Sunday, August 06, 2006

Day 3 -- 8:30 Time Slot

Show: Sock Puppet Serenade

Company: Kurt Hunter Marionettes

Venue: Minneapolis Theatre Garage

Die Roll: Nope...Kid day



This was our last show. It started half an hour past my daughter's bedtime, but we had to stay up for it. This exact show was in the Fringe two years ago. It blew me away then, and it did so this year too. Oddly enough, my daughter was amazed... she said: "That was a amazing!"

This is the only show I ever recall having given a standing ovation to at the Fringe. I could be wrong on that. I'd have to check a lot of old blogs to really know. But, let's just pretend that the statement is true for now.

It is a good show. The puppetry skill is awesome. Even when a glitch occurs, it is incorporated seamlessly.

It is funny. It is great. And rather that just listing more positive words than are in the thesaurus under the word "good," I'll just say you HAVE to see this show.

Ten Word Summary:Amazing. Marionettes explain it all. Witty. Charming. Awsome puppet show.

RATING: "d20 - One of the Best"

Day 3 -- 7:00 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Cinderella

Company: DeLasalle Players

Venue: U of M Rarig Center Proscenium

Die Roll: Umm... My daughter picked it.



I find myself saying these things at the beginning of my articles here that ought to be common knowledge, if not common courtesy. To a number of people sitting close to me at the Fringe: Theatre is not like TV. You are not in your living room. If you are tempted to talk back to the show, or want to make a loud comment about the show to the person next to you, try to refrain. The actors can hear you, not to mention the other people around you. C'mon!

Alright... That's out of the way. This show was fun. It wasn't great theatre, again, but it was fun. Cinderella has been retold in a manner that includes a game show, a huge number of ugly step-sisters, and a bait-and-seitch ending that is quite rewarding.

It is important to remember that these kids are not from one of the acting training programs in town. They just go to DeLasalle. So, the abilities are are varied. But the writing of the show caters to that.

Ryan North directed. We used to work together at YPC, and he was always good with the kids. Clearly he was once again. They all seemed to be having a great time.

My daughter really liked this one. "I thought that was really good...actually 5 stars."

My Ten Word Summary: Cinderella and the prince end up together...kinda...good fun.

RATING: "d12 - A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

Day 3 -- 4:00 & 5:30 Time Slots

There is a problem with the Kids Fringe being incorporated into the festival as a whole (one year there was a separate Kids Fringe Venue), when the shows are mixed in with all the rest, it means that sometimes there is a time slot on a kid-friendly day (read: Saturday or Sunday) in which there are no kids shows. Not even any adult shows that would come close to being acceptable. That was the case in these two slots.

My daughter and I got a bite to eat at Jimmy Johns, and then headed to the Ampitheatre behind the Rarig Center to play a little catch. That was fun. Not theatre, but fun. What I did learn, though is that if I take a break from Fringing, my adrenaline starts to drop and I feel exhausted.

Day 3 -- 2:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: A Dragon Odyssey

Company: Asian Media Access

Venue: Red Eye

Die Roll: Moot Point...it's Daddy/Daughter day.



There were at least two kid-friendly options in this time slot. We were lucky enough to hit A Dragon Odyssey. This is a show that retells an asian folk-tale about the Green Dragon and Sky Blue. It is a story of ill-fated love throughout the ages.

The show is narrated and consists primarily of dancing right out of the gate, so I was encouraged that this might be like 12 Dancing Princesses. But the similarity stops there.

Now, I must admit that my daughter generally liked the show. In fact, her direct quote was "I liked it."

And, I must again admit that I, too, enjoyed the performance generally. It is not a good show, but there is a sense of fun coming from the performers that is often present in true community theatre. These people were doing something they loved and were excited about it, and it showed and that was infectious.

That doesn't hide the fact that at times the songs were at least one verse too long, and that many in the show couldn't project enough to get their lines out to where the audience was sitting.

But, just as if you were watching your home town's community theatre, you forgive them those things because they're trying so darned hard.

Ten Word Summary: Asian Myth. Tragic love story. Cast of thousands. Community Theatre.

RATING: "d8 - Not Bad, Not Great"

Day 3 -- 1 p.m. Time Slot

I cannot review the show that I saw in this time slot because it is the one that I am producing. While I was willing to promote the show openly prior to the Fringe in this column, I cannot review the show with good conscience...conflict of interest. So, I'll just say that I was please that we had a pretty good-sized audience for a Saturday at 1 p.m. and "thank you" to those who came.

My show is Screwed to the Sticking Place... which I should point out the "Screwed" phrase is lifted from a speech by Lady Macbeth. It is not a sexual reference. That seems to be confusing som people.

It was a good opening. 1 down, 4 to go.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Day 3 -- The Beginning

Every year there is one day that I set aside for breaking my own rules about using dice to select my shows. Today is that day. Normally it is the Saturday of the final weekend of Fringe, but this year I have moved it up the schedule a bit.

The reason for this shift, is that I have a young daughter. She is 7, as a matter of fact. And I like to take her Fringing with me once each year. So... die rolls that could land us in shows involving giant dildos aren't the way to go.

Instead, I pack the dice away for one day, and we see kids fringe shows and ones that I've found out through others' advice are no worse than prime-time TV for kids.

