Fringe 2008 - Day 6 - What's Mom Seeing Tuesday Night?

5:30pm
Ars Longa, Vita Brevis (Art Is Long, Life Is Short) - Kari Jensen - Ritz Theater

One of this year’s top 10. The second project Joseph Bingham of Conundrum Rehabbed fame is involved in this year. This time the choreographer in charge is Kari Jensen, so I’m curious to see the differences and similarities between the two shows, based on their creators. Show page here, write-up here.

7pm
Dance of the Whisky Faerie - Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw - Southern Theater

One of this year’s top 10. Comedy soaked in alcohol, story-telling, and dance, from the graceful and mischievous Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw and her extremely funny husband Joseph. Show page here, video clip here, write-up here.

8:30pm
Boom - IL Productions - Rarig Center Arena

A returning favorite, by virtue of the fact that this solo show comes from one half of the brilliant Cody Rivers Show team. Saw a preview in the out-of-towner showcase which was, of course, hilarious. Mom’s really excited we could squeeze this one in - a double dose of Cody Rivers-style humor before she goes. Show page here, video clip here.

10pm
Suitcase Cabaret - Claire Simonson - Intermedia Arts

Another returning favorite. I’ve loved Claire’s complex solo shows ever since I saw “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind” and its followup “Boob Tube.” Smartly written with an off-kilter sense of humor, and sharply executed multi-media always in the mix. It’s a one-woman combination stand-up comedy routine and mental juggling act, with big ideas as the bowling pins, swords and balls flying through the air. Mom loved Claire’s show last time, too, so we’re both looking forward to this one a lot as well. Show page here, write-up here.

All this plus, Mom has a friend, David, coming in to town to visit, specifically to see her, and the Fringe. David’s been to several other Fringes, but never Minnesota’s. So, naturally, we plan to run him ragged tonight - then set him loose to explore on his own.

Fringe 2008 - Day 5 - Down and Dirty

Best Thing We Saw Yesterday

Hue and Cry - Lex-Ham Community Theater - playwrights center

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

This one was unanimous. Mom was pronouncing it a 5-star show before we’d even made it down the front steps of the venue after the performance. A powerful, funny, and tender script, well-directed, involving two all-too-distant relatives - two young men bonded by blood and friendship, separated by family politics and very different personal fortunes, brought together by the funeral of a parent. The two actors (Grant Henderson and Nicholas Leeman) turn in extremely compelling performances, playing off one another in a great piece of onstage teamwork. Dance, remarkably, is the thing that breaks down the walls between them. It’s a wonderful show that might be flying under most people’s radar because of flashier (and equally good) items on this year’s festival schedule. Make the time for this one, you really shouldn’t miss it.

Next Performance - Friday, August 8th, 7pm (last one on Saturday, August 9th at 2:30pm)

The Girl On The Levee

Secrets of the Little Yellow Diary - Patty Nieman - Ritz

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

Strangely, I found myself resisting 5 stars at first. Knee-jerk reaction to musicals as a genre? Quite possibly. But Mom and I talked it through, with the ultimate question being, “Is there anything wrong with it? Is there anything that could have been better?" The answer - No. Patty Nieman’s voice and performance, just as skilled and beautiful as expected. The material - the diary she wrote when she was 12. 1977 was a landmark year in her life - her family moved, she fell in love with a boy (as much as any 12-year-old can do), and she really fell in love with theater and performing for the first time. It’s a perfect time capsule of a young girl’s desires, insecurities, and unintentional humor (the audience watching with adult eyes). Set to lovely and energetic melodies by composer and co-writer Rob Hartmann, played by Music Director Drew Jansen, and directed at just the right pace by Rob Goudy. Even the set, props and lighting were right on the money. Resistance, as they say, is futile. One of the real class acts of the Fringe this year. Delightful.

Next Performance - Wednesday, August 6th, 7pm (last one on Sunday, August 10th at 5:30pm)

Ask The Axe Man

Paul Bunyan Runs For President - Vanderpan Enterprises - Bryant Lake Bowl

4-1/2 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

It is always a pleasure to sit and drink in a well-written script, and Jonathan Wemette never fails to deliver one. Frequent Wemette collaborator Kevin Albertson plays the giant lumberjack of the title with enormous good humor and heart. Ned Hurley is also great as the nebbishy accountant Johnny Inkslinger who convinces Bunyan to go into politics, and then realizes he’s created a monster. The production cleverly deals with the size difference between the two, and even more cleverly skewers the issues of style over substance in modern day political campaigns. Political ads, stump speeches, question and answer sessions, and the notion of whether charisma and good leadership are mutually exclusive - there’s a lot of smart musings under the surface of this good-natured comedy. It keeps you on your toes the whole time it’s entertaining you - and unlike a lot of scripts, I had no idea where it was headed next, and I didn’t mind. I was just enjoying the ride.

Next Performance - Friday, August 8th, 8pm (last one on Sunday, August 10th at 2pm)

High Alert

Orange - Questionable Company Theater - Mixed Blood

4 Stars - Highly Recommended

Almost everyone in the cast does hilarious double duty in this tale of a job interview gone horribly awry - raising the country’s threat level alert up the ridiculous color-coded scale with possible nuclear and cyber-terrorism suddenly looming close. Throw in a mad scientist (Naysan Mojgani) , a forlorn Unabomber (Alex Higgin-Houser) working in the mailroom, some reluctant cannibalism, and a job applicant (Quentin Kennedy) no one can seem to keep their lips off of, and you’ve got one peculiar, over-sexed comedy. Things got so out of control so fast in Ben Egerman and Rachel Teagle’s script, it was sometimes just a little hard to keep up. I ended up wanting to spend more time with these characters, and get to know them and the stakes involved in their situation a bit better. That’s a good kind of problem to have, though. And the actors all delineated their different characters exceptionally well. (I had to keep reminding myself that Sarah Duane was both the nympho receptionist, and the nerdy tech girl - they were that different, and she was that good.) As it stands now, Orange feels like it’s over a little too soon, but while it lasts it’s still a heck of a good time. (And hey, isn’t there still a guy waiting in the broom closet for some man-on-man action after the stage lights fade to black?)

Next Performance - Wednesday, August 6th, 7pm (final two performances at Friday, August 8th at 10pm, and Saturday, August 9th at 5:30pm)

Mom has now reached a personal best of 26 performances, 25 shows (like a good mother, she saw my little double feature “The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon” and “Dog Tag” twice). And she’s still got two more days to go on this year’s Fringe visit. Phew.

More Reviews for "The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon" and "Dog Tag"

A couple more audience members from the first two performances of "The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon" and "Dog Tag" weigh in...

(Next performances for us are tomorrow night, Wednesday, August 6th at 10pm, and then kicking off Thursday night's schedule, August 7th at 5:30pm. Final performance after that on Saturday, August 9th at 8:30pm)

Still averaging 4-1/2 out of 5 kitties with 11 reviews, so that's very gratifying.

Feels so real

this site just ate my long and nice review so i l be short. Listen closely to what they say and you may find progressive ideas of modern age. Clever, funny and perhaps tragic this play left me wondering like a good book leaves the reader material for contemplation. Acting was brilliant ... come see !!! - 5 kitties - Sasha Vypilovskaia

Clever, Witty and Brilliant

These two short plays are brilliantly written, eloquently performed and leave the audience wanting more! I would highly recommend checking this one out if you're up for a good laugh and a thought provoking performance. Plus that cute guy from "Curb Appeal" is in it! - 5 kitties - Kyle Wilman

Thanks to all who came, and especially those who are spreading the word, online and off, to others to come and see it as well.

