HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis starring Jonathan Mangum and Asad Mecci Saturday, April 29, 2023
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM

The Phyllis and Bob Cowan Performing Arts Series presents hypnosis and improv - two art forms that have mystified and entertained fans, skeptics and everyone in between for decades.  They will come together as two masters of their crafts unite for a totally unique comedy experience, HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis, featuring Jonathan Mangum and Asad Mecci.

Jonathan Mangum has toured doing improv comedy all over the world with Wayne Brady and Drew Carey.  Currently, Jonathan can be seen as the co-host of Let's Make a Deal on CBS and often on Whose Line is it Anyway?

Asad Mecci is a master hypnotist and has performed on Entertainment Tonight, MTV, Maxim Online and HGTV.  He has been written about in the NY Times, the Huffington Post and Maxim Magazine.

The performance is FREE.  General Admission tickets are not required.  Preferred seating is available for MC Friends of the Series and Distinguished Donors.  Contact the Midland College Foundation for more details about preferred seating opportunities, (432) 685-4526.

Performance begins at 7:30 pm; doors open at 6:30 pm.

How it Works
Twenty random volunteers from the audience will be put under hypnosis by Master Hypnotist Asad Mecci (the process of which is a show in its own right), their inhibitions evaporated and their minds no longer their own. The contestants are methodically and hysterically whittled down until the five best are left on stage when one of the world’s leading improvisers enters! Jonathan Mangum takes the stage to improvise with the top five while they are still under hypnosis, turning the show into an improv extravaganza! 

In the hands of two masters, and solely crafted from the audience’s uninhibited subconscious, this will be an entirely original and completely unforgettable theatrical experience, for who knows where the unconscious mind will go…

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT HYPROV

“The audience erupted in laughter. It killed!” - The New York Times

“Entranced and Unscripted! An improvisational audience-participation extravaganza.”  - The Wall Street Journal

“Four Stars!!” - Time Out New York

“Hilarious and fascinating fusion of unpredictable art forms” - Time Out New York

“Say yes to “Hyprov”  - The New Yorker

More About Johnathan Mangum
Jonathan Mangum began performing while in college in Orlando, FL with the SAK Theatre, a local improv show. He performed 13 improv shows each week and began to work with a tight-knit group of improvisers that included Wayne Brady.

Mangum's television credits include The Wayne Brady Show, The Drew Carey Show, Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza, and Drew Carey's Green Screen Show. In addition, he has made appearances on Reno 911!, Pushing Daisies, NCIS and The Sarah Silverman Program. Also, he recurs on Celebrity Name Game and Whose Line Is It Anyway?

After two seasons working with Drew Carey on The Drew Carey Show, he was invited to join the "Drew Carey Improv All-Stars." The group went on to tour in more than 60 venues, including Carnegie Hall. He has also toured internationally with Wayne Brady, performing improv since 2000.

Mangum's feature film credits include appearing with Jack Nicholson in The Bucket List and with Eddie Murphy in Imagine That. In addition, he's starred in the kids' movies Monkey Up and Pup Star.

Mangum's writing credits include The Wayne Brady Show, The Brandon T. Jackson Show, The BET Honors and The Late Late Show. Also, he co-wrote and starred in the series Home Purchasing Club for VH1. In addition, he wrote an animated pilot, The Lumberjacksons for Disney and has written and produced several short films, including Conversations, Open Carrie, Man Down, and Robots Are Hard.

More About Asad Mecci
Asad Mecci's jaw dropping performances have captivated audiences worldwide. He has performed in front of over 1.5 million people live and millions more through mass media. You might have seen Mecci on Entertainment Tonight, MTV, HGTV, BBC or read about him in the New York Times, Huffington Post and Maxim Magazine. Away from the television cameras and radio waves, Mecci has amazed crowds at the Second City, GE Theater and The Just for Laughs comedy festivals.