So, that's what I'll be doing today. I'll still blog on the resulting shows, but my schedule will not be randomly determined.

Incidentally, I learned two things yesterday. Three, really. #1... I'm too lazy to deal with the whole posting my charts thing (I'm sorry). #2... People say fun things when you put a microphone in front of them (My podcast will be posted later tonight). #3... One who pans a show one day will not have success flirting with its cast members the next night.

Some I random for stuff you have:


While mental failure can be more random than just about anything else, I think we'll start with the trivia today so I won't forget it again: "Minnows have teeth in their throat." -- This makes me think about sharks. Only because of their multiple rows of teeth. Following the thought train tangentially, I then think of perch which used to swim around us at Boy Scout camp. We used to refer to them as pecker sharks because they'd occaisionally swim up your swim trunks and give you a bit of a surprise. Sometimes following one's train of thought ought not to happen.

I love cinnamon raisin toast.

I still can't figure out my cellphone. I feel like such an idiot.

I just realized that I've only watched a total of about 10 minutes of TV since arriving back stateside.

There's wolves in them thar hills.

Candle wax.

A link to my Ten-Word summaries: Click Here.

Day 2 -- The Rest

I didn't make it to a 10 p.m. show. I had to eat, and get ready for the Masquerade ball. I did go as a pirate and I had fun. I hope everyone else did, too. We left pretty early because I had to get home to make the programs for my show.

Day 2 -- 8:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: 12 Dancing Princesses

Company: MN Shakespeare Project

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Proscenium

Die Roll: 16



Before I talk about this show, let me talk about audience behavior. If the lights have gone down, and there is already a voice coming from the stage, watch what's going on and shut your yaps! Golly day, people! I don't pay to see the shows, but plenty of the other folks around you shelled out $12 to enjoy an hour of drama. Show some respect.

Okay. Now that that's done... Again getting straight to the point because of lack of time today: This is the best show of the first two days for me. In fact, I'm beginning to see a pattern: I like the last thing I see each night. I guess we'll see if that trend continues over the next few nights, eh?

This show is entirely set to music, and often feels like a ballet with very little dancing in it. Something like a semi-staged version of "Peter and the Wolf" that kids go see at the MN Orchestra. There was a narator and a few characters had some sparsely placed lines. But generally it was a stylized show that depended on movement to drive the story.

I didn't take a lot of notes because I was really drawn into the show. There were only two times when I was violently pulled from my suspension of disbelief. Those occurred each time the music shifted abruptly from instrumental and old to vocal and contemporary. It is a jarring change, and I'm not sure it is truly justified. It yanked me out of the story long enough to be irritated by it.

Be that as it may, the show has some little flaws, as every show does, but generally it is good, clean fun. You can bring kids to this. You can enjoy it fully as an adult, too.

Ten word summary: Nice guy breaks enchantment on 12 beautiful girls. Love wins.

RATING: "d20 - One of the Best"

Day 2 -- 7:00 p.m. Time Slot

Show: The Trans Cafe

Company: Dance, Dance, Tranny Revolution

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Xperimental

Die Roll: 18



Okay... so here's the general set-up for this show. You are in a coffee bar with a Transgender theme. It is open mic night. You will watch a variety of acts and get to know the people there.

So far so good. I'll get straight to the point (pardon the use of the word "straight"). I liked this show. However, it was a lot of work to like this show.

Basically, I'm not sure there was a director or any rehearsals. Had there been, someone should ahve noticed that starting a show with 20 minutes of karaoke is not a good idae when your audience is sober. 20 minutes of Karaoke is only tolerable after at least two hard drinks imbibed in a very short period of time.

So... The show started out rough. However, in the middle there was a chat set, a discussion, some dialogue, whatever you want to call it, that allowed us in the audience to get to know these people. After that, whatever they did, even painful karaoke, was tolerable because we were let into their world a little bit.

And I think that's the point of the show. To be let in a little. To understand that the members of the community and be able to laugh with them. Once that was accomplished, I enjoyed it.

Here's the thing...This is not a polished show... far from it. But it again speaks to what is beautiful about the Fringe. Anyone can put up a show. Anyone can do all sorts of things in the Fringe, and it all fits.

I sooo desperately wanted to take these performers aside and give them some help on the staging and such. I would like to see them succeed. However, if you're not in the mood for a show that will require a little toleration of stage inexperience, then you should probably skip this one. To be fair to the performers, know what you're getting going in. If you can embrace that, then go see the show.

Ten word summary: Good conversational middle somewhat makes up for really rough edges.

RATING: "d6 - Has Some Merit"

Day 2 -- 5:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Porn! Or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dong

Company: Me and Bill

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Xperimental

Die Roll: 10



This was the first of a day at the Rarig. I like the fact that 4 of the venues are contained in one economy-sized package.

This show was painful. There's no two ways about it. I hate to be that blunt, but when it comes down to it, I'm hurting for time today, and this show isn't worth it.

There were many jokes in the show that attempted to be self-depricating by making fun of how bad the show must be because it is in the Fringe. Unfortunately these jokes were not funny. They were merely sad. Because they were true. The show was in the Fringe and it was bad.

There were too many "what the Hell?!" moments and too many errors to make the show worth suffering through.

