Beerprov strikes again this coming Tuesday at Alberta Avenue Theatre.

Just be aware – this gritty St. Albert-based improv troupe is unafraid to cause scenes as the battle-scarred troupe executes a pre-planned mission to get people rolling in the aisles.

In the four years since this new troupe planted its butt firmly on the front lines, it has travelled through a lot of territory.

“We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, and the downs haven’t been so bad,” says driving force Sean Bedard.

But last fall after their stand at Edmonton Fringe Festival, Beerprov nearly dissolved. About half the group of eight quit, mostly due to new interests.

The remaining team – Bedard, Josh Languedoc, Ali Yusuf, Scott Pederick and Jeremy LeRiche, opted to get back in the trenches for one more show in December 2012.

“I’m not gonna lie. It was a disaster. People from the show showed up late, but we had one of the biggest audiences we’ve ever had,” explains Bedard.

“It showed us we had a bit of a following. We gathered at OJ’s and talked about the group. We had never discussed Beerprov’s future and where we wanted to go.”

The upshot was that they decided to make Beerprov a launching pad for their own production company, Go 4 Broke Productions. Several projects in the works are an all-ages show, YouTube videos and corporate business gigs.

Each member has put a contribution on the table. Bedard is the fireball of energy. Ali Yusuf is the videographer and marketing manager. Josh Languedoc brings a strong theatrical background and Jeremy LeRiche anchors the team.

Scott Pederick has injected a strong, upbeat, professional attitude and Michael Gordon has a keen interest in cameras and film. Tyler Dettling, who only joined three weeks ago, is still scrounging for his niche.

“Now that we know we have people that love doing it, we feel we can achieve something. It feels like Beerprov has come full circle.”

The approaching show includes new interactive games including one dubbed Crime Scene, a pressure packed match where cops face off against the baddies and the audience controls the action.

“One thing we’ve learned is that people love to see us on stage, but they love it more when we’re under pressure. The more pressure there is, the funnier it will be,” Bedard said.

Opening the show are two 10-minute stand-up comedy routines from Red Deer comedian Trevor Jay and St. Albert’s Pederick. Jay’s routine is an upfront look on the experiences and relationships in life while Pederick builds his one-liners around too many drinks imbibed at a rock concert.

Beerprov is on Tuesday, March 19 at Alberta Avenue. Doors open at 8 p.m. Standup comedy is at 8:15 p.m. and Beerprov formations start at 8:45 p.m. Tickets are $10 online at yeglive.ca or at the door.

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