Fringe 2024 Top 20 - #20 - A Horse Walks Out Onto the Stage and Dies - Theatre on the Rocks (Sam Sweere)

A Horse Walks Out Onto the Stage and Dies
Theatre on the Rocks - Sam Sweere

Taken from the perspective of a life not worth living, but not worth losing, a dying horse climbs through his lack of value to find purpose in the world around him before it's too late.

Venue: Phoenix Theater
Tagged For: Comedy, Drama
Content Warnings: Adult Language, Blood, Loud Noises, Gun/Weapon Usage
Ages 16 and up

This one’s on the list because of the preview.

I kept going back and forth on it because of the title.

The show art was cheeky and funny.

The synopsis promised that it might almost be uplifting?

Then the “More Information” tab sort of dashed this hope while also still being really funny to me:

A horse will walk out on stage and die. It's really all in the title. Not much of a "more information" kind of show.

Also, the thing that really drew my attention was that Hannah Steblay was the director.

Hannah was a regular with Classical Actors Ensemble back in the day.  In fact, it was ten years ago now, but she’s still the best Juliet I’ve ever seen on stage.

So, if she’s directing this project, that makes me even more curious.

Then there was the preview last week.

First of all, horse costume - 10 out of 10, no notes.

Then the performer, Sam Sweere, also the creator of the show.  Whatever that indefinable “it” is?  Stage presence?  He’s got it.  Even in a ridiculous horse costume.  Nihilism isn’t my thing but nevertheless I felt compelled to watch this very weird preview, with a horse sporting the personality of Eeyore being menaced by the red dot from an unseen sniper rifle, forced to represent the show and entice audience members, all of which hinted at the tone but not the content of the show.  And I don’t think I was alone.  It felt like the whole audience was with the hapless horse, even though they didn’t entirely know how to react.

Then the director Hannah reached out to me, to vouch for the show and encourage me to attend, saying among other things: “The talent and writing is really strong… He’s a really fierce and smart kid and his writing style is wild and funny.”

That was really the last little endorsement push I needed.  This is the kind of small, oddball show that can exist and thrive at the Fringe, but it’s also easy for it to get lost, particularly since they’re at the Phoenix and the odyssey to get through to the venue around all the street construction right now can be a bit daunting.  But this show feels like it’s worth the extra effort, so that’s how we’re rounding out the Top 20 list this year.

Side note: the Phoenix is starting to develop a reputation as the "dead horse" venue for Fringe.  Last year it was "How To Kill A Horse," this year it's "A Horse Walks Out Onto The Stage and Dies." I wouldn't have thought that was a genre, but...

 

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.

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