At one point I found that it was more interesting to watch Dominic Papatola in the audience than it was to watch the show itself.

One high point (of a sort, maybe)... if you're attracted to Jessica Simpson, you'll like Amy Bury in this play... Dead ringer!

This play also ran remarkably long... long enough that the technician had to pipe in on the "God Mic" to tell them to get off the stage. Over five and a half minutes over time.

Ten word summary: Isn't porn supposed to be amusing somehow? I guess not.

RATING: "d4 - Not Worth The Time"

Friday, August 04, 2006

Ten Word Summaries

You may have noticed that I am ending each of my reviews with a 10 word summary of the show. If you'd like to just check out the 10-word summaries, you can now find them all in one handy place... go to This web page.

I'll update that page daily, so you can follow along in the fun.

Day 2 -- The Beginning

Some things work really well on the first day, and some didn't. Something I decided to change from how I've done things over the past few years came into play.

In the past I've rolled for the next show I would see whilst sitting in the audience of the preceding show. However, given how spread out the Fringe is this year (Lake Harriet UMC is pretty much in Edina...not joking), I decided to roll an entire day's worth of shows at once. I didn't start my day that way yesterday, but I quickly opted to do that to make sure I had reservations...just in case I was running late.

So... today I rolled for all my shows already. I will still carry my charts with me, incase a show gets out early and enables me to catch one of the special shows that don't quite fit the schedule correctly (hint to producers of BYOV: there are certain time slots that work, and others that just don't).

With that in mind, I can tell you what I'm attending today. I still have no idea what I'm attending the rest of the Fringe, but... Here's today's schedule, if you'd choose to join me:

5:30 -- Porn! Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dong...Die Roll: 10

7:00 -- The Trans Cafe...Die Roll: 18

8:30 -- 12 Dancing Princesses...Die Roll: 16

10:00 -- Two Queers and a Chubby...Die Roll: 18

11:00-onward -- Fringe Masquerade at the Varsity Theatre in Dinky Town!!! I'm a pirate!



Random, Random, Random...Keeping all things random...Random!


Not too much randomness today... I still have to finish the programs for my show which opens tomorrow.

To anyone I got in an argument with yesterday...I'm sorry.

The going rate for a front baby tooth, according to the tooth fairy, is a Sakagewea Gold Dollar.

A bit of an education for everyone...



Red and Yellow and Pink and Green...Orange and Violet and Blue... I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, too.

Trivia time thanks to Hooked on Facts: "In ancient Japan, public contests were held to see who could fart the loudest and longest!" -- It's good to see that my fraternity brothers have precedent to fall back on!

Day 1 -- At the BLB

So, I wrapped up the first day of the Fringe at the Bryant-Lake Bowl, which was our appointed hang-out for the night. And it was a nice time. More on that in a minute...

First... Before I made it there, I had really nice conversations with a few folks that I should mention... especially since I think you'd like there shows:

1). Joy and Michael Donnely... These were the masterminds behind last year's hit Nibblers. This year they are teamed up with Theatre for the Thirsty on a show titled Amnesiac Jack. Please go see it. I really do not believe you could support a more pleasant couple of folks, and their great theatre practitioners, too...so I feel I can recommend them highly no matter what they are doing... I can't say that about most folks in this field.

2). Tape is another show you should consider. Christiana Clark is one of my favorite actresses in town, and Stephen Frethem reportedly does a great job in his role. It is a play that I've wanted to see done for a couple of years now... so here's the chance to catch it.

Now... back to our regularly scheduled break-down of the last chunk of the day... I didn't go to Sin Cities 7 at the Minneapolis Theatre Garage because I needed sustenance, and because the late night shows are going to be available on other nights when I think I can stay awake for them.

Instead I went and hung out with a number of Fringy folks and had a nice glass of Vino Tinto (Red Wine). I like the idea of a travelling Fringeville this year, although I am a bit worried that many of the locations are too small for too many performers to fit comfortably. I guess we shall soon see.

Day 1 -- 10 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Alex the Boy Scout (and other stories)

Company: Topsy-Turvy Theater

Venue: UofM Rarig Center - Xperimental

Die Roll: 15



I'm not going to get very far into this review without saying it...so I'm going to right off the bat. This was the best show I saw on the first day of the Fringe.

Again I was in the house with Matthew Everret and Phillip Low... I'm starting to think this dice thing isn't random enough... This can't keep happening, can it?

Anyway... this show was made up of 5 10-minute plays. The 10-minute is essentially the short story of the playwriting genre, and is particularly close to my heart, as it is the type of play that I most often write.

That being said, I also read a lot of them, and see a lot of them. And when an idea is copied directly from one of the classics in the field, I happen to notice. What I'm referring to is the first of the five, which might as well have been written by David Ives, or lifted directly from Ives's play "Sure Thing." Many playwrights have copied that play and fit their ten-minute piece into a sub-genre I like to call a "ding play" in which action happens, then a bell dings and the world resets for a nother go at it. Not too original, and commonly written by first time playwrights while still undergrads. So... this show didn't start off strong.

