You're Asking for It!

By Justin Sondak in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 23, 2006 10:00PM

Anyone who's seen The Neo-Futurists’ weekly show Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind knows the purveyors of this evening of rapid-fire entertainment regularly rely on the audience for seriocomic inspiration. We've seen these performers take up a collection for a poor college kid, treat random ticket holders to ice cream treats, start an impromptu dance party, and enlist the entire room in silent protest against the invasion of Iraq.

The Neos also produce a mainstage season of original work which draws from the TMLMTBGB spirit. Next January, they'll be taking audience participation to a new level. Chicagoist recently got an e-mail from Neo founder Greg Allen soliciting our help for a show entitled “You Asked for It!” which will present “America's Most Wanted Play" and "America's Least Wanted Play" based upon the results of his online survey.

He's asking a few basic and not-so-basic questions about your theatergoing habits and what you’d like to see on stage — everything from “How often do you go to the theater?” to “How do you feel about violent physical humor done in the nude?” It only takes 5-10 minutes to complete, and you'll be contributing to something that hasn't been done on a Chicago stage.

Whether or not you have strong feelings about live theater, Allen wants your opinion. He's aiming to receive 2,000 responses by Thanksgiving and at least a few from each state. So go ahead and forward the survey to your friends, particularly if they live in New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and the Dakotas.

“You Asked For It!” opens at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland, on January 25, 2007, and runs through March 3, 2007. More information at www.neofuturists.org.

Image via Neo-Futurists.