GOOD EATERS McMurray & Skinner

Like a good rock radio station and a Democratic mayor, a true-blue musical-improv troupe is needed in New York. Okay, various members of The Next Big Broadway Musical reunite sporadically, Chicago’s Baby Wants Candy visits a few times a year and Freestyle Love Supreme improvises rap, which is technically music. But we want more—as evidenced by the fact that those three play to packed and delighted houses every time they take the stage.

“Musical improv is a lot of work for something that will never get you on a sitcom,” says Eliza Skinner, one third of I Eat Pandas, a group that formed in 2004 (to compete in a three-person-team improv tournament), continued to build steam and now has a run at Under St. Marks on Monday nights. In other words, a lot of people venture into the genre, yet don’t stick with it long enough to build a following. “But it’s something I can’t help putting this much work into,” she continues. “It’s one of the few things I can say I’m really good at.”

The show’s program claims that the cast can do in 25 minutes what it takes Andrew Lloyd Webber years to do—“crap out a musical.” Their excretions are far from waste. On keyboard, Travis Ploeger creates textured and varied tunes, while Skinner and Glennis McMurray layer them with rich characters, strong relationships and spot-on harmony—plus, they can really sing. In addition to gushing adoration from the audience, that combination recently won them (while performing with friends) the title of East Coast Champion in the annual Cagematch competition. They head to the Chicago Improv Festival in April to defend their title.

“I’m in a much better mood now than when I walked in the door,” a young man was overheard saying, exiting the tiny basement theater after a recent performance. Will Hines, who’d opened that show with a set of stand-up jokes, echoes the sentiment, “I like watching the crowd during their shows because, more and more, people just start smiling.” It’s because we like musical improv. And we like the way I Eat Pandas does it: Go see them before they decide it’s too much work.”

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In January, during the Charleston Comedy Festival, the musical improv duo I Eat Pandas blessed the Holy City with its presence. Pandas proved to be one of the major hits of the fest, performing sold-out shows for super-enthused crowds.

Immediately after performing here, I Eat Pandas took home the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group. Coincidence? Perhaps not. The pair’s return to the Lowcountry for Piccolo Fringe suggests that Chucktown is their good luck charm, they’ve recognized it, and are back for more. But, perhaps we’re reading too much into things.

For whatever reason, I Eat Pandas has returned, and we should consider ourselves the lucky ones.
I Eat Pandas’ opening show was another in a series of grand slam Charleston performances. The audience laughed and clapped their way through the three made-up-on-the-spot musicals. Considering that much of the audience identified themselves as repeat attendees, such audience affirmation becomes even more significant: it wasn’t just the novelty of musical improv that got the crowd going, but what the ladies were singing and how well they did it.

However, what really makes the performance isn’t the singing, it’s the exchange between the two gals. Despite the years of familiarity, they somehow managed to repeatedly make each other laugh, which is then doubly amusing for the audience. It’s both endearing and endlessly entertaining to watch two performers get a genuine kick out of each other.

Although technically not a part of the improv, and possibly demeaning to the art I Eat Pandas produces, it must be said: Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are awesome dressers. If you don’t like to laugh or listen to music (read: if you are a huge freak), the women’s wardrobe might be enough to spurn your attendance at the next I Eat Pandas performance. Both comediennes rock sweet sneaks and enviable bling.

It is almost unbelievable watching two people spontaneously compose 50 minutes worth of musical theatre. Watching the two improvers actually eat pandas may be the only more awe-inspiring activity available. In short, in a world where women are just not smart or funny, Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner manage to come pretty close.”
– Charleston City Paper