BUT... The in the four plays that followed, playwright Nathan Morse redeemed himself. His strongest scene was one revolving around a woman at a computer, played by Dawn Krosnowski (the woman, not the computer). The computer talks back to her and hilarity ensues. I don't want to ruin it for you. Let's just say I was laughing very hard... my tummy hurt.

My second fave was a retelling of "Romeo and Juliet." This gimmick has been done a hundred times before, but Morse write is solidly, and more importantly Aaron Aoki and Noemi Lopez act it superbly.

The other two scenes are funny as well. The one thing that depressed me a bit about the show was that Jessica Knapp, one of the company's stand-bys in times past, and a woman who was in "A Flea in Her Ear" with me at Rosetown Playhouse, was not on stage nearly enough. She is a strong stage presence and funny... her role as narrator didn't really use her to her fullest potential.

Ten word summary: Five short plays. Very Funny. Like David Ives...Laughed lots!

RATING: "d10 - Worth Going To"

Day 1 -- 8:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Resisting the Birthmark

Company: Twinhead Theatre

Venue: The Playwrights' Center

Die Roll: 10



Having gotten out of the prior show with just a few extra minutes to spare, I ducked into the coffee shop across the street from the PWC. I ate a croissant and a bottle of Pomegranate juice (Did you know that the Spanish word for Pomegranate is "Granada," as in the city?)

So... There were about 30 people in the audience once I got back to Resisting the Birthmark: A Feminist Theory Play. Of those about 7, including myself were male. That made me happy. I was afraid of being one of two guys in a play that put the word feminist in the title (subtitle, really). I've gained new hope for the male half of our species.

Now, a play that wants to make a point can do so in any number of ways. The really well done ones will weave the message throughout but not slam the audience over the head with the message, so that everyone walks away understanding the point without feeling bludgeoned. Then, there is what this play did.

We were first treated to a blatantly didactic introduction, then inculcated with feminist analysis of an archaic short story, and finally presented the moral with a sledgehammer. The message of this play was not so offensive as the delivery method. Marshall McLuhan once said that "The Medium is the Message." He followed that statement with another: "The Medium is the Massage." Point being? How you say something is often far more important to getting your point across than the very point you're trying to make.

There were some good things about this production. A number of the actors were skilled...Angelyn Pass and John McLouth stood out, as did Dana Miller. However, the cast was inconsistent, and the direction was odd, to say the least. Most of the staging decisions would be hard to justify. Some were billiant, though. Basically, it was inconsistent, too.

Two quick points... I like women. This is not a statement of heterosexuality, although that would apply as well. This is a statement of support for what many will see as feminist ideals. I support certain feminist theatre companies with my efforts, my money, and my devotion. I don't normally feel it necessary to declare this, because I don't feel that I'm normally at risk of being seen as anti-feminism. However, given the thoughts that are about to come down further on this page, I thought I should make a qualifying statement. Not to mention, I'm producing an entirely female production in this Fringe.

The second point...theatre by its very nature is didactic. We learn somethign every time we see a show. We do not need to be lectured as part of one. That is not good theatre, good performance art, or even good teaching methodology.

This play makes valid points as it analyses the story originally written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, but the points were more appropriately suited to an academic paper than a play. In fact, it felt like a paper brought to life. Granted, sometimes we want our philosophic points to be heard by more than the minute population of academia, but in an effort to bring it to a bigger audience, we must consider that audience and how they are likely to receive it. This play occaisionally tried to use theatricality, but didn't use the art of theatre.

I'd had much higher hopes for this show... and so...my 10 word summary: Feminist tears at flesh of old story, misses the point.

RATING: "d6 - Has Some Merit"

Day 1 -- 7:00 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Thanks for the Scabies, Jerkface!

Company: Dan Bernitt

Venue: Interact

Die roll: 4



Again, I found myself in the same theatre as Matthew Everett... while this means that you can compare the opinion of at least two bloggers on the same performance, it seems like my random die roll is not separating me from my fellows at all effectively.

Getting two things out in the open: I do not like this venue. The pillars are evil. If you go to Interact, sit in the center-most section so you can watch all the action despite the big wooden obstructions. Also, I don't generally like one-man shows.

Now, I really need to add a qualifier to that last statement. I actually hold one-man shows to a higher standard than many people do. I ask that they reach the level of any other play. In some instances they do that, and then I like them. I produced one in the fringe back in 2002. It was not my own one-man show, I should be clear about that. But why, if I generally dislike the genre, would I produce one... well, that one told a story...effectively. And that's part of what I'm asking for. Give me a little reason to care.

Now...Thanks for the Scabies, Jerkface! started out slightly better than most one-man shows that are of the let-me-tell-you-anecdotes-from-my-life style. Normally, these types of shows are told by people who have yet to work out their issues in a productive way, and so they write a show and use theatre as therapy. I don't have time to watch that.

Dan Bernitt approaches his own life as material for the show, but it is clear that it isn't therapy. So...good. A point for Dan. He also speaks very articulately and energeticly...just like he's putting on a play, not just a recitation of personal stories. Good. Two points for Dan. And the comedy will well-executed. There's a third point for Dan.

Dan Bernitt has a very poetic method of delivery. Not surprising as he sometimes plys his trade as a performance poet. However, in this show, the prose sections are more effective than the poetry.

