives rent free in my mind and prob will forever

"How do you like them apples!" These two constantly entertain and impress.

Jessica McKenna is a ball of pure positive energy and it gives me life.

I love all of these songs but the back-to-back bops "They Won't Object" and "Kind of Genius" left me in absolute awe (and tears of laughter). Honestly amazing!

I love how some of these songs are just two friends discussing an issue they're not entirely sure about, it's great.

I love the sudden husband and the reveal that the Living room was a bold choice

Well, I just stumbled upon a new podcast to listen to THE ENTIRE BACK CATALOGUE OF.

I love how they say nothings nerdier than musical improv, then do said musical about mock trial which makes it soooo much nerdier 😂

yooo i didn't realize zach/jess/scott did this regularly- i'm so excited to have more content than just that one game changer omg

26:18 It's incredible that she can instantly come up with this on the spot, combining the legal jargon with puns and character growth and I can't

I've always wondered if they signal to each other while recording like they can get so in sync. I love that you can see the thought process on their faces lmaooo

I consume a fair amount of improv, but this blew my mind. These two are so talented I feel like I should have heard of them before now. I discovered this video after a shoutout on the Hey Riddle Riddle podcast.

I hate that I’ll never be this talented.

Doing mock trial for three years in high school was worth it just for this improv musical experience

As an 18 year old at the time of writing this: Honestly? This is the most accurate teenager dialogue I’ve ever heard written (or in this situation improvised) by adults. So much better than the CW could ever hope for.

aaaaalright lets get to business what do we gotta do to make this a regular video thing maybe even with guests?

Educational. I learned so much about Jewish Passover, mock trial (moot court for college folks), and pottery.....Wished I could have learned more about geniuses, but I guess you can't have everything you want. Hilarious. Keep it up!!! Looking forward to tuning in to the podcast.

4:50 - That Dish is a Risk 8:06 - Legacy 13:00 - Atticus Finch 18:43 - Looking at Clouds 22:43 - Equal Parts Fear and Admiration 26:17 - They Won’t Object (To a Brand New Friend) 32:02 - One Kind of Genius 35:45 - Mr. Pacu 38:47 - Co-dependant Bullshit 42:40 - Passover It 49:43 - Governed by Fear (Finale)

I think its hilarious that Spencer literally says he realized he was gay IN THE MOMENT, and a few seconds later Alicia asks if she's the first person he's told; like if he just realized he was gay now, of COURSE you're the first person he told! 😂

47:35 the hesitant going along with it until he realises which character she's playing now 😂😂😂

With such memorable characters like "pre-trial friend" and "Mrs. Matthew's mom".

As someone from outside the USA, the whole Mock Trial thing is really alien to me... But that makes this episode even more fun lmao

A whole musical based around a mock trial banquet… amazing

Dropout really struck gold with them

"Well, how am I supposed to have sweet dreams if I don't hear your voice?" -Xander This line is so cute and sweet. 🥺

The coordinated sighs at the end of codependent bullshit clinched this musical for me

I know absolutely every word of this now

Man, they must have bombed so hard, so many times to be this good.

Maritime Law: Maritime Naw is going to be the hottest musical of 2019

i love how everything from the story to the characters all became progressively more gay throughout the performance.

LOOKING AT CLOOOOOOOOOOOOOUDS LOOKING AT CLOOOOOOOOOOUDS

i had never heard of mock trial before this as an australian but god this was funny. takes me back to theatre sports days where we would play the 4 minute game Musical, but this is on another level!

The trust between these two for this improv is unreal. So good.

there's something really realistic about clark having to tell brian "spencer is a straight up senior" and brian just going like shit my bad

pass over it felt like a stroke of genius one can only experience once in their lifetime. everything just aligned so perfectly

i feel like jess plays a straight dude better than zach and i am so here for it

Its cute that in their musical they chose to be best friends. All of these characters are duo bff's