Seattle can’t get sufficient of the whole lot Scott Shoemaker and Freddy Molitch create. In the event you’re unfamiliar, Shoemaker and Molitch are the artists behind annual traditions such because the ’80s, pill-popping, cartoonish hijinks of Ms. Pak-Man, and the wild vacation phenomenon Scott Shoemaker’s Struggle on Christmas. Fortunately, their theatrical firm—Footwear and Pants Productions—will probably be including Scott Shoemaker’s :Probed! to their recurring arsenal of iconic reveals to provide followers a repair between seasons.
In the event you had been fortunate, you caught :Probed! at Re-bar again in 2019 earlier than the world shut down. We’ve been dwelling in a dystopian sci-fi thriller ever since, so what higher time to dive into an investigation of aliens, Bigfoot, ghosts, and fraud channelers? Footwear and Pants Productions has cracked the code on cabaret-style theater with a multimedia spectacle of hilarious movies, sensible character performing, and tune parodies so good you’ll overlook the unique lyrics. They’re additionally recognized for his or her fantastical costumes, outrageous props, and delightfully outlandish plots, so :Probed! is bound to place the additional in extraterrestrial.
The construction Shoemaker and Molitch have developed comes from a deep understanding of their audiences. “We each have the identical concept about how a present works and what sort of expertise we would like the viewers to have. We’ve a number of respect for our viewers,” Shoemaker says. “We actually need to make it possible for we’re giving folks surprises, attempting new issues out, placing on a giant spectacle.”
That dedication to shock units :Probed! other than their different works in distinctive and thrilling methods. “It’s truly actually totally different, a number of the video is unquestionably extra elaborate,” Shoemaker says. “I personally get to play a number of totally different characters, which is nice. Freddy’s actually good at researching actual issues and making them humorous. Obscure issues and peculiar issues. I’d say you’re going to see Bigfoot in a brand new gentle.” The 2 listing in tandem, “homosexual Bigfoot, homosexual ghosts, homosexual aliens—the paranormal is especially queer.”
What makes these reveals so particular is rooted within the inventive course of the genius pair have cultivated. Romantic companions of 18 years, Shoemaker and Molitch are in a continuing mode of creation. “We’re collectively on a regular basis. I work at home now, and it’s simply one thing that we speak about consistently,” Shoemaker says. “The concepts will simply come, we write little issues down, and at last, when it’s time to truly write, there’s all these items to drag from.” Molitch provides, “It’s only a fixed little trickling in. After which we make a giant define of what we’re going to do; the marbles simply fall into place.”
Each Molitch and Shoemaker draw from private experiences, pursuits, and area of interest obsessions to maintain fervor behind their creations. You would possibly catch references to Unsolved Mysteries, In Search of… with Leonard Nimoy, and different supernatural classics. “I keep in mind considering, okay, we need to do one other present to simply diversify,” Molitch says. “What are we into? What can we spend our time taking a look at and researching? And it was all these paranormal reveals; we simply are consistently watching stuff like that. We expect it’s hilarious and attention-grabbing.” Shoemaker provides, “I consider once we had been at Disneyland, Freddy simply considered the title :Probed! In the event you pronounce the punctuation, it’s truly known as Scott Shoemaker’s Colon Probed.”
The burning query: How a lot of the present comes from their private encounters of the third sort? “The present is clearly poking enjoyable in any respect these items,” Schoemaker says, “however we’re each ‘need to consider’ folks. Each of us are very skeptical and rational, however we’re additionally absolutely into it and would adore it to be actual. It’s an excellent stability—we all know loads about it as a result of we prefer it, however we are able to additionally form of poke enjoyable at it on the similar time.” Molitch has had a justifiable share of ghostly experiences. “I grew up in actually previous homes, and my complete life I’ve all the time seen ghost issues and peculiar stuff. I consider in a number of it, however there’s additionally sufficient there to make enjoyable of. Making enjoyable of one thing doesn’t imply we don’t adore it.” Shoemaker has had putting encounters of a small white hand taking part in tug-of-war with him over a curtain and the sound of seats thumping in an empty, darkish theater.
We must see if the Intiman Cabaret has its personal spirits! Intiman has reworked the previous Erickson Theatre right into a cocktail lounge-style cabaret that includes a season of one-person performs, drag, efficiency artwork, and musical acts. The refurbished area has come up at a really wanted time for venues, particularly ones that spotlight selection reveals, cabaret, queer artwork, and various efficiency. “Seattle simply doesn’t have very many efficiency areas proper now,” Shoemaker says. “Intiman approached us about being part of their new collection. They wished to make an area for artists like us—the form of those who labored at Re-bar, you already know, the form of those who do fringe theater, multimedia, multi-discipline, weirder stuff.”
Shoemaker and Molitch aren’t simply holding Seattle bizarre of their theatrical model, the subject material of :Probed! is definitely very linked to PNW historical past. Everyone knows you’ll be able to’t drive half an hour exterior Seattle with out seeing a Bigfoot-themed espresso store, however it seems Washington has been dwelling to many massive cultural moments across the paranormal. “Ramtha lives in Yelm,” says Molitch, referring to the entity that Faculty of Enlightenment founder J.Z. Knight purports to channel. “Even the time period flying saucer was coined right here by a pilot who noticed UFOs by Mount Rainier.”
Whether or not you consider in creatures from the past or not, :Probed! is value it for the evening of assured laughter. A private favourite trait of Footwear and Pants Productions is that they hit the candy spot of each acknowledging the world round us whereas additionally providing the levity to giggle about it. “Individuals wish to giggle about issues that truly critically affected their lives,” Shoemaker says. “To have the ability to giggle about it relieves the stress. We’re absurdists at coronary heart, actually. The actual factor is that life is simply absurd and we’re reflecting that. We’re all acknowledging that each one of that is simply fucking ridiculous, and we have to giggle at it.”
Molitch provides a word to their audiences: “Thanks for trusting us. Letting us placed on weird, bizarre, excessive issues. Each time we do a present, we’re a bit of like, have we gone too bizarre? Ought to we are saying this? Ought to we make these jokes? After which the viewers pays us again so many occasions over with getting it, and being into it. We are able to get weirder. We are able to go additional, and that’s such a present to be given, particularly once we can actually get on the market.”
“Actually on the market” is a good way to explain 2025 to this point, too, so that you’ll need to cope by marking your calendar for a full yr of camptastic Footwear and Pants reveals: Scott Shoemaker’s :Probed! is simply across the nook, adopted by the fan-favorite Ms. Pak-Man in June on the Triple Door, there are rumblings of a Halloween Hextravaganza, and you by no means need to miss Scott Shoemaker’s Struggle on Christmas. In spite of everything, like Shoemaker says: “Laughing is nice within the face of adversity, and that’s the way you take care of issues.”
Scott Shoemaker’s :Probed! runs April 10–13 on the Intiman Cabaret at Erickson Theatre, 21+.