The stories are entertaining, but left me with a bit of a "Why are you telling me this?" feel. Dan seemed more like the drunk friend at a party relating stories for his buddies' amusement, not because of bad presentation, but because there was no through line. Other than the fact that the guy in front of us was charming, there was no reason for us to care about him as a character in his own stories.

I can recognize this as a well put-together show that will appeal to some, but I cannot accept it as good theatre. If you like the monologue form, then it might be for you, however. For me, it reminds me of something that one of my professors at UNO calls "Me"-moir.

Wrapping it up in 10 words: Gay man gets infected. Bugs haunt relationships. Do I care?

RATING: "d8 - Not Bad, Not Great"

Day 1 -- 5:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: South Dakota Bound

Company: Northstar Twins Productions

Venue: Minneapolis Theatre Garage

Die Roll: 17



After a quick 35 minute drive to the venue and arriving a minute late for the show (they hadn't started just yet, though...yay!), I was confronted with the one thing I hate about this job. I was slapped in the face by the fact that I have opinions about the Fringe that work at cross-purposes.

Here's the thing: I believe that as a Fringe blogger it is my duty to you, my reader, to advise you as to my view of whether a show is worthy of your $12 investment. At the same time, I revel in the fact that anyone, even the least experienced and terrible performer, can pony up $400 and produce a show.

This group was evidence of what the Fringe can be. Clearly, South Dakota Bound was a production of the Kroll Family and their friends. Many of the actors were siblings of the playwright/director, most of the bios of the actors pointed out the inexperience of the players. And yet, here they were putting on a show in a major festival. That's the beauty of the Fringe. They got an idea for a play, they got a group together to do it, and they actually put on a full production. They should be very proud of that. It isn't an easy thing to do.

Unfortunately, though putting on a show is a difficult thing in and of itself, putting on a good show is far harder. Northstar Twins did not accomplish this.

That being said, there is a kernel of a good play in this show just waiting to burst out when a little heat is applied (I'm tring for a popcorn metaphor here, though I've no idea why).

Some well intentioned, though likely to be taken badly, tips on playwriting/production:

1). If the scenes are shorter than the scene changes on either side of them every time, then your play is not about what you intended. It is about transitions, and I don't mean the ones in the characters' lives.

2). Theatre is often about life and death. It has to be. Raise the stakes a little, and you'll capture the attention. This is a play about two young people trying to make the decision of whether or not to move in together, and the effect of a visit to one of their parents' abodes on that decision. That's a fine set-up, but the question that has to be asked, is... why do we care? What happens if they don't get together? Right now, it probably doesn't really matter either way, which is sad. There's something lurking just below the surface that can be developed here, but it hasn't been, yet.

There were a number of funny lines that were delivered pretty well in between chunks of dialogue that fell flat. It felt as if the punchlines had been better rehearsed than the rest.

Matt Stensrud, who looks a bit like Topher Grace (of "That 70's Show" fame), did a reasonable job at his part, and was clearly the strongest in this ensemble. I'm guessing that others will get better as the run goes on, but unfortunately it appears from teh program that many of the leads are only part of the production for some of the performances and others will be replaced part of the way through the Fringe. That probably means that improvement will be stunted by personel changes.

Although I feel a little guilty about it, I can't recommend this show...Sum it up in 10 words: Kids travel to South Dakota to move set pieces around.

RATING: "d4 - Not Worth The Time"

Day 1 -- 4:00 p.m. Time Slot

Show: The Musicker's Balalaika

Company: Walking Boxes Productions

Venue: Lake Harriet United Methodist Church

Die Roll: 5



Well the Fringe is underway. This is the very first show of the entire thing. So, I had to be there. Apparently so did fellow bloggers Matthew Everett and Phillip Low. We all sat together in one big clump of Raspberry-colored fringiness. We were informed prior to the show by one patron/fringe producer who will remain nameless that we looked ridiculous sitting together like that. And we did, but we weren't about to admit it... So... Anyway on to the matter at hand... The first show.

Before I even got into the first show, I knew something was different about this venur, and yet somehow familiar. As I drove the 45 minutes it took me to get there from my place in St. Paul, I realized that I sometimes take acting lessons from Steve Hendrickson there. The other thing I realized was that I didn't want to make that drive again during rush hour. 35W was recommended by Mapquest, and it was not speedy... certainly it didn't take only 24 minutes, which is what the website promised.

But be that as it may, I got to the venue and got my ticket. I actually would have been the first ticket sold for the entire festival, had it not been for the fact that Matthew Everett's tickets were pre-purchased. Well... I got mine in my hot little hand first, so nyaaaa!

We all went in, and saw The Musicker's Balalaika.

Upon reading the program, I discovered that this was the third part of a series of works featuring this Musicker character. Now... here's the thing, in order to understand what is going on, you have to read the program before the show starts. Despite the fact that the program itself proclaims that you don't have to do that. Trust me, if you don't...you'll be hopelessly lost for the first 5 minutes of the show.

This is a sharply produced show. There is a constant soundtrack and syncs up impressively with the live music played by J Roth on stage. The story was about a Russian Gypsy who fought on the side of the Red Army in WWII. It actually was a pretty good story. And the accent J Roth took on was convincing, as was most of his acting. However, the fact that the tale depended on what had gone before in the past two installments knocked my enjoyment of the show down a peg or two.