If you've seen it already and want to post a review of your own, just check out our show page here

Fringe 2008 - Day 5 - What's Mom Seeing Monday Night?

5:30pm
Orange - Questionable Company Theater - Mixed Blood

One of this year’s top 10. What better way to start one’s Monday night than an omnisexual farce about terrorism? Show page here, video clips here, and write-up here

7pm
Hue & Cry - Lex-Ham Community Theater - playwrights center

One of this year’s top 20. Two good actors and the US premiere of a new Irish script, for a change of pace. Show page here, write-up here

8:30pm
Secrets of the Little Yellow Diary - Patty Nieman - Ritz

One of this year’s top 10. Gorgeous voice, unusual source material, lovely melodies. Can’t wait. Show page here, video clips here, and write-up here

10pm
Paul Bunyan Runs for President - Vanderpan Enterprises - Bryant Lake Bowl

One of this year’s top 20. Jonathan Wemette’s word processor just seems to crank out one well-crafted comedy after another. After last year’s “Three Days In Hell,” I’ll happily sign on to Paul Bunyan’s political campaign to round out our night. Show page here, write-up here

Hit the gym this morning, since it was the last day Mom could get in her water aerobics before they shut down the pool for the rest of the week for annual maintenance (as Patty Nieman would sing, timing is everything). My non-aquatic workout was overdue after a day off anyway. Cuts into reviewing time, but now we’re on the case, feeling refreshed.

Oh, and ask Mom about her black eye. It’s a great conversation starter.

Fringe 2008 - Day 4 - Down and Dirty

Best Thing We Saw Yesterday

Conundrum Rehabbed - Joseph Bingham - Ritz

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

“I could easily sit through another whole hour of that,” said Mom, the second it was over. A hour stuffed from one end to the other with dance, dance and more dance. Dance with a hearty sense of humor about itself and not a whiff of pretentiousness. Some beautiful “normal” dance, too. Random elements and supporting characters popping up in all the corners of the audience’s field of vision - somehow managing that tricky balance of adding texture rather than being distracting. A very rich, widely varied world of dance that’s a lot of fun to visit. Show page here, video clip here and write-up here

Another one both Mom and I would gladly see again.

Next Performance - Tonight, Monday, August 4th, 5:30pm

A Damn Close Second

Sun Tzu’s The Art of War - No Refunds Theater - Rarig Proscenium

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

Oh, those wacky ninjas. How I’ve missed them. The whole crew from No Refunds’ spectacular first run at the Bryant Lake Bowl is back for the remount at the Fringe. John Middleton as our narrator is just as urbane and dryly amusing as ever. The ninjas (Christopher J. Howie, Mike Postle and Kiseung Rhee) are just as full of boundless energy and invention as before. The adaptation by Charlie Bethel and director Matt Dawson is lean and sharp. And of course, there is a mambo. Show page here, write-up here

Next Performance - Tuesday, August 5th, 8:30pm

One Man Comedy That Sidles Up To You For A Chat

Strawberry Fields Temporarily - Leaky Pen, Ink (aka Ben Sandell) - Interact Center

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

Hanging out with Ben Sandell, you really feel you get to know him. Tales of boyhood larceny of grabbing golf bars or raiding his older brother’s porn stash. The definition of what it means to be the “weird uncle.” Using the threat of an imaginary assassin to force himself into performing stand-up comedy the first time. Entries from a most unusual work journal during his days writing for a newspaper out in Crookston. Ben’s unique way of looking at the world makes everything a cause for laughter. He misses none of the absurd details, but also realizes he doesn’t have to exaggerate. Real life is weird enough. Show page here, video clip here and write-up here

Next Performance - Wednesday, August 6th, 10pm

One Man Comedy That Barrels At You Like A Freight Train

An Intimate Evening With Fotis, part 2 - Mike Fotis - Minneapolis Theater Garage

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

Backed by Jenn Scott on upright bass, Mike Fotis motors through another quartet of stories about fights both real and fictional, reluctantly sharing his home with bats, embarrassments musical and social mixed together, and of course, the awesome power of blogs. The packed house was laughing in waves pretty much non-stop. What can I say? Fotis delivers the goods. You’re exhausted from laughing so much, but it’s a good kind of tired. Show page here

Next Performance - Tonight, Monday, August 4th, 10pm

One Man Comedy That Doesn’t Say A Word

Silent Poetry - Dean Hatton - Mixed Blood

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

It struck me, watching Dean Hatton perform, that all the things I admire about clowning and physical theater? They come from this. From mime. Fear not, there is no white face. No French black and white striped outfit. It is not completely silent. There is music as well. A man in a pitched battle with his own hands. A soldier and a seemingly indestructible butterfly in a war zone. A man who drifts off during the sermon at church and ends up in science fiction adventures. A street mime who can only get people to give him money if he pretends to kill himself in ever more gruesome ways. A beautiful kite flying sequence, and more. Kids and adults alike in the audience were entranced and amused. Show page here, write-up here

Next Performance - Tuesday, August 5th, 7pm

One Woman Comedy To Cheer Up That Stupid Face of Yours

Stupid Face - Courtney Roche - Rarig Xperimental

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

A teenage girl on the verge of high school graduation and heading off to college wakes up one morning to find half her face is paralyzed. Instead of being depressing, or an uplifting disease-of-the-week TV-movie, Courtney Roche has fashioned something hilarious. Some people know how to fashion a piece of their life into a coherent story with meaning for others, some people don’t. Lucky for us, Roche is one of the ones who knows how. Show page here, video clip here and write-up here

Next Performance - Wednesday, August 6th, 5:30pm

“Virginity, Virginity, Where Did You Go Without Me?”

The Virginity of Astronauts - Electric Telescope - Intermedia Arts

2 Stars - Not Bad, Needs Some Work

That quote is one of the lyrics from the songs. Don’t ask me what it means. I saw the whole show and I have no idea. Much of the show, sadly, makes no logical sense whatsoever. Like “Quantum Odyssey” and “The Cold Dark Matter At Hand” before it, “The Virginity of Astronauts” is another Electric Telescope production that has a lot of intriguing, and even sometimes well-executed elements, but they don’t cohere into any kind of unified whole. It’s as if the different plot strands of the story, and the music, and the visuals were all hatched independent of one another, and then just slammed together at tech rehearsal. There’s a difference between being inscrutable and nonsensical. The line between the two is something “Virginity” crosses, repeatedly, in the wrong direction. I thought this wobbly spaceship might right itself at some point, but the course correction never took hold. Show page here, video clip here and write-up here

Next Performance - Tonight, Monday August 4th, 7pm

Full reviews of all to follow. Just wanted to help get the word out...

Mom’s Ultra Pass to the Fringe paid for itself halfway through the first show on Sunday. She’s now up to 22 performances of 21 shows (she saw mine - “The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon” and “Dog Tag” twice, of course, as did I)

More Reviews for "The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon" and "Dog Tag"

A handful more reviews from the audience of "The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon" and "Dog Tag." Thanks to everyone who took the time to post something. Means a lot.

