Planet Furby
Planet Furby™
This video debuted at Optical Popsicle X at the Cyrus Place, November 2019.
Rare footage of nature’s most endearing mistake bumbling through the timberland forests of North America.
Script & Narration Ryan Felton
Cinematography Alex Bunce
Editing Tara Ree Miller
Grips Brandon Schaaf, Amalia Wiatr Lewis, Allison Durst, Matt Helfrich, Ryan Felton, Tara Ree Miller
Music & Sound Design Rachel Leigh
Foley Rachel Leigh & Rob Funkhouser
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Optical Popsicle Zero
Optical Popsicle Zero
“Welcome to the best show ever!”
Well, we taped the Seinfeld finale over all our old performances, so you know what that means: HARD REBOOT.
Within the cozy confines of Indy’s Grove Haus, the back-to-basics Optical Popsicle Zero zeroed in on what makes Op Pop Op Pop. This intimate handmade revue was a hot-glue-gun blister of a good time.
KNS wrapped our pals in a warm hug composed of operatic goose fights, the highest-rated sitcom for grey elephants ages 18–39, and some toe-tappin’ dental wisdom from Bucky and the Bristle Sisters. We topped it all off with feel-good guest performances by comedian/daredevil Jason Adams, musical supergroups Wife Patrol and SM Wolf, rad grrl poet Bree Jo’Ann, and other cool coolies.
That’s a whole lotta Zero!
Videos
Program
Promo Videos
Poster
Original Music
Best Show Ever
Humblest Hour
Elephant Family
Elephant Family
This performance took place at Optical Popsicle Zero at the Grove Haus in October 2017.
Young Jimby Jr. learns the true value of palm frond casserole — and why honesty is very important to modern pachyderm society — in this very special episode of Elephant Family.
New episodes air Tuesdays at 8:30 (Western Sahara Time) on EBC.
Written by Ryan Felton & Matt Helfrich
Filmed by Brandon Schaaf
Recorded & edited by Rachel Leigh
Theme Song by Matt Helfrich
Set Design by Tara Ree Miller
Tursh Emily Gable
Jimby Noah Pierce
Shbert Matt Holdzkom
Cody Matt Helfrich
Puppeteers Matt Helfrich, Matt Holdzkom, Emily Gable, Danielle Graves, Summer Keown
Heck Above Deck
Heck Above Deck
An Original Musical
“We set sail for adventure, or close facsimile…”
On November 4 & 5, 2016 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Know No Stranger debuted the original musical Heck Above Deck!
The Apogee’s Kiss hawks artificial adventure to the well-to-do of seven star systems. These simulations must be pretty convincing, because when actual infamous space pirate Barsha Bhatt actually commandeers the ship, the passengers are no less than tickled pink to “play along.”
But below deck, the staff aren’t so easily fooled: They know this ain’t theatre. And if they can just keep their heads down, keep their mouths shut… maybe they’ll survive?
Leave it to Heck Hopkin, the ever-smilin’, always-singin’ linen boy, to screw it all up for everybody.
Aliens! Monsters! Song, dance, and fresh linens! KNS brought its A-game for this rollicking revue about revenge, redemption, and space goats.
Cast Album
The Making of “Aw, Heck”
Extra! Extra! Ryan, Rachel, and Brandon pull apart the show’s finale number and reveal how it came to be.
