Shameless Plug of the Day - Ringtone (one weekend only)

Starting tonight (Thursday) and continuing the next two nights only, a new offering from Alan Berks and his latest batch of co-conspirators, called Ringtone. (There's a link to a trailer here and at the end of the post, if you're curious)

I'm mighty fond of Alan. His work is always funny, but that runs alongside whatever other subject matter he may be hunting at the moment. It's been alternately romantic (How To Cheat), creepy as hell (3 Parts Dead), and tragic (Everywhere Signs Fall). Plus, he's one of the three masterminds behind the scrappy instant theater experiment Thirst Theater, which was fun to both write for and be part of the audience.

So if Alan's gathering artistic friends of similar talent together for an experiment, it's definitely worth checking out. Here's his message with the details...

Hi Friends,

I want to invite you to this work-in-progress, Ringtone, about how technology is drawing us together and keeping us apart and there are only three performances (Thursday, April 30, Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2) and very limited seating. At 8 pm.

At the Rogue Buddha Gallery (next to the Ritz Theater). Space is limited to 40 per night.

Tickets are only $5-10

PLEASE CALL 612-886-2868 TO CONFIRM YOUR RESERVATION

Ringtone was created collaboratively with Katie Kaufmann, Lindsay Marcy, Ben McGinley, Matt Sciple, Anna Sundberg, and Adam Whisner -- incredible performers and generous to a fault. With sound design by Mike Hallenbeck.

It's a site-specific play with movement. Or a hodge-podge of dramatic event with cell phones and televisions and a dj. Or a funny new work with six actors in search of their identities in an art gallery even when they can't get their cell phones to stop ringing.

I really hope to have a friendly but discerning and engaged bunch of folks fill up the Buddha for this experiment with dialogue, movement, and technology that combines or plays with or teases out different structural or thematic aspects of the work (Thirst Theater, "How to Cheat," "3 Parts Dead") that I've been working on for the last four years. I promise you'll be amused at times; I'll bet you'll be confused at times -- but I'll look forward to hearing your honest reaction afterwords.

O, did I mention there will be wine and beer available for small donations?

You can check out a trailer that, I think, captures the spirit of the collaboration, at http://vimeo.com/4207808

Thank you,
Alan

Shameless Plug(s) of the Day - Jewblatt and April Fools

This is one of the many nights I wish I'd been cloned, or could astral project, or something. I'm working the second job tonight, but even if I weren't, there are two great "one night only" events floating around out there I'd love to see. Check 'em out. One or the other is bound to be your cup of tea...

Jewblatt - an evening of short films from Ben McGinley and company. I've liked Ben's work since I saw him in Forks at the 2007 Fringe, and this looks to be another amusing outing from him, and one he's largely been the driver behind, so I wanted to help get the word out.

It's an oddball private eye saga they tout as being a cross between 24, Airplane, and David Lynch, which, hey, sign me up.

"In this goofball-comedy-split-screen-thriller, a private investigator is sucked into a spiral of incidents that force him to choose between morality and love."

There's all kinds of teaser clips on their site - www.jewblatt.com, so you can get yourself a healthy preview before the big event tonight. It looks like a lot of fun.

Plus the messages getting sent out about this makes it sounds like they're working hard to turn it into an enjoyable unusual event, in addition to the film screening aspect.

Bryant Lake Bowl, tonight, April 1 (no fooling) - starts at 7pm, doors at 6pm - tickets are sliding scale from six to twelve bucks (ridiculously cheap) and you can drink in the BLB theater - unlike many movie theaters, so take advantage :)

Details at www.bryantlakebowl.com and the Jewblatt site.

Plus, how can you not love a group that thinks up the name RazorClown Enterprises?

Also on the docket this evening...

April Fools - an evening of foolish beauty from the guys at Four Humors Theater

This one's over at Bedlam Theater - dinner and festivities start at 6pm, show starts at 7:30pm.

It's a combo fundraiser and performance for the Four Humors crew (they do have at least a couple of things percolating for the Fringe this year, after all, and other outings in before and beyond). I've been pimping Nick Ryan's work lately (he's the anchor leg of my dream theater season conjured for MinnesotaPlaylist.com) so I thought I should continue the trend.

They describe it thusly...

"Join us once a year on April 1st, to celebrate foolishness in all its beauty.

Join the creators of "Mortem Capiendum" and "Deviled Eggs" in their annual, one night only April 1st performance! An hour-long show following four fools on a quest to capture laughter, April Fools was conceived, created and stars Four Humor's Artistic Directors Jason Ballweber, Brant Miller, Nick Ryan and Matt Spring.

Part show, part fundraiser, the evening will feature food, drink specials, music, as well as a raffle for fantastic prizes!

This is your only chance for 365 days to laugh with the Four Humors AND give them money!

We'll announce our 2009-2010 season!

Will you be King or Queen for the night?

Suggested donation $15 general, $10 students."

Their website is www.fourhumorstheater.com

Details also available at www.bedlamtheatre.org

And though the fundraising aspect is one night only, the April Fools show will also perform at 10:30pm on both Thursday and Friday, April 2nd and 3rd.

So, that might be a way to see both, if, like me, you can't quite decide because they both sound good (and of course, unlike me, you've got the night off).

This is original stuff, and a good way to end a foolish day, so go support either or both.