We're still averaging 4-1/2 out of 5 kitties with 9 reviews. I'm very happy with that.

The new posts...

Intense

Excellent performance portraying the anguish and trials of a relationship tempered by a moderate dose of humor. The dog led us into the mind of a dog with hilarious results. A serious but funny exploration. - 5 kitties - Richard Heise

great acting- too short.

the acting was the best thing about these shows. the first piece was the better of the two, with a good balance of tenderness and vulnerability with some laughs to balance things out. i thought the second piece, "Dog Tag," didn't give enough of a background and was far too short. the performers were great in both pieces, but the script of "Dog Tag" was just a bit lacking. i also didn't like how similar the two shows were to each other. the second was a bit like like a much simplified version of the first. despite my complaints, though, i liked the show overall: "Bronze Bitch," was interesting in that it's a story you don't hear very often. - 4 kitties - madee weisner

I Wanted it to Keep Going

I loved this show and it left me terribly wanting. It's short. 35 minutes total for both (most Fringe shows run 50-60 minutes). There is shirtlessness and boy-kissing in a totally appropriate and not gratuitous way. The thing is both plays were so well written and so well acted I wanted them to keep going. "The Bronze Bitch Flies at Noon" especially. It's so dialogue-driven, the acting was strong and subtle, and it played really well in the Rarig Center's Arena which is smaller and more intimate. The dog stole the show in "Dog Tag." I won't give away any more on that. The two main characters portrayed the far side of what used to be a relationship, and I totally wanted to know how they got to that point! So great, and it could be so much more. - 5 kitties - Erica Mauter

Reviews - "The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon" and "Dog Tag"

Star Tribune

These are two dramadies by Matthew A. Everett and Anne Bertram about gay male relationships. In the first, a virgin nerd pays a frat boy for his first time. In the second, a dog, out for a walk with his master, tries to engineer a reconciliation with his master’s ex. These exquisite miniatures are sweetly romantic with enough humor to leaven the sentimentality. (Much slapstick comes from the man playing a dog.) Add delicately nuanced performances and this is a heartwarming event. - William Beard

Pioneer Press

Worth Considering - There's nothing particularly innovative or daring about this pair of brief plays and, if anything, the titles and marketing material erroneously suggest something far more wacky. Instead, these are simply two scenes from (gay) relationships that are both keenly written and skillfully acted. "Bronze Bitch" sees a nerdy college kid trying to buy off his virginity the night before graduation, while "Dog Tag" places a frisky canine between two ex-lovers. HGTV viewers might recognize Sasha Andreev from "Curb Appeal" and "Decorating Cents." His obvious chemistry with fellow actor Buddy Haardt gives their shared scenes an undeniable kick. — Ross Raihala

And, most importantly, reviews from members of our wonderful audiences...

Currently averaging out at 4-1/2 out of 5 Kitties
(strange for a show with a dog so prominent, but we’ll take whatever animals the Fringe is dishing out...)

Unexpectedly awesome...

Walked into this show blind and I'm glad I did. The first part of this double feature was definitely the strongest. A 20-something-year-old soon-to-be college graduate doesn't want to graduate without losing his virginity, so he pays a frat boy to make it happen. Sure, it plays out as some a fantasy of the dork getting the frat guy, but the acting and the script were too good to knock the situation. Both actors did a fine job of showing true vulnerability. The director also did well with staging in the arena stage. The second piece was somewhat lacking. There wasn't enough story and not enough at stake for me to care much about the characters. Still, performances were great and there were a lot of laughs as well. - 4 kitties - Jeffrey McCants

2 Shorts that were too short

The first was by far the best with the actors having great chemistry (no pun intended - see the show and you'll know what I mean). The second was cute and Joe has my dog down to a T. Both were over in 34 minutes, which is a shame. I would have loved to experience more. - 5 kitties - Bradley Johnson

i loved it!

both pieces were wonderful--great stories, great characters...when i saw the promo, i was kinda bummed to see the doggy makeup, because at the preview, the actor wore none. i am very pleased he did it without makeup. somehow, it seemed more real, and worked for me. the actors were impossible for me to doubt, and it was all over too soon! - 5 kitties - sharon baker

Any way you want it honey, just kiss me.

Tender, well scripted show. "Percy" is an unforgettable character and Joe gives an unforgettable performance! - 4 kitties - Derek Henderson

Beautiful.

This show was so beautiful and so touching. The actors were nothing short of brilliant. Everyone should see this show. - 4 kitties - Theo Langason

Woof!

The first of the two shows is tender, wise, and funny. The second stays with funny and wise, but that's fine, too, because when this one is funny, it's hysterical. Kudos to the director for great timing and use of the arena space; to the three actors for unforgettable performances, and to the playwrights for really strong scripts. A little short, but these pros have written extremely tight scripts --- a welcome change from many, many Fringe shows. I predict that "SQUIRREL!" will become the catchword of the 2008 Fringe. - 5 kitties - Dan Pinkerton

Fringe 2008 - Day 4 - What's Mom Seeing Sunday?

A non-Rarig centered day, since “Bronze Bitch”/”Dog Tag” doesn’t have a performance today. So, of course, another day to run around in the car and make Al Gore cry...

1pm
Conundrum - Joseph Bingham - Ritz

One of this year’s top 10. Dance full of wit and humor as well as grace. Show page here, video clip here, write-up here

2:30pm
Silent Poetry - Mime Inspired by Marcel Marceau - Dean Hatton - Mixed Blood

One of this year’s top 20. Mime. Yes, mime. I’m not kidding. If you’re ever going to get over your knee-jerk reaction to mim (like I’m doing, thanks to Dean), this show will definitely go a long way to help. Show page here, write-up here.

4pm
The Virginity of Astronauts - Electric Telescope - Intermedia Arts

One of this year’s top 20. A most guilty pleasure. Who knows how it’s all gonna turn out - Greek tragedy and sci-fi all crammed together in one Fringey package? But I can’t stay away. Show page here, video clip here, write-up here

5:30pm
Stupid Face - Courtney Roche - Rarig Xperimental

One of this year’s top 20. A hilarious revelation during Fringe preview season. Can’t wait to see the whole show at last. Show page here, video clip here, write-up here

7pm
Strawberry Fields Temporarily - Leaky Pen, Ink/Ben Sandell - Interact Center

A returning favorite. Ben’s wry, off-center sense of humor is a tonic. A welcome break from the wacky brand of comedy (though wacky has its place in my heart as well). Ben’s stories are smart, sly, unusual stuff. It’s great fun just to kick back and spend an hour in his presence. Show page here, video clip here, write-up here

8:30pm
An Intimate Evening With Fotis, part 2 - Mike Fotis - Minneapolis Theater Garage

A returning favorite. Mike always delivers smart, borderline neurotic, epic tales of personal adventure. I’m looking forward to this second helping of his solo performance. But if there’s a third intimate evening with Fotis coming up, I’m going to start feeling like someone’s required to put out. Show page here

10pm
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War - No Refunds Theater - Rarig Proscenium

One of this year’s top 10. Seen it before, outside the Fringe, but it’s so painfully funny, I can’t wait to see it again. Sharing it with Mom will be an added treat. Ninjas perform interpretive dance and sketch comedy to illuminate the wise, and frequently ignored advice, on how to fight, and more importantly how to win a fight by avoiding a fight altogether. Most amusing, most thought-provoking. A great way to end another marathon day. Show page here, write-up here

