It鈥檚 the kind of game show your grandparents used to watch on their Westinghouse and RCA televisions, except with more laughs, more adult themes and significantly bolder wig and costume choices.
, an evening of off-the-cuff comedy featuring some of 蜜柚直播鈥檚 most talented drag queens and LGBTQ personalities, returns to the stage on Saturday, May 14, after taking most of the last two years off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Show producer David Hoffman said the crew did manage to squeeze in a 10-year anniversary show in December, between COVID surges, on the Hotel Congress Plaza, but it 鈥渄idn鈥檛 have the same intensity that the club brings.鈥
鈥淚n the club, you are enclosed,鈥 Hoffman said. 鈥淭he energy builds. You can hear the audience a lot better.鈥
Hearing the audience is key for the Retro Game Show folks, who are known for their regular interactions with people in the crowd, often tapping willing participants as contestants.
In The Mismatch Game, the chosen game for this Saturday, audience members will fill in the blanks with a more adult version of the traditional , with character participation from host Chatty Kathee; executive assistant Swish Manley; Bubba the Queer Redneck; drag royalty Fulta Burstyn; and lonely divorcee Bernaise, who Hoffman describes as 鈥渁 pushy, middle-aged cougar, always on the prowl.鈥
Nearly everything that takes place is unscripted.
鈥淭he game is our structure, but what people do with that surprises me,鈥 Hoffman said. 鈥淭his is a very talented bunch. There is no way I can write most of the stuff that happens.鈥
That spontaneity is not lost on the contestants.
鈥淵ou leave feeling good, like you鈥檝e made a connection,鈥 Hoffman said. 鈥淭hey have the time of their lives, whether they realize it or not.鈥
Hoffman hopes this weekend鈥檚 Retro Game Show Night will be the official return of a semi-regular schedule; once every two months, with the exception of a follow-up to this May show in June.
Hoffman said he and his team are ready to make people laugh again.
鈥淲hen something just so unexpected happens on stage, the audience is just crying, they are laughing so hard,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hen that happens, I know my job is done and I can order another drink or two for myself.鈥
If you go
What: Retro Game Show Night.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, May 14
Where: Club Congress,
Cost: $15, this event is for ages 21+
Visit the for more information.