One of my favorite things was that the humor of the show was built around the thought that it is a curse to be protected by God if you want to die and God won't let you be killed.

Were I to sum this show up in 10 words, here's what you'd get: Musician tells war story in Russian Accent. Hail multi-track recording!

That's 10 words so long as you buy into the fact that a hyphenate counts as one. I'll be trying to summarize all the shows I see in 10 words... Part of the Fringe by Numbers thing.

RATING: "d10 - Worth Going To"

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Monsters in America: Puppets of Mass Distraction -- Part 2

This play got back to me a little belatedly on the whole interview thing, entirely because they were stuck in a technical rehearsal when I sent them their questionaire...so...a little late, but always entertaining... the Chameleon Theatre Circle!! Yaaaay!

I feel like Kermit the Frog when I intro something that way, and that's not wholly inappropriate in this case. Chameleon is making their successful return to the Fringe two years after their last hit Death Penalty Puppetry with a new show entitled Monsters in America: Puppets of Mass Distraction. Issues and puppetry combined seems to be a genre that fits this group well.

The company since its inception was run by G.J. Clayburn until just recently. He is still heading up this project, though. Here's a 5 question interview that shed a little light on this year's production:


Q: Now that rehearsals are wrapping up, what has been the most pleasant surprise so far?

A: The writing has been top notch and very consistent. With four writers looking at the show from four angles, I sometimes wondered how it would all fit together. I thnk we melded our viewpoints very well. I have twice as many scripts that I wrote that are not in the show than are in the show. I'm sure the other three writers (Rick Raasch, Kim Kivens, and Phil Gonzales) have at least that much, too. The dedication of the collaborators to listen to each other and value everyone's opinion has made the show stronger.


Q: When we last talked, it was about how the show had changed over teh two-year process...how about just since the last itme we talked?

A: It's amazing what a deadline does for a show. Last time we talked, the shape of the show was there, but the nuts and bolts were missing. We now have the whole show assembled--in fact, we took a step we idn't think we would be able to do last time you and I talked: we incorporated video. I'm a big fan of multimedia in theatre. I would have been happy schlepping out the puppets and presenting the piece like that. I believe, however, that multimedia techniques can add nice little touches to a show. It's a lot more work, but the payoff justifies the tears.

Q: What do you hope will be the main thought carried away from your show by members of the audience?

A: I actually hope each audience member takes something different away from our show. I hope it leads to discussions. Our show has a liberal bent, so in a sense we'll be preaching to the choir in many cases. We're not looking to change anyone's mind, but hopefully our show serves as a reminder about things that are happening in our world. How we allow ourselves to be distracted by polarizing issues while the politicians shape my kids' future.

Q: If this is a huge hit, would you think of remounting it outside the Fringe?

A: Absolutely! We worked hard on developing the show; depending on the circumstances, I would welcome an opportunity to show it off more than five times.

Q: What is your favorite line from your show?

A: Rick Raasch wrote a song in which a woman sings about her encounter with the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The final two phrases just kill me:

HIS FLESHY LIPS, HIS WEBBY FRILLS

THE SEXY WAY HE FLARED HIS GILLS

HIS FISHY BREATH, HIS SLIMY SKIN

SO TOTALLY AMPHIBIAN


AND IF YOU WANT A COLLOQUY

ON DEVIANT ICHTHYOLOGY

ASK WHOM YOU WILL BUT DON'T ASK ME

(GO TAKE IT UP WITH AL KINSEY)

MY SECRETS SHALL REMAIN MAROONED

SAFELY BENEATH THE BLACK LAGOON



So... there you have it! G.J. and crew will have their muppet-esque crew hard at work for you this Fringe. Don't miss it.

The Line-Up

So... Here's the charts I promised. If you want to download the .doc file and roll your own schedule, you can.

Click here

I'll post each day's charts as they are completed.

So... I've already rolled for the first show on the schedule, and oddly enough, I will be attending "The Musicker's Balalaika" at Lake Harriet United Methodist Church @ 4 p.m. today. Join me if you'd like, and then see where I'm headed next.

Day 1 -- The Beginning

Howdy doo!

At the beginning of each Fringe-filled day, I will start off with a happy little thing called "The Beginning." It will be filled with thoughts for the day, and the daily dose of random crap. After that, each time slot will be accounted for and blogged at the end of the day, or whenever I have a break. Make sense? That's the way it'll go for the next 11 days.

And so here we are at the beginning of the first day. Are you as excited as I am? I've got my charts, which, as originally promised, will be posted shortly for your use as well. I've got my dice... I bought two new ones yesterday that are larger than normal so I can see the numbers better in the dim light of small theatre audiences...I don't have my pen or notepad yet, but I'll get those here in a little bit. That's pretty much all I need. Well, and some snacks and water. Hydration is important, yes.

My daughter and I attended the out-of-towner event last night at the BLB. It was a good time. Unfortunately bedtime (for her) and Jet Lag (for me) made us leave at the midway point. I'm wondering about the second half of the evening. I did get some pictures, which I will be posting here shortly, if I can figure out how to get them off my phone. I've never had a camera phone before. I'm not sure I like it. Generally it frustrates me. But, I'd forgotten to put batteries in my real camera before the event, so it was the only way for me to take pix.