Fringe 2008 - Day 3 - Down and Dirty

Best Thing We Saw Yesterday

The Cody Rivers Show Presents: Stick to Glue - Rarig Thrust

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

I stood, OK? Normally, I don’t. I have liked a great many shows, but it takes a lot to get me on my feet. Also, I will very often resist, or wait, because I don’t want to be the only one, or worse yet draw attention to myself. It’s about the actors, not the audience. Here, I didn’t care. I just stood. And I wasn’t alone. We’ve been waiting all year for Cody Rivers to return, and they’re back, hallelujah. Two guys, this time in face paint rather than ugly jumpsuits and fright wigs, but the same stunning high-wire act of fearless comedy. They create an entire, complex, interconnected series of worlds and characters which can be appreciated individually. But when you stop and think and piece the whole thing together, it’s one bizarre, highly detailed tapestry of humanity (and animals) that’s truly mind-boggling. And wonderful. Their complete mastery of movement and language and the notion of just want makes something funny is - well, awe-inspiring. Extremely smart, extremely funny, and like nothing you’ve seen before. One of the best shows in the Fringe. Show page here, video clip here

I’m already trying to figure out a way to go back.

Next Performance - Tonight, Sunday, August 3rd, 8:30pm

Another Show That Refuses To Die (In A Good Way)

Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead - Walking Shadow - Rarig Thrust

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

Shakespeare. Zombies. In-jokes Elizabethan and very present-day. A most peculiar comedy, performed at near-lightning speed, given all the characters and plot twists they have to cram in an hour, and yet strangely it never feels rushed. Great script, great cast. Something weird and enormous enough that it needs a home like the Fringe to launch it properly. A lot of fun, and a bit hit with Mom. In fact, she liked it so much, *she* wants to go see it again. She almost feels she needs to. “It was great the first time, but there’s so much in it, I could have easily missed a third of it. I’d catch more the second time around.” Show page here, write-up here

Next Performance - Tonight, Sunday, August 3rd, 5:30pm

A Religious Experience

Tipping The Bucket - Allegra Lingo - Rarig Arena

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

Allegra’s stepped it up a notch, as I was hoping she would. Her stories have always been compelling and interesting, and this one’s no different. Here, though, we finally get some emotion out of her. Not torrents, mind you, but some, and its just enough. Frequently stepping away from the music stand and script which are the basis of her past performances (and still ground this one as well), she doesn’t just talk, she performs. The words are taking on shading and depth they haven’t had before. The fact that this is a spiritual journey no doubt is part of the reason. It’s a wandering of a different sort than she’s done before in front of a crowd. The words have never failed her, and this time around, her heart’s in the game as well. Show page here, video clips here and here, writeup here

Next Performance - Friday, August 8th, 5:30pm

A Scrappy, Scruffy Little Musical

One Night Only With Mike Mahony - Perpetual Motion Theatre Company - Rarig Arena

4-1/2 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

A high-energy, fast-moving ensemble performing a smart, funny script with original music (you can even buy the soundtrack - and after hearing the songs, I did). Normally, stories of struggling artists bore me. This production is a notable exception, partly because it explores the irrationality of the creative process, and creators, and puts it in perspective with the rest of us in the real world. Songs are incorporated in clever and interesting ways. Two sets of clothesline whipping words and other random items through the air across the stage space make for swift transitions and humorous commentary on the action. Show page here

This is another one I’d like to see again.

Next Performance - Tonight, Sunday, August 3rd, 10pm

Some Damn Fine Storytelling

Boys Don’t Make Passes At Girls Who Wear Glasses - True Enough Theater - Rarig Arena

4-1/2 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

Every time I see Curt Lund and Laura Bidgood in action, they up their storytelling game. Tales of vision correction, academic overachieving, awkward dates, still more awkward relationships, and breakups more bizarre and awkward still - all told with ample portions of humor and not a whiff of self-pity. They wear their geekdom proudly, not defensively, and thus it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Show page here, video clips here and here

Next Performance - Tuesday, August 5th, 10pm

NOBODY Expects The Spanish Inquisition!

My Hovercraft Is Full of Eels - Henry Epp - Intermedia Arts

4 Stars - Highly Recommended

Basically, a bunch of energetic young actors running around doing Monty Python sketches - classics from the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and the Flying Circus - accompanied by a large live band. They do it all quite well, so it’s a tremendous amount of fun. Show page here

Next Performance - Tuesday, August 5th, 7pm

And last but certainly not least,

my show, which I shall leave it to others to review, and then pass on their notions about it...

“The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon” and “Dog Tag”

If you saw us and liked us, tell others and write your own review here. Thanks.

Show page here, video clip here, writeups here, here and here

Next Performance - Wednesday, August 6th, 10pm

Fringe 2008 - Review - Phi Alpha Gamma - 5 stars

“Born proud, raised proud, who the hell are we?”

Dan Bernitt’s “Phi Apha Gamma” is a great piece of theater. Bernitt, with just a baseball cap, a script on a music stand, a couple of light cues, and the well-trained tool of his own voice, creates the interwoven stories of four very different, very troubled, young men. The fact that these are four young straight fraternity brothers, men who are each in their own way polar opposites to Dan himself, would be impressive enough if he were just the performer. But Dan also created these four men on the page. It’s an astonishingly powerful exercise in stepping into another person’s skin.

“Phi Alpha Gamma” revolves around the fallout from a violent incident in the fraternity’s past. Aaron, now in prison for gay-bashing a man in the park, writes letters reaching out to an unnamed fraternity brother who was also clearly involved, and for whom Aaron willingly took the full blame. The mystery of that brother’s identity is something I thought I had solved twice along the way, but was happy to be wrong about both times. The solution to that mystery, not just one of identity, but emotional ties revealed, is just one of the rich and satisfying payoffs of this piece.

Patrick is the head of the fraternity, who leads with his gut. Often, he is eloquent, and a good leader of men. But there’s some unsettling biases lurking just beneath the surface. David is the spiritual leader of the fraternity, calm and virtually unflappable. There are always answers handy in the scriptures, to which he refers often, and convincingly. His style of guiding conversation, even argument, is always assured. Jacob is one of the brothers who finds himself at odds with the rest of the fraternity when a brother under his guidance decides to come out of the closet.

This could have been a diatribe against fraternities, religion, even straight people in general. Based on viewing Dan’s previous work at the Minnesota Fringe, “Thanks for the Scabies, Jerkface!,” I wasn’t sure what to expect. That was an autobiographical work, and unapologetically gay. In “Phi Alpha Gamma,” being gay is an issue, a problem, something open to debate. Gay sex, when it occurs, is something violent, and unpleasant. But this is also one of the most thorough and fascinating explorations of masculinity, and what it means to “be a man,” that I’ve seen in a long time. How much, and what kind of, love is acceptable between two men? How much intimacy? How much affection? How close, how intense, a bond is allowed? And is everything fine just as long as no one draws attention to it? These men are all seeking a deeper connection with one another, and frightened of it at the very same time. What are the boundaries, what are the limits? Are there any?