Tracklist
01. The Apogee’s Kiss (Score)
02. Stars Afar!
03. Widdleton’s March
04. “I Am Luzz” / Stars Afar! (Reprise)
05. I Fold
06. I Fold – Reprise
07. A Decent Descent (Score)
08. Big, Bad Bhatt
09. Old Man River
10. Keep Those Peepers Peeled (Score)
11. No Place for a Kid (Carmella & Jack)
12. No Place for a Kid (Grillo & Crew)
13. No Place for a Kid (Huskie)
14. Heck’s Story (Score)
15. No Place For A Kid (Heck)
16. There’s Life in the Old Girl Yet
17. That Goat
18. A Fresh Pair – Medley
19. Entr’acte – Bhatt’s Story (Score)
20. Stars Afar! (Dreary Reprise)
21. What Cap Would Do
22. Hiding Ani — An’ the Truth (Score)
23. Get Creative
24. The Slugger-Stink (Score)
25. A Fresh Pair (Reprise)
26. What Cap Does
27. What Cap Does (Reprise)
28. Aw, Heck
29. Stars Afar! (Dirge)
30. Curtain Call (Score)
Postcards
Program
Behind the Scenes
Optical Popsicle Infinity
Optical Popsicle Infinity
“We remember that our dreams aren’t over, our dreams aren’t over…”
October 15 and 17, 2015: Know No Stranger returned to the Indianapolis Museum of Art for the rowdiest, shiniest, most peculiar Optical Popsicle yet: OP Infinity. Triggered by the discovery of a forgotten time capsule, the gang spent the evening guiding a theater full of friends on a herky-jerky trip down memory lane, chasing elusive childhood dreams in typical KNS fashion. That is to say, things went wrong. Terribly wrong.
In the midst of all this flimflam, local poets stirred our souls; the Indy Air Bears treated us to a heavy-metal jump rope routine; foolhardy Captain Wolodarsky and crew floated about their Jupiter-bound space vessel; music acts Strawberry Runners and Emily & Kerstan Wallace made us tap our toes; and doe-eyed Mulberry Scout Jamie Snodgrass found a new fanged forest friend. When all was said and done, we couldn’t argue what should’ve been obvious all along: our dreams are far from over.
Videos
Original Music
OP Infinity Theme
Friendship Sweater
Shimmer (Instrumental)
Finally (Our Dreams Aren’t Over)
Teaser
Trailer
Program
Behind The Scenes
Gravitas
Gravitas
Performed live during Optical Popsicle Infinity at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, October 2015.
Three deep space explorers confront sabotage, mutiny, and ballistic chocolate morsels in the midst of a very serious mission. For science.
Written by Ryan Felton
Wolodarsky Ryan Felton
Nevitt Megan Hart
Petrov Emily Gable
Houston Jake Watson
Space Camp Flyer by Brandon Schaaf
Space Camp Jingle by Matt Helfrich
Optical Popsicle Seven
Optical Popsicle Seven
“We are learning to love… ourselves!”
Know No Stranger’s relationship with the Indianapolis Museum of Art began in earnest on October 11, 2014: the night of Optical Popsicle 7. Our annual variety extravaganza returned, this time at the IMA’s Toby Theater, to bring the audience along for a ride through time, space, and hyperspace all in the hope of answering the question — “Um, what happened to Optical Popsicle 6?” On the way we met the surly spirits of bygone pizzas; jammed out to the 8-bit party tunes of Benjamin Briggs; danced with the talented ladies of Fahodi; cranked Alan’s Goldbergian music machine; groaned at our own Wallace Wimbley’s first foray into professional acting; and learned an important lesson in self-acceptance (and always carrying a spare pair of 3-D glasses) from a trio of visiting doppelgangers from another dimension. Take all that, wrapped up (literally) in a universe-shattering finale involving many many reels of VHS tape, and you’ve got yourself one stellar Op Pop.
Videos
Original Music
OP7 Theme
Learning To Love Myself / Learning To Love, Myself
Olivia (Instrumental)
Trailer
Program
Behind the Scenes
True Gristle
True Gristle
Performed live during Optical Popsicle Seven at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, October 2014.
Our stage manager’s outdone himself again— we’re proud to present Wallace Wimbley’s acting debut.
Written by Ryan Felton
Bartender Wallace Wimbley
Elton Paul Pelsue
Fainter Emily Gable
Saloon Patrons Will Bancroft, Jeff Beaver & Stephen Vincent Giles
Stranger Brishen Vanderkolk
Director Brandon Schaaf
Second Assistant Camera JD Gray
Location Assistant Alan Goffinski