Make America Fun Again – The Gong Show Off Broadway at The Ridgefield Playhouse on May 19

The iconic Gong Show got an upgrade to a full off-Broadway extravaganza! Between the years of 1976 and 1981 The Gong Show was aired to millions of households in six countries. It was one of the most recognized brands in the worldwide pop culture lexicon. Its very title promised a good time. Guaranteed. Money back. Good time. Designed and built specifically for its audience, it delivered euphoric results to EVERYONE watching at home; but most importantly to everyone in the Studio audience. Hundreds and thousands of people barnstormed the NBC Studios in Burbank, California daily in the hopes of getting tickets to this runaway train. The real fun was being there and everyone in America knew it. Now, it’s your chance to see this show LIVE in a theatre – up close and personal with all of the lunacy! Clark Construction Comedy Series and The Ridgefield Playhouse present The Gong Show Off Broadway on Thursday, May 19 at 7:30pm.

This theatrical recreation debuted in NYC in 2012, and became a smash with sold out shows, month after month. The Gong Show Off Broadway has been blowing audiences away with this slick, polished, masterful recreation, featuring the most unforgettable, hilarious and mind-blowing cast ever assembled on a single stage. With talent on loan from SNL, America's Got Talent, Conan, 30 Rock, The Jimmy Fallon show this show captures the hilarious sensibilities of this piece of Americana. The acts will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges including comedians Ray Ellin (HBO), Chuck Nice (Today Show, Comedy Central, VH1), Leslie ‘The Radiochick” Gold and Brian McFadden (Letterman, Comedy Central). Media sponsor WPLR’s Chaz & AJ will be doing a talent search. A lucky listener will be one of the acts to participate in the show!

The premise of The Gong Show was simple, present acts that are both good and bad. The Gong Show was the first show to put real people on TV and allow them to humiliate themselves. The goal of the acts was to capture the attention of the celebrity judges and the studio audience long enough to survive the Gong. Acts that did, were scored and the highest scoring act won exactly $516.32. The key to winning The Gong Show seemed to be originality and guts. Having both made you a contender. Talent helped, but it was secondary. The show became an absolute national sensation while drawing intense hostility from TV critics and other persons of 'taste'. It was raucous, reckless, lowbrow, hilarious and simply perfect.

For tickets ($47.50), call the box office at 203-438-5795, or visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.