A high-octane comedy, “The New Loud Americans,” is coming to the Blue Heron.
The new show — the latest creation of two veteran Island performers, Martha Enson and Kevin Joyce — follows the antics and passions of George and Eunice Blundt, whose ear-splitting mission is “to preserve Americans’ right to volume.”
“They are both very old-fashioned, loud, brash Americans, well intentioned and yet they scream and fight and get very hot-headed,” Joyce explained. “They are sweet, endearing clown characters.”
The action of the show is framed as a membership meeting for George and Eunice’s organization, the NLA, which promotes an agressive agenda of freedom of speech for all.
The plot device of staging the play as a public meeting means audience members will have a chance to get involved as well, and Enson only half-jokingly suggested that the show’s second act might get a little raucous.
“People would be wise to wear hard hats and ear plugs to the performance,” she deadpanned.
Enson and Joyce — who are well known on the Island as founders members of UMO — were also principal performers and directors of Teatro Zinzanni from 2000 to 2006.
The couple, who are married, also work together in their own business, EnJoy Pro-ductions, which creates special events, training sessions and performances for corporate and nonprofit clients.
Enson and Joyce came up with the characters of George and Eunice almost 10 years, during in an informal cabaret peformance at Teatro Zinzanni.
Joyce described the moment of creation as “a throwaway little skit that turned out to take on a life of its own.”
“The New Loud Americans” — part of Vashon Allied Arts’ New Work Series — has been a long time in coming to the stage, however.
The show was slated to premier five years ago in Seattle, but when the producing venue — Consolidated Works — closed down unexpectedly, Enson and Joyce reluctantly decided to shelve the show.
As it turns out, the wait to present “The New Loud Americans” has turned out to be fortuitous, because Joyce and Enson would now like the characters to appear not only on stage but also online, though mediums including Facebook and Twitter.
All those social networking sites barely existed five years ago, when the production was first planned.
“We are expermimenting with this show,” Joyce explained. “We’re also going to try to enlist the audience not just during the show, but afterwards as well, to join the NLA.”
For now, both Enson and Joyce promise a show at the Blue Heron with lots of fun surprises.
“I might play electric guitar,” Enson said, adding, “I’ve never played electric guitar, but I’ve never let something like that stop me before.”
The performance begins at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 9 and 10, at the Blue Heron. Tickets, $12 to $14, are on sale at 463-5131, www.brownpapertickets.com, Blue Heron, Books by the Way and Heron’s Nest. Organizers say the show is rated PG-13.
