“Take My Wife – Please!” Old school one-liner jokes like this are classic groaners and may prompt the proverbial cymbal crash cue in the back of your mind.

I love kindergartener jokes: What’s the difference between roast beef and pea soup? Anyone can roast beef! And especially love clever slapstick that was given life by the ancient Italians who created the first commedia dell’arte in the 16th century. The famous Marx Brothers, Harpo, Groucho and Zeppo, did a great job at slapstick, using physical cues even more than verbal ones to get their humor across. With these jokes, you think you should see them coming a mile away ... but you don’t. The play currently running at the DAC is the “Complete History of America (abridged)” and it’s full of slapstick, but it’s fast so you have to keep up.

If you like your comedy with an element of surprise, then improv with a new flip-twist is perfect for you. SCRIPTprov (spelled correctly) is coming to Durango for two nights only, July 28 and 29, and it will really stretch your laughing muscles. I’m old and have heard of most things but this is new to me and subsequently exciting. It seems like so many shows are recycled these days. SCRIPTprov, however, is fresh and yet also quite established.

Winner for Excellence in Theatre in 2013 by the Colorado Theatre Festival and nominated for best actress by the same, SCRIPTprov is created and directed by Durango’s own Cindy Laudadio Hill. The best way to describe this off-the-wall comedy is like this: We put improv in their scripts, they put scripts in our improv. What could possibly go wrong? As if improv wasn’t hard enough to produce, add a scene from a movie or play, don’t tell the actors what it is, and let them make up the rest? Brilliant!

I haven’t seen this yet, but it reminds me of how Jimmy Fallon uses MadLibs to create new dialogue in popular movie scenes. I’m laughing already just thinking about it.

Described by audiences as a “wonderful surprise” and as “redefining the rules,” it has been performed live in Denver since 2009. SCRIPTprov features the talents of traditional actors, locals Cindy and Mary, and the Dishwater Blondes improv troupe.

You won’t hear dad jokes, your-momma jokes or kindergartener jokes, but do wear your stretchy-pants as you can plan to be doubled over laughing for a good couple of hours. I imagine you could use this right about now – we all can.

Email info@durangoarts.org. Buy tickets, donate, become a member, register for classes and keep in touch at DurangoArts.org.

Brenda Macon has been executive director of Durango Arts Center since 2018.