Three-time Jeopardy winner Patrick Fernan
“Cheap” is a relative term and so when three of the funniest guys in the Madison area team up for an interactive theater production that features prizes and celebrities, we think a $20 ticket might be a good investment for some of the money we’ve saved using coupons and eating free junk food.
We’re talking about “The Game Show Show,” a send-up of “The Hollywood Squares” opening on Thursday, July 22nd and running through Saturday, July 31st on the Evjue Stage of the Bartell Theatre, 133 East Mifflin Street.
According to actor Patrick Fernan, a three-time “Jeopardy” winner ($50,000), “Michael Bruno and Tony Reitano the two guys who created/ developed it both have been on game shows and have worked on game shows, so together we have been involved with six different shows (“Millionaire,” “Jeopardy,” “Win/lose/draw,” “25,000 Pyramid,” and a couple of other very short-lived ones).’
And here are some additional insights from an e-mail Fernan sent to us (and a cast of thousands):
I’ll be creating the role of ‘Blink Nightingale’ — the oblivious host of a television game show that is being “produced” here in Madison. It’s an interactive theater piece (called The Game Show Show) where audience members are selected for prizes and a few are picked to play Madison Squares! Yes, eight celebrity impersonators and one actual real life Madison-area celebrity are going to be showing up to do our version of Hollywood Squares.
I think it promises to be a fun-filled summer frolic — hopefully a lot of laughs, some actual prizes given, and the opportunity to stand and applaud for good old Blink — the worst game show host of all time! The show will be about 50/50 scripted and improvised so it’ll be a different show each night. Scheduled celebrity impersonators include Betty White, John Mayer, The Jonas Brothers, Willie Nelson, and others. Possible real celebrities include Fish from Connie and Fish fame, Doug Moe, and various television, political and/or other special folks.
You may reserve tickets for “The Game Show” or purchase them online. The Evjue Stage is an intimate (small) venue, so fork over your $20 soon or you may miss the fun.