Since I went, I suppose I should let you know what I thought... I'll do that by picking two of the shows featured last night that I enjoyed. In truth, that's probably the limit of the shows that I thought were worth seeing last night. Only one of the shows would I avoid like the plague, and then the rest fell in that mediocre range. I'm hoping that's not a trend for the entire Fringe, but I suppose we shall see...

The first show I should mention is Body Bazaar. This was a dance piece that used a great sense of theatricality and story-telling. It was fun and quirky. And you have to appreciate a piece that takes an attractive woman and makes her wear a mask that changes her appearance into that of a bug/crow-thing.

American Drama: Pocket Edition is my other choice from last night's slate of plays. This one is funny, and worth going to...However, the cast didn't exactly prove they can project their voices adequately, so sit up close if you're going to see it. Excepting that one complaint, this was a polished and refreshingly amusing piece that just about any theatre-goer will enjoy.

On to today's allowance of random crap


I haven't watered my plants since I got back from Spain... I suppose I should try that...now.

You can learn a lot from a seven year-old. Trust me.

I washed my brand new Fringe Staff T-shirts yesterday to get rid of that New T-Shirt smell, and the industrial drier in my apartment complex decided to shrink them... I'm gonna look like a high school girl from the mid-90s...that's how tight they are now!

If you want an incomplete representation of what my time in Spain was like, you can follow this link.

Trivia Time!: "The can opener was invented 48 years after the can." -- Kinda makes you wonder how folks got their food out, doesn't it? Although, determined people trying to open a containter will do all sorts of things. I now know 4 different ways to open a Spanish bottle of wine...none of which involve a corkscrew.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Critical Hits and Critical Misses

In the gaming industry (read: dice and book based role-playing games) there is a concept that many games share. That is the idea that sometimes a die roll can be so good or so bad that special things happen. Things that aren't otherwise on the standard charts.

Well, as I was talking to a fellow gamer whilst in Madrid (actually, on a bus back from Segovia... Hi Josh!), I realized that my charts that I use to roll for what show to see next didn't include "crits."

So, what does this mean? Well, in any given hour there are not 20 shows performing. However, my die has 20 sides. Normally that means that a few randomly determined shows have a slightly better chance at being rolled. That still remains the case, but... now #1 and #20 don't designate shows any more. Nope.

Here's what happens... If I roll a 20 (in gaming often known as a 'natural 20'), I get to choose which show I go to. That's my Critical Hit. It's my little bonus to myself for rolling so well. And, if I roll a 1 (often known as a 'botch'), then I don't get so see a show in that slot at all.

I'm not sure how that will affect anything. I don't recall rolling too many of either of those over the past two years of doing the dice thing. However, any given roll could have a critical come up...

Incidentally, in case you want to play along on the home game, I will be posting my charts for the first day in just a little bit. You, too, can then enjoy the Fringe Festival randomly. Wouldn't that be fun? I recommend it highly.

The Depth of the Ocean -- Part 2

In a continuing series of last-minute follow-up articles, I present The Depth of the Ocean.

This is the show that has been stirring up buzz entirely because of its unique venue. It will be performed at the YWCA's pool in Minneapolis. Many of the other bloggers have covered this show since I first asked company member Derek Miller if I could write a couple of features on it. In fact, this company has become an example of successful Fringe marketing in action. But that's not the most important part of what they've got going on. When it comes down to it, they've dedicated themselves to putting together a show like no other in the Fringe, and quite possibly no other you've ever seen.

So... without furher ado... here's a quick interview (5 questions only) with one of the show's producers, Eric Sharp:


Q: A number of the other bloggers have written about your show, too. Were you expecting such a positive reaction to your return to the Fringe?

A: We knew from examples made by our friends and acquaintances from last year that there's definitely an advantage to being a returning company, but I don't think we had any idea that the buzz would be this great. All we set out to do was design a completely unique theatrical event, and because it happens to be in a pool, I think people realized and relished the possibility that they have probably never seen anything like this before. And also that they might get wet. It's kind of like Gallagher in that sense. We certainly appreciate all the buzz that Matthew, yourself, and others have helped create around our show. Long live the bloggers!

Q: What do you hope will be the main thought carried away from your show by members of the audience?

A: "I'm coming back, and I'm bringing 5 friends". Or, "I can't believe I just saw a play in a swimming pool."

Q: When all is said and done, when do you think the next time you'll go swimming after the Fringe will be?

A: Fairly soon. We've got to get some use out of our raft, Rita, before putting her up for adoption.

Q: If this is a huge hit, would you think about remounting it outside the Fringe?

A: We had already contemplated a remount at the YWCA, but as luck would have it, the pool is being drained and cleaned the day after we close the Fringe. So we would have to move to another pool, but finding indoor pools that are spacious and available becomes a huge problem. For instance, the YWCA was the only pool of several area facilities that even returned our phone call. So, if you or anyone you know is aware of any olympic size pools that aren't getting a lot of use lately, send the info our way.

Q: What is your favorite line from your show?

A: "We are deciding your fate; you cannot vote."


