Interactive theater experience “Old School Game Show” combines elements of pub trivia and 70s inspired variety. Next show Sunday, February 23, 7 p.m. at the Davis Square Theater in Somerville. More info at oldschoolgameshow.com.

By Erica Scharn 

The interactive variety show “Old School Game Show” will add matchmaking to this month’s installment at The Davis Square Theatre at 6 p.m. Feb. 23. Sunday’s show, Slow Jam Jubilee, will feature its own version of The Dating Game, in honor of Valentine’s Day.

Held on the last Sunday of each month at The Davis Square Theatre at 255 Elm St., Old School Game Show (OSGS) is a 70s-inspired live theater experience. Audience members have the opportunity to participate in buzzer-based pop-culture trivia challenges, with prizes from local sponsors. OSGS showcases local talent, including musicians, comedians and dancers. The audience can expect live music, comedy skits, elaborate throwback costumes, special guests and performances by The Cubic Zirconia Dancers.

“I describe it as The Price Is Right meets The Muppet Show, but without muppets,” said Mike D’Angelo, OSGS host and creator. “It is definitely an R-rated, alt trivia comedy show.”

D’Angelo, a Somerville resident, said that he was coming up with games for his girlfriend’s birthday party a few years ago when his friends encouraged him to explore the concept in a public setting. OSGS – which first came on the scene in May 2013 following a successful Kickstarter campaign – sold out of tickets the past three months.

“I’ve always had a fascination with old-timey, old school stuff, like vaudeville, silent movies,” D’Angelo said. “A lot of the stuff that’s in the show has inspiration, like the character and the time period, of the late 70s, early 80s.” Even though the show is about “honoring and parodying that period,” the pop-culture trivia is a mix of old and new. D’Angelo said that the show draws a crowd of all ages.

Unless they opt out of the opportunity to play, audience members have their names put in the OSGS fishbowl. Announcer Mo Lotman randomly picks names and calls the contestants up. Teams of four stand behind Family Feud-like corrals and face off one-on-one. To make for a more fulfilling buzzer experience, OSGS had an electrician create custom-made buzzers. For the romance-themed trivia, singles will ask pop culture-related questions of their potential soul mates, and local sponsors will provide the two dates.

Each month, the show features both new and recurring characters, themes, guests and music. Some of the current crowd favorites have their roots in the house party that started it all. Contestants identify songs that have been sped up in Chipmunk Speedmetal. In Robot Thespian, one of the cast members dresses in a retro-futuristic robot costume and contestants guess movie monologues that are delivered via computerized voice.

“It’s very social. The crowd gets very involved in the game,” D’Angelo said. “It’s a community, it’s not about getting the right answer. The audience feeds on that; it’s an interactive and fun thing.”

The show is 7-9 p.m., with doors open for registration and cocktails at 6 p.m. (it is a 21+ event). Tickets, which are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, can be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/570671. A limited number of “guaranteed contestant” spots are available for $30.