One small glimpse of the looming wackiness.

Reel in a newspaper, randomly tear off several headlines, and add some stand-up comedians to the mix. The result is Whirled News Tonight. All the way from Chicago, this group of improv comedy actors literally rips their inspiration right from the newspaper. Using the latest headlines, Whirled News Tonight owes their hilarious satires to local as well as international news. As the audience walks in, they are encouraged to tack news or magazine articles onto a board up on stage. Actors will later take these stories and use them as the foundation for a show that will keep you laughing as the actors’ quick-witted, brainy, and humorous talents create spontaneous scenes. As one cast member reads the opening paragraph, the others get inspired and use the information as a stepping-stone to improvise scenes. Cast members are dressed like professional newscasters and introduce the show with the motto, “The News is Real, Everything Else is Improvised.” As the show goes on and more random headlines are read, stories begin to form and overlap, and new characters develop. The show is not only hilarious—it will leave you wishing you had brought the entire newspaper.

    iO: Whirled News Tonight • Feb. 4 • The State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St. • 7:30pm • $15 adult, $25 box, $10 students • 832-ARTS • www.eauclairearts.com