Raunchy improv show arrives at the Palms

Before the show, the audience members know what they're in for.

The host, Nic "Kopy" Kopatich, tells them, "This is going to be dirty." He also asks them to repeat a series of obscenities, which rhyme with "hit Chuck, Chuck hit," and they oblige.

That is how Anthony Cools' "Strip Comedy" improvisational show begins.

Kopatich is the founder of Jest Serendipity Improv, a local group that has been performing around the valley for more than a decade. For "Strip Comedy," two teams of three performers from Jest Serendipity's main stage cast compete for 75 minutes in a series of improv games. Kopatich said they try to mix them up every night and there are more than 100 games they can play.

Nov. 15's first game was "innuendo," in which teams made joke punchlines from audience suggestions. Kopatich asked the audience to suggest a drink and got orange juice back. Teams took turns finishing the joke, "I like my women like I like my orange juice ... "

The second game, "bartender," featured Brent Mukai singing to customers who come in to confess embarrassing problems suggested by the audience. Those problems included impotence and flatulence.

The suggestions from the audience played on the same crude themes for most of the night, with most of them being shouted by a particular table of four tourists.

That is normal, Kopatich said, as they usually get a "tourist crowd."

Other games included "9 out of 10," "fortune teller," "if you know what I mean" and "prop freeze."

Two women in skimpy clothing act as human scorecards. After each round of games, the audience votes with applause for the winning team. That team's scorecard then removes a piece of clothing, eventually getting down to a bikini top and bottom. Their tops may also be removed, but their breasts are partially covered.

Kopatich said most nights end in a tie - the audience makes sure of that.

"We give them what they want," he added.

During the Nov. 15 show, the black team's scorecard was the first to finish undressing. And even though the black team won the final game, as all of the red team was eliminated, the audience voted for red.

The idea for "Strip Comedy" came after Cools, a local hypnotist, saw Jest Serendipity perform a year ago at a charity show. Cools and Kopatich talked afterward and began building the idea.

Kopatich first started doing improv in high school in Wisconsin, then continued it while living in the dorms at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he played defensive back on the football team. He put on improv shows with his college roommate and other friends on campus.

Kopatich said he would put on a strip improv show once a year and noticed it always had the highest attendance.

"It has been difficult getting a nightly show on the Strip in the entertainment capital of the world," Kopatich said, pointing out that such a show does not exist at any other casino. "... At a mainstream level, (improv) doesn't exist. But it's great, it's fun, it's interactive."

One of Jest Serendipity's rotating main stage cast members is 23-year-old Izzy Aleman, who described the show as "Wayne Brady with a bachelor party."

He met Kopatich about six years ago while a student at present-day Southeast Career and Technical Academy, 5710 Mountain Vista St. Kopatich taught improv to Aleman and other theater students and invited Aleman to come to some Jest Serendipity practices.

"Improv is a training exercise for theater," Aleman said. "It's just about gaining stage presence and confidence."

Performances are scheduled at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday at the Lounge inside the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road. Audience members must be 21 or older.

Tickets are available for $40 at ticketmaster.com or at the Palms box office.

Contact View education reporter Jeff Mosier at jmosier@viewnews.com or 702-224-5524.