Starship Odyssey Captain’s Log Vol. 3: The End Is Nigh

Starship Odyssey: The Final Mission debuted with this summer’s Improv Saves the World programming run and is going strong. Each night a new mission starts with your suggestion, but no one knows how it ends.

We asked the director of the project, Denny Johnson, some questions about his thoughts on the shows so far and the rest of the run which concludes on August 4.

This is the third in a series of Captain’s Log entries about the show. Read the first in the series here and the second here. 

We are over half-way through your run. How has it been going? 

Only nine shows left…insane! It’s been out of this world (too much?). Truly! So far we have stolen minerals from an alien planet, saved our ship from mutinies and invasions, found love in an elevator, time travelled across centuries, and gave birth to a chosen child who shall be the redeemer of us all. This cast is doing it all!

What has been the biggest surprise for you seeing the show up on stage?

I think the combination of all of the elements working together has been a surprise — even to me. The costumes, the video and sound effects, the props, the get — I can’t believe how the cast takes all these elements to pull off weird, fun, and brand new missions show after show.

What has the audience reaction been? 

They laugh, they cry. Seriously though. Each “final mission” has been filled with action, betrayal, love, and loss. And WIT audiences are there for it.

Have you had to make any changes to the show or the format as you have performed?

How long do you have? It happens in tweaks and text conversations, through pre-show discussions, and post-show notes. Each show is an improvement on the last.

The biggest change and challenge is probably trying to get the right information out of the audience. Let’s put it this way: the future is female and we need to hear from them more. Spoiler alert: men are super eager to give a get that they think is funny (they are doubly eager at a sci-fi show).

Any performance highlights you’d like to share?

The show is designed with a very satisfying ending. When we nail that part, it’s magic. Ninety percent of the time, even when I know what is supposed to happen, I’m still amazed at how the cast pulls a rabbit out of their hat. It’s so fun.

Any dreams for the rest of the run?

This show ends August 4, forever. It’s not coming back next year or being turned into a wacky half hour show. My only dream is that the cast, the booth, and Bill — our amazing costume designer — squeeze every last bit of warp power out of this run.

You heard the man. This is IT. Check out Starship Odyssey: The Final Mission before it’s too late.