Millenial Fresh: Sarasota's new sketch-comedy troupe

Millennials. They’re certainly an elusive bunch. Nobody is quite sure where Gen. X ends and this new generation begins (a safe guess is wherever is most convenient for the definer).

They’re difficult to characterize — more of a know-it-when-you-see-it demographic. When in doubt, some of the more glaring giveaways include a collection of participation trophies, unwavering eye contact with a mobile device and a thousand-yard stare in the face of any meaningful political discussion.

At least that’s what some of the stereotypes of today’s youth would have you believe. It was also a key motivator for Joey James when he set out to form his new sketch-comedy group.

Its title? Millennial Fresh.

“It seems like every day you read a new article about millennials,” says James, with a laugh. “We’re narcissistic; all we do is take selfies; we’re lost in the world. Of course there are people like that, but no, we’re not lost in the world. We have something to say, and we want to make fun of some of those stereotypes from the perspective of actual millennials, and laugh at ourselves a little, too.”

Take a Selfie with Me

The group got its start in January, when James, company manager for West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, and co-founder Natasha Samreny, a stand-up comedian and FST Improv performer, were looking for a new performance project.

The two landed on the idea of Millennial Fresh — an urban, diverse comedy group using sketches, improv and song-and-dance routines to explore the clichés and critiques of young Americans, which are especially prevalent in a city like Sarasota.

They recruited a team of seven other comedians, improv artists and actors from the area — many of whom had never met — and began writing and rehearsing.

According to performer Naquila Gregory, the chemistry was evident from the start.

“When you don’t know the people you’re working with, it’s not always the most welcoming environment,” she says. “But we found right off the bat that we all gelled in different ways. We all love to laugh; we love to perform and we all bring different skills to the table.”

For the last few months, the group has rehearsed twice a week, fleshing out ideas, sketches and songs to see what will make the final cut. Some topics are more outlandish, says James, but some of the comedy is rooted in realistic issues, like the importance of brotherhood and sisterhood.

When Millennial Fresh brought a 30-minute version of its act to Westcoast Balck Theatre Troupe Founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs for a critique, he was so impressed he asked the group to debut the final version — a 90-minute comedy revue — at the theater.

For performer Arnette German, the opportunity is about more than just performing.

“I love to make people laugh,” she says. “Growing up, I was always told I was too silly — I laughed too loud — to be able to bring that to other people and share it with them is so much fun.”

The Struggle is Real

At a recent rehearsal, the group’s nine members gather around a piano in the Westcoast Black Theatre’s rehearsal space. Surrounded by props and set pieces from previous shows, the group works late into the night. They’re rehearsing daily, now, to perfect the routine before its April 24 debut.

“It’s starting to feel real,” says James. “We want to put on the best show we can.”

Tonight, they’re working on a handful of musical pieces. James has written the majority of the songs, and he’s working with the group’s musician, Hunter Brown, to find the perfect sound for one in particular, called “The Struggle is Real.”

Brown improvises an upbeat, soulful piano groove, and James’ face lights up.

“That’s perfect,” he says, diving into the lyrics — a tongue-in-cheek lament of life’s adversities, including missing breakfast hours at McDonald’s, struggling to reach the remote and a refrigerator full of food that just … doesn’t sound that good right now.

The rest of the cast joins in, punctuating the lyrics with accompanying choreography and storytelling — there’s even a rap breakdown.

For James, Millennial Fresh is the latest opportunity to release his creativity in his preferred form: comedy.

“There’s something about a group of strangers coming into a room and sharing laughter,” he says. “Laughter is literally medicine. It makes you feel good. To know you’re a part of that — I can’t imagine anything better.”

And like any good comedy, the revue is more than a series of well-crafted jokes. Millennial Fresh takes the proverbial smartphone and turns the camera lens toward itself, taking a self-aware snapshot of modern culture.

If only there were a name for that.