Michael Pearce Donley, Bill Arnold, and Bob Stromberg.

Early in 1995, Bill Arnold, Michael Pearce Donley, and Bob Stromberg, three successful solo performers who admired each other's work, gathered over coffee, never knowing the full impact the caffeinated brew would have on their future.

They decided to write something they could perform as a trio. Wanting to set a reasonable goal, they decided to write "the funniest show in America"; and booked a performance for three weeks later in a local church.

Using their unique talents—Arnold's magic and comedy, Donley's original music, and Stromberg's physical humor—the three put together a show with elements of slapstick, vaudeville, and a touch of audience involvement. They used original songs, parodies and their unique chemistry to build a performance that they hoped would give audiences a night at the theater unlike any they had experienced before.

After its first performance, the trio contacted Bill Partlan, the Artistic Director of the Cricket Theatre. Partlan saw the show and immediately booked it for the upcoming season at the Cricket. With a little polishing, the show opened in 1996, and became the biggest hit in the theater's 26-year history.

Somewhere in one of those packed houses was Dennis Babcock, an independent theater producer and former General Manager of the Guthrie Theater. He had been invited to attend, and was impressed with the performance. He asked about future plans for the show and was told, "Well, that's why we invited YOU." Dennis signed on as producer, Triple Espresso Company was formed, and its first production opened to rave reviews and packed houses at the Music Box Theatre in Minneapolis in the spring of 1997.

The originators quickly realized that they had a show with the potential to go far beyond one theater in Minneapolis. They dreamed of Triple Espresso playing in multiple cities simultaneously. But the parts were written specifically to complement the skills of the authors. The trio decided to utilize their collective network of showbiz friends and in 1998, they identified three multitalented men and put them through a long, arduous—and often hilarious—training process. Since then, over thirty accomplished actors have been hand-picked and trained in the art of being Buzz Maxwell, Hugh Butternut or Bobby Bean.

Triple Espresso is continuously honed by the authors to make it funnier, smarter, and more entertaining than ever. The show has carved out a unique niche in the entertainment spectrum: its irresistible humor crosses generations, and it's as funny the fifth time as the first.

With productions running continuously in Minneapolis and San Diego, the show has also played in Chicago, Seattle, Detroit, Milwaukee, Dublin, London, and several regional theaters throughout the U.S.

It's amazing what a few cups of coffee can do.