“Phi Alpha Gamma” is a rich, deeply moving experience. Its way with language is by turns poetic, amusing, disturbing, and spiritual, but never less than completely real and believable. The performance flows seamlessly between characters, never drawing attention to itself. It is only after you have time to stop and think about it, that the ease with which Bernitt seems to pull this off fully impresses.

“Phi Alpha Gamma” was the best thing I saw on the opening day of the festival. I've seen 14 other shows so far, and nothing has topped it. This is a performance and a script I plan on contorting my schedule for in order to see it at least one more time before the festival closes up shop.

One of the best shows in the Fringe this year.

You can find more information at www.danbernitt.com

Very Highly Recommended

Remaining performances -
Rarig Center, Xperimental Theater
Tuesday, August 5th, 10pm
Thursday, August 7th, 8:30pm
Saturday, August 9th, 7pm
Sunday, August 10th, 1pm

Fringe 2008 - Review - The Attack of the Big Angry Booty - 4-1/2 stars

“And what was the reason you decided to take action today?”

Seeing one of Les Kurkendaal’s solo shows is like hanging out with a good friend who knows how to tell a good story, and "The Attack of the Big Angry Booty" is no exception. This litany of Les’ encounters with clients at his day job - program director for the Jenny Craig diet program - could have merely been an infomercial. But woven into the tales of others’ struggles is the story of Les’ own battle to get his weight, and health, under control. Les knows how to portray these people with dignity, because he was reaching for that same dignity himself.

Les’ job is as a floater, which means he moves from office to office, never in the same place for very long. This means he gets a lot of the beginnings and middles of people’s stories, but rarely the end. This creates a challenge for the larger show in some ways. Les’ own personal payoff is almost the only one we get. If Les weren’t as good as he is at creating the rogues gallery of characters he meets along the way, things might get confusing or repetitive. This could have spiraled down into just making fun of fat people, or over-sentimentalizing the struggle with diet and exercise. But Les has a good instinct for knowing how to balance the ridiculous with the heartfelt, and nice attention to personal detail. It feels like the production could use just a bit more of a driver moving the story forward, beyond Les’ personal progress. Whether that’s more time with fewer clients, or more of a sense of Les’ career trajectory - in or out of the day job - I’m not sure where the solution might lie. However, “The Attack of the Big Angry Booty,” strikes such a basic chord with so many people crossing the threshold of the theater that, overall, it’s a very satisfying experience.

If you want to have a good time, just kicking back and taking in a good story, “The Attack of the Big Angry Booty” is an attack you to which you should willingly submit.

You can find more information at www.myspace.com/leskurkendaal

Very Highly Recommended

Remaining performances -
Interact Center
Saturday, August 2nd, 2:30pm
Wednesday, August 6th, 7pm
Thursday, August 7th, 5:30pm
Saturday, August 9th, 8:30pm

Fringe 2008 - Review - Dandelion - Onomatopoeia Productions - 3 stars

“Why don’t you know the rules of wishing?”

There’s a lot that’s worthy of praise in this ramshackle little production from Onomatopoeia Productions. The script for “Dandelion” takes a lot of chances - most significantly by starting the story and continuing much of it in the imaginary world which the lead character constructs in his head. That lead character, Paul, is brought to life in an intense and engaging performance. (Sadly, there wasn’t a program that connected character names to actors, nor was I able to find anything online to help me out in this regard.) Trust me when I say, if there’s a central figure in the ensemble of actors, it’s the actor portraying Paul. He’s onstage for the entire stretch of the play without a break, and he has to deal with some pretty grave stuff. The set itself, though a bit wobbly, is a nice feat of cardboard, black magic marker, and tape. The elements of the set have both impressive scale and texture, despite their often deliberate crudeness. When the whole thing comes tumbling down at the play’s climax, it’s a significant physical event.

Paul has a less than ideal home life. Mom and Dad are both hopeless drunks, and essentially miserable. Their divorce, though traumatic for Paul, must have come as enormous relief to his parents. Both Mom and Dad try in their own awkward stunted ways to connect with their son, but it doesn’t keep him from retreating into a world he creates himself, one over which he can exercise a lot more control. The fact that Mom and Dad can afford a psychologist for Paul is something of a miracle. The relationship between Paul and the doctor is also fraught with tension - sexual as well as emotional. The fact that the doctor can’t reach Paul causes the professional a great deal of pain. Just like his other relationships with adults, Paul almost but doesn’t quite make a meaningful connection. The fantasy friends in his head are a bit more direct, if not much more helpful. A girl with a rhyming name appears from nowhere and takes a liking to Paul, embarking on a peculiar courtship. Hovering in the background is an enormous, foul-mouthed shadow puppet, always ready to cut Paul down just as he might be gaining a little confidence.

All this may sound like standard dysfunctional family cliches, but it’s written and performed with a good deal of originality, attention to both literal and emotional detail, and a commitment to the truth of the story. In fact, some of the material is so effective, that it makes its point first time out of the gate, and probably doesn’t need to circle back again to the same place and same topics. The script might be able to do with a little trimming, then use that extra time gained to branch out in other equally unusual directions. The play is not without its humor, particularly when the girl with the rhyming name or the shadow puppet are set loose, but it’s largely an excavation of one teenager’s struggle with trying to find his place in the world, with no credible adult figures to help guide him. Naturally, he makes some mistakes. The production is so deliberate in its choices that it sometimes made me doubt my own kneejerk responses to it. For instance, the character of the doctor was often mouthing Paul’s lines as Paul said them - normally I’d assume that was the unconscious reflex of a nervous actor; here I actually started wondering if it was an acting choice. (“Is the doctor controlling him? mocking him? so in sync with him he knows what he’s going to say before he says it?” These are the kind of notions the production was prompting in my head as I watched.)

Like Paul’s imaginary cardboard world, “Dandelion” itself is a strange place to visit, but well worth the trip. Writer/director/producer/actor Zach Kolodjeski of Onomatopoeia is someone to keep an eye on. The same could be said of his cohorts onstage. If this is where they’re starting, who knows where they’re headed?

You can find more information at www.myspace.com/onomatopoeiaproductions

Video clip here

Recommended

Remaining performances -
Minneapolis Theater Garage
Sunday, August 3rd, 4pm
Wednesday, August 6th, 7pm
Friday, August 8th, 7pm
Saturday, August 9th, 4pm

Fringe 2008 Day 3 - What's Mom Seeing Today?

Marathon day, people. Also, a mostly Rarig day, as we have another peformance of our show at the end of our marathon tonight at 10pm.

1pm
Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead - Walking Shadow - Rarig Thrust

A returning favorite, plus Shakespeare and zombies - what’s not to like? Show page here, writeup here

2:30pm
My Hovercraft Is Full of Eels - Henry Epp - Intermedia Arts

This one just barely didn’t make the top 20 this year. I’ve been curious ever since I first heard the title, and it sounds like it’s a Monty Python-esque mix of animation and sketch comedy from a young group of performers, so I’m curious enough to see what’s up. Show page here.

4pm
One Night Only With Mike Mahony - Perpetual Motion Theater Company - Rarig Arena

Another returning favorite. The folks who brought you that great show in the swimming pool - "The Depth of the Ocean" - return to dry land with another of their unusual scripts and tight acting ensemble work. I’m proud to share a venue with them, and can’t wait to see their latest offering. Show page here.

