Steampunk Apocalypse - Far From The Tree

"You put our return address on my evil ultimatum?!"

Vampire Sorority Girls! Zombie Rats! Cat Ladies! NERDS! Captain Jessie and Sparks leap into the 21st Century to save the past and the future from Mad Prof. Zero and his Evil Minions in a wild comedy adventure!

I was going to try and write this one off in my initial scheduling, but the preview was so fun I'm torn. It was the zombie rats that did it. More high-minded insults, too, as the hero and villain traded barbs. It's all completely nonsensical, but that's the point. It's just meant to be fun and based on the preview it looks like it very much will be. Old school melodramatic adventure with a modern sensibility - and leading ladies instead of leading men in the roles of hero and sidekick. The fact that they don't take themselves too seriously is also a bonus. They didn't have a clear end to the scene, just the hoard of zombie rats chanting "Brains! Brains!" After that went on for a while the hero turned to the audience with a shrug stating, "That's all the lines they have." Laughter, the end. Nicely done.

Evil Dicks - Mumble Mumble Productions

"I didn't want to help change society.  I wanted to take it down."

Penetrate the minds of the wicked with this Rockstar Storyteller. Biographical truths about our vile side. Bombers. Killers. Children's literary heroes. Hoarders. Lovers. Can you relate? Are you an evil dick?

I love how I'm now encouraged to type the word "dicks" into the Fringe website search function, and this show is the only one that pops up. Handy. It's Allison Broeren, another storytelling favorite of mine (and mom's), so of course I'm going to be trying to fit this one into my schedule. I love this lady's way with language. She's doing something a little different this year (I know, risk taking as a theme at the Fringe, big surprise). Rather than it being all about Allison this time, she's trying to get inside the minds of some very twisted individuals. In the preview we got a little sampling of the Unabomber. Because it's Allison, and she's naturally very winning and approachable and fun to watch as a performer, it provides us with a way into these characters that we wouldn't otherwise have. It's a little unsettling to actually see things through the eyes of these messed up people, and start to think "Well, that doesn't sound so crazy…"

Jamaica Me Crazy - Tyehimba Leadership Center

"Uh oh, I think I hear a monologue coming."

Diane and Jade are opposites. A vacation in Jamaica seems the perfect way to warm their relationship. Or is it? While Jade waits at the airport, Diane is in bed. Will they make their flight? Or will they fight?

Sisters going at each other as only sisters can. This group was part of my pre-Fringe Top 20 list back in 2010 so it's nice to see them back. Completely different show than their last outing. More family friction than larger issues of faith, race and politics. Each sister does represent a certain type of success (or lack thereof) so there's still an exploration of the society in which they play a part. The thing that stuck out here was the use of music to comic effect. One sister's rant is overdubbed with an opera aria. A final catfight gets the accompaniment of the song "Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting." So there's a welcome sense of playfulness here. Not sure it's top of my list this time around, but it looks like it might be fun.

The Complete Works of William Shatner (abridged) - Snikt! Bamf! Thwip!

"I've read the script and that is amazing for two reasons - there's a script, and I read it."

The Shat, greatest of all living actors, must reconcile all of his roles as he fights a battle to save the most important man in the universe - himself!

In a Fringe drowning in horrible show titles and theater company names just begging to be used against them in reviews (restraint has been very difficult), here we have a title that makes me giggle every time. Tim Uren, god bless him, never met a Shat joke he didn't like, and he also gets to be the Priceline Negotiator. Windy Bowlsby enjoys playing with her phaser and doing her best Captain Kirk impression. Plus, not in this preview, they have Brandon Ewald as Young William Shatner, and Duck Washington gets to be TJ Hooker.  I was looking for a reason to rule this one out and I just can't do it. I grew up with re-runs of the original Star Trek on TV, before all the movies and next generations (yes, I'm horribly old). So my resistance to a concept like this is pitiably low. This will provide the kind of silliness I'm looking for to recharge my batteries after seeing more serious fare. I'm looking forward to it.

Their Century - Lucky Break Productions

"Being the youngest, I got everything hand-me-down.  If there was anything to hand down."

In 1906, a Russian teen left his home and settled in North Dakota, where he later got married and raised 11 children. David Schlosser brings you the story of this family's journey through 20th century America.

I'm torn here because David Schlosser, the writer/performer, is a friend of mine, and I've read the script in earlier drafts. I'm not sure I can be entirely objective about this three minute excerpt. The death of David's father got him thinking about family history, and all the things he never talked about with his father. Thankfully, his father had almost a dozen siblings (farm families were mighty big in those days), and so there were all kinds of brothers and sisters to speak with and try and reconstruct the family story. Any family spanning several generations is bound to bump up against the major currents of history, and this family is no different. David is playing all the roles here so part of the challenge is to make the characters distinct. Here in the preview we meet one of them. I'm planning to see the show, but I'm still wondering what it all adds up to. David's done his homework. The details are all there. It's the final shaping of the details into a larger narrative with a payoff that I'm looking for. But that's part of what Fringe is for, working through material in front of an audience and making it better. I'm rooting for this one.

