Whether Calgarians are fans of heroic misadventures, or just having a great comedy evening out, Jupiter Theatre’s new improv show is aiming to provide laughs for RPG and come-and-see fans alike.

Winging It was inspired by games like Dungeons and Dragons, and draws many of the same tropes from that game, alongside popular shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway to deliver some geeky fun.

Andrew Cooper, the Artistic Producer of Jupiter Theatre and host and game master for the show, said if your fantasy is getting an evening of entertainment from Calgary improv veterans from companies like the Loose Moose and Kinkonauts, then there is that, too.

“We’re really trying to intentionally walk a line where, if someone is a huge fan of D&D, they can come out and really enjoy it. If someone is just a fan of improv comedy, they can also come out and just enjoy it. Or, if someone just loves laughing and being entertained, they can come out and enjoy it, too,” Cooper said.

He said that the idea for holding the show in Calgary came from doing a similar show elsewhere before moving to the city, but that it has taken a few years to put together for audiences.

“Originally, when I started doing it, I think what drew me to it is there’s a beautiful, imaginative space in role-playing games that lends itself so well to theatre and to improv theater,” Cooper said.

“For anyone who’s played a game like Dungeons and Dragons before, it is improv. The characters, the players, they are improvising with each other, and they’re crafting a story together to create like a shared experience that they can all kind of have fun and escape with. I think escapism is a big part of that. As someone who loves doing improv and directing improv and creating theater, it’s the same thing.”

A campaign of Dungeons and Dragons inspired comedy

Every show is its own night of comedy, said Cooper. But returning visitors will get a chance to see the long-term story, also known as a campaign in Dungeons and Dragons parlance, that the heroes are engaged in.

“If you’re playing D&D, each session should, if you have a good group, have a beginning, middle, and an end, but it’s all part of one longer campaign,” Cooper said.

“One of the reasons why I wanted to create this show was to give people who love D&D a space to just come out and love D&D with other people who love D&D.”

Sam Antonick, Aurora Huszti, and James Scott will be playing Winging It’s heroes Chica, Luna Nightingale, and Marius Brightheart, and will be joined by swing performers Megan Baldry, Darien Darius Jonsson, Mark Nguyen, Ruby Swan, and Laura Tennisco as both the non-player characters and monsters.

Jordan Smits will improvise both light and sound for the show.

Winging It is being held at the Erratics Indie Art Club in the Beltline, with a pair of shows on May 17 and May 31.

Tickets are available at www.showpass.com/winging-it.