Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Fringe 2024 - Returning Favorite - Victoria Pyan


IMP presents Collidescope
The Improv Movement Project

IMP’s seasoned cast of dancers, mimes, clowns, improvisers, and physical theater-makers takes an audience story and transforms it into an improvised kaleidoscope of bodies in motion - 100% physical, 0% verbal.

Venue: HUGE Improv Theater
Tagged For: Clowning, Dance, Improv, Physical Theater
Content Warnings: (none)
Ages 7-11 and up


Victoria Pyan loves creating and supporting new work in many forms, whether that be new plays through her theater company Little Lifeboats, or horror for the stage as part of Oncoming Productions, or here through improv as part of The Improv Movement Project.  It’s good to see her back on stage.  I missed IMP’s run at HUGE this spring, so I’m glad I get another chance as part of the Fringe.

Some background on IMP:

“The Improv Movement Project, founded and led by Sean Dillon and Mark Benzel, aims to expand and transform the Twin Cities improv landscape through body-centric performance, education, and collaboration. Sean and Mark were lucky enough to assemble a company of 10 amazing physically-oriented performers from a variety of backgrounds who share this vision, and together they performed their first run of wordless, physical improvisation at HUGE Theater in Spring 2024. They are thrilled to bring their work to a wider audience at MN Fringe with our signature form, Collidescope.”

[Editor’s note, part 1: Mark Benzel is also in the Transatlantic Love Affair Fringe show this year, 5x5]

[Editor’s note, part 2: One of the other folks in the ensemble is Also Bruno, also in What You Need To Do Is, and Blackout Improv Does Something, both at this year’s Fringe as well.]

[Editor’s note, part 3: As the previewing performers from the other Fringe show with a similar name said, Collidescope is not to be confused with Kaleidoscope, from Black and Foxy Co, which is ALSO at HUGE Improv Theater, just to make things interesting]

I’m very curious to see how exactly the physical, wordless improv of IMP is created.

And it’s always great to see Victoria Pyan on stage, whatever the format, whatever her role.


Here's some handy links to this year's Top 10 list and Top 11-20 list, also a full list of all returning favorites to this year's Fringe, plus a link to all the 2024 Minnesota Fringe Festival coverage.

While I have your attention, please VOTE :) 

Minnesota is currently in the early voting period for our Congressional and local primaries (I had the U.S. Senate, Congress, and the Minneapolis school board on my ballot) - final day to vote in the primary is Tuesday, August 13th, but you don't have to wait until Fringe is over, go vote right now :)

Early voting for the Presidential Election itself in Minnesota starts on Friday, September 20th. We're lucky to have a lot of time to get our voices heard, so cast your vote, and then make sure everyone you know and love is registered and gets to the polls to vote. Election Day, your final date to vote, is Tuesday, November 5th.

As a queer playwright and theater maker, I want a government that's compassionate and competent enough to keep us all safe and healthy, keep theaters open and running, and personally, I'd just like to be legal myself and keep the weirdos out of government and out of my personal business (and the things I post on this blog, for instance). We all have our reasons, so let's make sure we get the leaders we need and deserve, and get our friends, family and co-workers to raise their voices, too.

Find where to vote and what's on your ballot (with links to candidate websites) and other resources at the Minnesota Secretary of State's website.

For other resources on how to register, volunteer or donate, locally or nationally, check out Vote Save America.

Vote.  Raise your voice. We're not going back.

  


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