5:30pm
The Cody Rivers Show presents Stick To Glue - Rarig Thrust

Another returning favorite. They were mind-boggling, indescribably good with their show "Flammable People" last year. Their preview in the out of towner showcase a couple of days ago promised more of the same. Can’t wait. Neither can Mom. Show page here, video clip here

7pm
Tipping The Bucket - Allegra Lingo - Rarig Arena

Another returning favorite I’m proud to share a venue with. Looking forward to another good night of storytelling with Allegra at the wheel. Show page here, writeup here, video clips here and here

8:30pm
Boys Don’t Make Passes At Girls Who Wear Glasses - True Enough Theater - Rarig Arena

Another returning favorite I’m proud to share a venue with - the second part of the Curt Lund and Laura Bidgood’s one-two punch in their strategy for spoken word Fringe world domination. This time, instead of sharing the stage with all the Rockstar Storytellers, it’s just the dynamic duo of Curt and Laura offering up more of their popular brand of tag-team storytelling. After “Take A Left At The Giant Cow,” I’m always up for more of what they have to offer, and so’s Mom. Show page here, video clip here

10pm
"The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon” and “Dog Tag” - Magicword Theater - Rarig Arena

If you don’t know about this one by now, I’m not doing my job right - show page with reviews here, write up here, here and here, video clip here

Fringe 2008 Day 2 - Down and Dirty

Best Thing We Saw Yesterday

(Aside from my show? See, Mom would say that has to come first, but if we just set “The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon”, and “Dog Tag” aside for the moment - we’ve got some reviews already, you can check them out, and I’ll put ‘em in a post later, too... how about the other shows?)

so...

Best Thing We Saw Yesterday

Reincarnation: Another Chance At Failure - Rampleseed - Rarig Center Thrust

5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended

A peculiar but wonderful hybrid - the randomness of improv comedy in a scripted package. Careening back and forth between life and afterlife; past, present and future; human, monster, god, alien, animal, and even bacteria; Rampleseed delivers a most amusing meditation on the absurdities of life, spirituality, love, family, and just what the heck “different” really means when everything we’re talking about is a living thing. Hilarious, weird, and sometimes unexpectedly moving as well.

I want to see this one again before the Fringe closes up shop.

Next Performance - (tonight) Saturday, August 2nd, 10pm

Next Best Thing We Saw Yesterday

School of Rockstars - What Happened Productions - Rarig Center Thrust

4-1/2 stars - Very Highly Recommended

If you decide to call yourself a rockstar storyteller, you better deliver. They do. Odd that even when they’re supposed to be recounting stories of overachievers (the Grade A package of their school), they still find a way to sneak in tales of being a loser instead. Curt Lund’s caffeine addiction, Dave Mondy’s journey down south as a white guy in a black blues bar - on rap night, Alison Broeren’s tale of school sports embarrassments, rounding it out with Rik Reppe and Laura Bidgood taking each other to the woodshed with dueling stories of... still more sports embarrassments. The teacher might say they didn’t really do the assignment, but it entertaining as heck, so what the heck, we’ll grade on a curve. I just want good stories, and good stories they gave.

Next Performance - Sunday, August 3rd, 2:30pm

Fables of the Reconstruction

Cowboy Dragqueen - DragIn Productions - Rarig Center Arena

2-1/2 stars - Not Bad, Still Needs Some More Work

The performer had a plea for the potential bloggers in the audience - “Just skip this one.” This was a second dress rehearsal of sorts, as the script was completely new since their tech rehearsal. After calling for lines a couple of times, the performer begged our kind indulgence and just took the script in hand to keep things moving along. Some fabulous costume changes, some fun songs, and a very direct bond with the audience. When asked, we all put our tiaras on - they hand them out at the door when you enter - and every single one of us left them on until the show was over. At any moment, I wouldn’t have blamed him, or us, for giving up. But hey, drag solidarity, Fringe solidarity. We made it through, and the show’s now that much further toward being what he wants it to be. I was actually pretty proud Mom and I were there to see it happen. It’d be nice to see how this one grows over the course of the Fringe. Hard to write the end to your story, when your story’s not over yet. Strangely fascinating.

Next Performance - (today) Saturday, August 2nd, 2:30pm

And the next performance for...

“The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon,” and “Dog Tag”

is tonight, Saturday, August 2nd, 10pm

Full reviews to follow. Just wanted to start getting the word out...

Fringe Day 2 - What’s Mom Seeing Friday Night?

Mom’s done folding my programs, now she’s checking her email, and catching up on all the Fringe bloggers, in preparation for tonight’s four show extravaganza.

Yesterday, we drove to the four corners of the Fringe for our four shows, no doubt making Al Gore cry as we repeatedly leaped in our car to zip to the next venue.

Today, we stick close to the Rarig, for tonight is our opening.

First up, a show in the same venue as our own

5:30
Cowboy Dragqueen - DragIn Productions - Rarig Arena

“She's back...Or is she? From the closet that brought you Fringe favorites ‘These Pumps are Killing Me’ and ‘The Sound of Muzak’ comes the tri of the trilogy. So saddle up and grab the reigns as our cowboy falls out of his Stetsons and into some JimmyChoo's.”

A happy accident of scheduling. I missed my first couple of chances to see Coco Fondue in action, and then the Fringe Lottery ping pong balls were not kind the last couple of years. Finally, she has a show again. As the gracious (and always stylishly dressed) Vanna White to not one but two Fringe Executive Directors during the Fringe’s lotteries over the past several years, Coco and her portrayer have a lot of good Fringe kharma built up in my book, so I’m happy we’re sharing a venue and the schedules line up so nicely. Looking forward to it. Show page here

7pm
The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon, and Dog Tag - Magicword Theater - Rarig Arena

“’Six condoms?! You're an optimist.’ If a $100 bill can bring a nerd and a frat boy together, can it last longer than the sex? If a dog can talk, can he reunite two estranged lovers?”

This one’s mine. No prying Mom away from our opening performance. Show page here, write-up here (and here and here), video clip here

8:30pm
Reincarnation: Another Chance At Failure - Rampleseed - Rarig Thrust

“Like life? Try several. See the relentless humiliations and inadvertent triumphs of one soul unimpeded by limits of time, space or logic. A two-man comedy that refuses to die.”

I’ve written about these guys at length. They’re number 1 on my pre-Fringe Top 10 list. And tonight, they are my treat for making it through the opening performance (yes, I’m not performing, but if we get a good crowd, and I remember to bring all the props and programs, and I am an inconspicuous spectator, that will be a feat in itself) - Show page here, write-up here and here, video clip here

For more info, check out http://rampleseed.com/

10pm
School of Rockstars - What Happened Productions - Rarig Thrust

“Rockstar Storytellers take you to school with spoken word, comedy and monologues that make the grade, from A+ ("Brown-Nosers") to F ("Shut Up About My Potential"). New lineup each show.”

Another returning favorite, part of the one-two punch of Curt Lund and Laura Bidgood’s True Enough Theater and What Happened Productions double-teaming strategy for spoken word Fringe world domination. I had fun seeing the Rockstars in action earlier this year, and I’m sure tonight will be no different. Another treat at the end of opening day’s ramp-up and general nervousness. Show page here, video clip here

You can learn more at www.myspace.com/curtandlaura and www.rockstarstorytellers.com

Fringe Day 1 - Down and Dirty

Best Thing We Saw Yesterday

Phi Alpha Gamma - Dan Bernitt - Rarig Xperimental Theater

5 stars - Very Highly Recommended

Funny, vivid, poetic, scary, gorgeous. Yesterday’s most emotionally rich and satisfying experience.