An Answer For The Unknown - New Plastic Theatre

"Those dreams are not for you."

Dane, a man in mourning, accepts an online ad for a tour of hell. With the help and direction of a guide, he meets famous ghosts who make him understand important truths about death, dying, and the afterlife.

I suppose we should get all the "theater is hell" jokes out of the way now, right? You go ahead and think 'em up, get 'em out of your system. I'll wait. OK, on we go. The thing that was distinctive about this preview is the use of shadow work. Quick simple set-up with a sheet hung in front of lights, and then the use of body parts and cardboard cut-outs and even changes in color of light to play with our sense of perspective and reality. Considering all the ways this could have gone off the rails, this was a really impressive preview. Also, the skeleton face makeup on most of the actors was damn creepy. It's too bad we didn't get to see more of it now. But there's 45 more minutes in the show for that to happen. If you like your Fringe with a couple of shades of dark to it, this might be your ticket. I'm intrigued.

A Comedy of Edits - Callahan and Lingo

"I'm sorry, I thought I'd heard you say you've written a play."

Two writers enter the arena, but only one will emerge as the real artist. Rockstar Storyteller Allegra Lingo and Fringe newcomer Taylor Brorby battle it out in a game of wits and literary one-upsmanship.

Actually this time it's Brorby and Lingo. Taylor Brorby is stepping into Rob Callahan's half of the storytelling/comedy duo this time out, and Allegra Lingo wrote a play for them to perform. So everyone's stepping way outside their comfort zone on this one. Mom's a devoted Allegra fan, as am I, so of course we're going. But artists writing about art has never been a huge favorite of mine as a genre. Still, if anyone can make it work, it's Allegra. And Taylor looks like he's going to provide able backup. We'll see how this scripted battle of wits plays out.

All's Fair - Synapse Theater

"He's pretty harmless, really."
"She's not."

Find love at the Fringe! After her husband's death, Carol returns to the carnival where it all began, where past and present commingle to help her find her future. A heartwarming and touching world premiere.

This was sweet. A couple later in life looks back on the time they met while a younger couple reenacts that meeting. The whole "if we knew then what we know now" idea is in full effect here. It's funny and romantic. The only danger, of course, is since we know (or think we know) how the whole thing's going to turn out, it kind of sucks any suspense out of the proceedings. Of course, it's possible for a good script to still do that, and I don't see any evidence of this being a bad script. You're reading the blog of someone who always gets worried halfway through the musical 1776 because he's just not sure these guys will ever get that Declaration of Independence thing signed - even though he's clearly watching the musical in the country that was formed from the signing of that document. So I can be bamboozled even though I know better. And time spent with a pleasant romantic comedy has its charms. (And on further research, it turns out I know both the playwright and the director [some people are so shy], so that makes me even more inclined to trust the preview.)

Fruit Fly: The Musical - Jansonowicz Players

(Because Fag Hag: The Musical is so 1970s. And Queer Peer, let's face, was never going to catch on.)

"An autobiographical tale about a gay man and a straight woman."
"Can you tell which one is which?"

Can a gay guy and a straight girl - a fruit and a fly - "quit each other" to find true love? Find out in this brand-new musical filled with laughter, Sondheim references, and enough boxed wine to kill us all!

The performers here, Sheena Janson and Max Wojtanowicz (there he is again), are so relentlessly cute I find it hard to resist either them or their show. So I won't try. The "Two Peas In A Pod" number should have made me more than a little crazy (but see note above on cuteness). Also, the lyrics here are pretty darn clever. Cole Porter would feel right at home. You might even make Sondheim smile. Is this autobiographical musical pastiche going to amount to much? Hard to say. But I'd give them an hour to make their case, and try not to overthink it too much.

Going Down On The Queen of Minneapolis - Freshwater Theatre

"How's your cat?"
"Incontinent."

Or: The Final Voyage of Nokomis Construction. The employees of a failing construction company are trapped on a party boat. Forced to face their ridiculous demons, together they decide whether to sink or swim.

The Queen of Minneapolis is a charter ship. A ship going down, that can be figurative as well as literal. A forced company outing to foster "togetherness" quickly devolves into the usual office politics. A large number of characters are swiftly introduced in this preview.  I enjoy the work of a lot of people in the cast, and also like Ruth Virkus' work as a playwright. In addition, I'm fond of Freshwater Theatre's mission in general, nurturing new work of all stripes.  So while this kind of thing normally might not be my cup of tea, I trust the artists involved to put an original spin on it. They're not even asking for "a three hour tour" just one hour. What could go wrong?

