Doktor Kaboom! at Edison Jan. 29

Banana-slinging catapult? Check! Smoke ring cannons? Check! Bright orange lab coat and goofy protective goggles? Check!

Say hello to Doktor Kaboom!, “ze smartest man to ever enter any room.” Saturday, Jan. 29, the humble Doktor will bring his sidesplitting, family-friendly tour of the modern scientific method to Washington University’s Edison Theatre for a special, one-time-only performance.

The show will begin at 11 a.m. and is sponsored by the Edison’s ovations for young people series, which presents specially priced matinees for audiences of all ages. Tickets are $12 and are available at the Edison Theatre Box Office and through all MetroTix outlets. Edison Theatre is located in the Mallinckrodt Center, 6445 Forsyth Blvd.

For more information, call (314) 935-6543 or e-mail edison@wustl.edu.

Doktor Kaboom! Download hi-res image.

The self-proclaimed “Man of Science wis ze wicked cool hair,” Doktor Kaboom! boasts an explosive, nonstop style that combines music, one-liners, physical comedy, audience participation and increasingly spectacular — and occasionally successful — scientific experiments.

Or, as the Doktor himself raps:

We mix up some chemicals
It won’t take long
Then we light them all on fire.
What could possibly go wrong?

Yet for all his comedic bluster, Doktor Kaboom! introduces kids to, and reminds adults about, a number of key scientific concepts. These range from simple machines and projectile motion to chemical reactions, optical illusions and mathematical patterns — all presented with sharp humor and impeccable theatricality.

Doktor Kaboom! is the brainchild of David Epley, an actor and comedian who studied at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics before embarking on a 20-year career of writing, performing and directing original interactive comedy across the United States and Canada. He first conceived the character Doktor Kaboom! while working the Renaissance fair circuit and since has toured coast-to-coast, performing for school groups, performing arts venues and national television programs.

Edison Ovations Series

Founded in 1973, the Edison Ovations Series serves both Washington University and the St. Louis community by providing the highest caliber national and international artists in music, dance and theater, performing new works as well as innovative interpretations of classical material not otherwise seen in St. Louis.

Edison programs are made possible with support from the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency; the Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis; and private contributors. The Ovations season is supported by The Mid-America Arts Alliance with generous underwriting by the National Endowment for the Arts and foundations, corporations and individuals throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.