Our Customers Love Them
LIFELINE SYSTEMS, INC.
Colonnade Hotel - Boston,
MA
Lesley Abrams and Dean Steeves had performed a couple of times for this competitor of the "I've fallen and I can't get up," company. The old Abrams & Anderson configuration had performed improvisational comedy for the sales department's annual confab and then for the company holiday party.
This third performance was for a customer conference kick-off. Lifeline hosted hospital Program Managers (LPM's) from all over the country for four days to help them better understand, maintain and sell the product. Lifeline is an emergency button for folks who are well enough to live on their own, but vulnerable enough to require an emergency "lifeline" for help.
LaughingStock Comedy Company took the stage after the delicious banquet. (Meeting planners take note!) The first improv scene used suggestions from the audience for types of TV and movie styles. Lesley Abrams and Tim Ferrell also took suggestions for musical styles and created a scene about a Lifeline Program Manager installing a unit at a client's home. As the scene unfolded, it turned out the installer had been at the home for four months trying to finish the job. The client kept dragging the process out because she wanted to make the LPM her sixth husband - despite the difference in their ages! As Dean called out the suggested styles, the scene developed into an hilarious pastiche of western, soap opera, opera, sci-fi, blues, mystery, drama and many more.
The background research LSCC does prior to all their shows paid off in a big way. The audience screamed with delight as they saw themselves and their clients in the scene. The next scene saw the LSCC panel of experts field questions about fund raising - a significant part of the program manager's job. The "experts" field questions from the audience and answer the queries one-word-at-a-time with each of the three players offering a word and the next player in turn moving the sentence along. The answers are sometimes too close to the truth and sometimes just off the wall, but every time evoked a chorus of laughter from these health care administrators. One of the new scenes LSCC has been show- casing to audiences this fall is "Worse Case Scenario." The comedy trio asks the audience for an example of the worst or last person they would want to (fill in the blank.) In this instance, the audience had taken tours of Boston and were asked for the worst person they would want to be "stuck with" on a tour of Boston. LSCC acted out the audience's suggestion and added dozens more characters to the scene from their own imaginations. A fun twist to this game is the selection of an audience volunteer to take a chair on stage to represent our hapless "everyman". The results were extremely funny and entertaining!
The final scene revolved around a "dream" any of the Lifeline Program Managers might have. This scene is a catch-all of observations, quips, puns, one-liners, odd characters and strange situations LSCC has uncovered in their research. Each "beat" lasts between three and 15 seconds. Dean plays the part of the dreamer as Lesley and Tim float in and out of the scene acting out all the bizarre, surrealistic parts of an audience member's dream. Elements include the administrivia of every day life: job, home life, family, the boss, the clients, the 800 number for Lifeline, voice-mail, cost-cutting, cranky customers, traffic, trolley tours and bedtime stories. Its one of those scenes that causes people to laugh so hard they pound the banquet tables and make the silverware jump. The sustained ovation made it clear the comedy company's research, talent and wit combined to successfully entertain this diverse group of customers. Audience members were astounded to find out after the performance that LSCC members were not employees of Lifeline, Inc.!
"I am glad that we made the decision to hire LaughingStock. It set the pace for the rest of the conference." Judy Duplisea Marketing Manager Lifeline Systems, Inc.
Road Kills
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