Those suffering withdrawals from their favorite Pennsylvania-branch paper company are in for some big laughs this weekend.
The Ohio Union Activities Board will be hosting "The Office" Party Sunday at 7 p.m. in room 131 of Hitchcock Hall. NBC's hit television comedy has been on hiatus for nearly three months because of the Writers Guilds strike, but the event will be a reprieve for fans.
"The Office" follows the diverse employees of Dunder Mifflin and has received numerous awards and critical acclaim for its mockumentary of a small-time paper company. Led by socially awkward and often times inappropriate manager Michael Scott, the workers deal with inter-office affairs, relationship drama and Michael's incompetence.
Cast members Mindy Kaling and Craig Robinson, who play Kelly and Darryl on the show, will perform their stand-up routines on stage followed by a Q&A session. With no new episodes of the series officially scheduled, this will be a rare opportunity to catch the stars in action.
"We're always looking for some new and inventive ways to not only market events, but also to kinda try some different things," said Jackson Biller, OUAB comedy chairman.
Kaling was a member of the improvisational comedy troupe Dog Day Players at Dartmouth. In 2003 she played Ben Affleck in the play "Matt and Ben," which she co-wrote. On "The Office" Kaling plays bubbly yet annoying Kelly Kapoor. She is also a writer for the show and has appeared in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "License to Wed."
Robinson's résumé is just as impressive. He is a veteran of Comedy Central and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." The comic got his start through open mic nights and improvisation classes at The Second City in Chicago. He plays warehouse foreman Darryl Philbin on "The Office" and has appeared in recent films such as "Knocked Up" and "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story."
"Craig Robinson and Mindy Kaling are talented performers, and we're excited to have them," Biller said.
With such names on the bill, the buzz has been steadily growing. The event is not ticketed and seating will be first-come first-served.
"I'm actually really surprised at the response we've gotten. Hopefully we'll be able to fill the house," Biller said.
Jeffy Mai can be reached at mai.9@osu.edu.
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