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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2003 Hollywood Backlot Stage |
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Have a seat at Hollywood Backlot Stage. It’s an odd, scruffy theater, on the back side of the backlot facades at the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. There’s no backstage, so the performers ride to the stage on bicycles. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 Performers arrive by bicycle |
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You’re about to see a show that includes these topics:
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 The audience |
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If these off-the-wall concepts seem odd for a Disney theme park show, don’t blame Disney’s show writers. Blame the audience. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 D.U.H. |
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This is the Department of Untapped Hilarity, or D.U.H. for short. Audience members call out activities, locations, celebrities, and whatever else they are asked for. The four quick-witted entertainers use the resulting phrases for skits and comedic songs. It’s never the same show twice, although the show structure is often similar. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 Never the same skit |
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It’s classic improvisational comedy… Well, not quite classic improvisational comedy… the comedy here is family-friendly. That eliminates a lot of the easy laughs that other improv groups rely on. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 Live music |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 No fancy props on stage |
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If you come back another day for another show, not only will the show be different, the performers might be different too. Although there are usually four performers on stage at each show, there are others in the troupe—which means there can be shows seven days a week. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2004 Hands raised in the audience |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2004 A few props after all |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2004 Acting! |
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At its name suggests, D.U.H. can be hilarious. When the phrases from the audience trigger top-notch creativity from the performers—and you know they’re making it up on the spot—you may find yourself laughing uncontrollably. And when the performers are less than brilliant because they’re not on the same wavelength… that can be funny in a different way. |
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The Hollywood Backlot Stage at the Hollywood Studios Backlot (now called Hollywood Land) section of Disney’s California Adventure (now called Disney California Adventure) became home to the improvisational comedy of D.U.H. - Department of Untapped Hilarity around August of 2003. It replaced Goofy’s Beach Party Bash. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003 Wrong Brothers at Condor Flats |
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Although the venue was new for the improvisational troupe, the act wasn’t. Before moving to the Hollywood Backlot Stage, D.U.H. performances were at Condor Flats near Fly ’n’ Buy. And before that, the troupe performed a different show there as “Nelson, Charles and Riley, the Wrong Brothers.” |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Drawn to Magic at the Hollywood Backlot Stage |
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The final D.U.H. performances were on Monday, September 5, 2005—Labor Day 2005. The improvisational show had a run of more than two years at the Hollywood Backlot Stage. A small musical show featuring three “animators” and a few Disney characters replaced D.U.H.. Drawn to Magic—not to be confused with the elaborate Drawn to Magic dinner animation show in the Animator’s Palate dining rooms on Disney Cruise Line—moved to the stage after getting its start as a street show on Disney California Adventure’s Hollywood Boulevard. Drawn to Magic ran until October 2010. |
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© 2015 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated January 2, 2015. |
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