Saturday, August 10, 2024

Fringe 2024 - Day 9 In Brief


The day in Threads

Still a lot of great shows out there to see. I caught three new shows Friday night, all of them 5 star entertainment in very different ways, and revisited another 5 star dance show for their last performance just because I needed some fun to end my day.

Threads review, mnfringe show 39, Love Lies a Bleeding; just as horny and silly and queer an adaptation of the classic text as I expected it to be; so many stabbings, so much stage blood and still a happy ending?! Great fun - 5 stars (my Fringe Top 20 write-up)


Threads review, mnfringe show 40, Put A Needle To Me: Ariel Pinkerton transforms the most recent chapter of her storied life into another compelling story for an audience; her life may be more recognizably “normal” to an outsider but the tattoo testifies otherwise - 5 stars (my Fringe returning favorite write-up)

 

 


Threads review, mnfringe show 41, every single one: Part dance show, part documentary, a cancer survivor and dancer documents her journey and 3 generations of her family as the disease invades all their lives in different ways; still here, still dancing; a really rich, layered audience experience - 5 stars (my Fringe Top 20 write-up)

Side note: I thought I’d been in my smallest mnfringe audience with a house of 6 a few days ago; “every single one” just had only 4; artist lost first 2 perfs to covid; bounced back, but it’d be great to give her last show Sunday 8/11 at 2:30pm some love if you’re looking for something you haven’t seen before. It’s fascinating stuff, deserves a bigger crowd.


Threads review, mnfringe show 42, All The Hullabaloo - yes, I had so much fun the first time I went back again - and I forgot to mention before the dancing boxes that turn into star fields, and the dance where they use fitted bedsheets to create a boat and circus tent, both great fun in a show stuffed with one fun sequence after another - still 5 stars (my full review)

 

Here's some handy links to coverage of shows I've seen in the Fringe this year getting 5 and 4.5 Stars (Very Highly Recommended), 4 and 3.5 Stars (Highly Recommended) as well as the shows ranking 3 stars or less; also 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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