This is one I really want to see again before it closes.

Next performance - Tuesday, August 5th, 10pm

A Damn Close Second

Shift - Jonas Goslow - Bryant Lake Bowl

5 stars - Very Highly Recommended

Multiple plotlines that collide and intertwine in unexpected ways, an intellectual jigsaw puzzle full of humor, heartache and smart dialogue

Another one I want to see again.

Next performance - Saturday, August 2nd, 4pm

A Helluva Lot of Fun

Attack of the Big Angry Booty - Traveling Kurkendaal Productions - Interact Center

4-1/2 stars - Very Highly Recommended

More of Les’ signature style of storytelling - mischievous, inviting, full of heart.

Next performance - Saturday, August 2nd, 2:30pm

A Compelling Experiment

Dandelion - Onomatopoeia Productions - Minneapolis Theater Garage

3 Stars - Recommended

A teenage boy’s fascinating dysfunctional cardboard world, a new script and several performances full of promise

Next Performance - Sunday, August 3rd, 4pm

Full reviews to follow shortly. But I wanted to get the word out...

Fringe 2008 Top 11-20 - If you removed the gun from my head...

If you removed the gun from my head and I was allowed to see ten more Fringe shows, what would they be in and why...?

OK, I’d been running this part of the list backward, thinking I’d have better success closing in on the middle, but apparently not, as the day of Fringe opening has arrived.

So here’s what I had so far....

20 - Empty S Productions - Roofies In The Moccachino - their show page, my write up, a video clip and another video clip

19 - Culture Mesh Collective - Trying Guilt - their show page, my write up, a video clip

18 - Hometown Theater - War of the Worlds: The Musical - A Tribute To Old-Time Radio - their show page, my write up, a video clip

And now we’re gonna just have to dive in and try to make it brief if I’m to have any hope of posting this today...

17 - This one’s a father/daughter tag team, the Reivas - father Dan is behind

Electric Telescope - The Virginity of Astronauts

“A science-fiction adaptation of Euripedes play "Ion." A persistent knock on a spaceship's door near Mars... Who's there? Two astronauts face a powerful being's plan to control the universe in this updated Greek drama.”

I keep going to Electric Telescope shows for an evolving, and often conflicting, set of reasons. The first show I saw “Quantum Odyssey” was an interesting mix of ideas, updating another classic text. Not entirely successful, but I admired it for trying, and the parts that worked, really worked well. Last year, it was another sci-fi pastiche “The Cold Dark Matter At Hand” - again, a whole tossed salad and a half of ideas, literally crammed into a tiny Fringe-length running time, often bewildering, and heavy on the cheese, with some serious eye candy in the cast to make it all go down a little easier. This time around, the eye candy’s back - and we’re getting sci-fi and ancient legend thrown together in the same package. Honestly, it could be a complete train wreck, but I feel compelled to see it for myself and find out. Show page here, video clip here (and yes, "riding the tuna pony" - a part of me is deeply ashamed, but I'm still going).

daughter

Rachel Reiva - Love and Video Games

“As Jack struggles with the violence of his brother a a death of a parent, Stacy, a teenage ghost, believes the only was to help Jack is to hook him up with the hot guy next door.”

This one I feel slightly less “guilty”/”guilty pleasure” about. Rachel’s been working her way toward this over several years of performing in other people’s scripts in the Fringe. Now, it’s her work being staged, and that alone makes it exciting for me. What sealed the deal is just the delightful weirdness of the plot - a matchmaking ghost, trying to pair up two guys. (Wait, oh crap, now I know why that’s familiar). That aside, the video clip of their Fringe-For-All preview should make it a little clearer. The whole, “Wait, you want to match me up with another guy?!” stage of the plot is completely skipped over. Because in the world of Rachel’s play, it’s not a big deal. On that level, it’s being treated like just another romantic comedy, which I find really hopeful. So I’m rooting for this one on several levels. Show page here, video clip here

16 - Vanderpan Enterprises - Paul Bunyan Runs For President

"Lower Taxes, Bigger Axes. That's the message Paul Bunyan approves when America's biggest lumberjack runs for the country's highest office."

“Three Days In Hell” from Vanderpan ended up on the tail end of my Fringe schedule last year almost by accident and I really enjoyed myself. Well-crafted comedy play, well-executed. I’m always up for more of that. One of that cast, and the playwright/director are returning for this one, so that’s all I need to know to recommend them. Show page here

15 - Megan Dowd - adjective

"Madison went looking for someone. Maybe someone to love. Maybe someone to screw. She found someone, stumbled across him, who she didn't expect. Who she stumbled upon, however, means everything to everyone."

Timothy J. Meyer did quadruple duty last time around in the Fringe - writer/actor/director/producer - with "Burning Bridges." This time around, he’s focusing in just on the script and letting others help with the remaining duties. Haven’t seen a script or a performance preview. I’m just interested, after seeing the first play, in how Meyer has grown as a playwright in the last couple of years, and where that’s taken his stories and his characters. Again, it’s an exploration of relationships, but this time it seems the emphasis is on the female, rather than the male, half of the couple. So I’m curious. Show page here

14 - Maddak Productions - The Mistress Cycle

"Mistress: A woman who illicitly occupies the place of wife. No male equivalent. Intimate musical tale 'The Mistress Cycle' explores choices and consequences of five women, historical and fictional. Engaging, enticing."

Mindy Eschedor is a regular with Nautilus Music Theater. I love Nautilus. They do adventurous new work on a monthly basis in their Rough Cuts series. They nurture the talent of writers, performers and musicians alike, locally. So if Mindy’s involved as producer and music director on this project with Maddak, that’s really all I need to know. The preview they did at Fringe-For-All (video clip here) only reinforced this. Interesting concept, high caliber talent. Why not? Show page here, video clip here

13 - Dean Hatton - Silent Poetry

"A collection of nonverbal comedic and dramatic skits inspired by the work of Marcel Marceau written and created by Dean Hatton, a student of Mr. Marceau's."

Mime. I know. I have friends who put up their hands and create an invisible wall in mock protest to protect themselves from mime. But I saw Dean perform as part of a Maximum Verbosity showcase not long ago, and man, was I wrong. He played a street mime who could only get people to give him money by pretending, in ever more gruesome fashion, to kill himself. (Everybody loves a mime in pain.) It was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in ages. Plus, at Fringe-For-All, he performed to the opening fanfare from the first Star Wars movie. So that appealed to the geek in me as well. Took him a while, but I think Dean's finally getting me to one of his Fringe shows - don't wait as long as I did. Join me there. It's good stuff. Show page here

12 - Lex-Ham Community Theater - Hue and Cry

"US premiere of a play by contemporary Irish playwright Deirdre Kinahan. Cousins Kevin and Damian meet for the funeral of Damian's father. Damian's long absence makes the meeting awkward as the two men try to reconnect and find life again."

