Fringe 2004 Early Buzz - Top 10 - Death Penalty Puppetry

If You Held A Gun To My Head (1 of 10)
...or If I Could Only See Ten Fringe Shows...
...what would they be, and why?

Yes, I know it's a little early to be holding forth on a top ten list. After all, most shows are still very much in the coming together stage. Some may yet add on, some may still drop out. Nothing is certain. But hey, that's why I'm calling it *Early* Buzz. I've been skulking about, gathering information on shows that intrigue me. And this a sampling of the ones that float to the top...

Death Penalty Puppetry
The Chameleon Theatre Circle
Loring Playhouse

"Finally, two topics that have divided the nation collide before our eyes: the death penalty and puppetry."

Between the title and the hook, they had me at "hello."

And the more I learn about the project, and The Chameleon Theatre Circle, the more intrigued I become, and the more anxious I get to finally see the finished project. That's a long time to hold my attention in the barrage of 175-plus other shows, but they continue to do it.

Serious topic. Offbeat execution (you'll pardon the pun).

The Chameleons have been to the Fringe before, in 2001, with "New and Nobler Life," and learned a lot of lessons they're applying to this year's entry.

First, catchy title. Check.

Second, advertise the heck out of it - don't just expect their core audience to follow them into the Twin Cities.

Which brings me to the other reason they fascinate me. These are avid theater artists who not only live in the southern suburbs (Apple Valley, Lakeville, Burnsville, Eagan and Savage) but decided to create and present their art to a surburban audience, rather than trek to the cities. After six seasons and 37 productions, they are making a shift in their mission. Their company is branching out their efforts in two directions. Their regular season will endeavour to cater to their audience's desires more directly, with the object of bringing in as much revenue as possible, while still providing the artists involved with challenges that interest them. The other initiative is to take that revenue from the primary theater season and do company-developed, more cutting-edge work, using the Fringe and other production deadlines to spur creation of these projects. These productions would push the envelope and the comfort zone for both audiences and performers, allowing for greater development of skills and exploration of topics that are not typical community theater fare.

The first project in this new company-developed production initiative? Death Penalty Puppetry.

I sat in on their first workshop as they discussed both the topic and the puppetry aspects of the project and it was all I could do not to join them for rehearsals and production myself. Discussions are lively, irreverent, but respectful, full of ideas and humor and tough questions.

They don't plan to create a show with either a pro or anti-death penalty stance. (After all, one of the company members grew up in Texas, and until they reached junior high school, they didn't know there was anything to debate - the death penalty was just part of life in America the way they were raised - they figured all states had it and used it as regularly as the Lone Star State.)

The company would be happiest if the audience left the show with a lot to mull over and discuss amongst themselves. There are no easy answers to this one, and they aren't going to kid us by trying to provide one. Instead they'll provide several and it's up to us in the audience to sort it out.

Puppets, and human/puppet interaction, will allow them the latitude to "get away with" saying things you might not accept hearing from a human, rather than a felt, mouth.

Even the ideas they were batting around - a puppet strapped into an electric chair, a puppet politician calling for insitution of the death penalty, a musical number - are fascinating and full of potential - and, forgive me, kind of hilarious - before I've seen a word of script.

With new laws enabling us to carry guns around in public places (and the flurry of signs on buildings that followed), the erosion of civil liberties since 9/11, war and war crimes cropping up more and more every day, and real-life politicians calling for the death penalty here in Minnesota...damn, bring on the puppets! Please!

Learn more about them at
www.chameleontheatre.org/tc2/

(For more of my writing - plays, past blog entries and more - visit www.matthewaeverett.com)