Ms. Luisa Eats - Sunset Gun Productions

"Do you think he'd like some of my banana?"

Ms. Luisa—chanteuse, gourmand and globetrotter—is on a hilarious quest to discover the world's most delightful songs, delicacies and beefcake. Come taste her saucy mélange of romance, cabaret and pasta.

This one was a lot more oddly charming than I thought it would be. The performer's look was unsettling - the makeup (especially the lips) reminiscent of a blow-up sex doll, the cleavage ample, and the banana eating was, well, a reminder that sometimes a banana is not just a banana. Yet her affect was more the innocent sexpot. She knows she's cute, but she also knows she doesn't have to work to flaunt it. She flaunts it by just being present. Her wandering into the audience and her rendition of "Home On The Range" as she tried to figure out how to get the guitarist to notice her were both cute, but still kind of bizarre. I'm wondering where the idea goes from here. Guess there's only one way to find out.

Happy Hour - Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw

"I have whiskey, and my ukulele."

Join us at the bar for five dances, each inspired by a different drink. See whiskey swirl, watch an absinthe striptease, raise a glass to marriage equality and more in a show full of booze and celebration.

She not only dances, she sings, jokes and plays the ukulele as well. Another fun, accessible and easygoing dance showcase from the dancing member of the Scrimshaw tribe. This time, it's dances inspired by alcoholic beverages - that also somehow manages to loop in gay marriage for one segment (told ya).

A different kind of girl on girl action

Casual Encounters - Golden Ork Productions

A woman places an ad on Craigslist because she has a unique desire: to be in a fight, the ultimate loss of control. Another woman replies and agrees, begging the question: can violence be used as therapy?

Violence against women? Try violence between women instead. This isn't the only female fight club scenario in the Fringe this year. This spin is a modern take. Two women find each other when searching for another soul to fight. Don't know where exactly it goes from here, but the preview was kind of fun. A matter of fact entry into an escalating slap fight that ends with someone getting socked in the nose, all to comic effect. Nice work by both ladies.

On The Difference Between Two Ladies and the Resolution Thereof - Fell Down The Stairs

Two women of nobility use courtesy as shields and wit as swords until a dispute over flowers incites them to defend their honor with steel. An original comedy based on the first emancipated duel between women.

Here's another variation on female fight club. The first two ladies to challenge one another to a duel. It was kind of fun watching ladies in period costume insult each other while never stooping to coarse language. Of course, those were the standards of the time. But there's something satisfying about people insulting each other using complete sentences that don't include the words "F*** you." It's part of the reason Shakespeare's insults are so much fun. I wasn't sure this was going to be interesting to me, but the preview got me thinking otherwise. And we haven't even seen the duel yet.

The Gay Banditos - The Mechanical Division

"We don't usually get gay things here."

Based on actual events: The Miller family shares the shocking details of how their lives were destroyed forever by extreme gayness. Educational and haunting. A story you can't un-see.

All the net proceeds from this one go to Minnesotans United For All Families, fighting the marriage amendment on the ballot this fall (Vote No In November, people). Would a good cause alone be enough to lure me into a show? Maybe. (It's going to be challenging this year, since you can't swing a dead cat in the 2012 Fringe without hitting someone whose show has some material dealing with the gay marriage issue.) Thankfully, here I don't need to worry. Mechanical Division's tale of a simple suburban family terrorized by "the gays" is hilariously obscene, and deliciously politically incorrect. The danger, of course, is that someone might take this satire seriously, but most Fringe audiences can be counted on to know the difference. Still, if excerpts from this thing show up on Fox News, we'll have only ourselves to blame. Naturally, I look forward to taking mom to see this one.

Prophecy - New West Productions

"The three bitter truths that are left to us - sacrifice, slavery, submission."

A woman proclaiming the Second Coming becomes the subject of an intense government interrogation. But as riots in the street rage, protocols quickly crumble, ushering in a new God, a God of Chaos.

This is the reverse of the high stakes gambit Moonshine Madness and Murder has going on. It, too, tackles religion but goes for the full-on drama, perhaps melodrama. A woman's prophecy of the end times lights the match that starts to make modern civilization come unglued. An intriguing premise. Unfortunately, it feels in this preview like it's a gimmick. Just an excuse to get a bunch of people talking about things like belief and reality and the end of the world, but not really showing us anything. It's probably not fair to put so much pressure on three minutes in this instance, but I was hoping for more. Maybe the tyranny of high expectations at the Fringe is a good thing, but it's just as likely to make me overlook something with potential, and I hate thinking I might psych myself out that way.

Moonshine Madness and Murder - Christy Marie Kent

"I've done a lot of things in my life.  Writing vampire non-porn isn't one of them."