This one’s for Grant Henderson. He was in the workshop of a new script I did last year, and the Fringe show I did four years back, and has helped develop new work with me pretty much every year in between. He’s a great actor. He inspires me to me a better writer. And the group in the Fringe is doing the US of premiere of an Irish play - and those Irish tend to shame me into being a better writer as well. So, all in all, this should be a good solid piece of theater. I’m really looking forward to it. Show page here

11 - Courtney Roche - Stupid Face

“Life is hard, but when you wake up to find your entire world has changed without consulting you, life turns into a real bitch. This is the story of one woman's quest to laugh in the stupid face of adversity.”

Every year at Fringe-For-All, I see at least one artist who makes me sit up and think, “Wow, I don’t care what I have to do to rearrange my carefully arranged schedule, I have to find a way to see this person. They’re amazing.” Last year, it was Allison Broeren’s spoken word contortions of language. This year, it’s Courtney Roche and her strangely hilarious tales of paralysis. She’s not only a great comic performer, she’s also apparently a great comic writer as well. Video clip here - you have to see it to understand what I’m talking about. Dammit, there goes the schedule. Happens every year, and it’s a problem I love to have. Thanks, Courtney. Show page here, video clip here

Fringe Top 10 - The List

So, handy links to the whole list in one place. Here we go...

If you held a gun to my head and I could only see ten Fringe shows, what would they be in and why?

This year's edition of the list is

(and yes, I'm cheating, I'll admit that up front. Go ahead and pull the trigger - I might be a more incisive reviewer with only half a brain my head, you never know)

1 - Rampleseed - Reincarnation: Another Chance At Failure - their show page, my writeup, a video clip

2 - No Refunds Theatre - Sun Tzu's The Art of War - their show page, my writeup

3 - The Drollery - Watthen Wherenow - A Pinkerton Tribute - their show page, my writeup, a video clip

4 - Joseph Bingham - Conundrum Rehabbed, also Kari Jensen's Ars Longa Vita Brevis - their show page, and the other show page, my writeup, a video clip

5 - Jonas Goslow - Shift - their show page, my writeup

6 - Patty Nieman - Secrets of the Little Yellow Diary - their show page, my writeup, a video clip

7 - Questionable Company Theater - Orange - their show page, my writeup, their video and blog page

8 - Onomatopoeia Productions - Dandelion - their show page, my writeup, a video clip

9 - Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw - Dance of the Whisky Faerie, also DRP Dance - Modern Muses - their show page, and the other show page, my writeup, a video clip and another video clip

10 - Youth Performance Company - The Boyshow, also Young Artists Council - Reefer Madness: The Musical - their show page, and the other show page, my writeup

10.5 - Magicword Theater - The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon, and Dog Tag - their show page, my writeup, a video clip

Fringe 2008 Top 10 - #10.5 - Magicword Theater Company

"...and then, the porn music starts..."

"The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon" and "Dog Tag"

Now what kind of crappy producer would I be if I didn't also tell you that the show I'm helping mount is also a damn fine piece of theater?

Really crappy, that's what.

So I'm wedging in the list here between the first set of ten and the second.

Two short plays, looking at the often peculiar beginnings and endings (and rebirths?) of relationships.

But the guys in the cast do the best job of selling the show, so I'll let you look at a little video clip from Dog Tag which they presented at the second edition of Fringe-For-All (part of he Fringe's YouTube page of video previews)

"'Six condoms?! You're an optimist.' - If a $100 bill can bring a nerd and a frat boy together, can it last longer than the sex?

If a dog can talk, can he reunite two estranged lovers?"

One of the actors in the cast is fond of referring to "Bronze Bitch" as the scenario to a porn film (frat boy and nerd negotiate money in exchange for sex). And given that my last Fringe show had a horny gay pizza boy in it, and the script I'm currently rewriting has a couple of gay Marines in it, the assessment might hold more water than I care to admit.

No nudity warning. We only have to warn you if they take off their pants - not their shirts.

Arriving at the end of a rehearsal to drop off the newly printed show postcards a couple of weeks back, I was told, "Oh, you just missed sexy time."

I really should have said, "Guys, whenever the three of you are in a room together, it's always sexy time."

Because it's true.

Not only are these three guys - Sasha Andreev, Joe Bombard, and Buddy Haardt - all talented as hell, they're extremely easy on the eyes. The fact that they're so emotionally open as their characters in both plays is what makes the scripts come to life in a way that's so funny, and sweet, and a little sad.

It's great stuff.

And I say that not just because I helped write the things (because I frequently forget and feel more like a producer than a writer), not just because these guys are all doing wonderful work and deserve the biggest audience I can get them,

But because this is exactly the kind of theater I go to the Fringe to see.

The rest of the year, I'm hard-pressed to find new plays by local writers on many of the stages around town.

The rest of the year, I'm hard-pressed to find good stories reflecting the lives of gay men on many of the stages around town.

I write (and apparently now also produce) the kind of things I feel like we need to see more of.

The Fringe allows us to do these kinds of things.

That's why, right now, at the start of an eleven day stretch of new exciting theater by the widest possible range of artists, at all levels of their careers and abilities, is the happiest time of year for me.

Whether I've got a show in the mix or not.

This year, I'm really proud to be part of the crowd on both sides of the footlights.

Come see me put my theater where my mouth is.

(Hmmm, that sounds like it should come with a warning. Sorry...)

Video clip here

More information on this and what's next at www.matthewaeverett.com

Location, dates and show times, and ticket info are all available here.

Fringe 2008 Top 10 - #10 - Youth Performance Company/Young

Youth Performance Company - The Boyshow

"It's here! YPC's 'coming of age' trilogy is complete! 'Goddess Mense,' 'The Talk' and, now, 'The Boy Show,' a no-holds-barred exposé of growing up male. Warning: No snips, snails or puppy dog tails."

and

Young Artists Council - Reefer Madness: The Musical

"A musical based on the 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film of the same name. A tongue-in-cheek comedy about the perils of drugs, sex and general moral turpitude."

I kind of held off mentioning this double feature because last year I mentioned YPC's Boyshow as one of my Top 10 in the context of the TV show I host, and then it promptly dropped off the schedule. Not wanting to jinx it two years running, I thought I'd bide my time.

It seems like it's actually coming off this time around, however.

Plus, Youth Performance Company's offshoot for the older young artists (hmmm, older young artists? Anyway...) the Young Artists Council it also hitting the Fringe this year with the musical version of Reefer Madness, so it looks like they're trying to make up for lost time. (Also, a friend of mine's in the Reefer cast, so that's added reason to recommend it, and try to get my butt over to the Bryant Lake Bowl to see it)

I missed YPC's bit hit Fringe show about menstruation (no, really). I did catch "The Talk" during it's Bryant Lake Bowl run outside the Fringe and was impressed. But then I'm always impressed with the quality of the productions that Youth Performance Company presents, so another good show from them is no surprise.

Yes, the boys in the publicity photo look a little bored, but I'm pretty sure the audience won't be. No preview video clips to present to you, but knowing the company, I'm really confident about the product.

Either one alone, or a double feature of both, would be a good example of the kind of thing the Teen Fringe does best. So add them to your schedule.

Also, keep an eye on the Youth Performance Company theater offerings year round - their website is www.youthperformanceco.com

Both

Very Highly Recommended.

Locations, dates and show times, and ticket info on both shows can be found here and here