Actor and comedian David Epley may be based in Seattle but he has become a regular performer at Moraine Valley Community College’s Fine & Performing Arts Center in Palos Hills.
The creator of Doktor Kaboom! praised the venue’s staff for booking him during one of his first few seasons about 14 years ago and inviting him back for several performances.
“Moraine Valley Community College always has a nice, culturally diverse, intelligent audience for me. They also do a lot of educational outreach,” said Epley, who portrays Doktor Kaboom! in several offerings from Shaw Entertainment Group.
The 2024-25 Performing Arts Series at the center’s Dorothy Menker Theater continues on Sept. 27 with his original show, “Doktor Kaboom! Look Out! Science is Coming!”
“This one is a romp through the scientific method and lots of different subjects or aspects of science to run across, including a lot of lessons in personal empowerment,” said Epley, who at age 11 or 12 built a lab in the basement of his parents’ home.
The show is described as covering topics including safety, pressure and force, simple machines, velocity, application of science to everyday life, multiple experimentation and exothermic, external and chemical formula chemical reactions. He also explores demonstration verus experimentation.
“We’ll have a catapult and we’ll play some tricks on (the audience’s) brain, and there’ll be some demonstrations that use the entire audience,” said Epley, who has presented Doktor Kaboom! for about 16 years worldwide including Singapore.
“For this one I took a lot of tabletop demonstrations that are available and out there. I made them supersized and wrapped the character around them,” he said. “I looked for ways to teach kids to believe in themselves. I picked things that had a wow factor on a small level that I felt would have a great impact on a much bigger and slightly ridiculous level.”
Although Doktor Kaboom! shows feature content geared for third through eighth grades, he explained the interactive and improvisational performances appeal to more than 8- to 14-year-olds.
“I’m doing intelligent comedy that the adults will enjoy as much as the kids,” said Epley, who studied chemistry and physics at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, which was billed as the first residential high school of its kind and where he discovered he loved being onstage.
After two decades of performing outdoors at U.S. renaissance festivals — including presenting Doktor Kaboom! in its earliest years at Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha, Wisconsin — he decided to focus on indoor shows and being home with his family more.
“I have (the audience) involved, excited, on the edge of their seats the entire show. It’s my absolute favorite when the whole family is there together. I’m giving them this unique event that they all enjoy together,” Epley said.
“If you can learn about a subject and laugh about it, then you’re going to remember it better.”
He made his third appearance at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland in August when he presented his newest show, “Doktor Kaboom: Man of Science!”
Epley has been juggling various Doktor Kaboom! shows while working on his second commission for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. That center’s staff originally tapped him in 2014 to create “Live Wire! The Electricity Tour,” which went on to tour internationally.
“I really think the power of the arts on people’s lives is something most people are unaware of. For every story I hear, I’ve got to think there are thousands more I don’t,” he said.
The Performing Arts Series at Dorothy Menker Theater also features Voctave: The Corner of Broadway & Main Street, on Oct. 12, The Concert Celebration of Queen’s Front Man on Nov. 14, Barron Ryan’s “The Most Wonderful Time” Dec. 14, and Boston Brass & Brass All-Stars Big Band’s Christmas Bells are Swingin’! on Dec. 19.
Shows in 2025 include The Second City: Mo’ Funny, Less Problems on Jan. 31, Bettman & Halpin “Americana Stories and Songs” on Feb. 7, The Peking Acrobats on Feb. 14, B2wins on Feb. 20, Six Appeal on March 13, The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John starring Michael Cavanaugh on March 27, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra on April 4 and Darrah Carr Dance on May 10.
Doktor Kaboom!
When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27
Where: Moraine Valley Community College’s Fine & Performing Arts Center’s Dorothy Menker Theater, 9000 W. College Parkway, Building F, Palos Hills
Tickets: $10-$15
Information: 708-974-5500; morainevalley.edu/fpac
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