In Quacker Holler, Tennessee, the Lake Wobegon of the south, erotica-writing nun Sister Candace is murdered. Emily must use her investigative skills, fainting goats, and mental illness to solve the crime.

More "Minnesota stereotype" humor, which can get on my nerves. Here, though, it's in the context of a story with an intriguing bent to it. A detective listens to the voices in her head that could be mental illness just as well as they could be angels and devils. Will they steer her right (to solve the case) or wrong (and who knows what the consequences will be)? The interesting thing is the concept isn't being played for drama, but for laughs, while still respecting the legitimacy of belief. The delivery in the preview was so laid back and humorous, it was easy to forget (in a good way) just how extreme the stakes were. This is a sneaky one.

Even Yours - BOOM! Theater

"She introduced us, like it's the most normal thing in the world that she's married to a f**king Adonis."

An intimate portrait of what it takes to rebuild a life destroyed by betrayal. It's about what drives us to follow through on our darker impulses, but also about choosing light over darkness.

This one nearly snuck by me, and I'd kick myself if it did. (Thanks for the email, Gemma!) It's written (and this time also performed) by Gemma Irish, who was behind Fringe 2010's Yvette, which Mom and I enjoyed a whole lot and was in my pre-Fringe Top 10 that year. This script is a very different thing. More drama than comedy (though Gemma can't help herself, there's a lot of welcome humor here). It's about personal betrayal, which isn't always my thing. But if Gemma's exploring the topic, then I'm interested. Also, John Bennett, the man in this love triangle, was really great in the production of Naomi Wallace's The Inland Sea at Macalester last year, so he's more than just another pretty face. This one's definitely finding its way onto my schedule.

Steel Kiss - Segue Productions

"In 1985, there was no internet.  Sometimes you had to go to the park to meet guys."

In 1986 four teenage boys encountered a gay man in a Toronto park. The results were not pretty. Neither is this story. It is about the influence that a community has on the development of the next generation.

If I tell you the preview involved three guys kicking the crap out of another guy, then some unrestrained guy-on-guy kissing, a simulated blow job, and the special guest appearance of a young man's bare butt, would that be enough of an enticement to get you to show up (or perhaps repel you entirely)? Well, done, done, done and done. I wasn't the only one who was a little worried that the entire preview here would consist of those three guys wailing on the other guy for the full three minutes. As it was, it felt like it gobbled up the first two minutes. But that was probably just because the longer it went on, the more uncomfortable the audience got. Still, I think that's the point. I was already curious about this one, given the subject matter (gay-bashing) and the concept (all four actors take turns trading roles, as both the victim and his assailants, giving us multiple perspectives, and no easy hero or villain to follow all the way through). My reservations about how the violence would be handled (very convincingly) and the male intimacy would be handled (also very convincingly) are both rendered moot by this preview. I'm more intrigued to see it now than I was before (and I was pretty intrigued before). Plus, it's fun to watch how much more nudity throws people for a loop than foul language. (That might have been a Fringe For All first - I'm wracking my brain and coming up with no previous instances of nudity - feel free to chime in, remind us and prove me wrong.) Congrats on having the balls to do this preview right, guys (no pun intended). I'm there.

Vote! - Savaali

"We weren't introduced.  We're the labor."

What does it take to win a seat? The candidate is committed but is he enticing enough? Are the sexy volunteers interested in the platform or the candidate? Politics and romance collide to generate a win.

Student know-it-alls try to hijack a man's political campaign away from his actual campaign manager. The strange thing is, the whole time I was watching it I was thinking, "Why is it three women being bitchy and fighting over a male candidate?" I like that they all treat him like a know-nothing piece of meat on the one hand, but on the other hand, why isn't it a woman candidate with men and women fighting over her. Why doesn't the candidate have more of a voice? It feels like the silences of certain characters are more for the convenience of the writer than the realistic playing out of story and human nature. I'm torn, because I want to like the new plays, particularly the ones that aren't just about who's sleeping with who. But from the preview, I'm not sure how deep this political satire is going to dig. I needed the preview to dig a little deeper and surprise me a little more to get me to want to go see the full show.

Professor Martin's Museum of Eccentric Entertainments - Flamdazzle and Associates

"On the mezzanine, there was a nook by the elevator where a grumpy old man sold magic tricks."

A sampler of offbeat and strangely connected magic, juggling, and music, spanning a lifetime in show-biz and served up with extra-dry wit and semi-sweet memories.

A perfect example of how you can wow them without looking like you're trying too hard. The man is a genial storyteller. The magic tricks are simple but impressive (here, ropes that appeared to be knotted kept growing and changing and passing in and out of one another. No idea how he does it but it's a lot of fun to watch). The pacing of making the story work alongside the magic tricks still has some kinks (pardon the pun) but the guy delivers. A quiet little show that deserves an audience.