Thursday, July 13, 2023

Fringe 2023 - Returning Favorites - Avi Aharoni (Chucklesworth Productions)


Pearl and Eugene: One Last Shtick

Once, Pearl and Eugene were a dynamic musical duo. They had big-time stage careers and throngs of fans. Now, they live in a Jewish retirement home and have no one to visit them. When a developer threatens to take their home away, they decide to perform one more time to raise money and save it. Can they overcome the drama that split up their old act? Will old secrets be revealed? Will the actors get tired of eating tapioca pudding? Find out!

Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Tagged for: Comedy, Drama, Musical Theater, Original Music
Content Warnings: Adult language

Once again, a very different kind of show from familiar names teaming up.  Robert Dorfman directed Avi Aharoni’s 2019 Fringe solo show “Operation Immigration” (which went on to be remounted at Six Points Theater (formerly Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company). Now this time Dorfman is on stage opposite Nancy Marvy, and they and local playwright/actor Robb Krueger contributed to the story crafted into a final script written by Aharoni and Donald C. Hart. And, like any good vaudeville act, it’s got musical numbers, with original music from Kruegger, who also contributed the lyrics alongside Aharoni.  Phew.

This time it’s a fictional rather than an autobiographical tale, plus the song and dance.

Will I find lonely, washed up, elderly stage actors trying to save their endangered nursing home from being torn down depressing? I might.  I guess we’ll see how good the songs and jokes are.

Given the talents of the people involved, though, I’m feeling pretty good about it.  Only one way to know for sure, and that’s to go.

I was sorry that Avi’s potential 2022 Fringe show didn’t end up materializing.  I was very much looking forward to seeing what came next from him.  Now it looks like we’re about to find out. 


Here's some handy links to this year's Top 10, and Top 11-20 Lists, plus the full list of all returning favorites at this year's Fringe, plus a link to all the 2023 Minnesota Fringe Festival coverage.  

 

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