Eric and Derek and the rest of the crew are ready to bring to life a cast of characters that involve survivors from many different disasters, and tell a tale that is both timeless and taken out of time completely. Because The Depth of the Ocean is a "Bring Your Own Venue" show, there are more performances than a standard fringe show. That means that you should be able to fit them into your schedule somehow. And you should.

Baggage -- Part 2

A few months ago I sat down to choose which plays I would cover for my pre-fringe articles this year. One of those companies was the Players of Notorious Temerity. Partly I did so because of the quality of their past shows as reported by my friends, and partly because one of the two individuals directing their show is the wonderful Katie Willer, someone who I respect and admire.

So... you'll note above that I said Katie was one of the two directors. This show has two directors! That's just asking for some issues, don't you think? Well, we'll soon see...

I jsut noticed that I've rambled on for two whole paragraphs without mentioning the show's title, so I guess I should work that in here... Baggage.

The show is two plays that revolve around a travel theme. But the baggage of the title isn't only refering to the physical belongings of the travelers, although in some cases it is...

Anyway... now that they are on the home stretch, I thought I'd make a few inquiries about how things where going. And so, I present a brief (5 questions only) interview with Katie Willer:


Q: Now that the rehearsal process is almost done, what has been the most pleasant surprise thus far?

A: Every time something falls into place is a pleasant surprise. Getting our rehearsal space, having air conditioning in our rehearsal space...mmmm...having our sound designer actually able to be present at the performances to run his own sound live, Dan and I having sheets of the same notes (therefore almost always being on the same page), every moment that just finds itself and hits, the pacing falling into place all of a sudden...I'm not taking anything for granted. The whole process has been a pleasant surprise, and we're grateful.

Q: How about the most unexpected challenge

A: The Buffalo Fish. That sucker keeps falling apart. But mainly, spacing for the Arena [at the U of M Rarig Center]. Both of us are familiar with the space, so we thought we had it. But we got into our one run-through during tech, and saw everything we needed to fix within the next three days. Yikes!

Q: What do you hope will be the main thought carried away from your show by members of the audience

A: "Man, I need to ride a train soon." Or, "Where am I?" Either or.

Q: What is your favorite line from your show?

A: Dan's is ... "My shoes are full of ditch water."
Katie's is ... "I can't help myself, and I don't care, and I won't stop."

Q: Why the Fringe? You've done shows both within and outside it, so what are the advantages of putting this show up now?

A: Minneapolis is open during the Fringe. They come and they want to see anything possible. For many people, this is their theatre for the year. they come and bulk up for the nexxt few months. Maybe they'll see two other shows through the year, and usually then it's if they know someone in the show, or it's the Guthrie. But during Fringe, someone with a free slot on their schedule may just wander into our venue and try out something new or different. Maybe they'll love it, maybe they'll hate it. That's almost not the point.


So... a few thoughts of one of the directors of the show Baggage. It seems that having two directors hasn't been a problem for them as they're almost always on the same page, and it's clear that they love the Fringe. This is Katie's last production in the Twin Cities for a while, as she'll be headed off to Grad School in the fall. So, if you want to catch a play by a terrific group, before they're on hiatus, go see Baggage... Oh yeah... And their show includes a Buffalo Fish! How surreal is that?

The Cat Came Back -- Part 2

It only seems fitting that there is a second installment about a play that revolves around the constant pattern of returning of one cat. And so... here's the scoop...

As I was getting close to wrapping up my time in Spain, but right before I got hit by the world's most evil computer virus, I hopped on my skype account and gave David Lind a call.


David is directing the production of The Cat Came Back.

He was so kind as to send me a couple of scripts for the show. The show has two parts, and because of this...two scripts. The first part of the show will be a part that David wrote back when he was in rehearsal for a show with Theatre Limina. It is now being refered to by the cast as "The Clown Show," and it invovles the same general premise as the longer 2nd half, but it invovles a bit of puppetry and hijynx not present in the latter bit. In fact, without trying to spoil anything, I'll just mention that it ends with a bang.

The longer version of the story of the cat who kept comeing back to Mr. Johnson's home has taken on a whole new direction since we last spoke with Daivd. At that time, the idea was that the play would tell the tale of what happened to the Cat each time that Mr. Johnson gave her the heave-ho and sent her packing. Now, however, the story is more about what happens when the Cat comes back. The story of what happened while she's gone is told via song... oddly enough the song upon which the play is based. So... what else is there to tell? Well, the play focuses on a love-triangle of sorts, jealousy, addiction, abuse, and all sorts of other things that lead to comedy. That's right, pain leads to comedy.

David's cast has gone through a workshopping process that has kept the show vibrant and changing up to the last week of rehearsal, and that means that there may be some slight differences from the scripts that I've read, but even if they are only remotely close by the time the show opens, it loks like this is going to be a great show. I laughed a lot while reading it, and actually took much-needed study time to read it again.

Incidentally, the pictures that are included with this post are all from the show's rehearsal process.

Okay... So the cat came back the very next day... and she got what she wanted. Let's just say that. For more explanation, you'll have to see the show.

Some Quickies

Well... It is officially crunch time as we approach the Fringe Festival tomorrow. So... being the procrastinator that I am, I will be doing a lot of writing today to ensure that you have the absolutely best information you can about everything fringy...not to mention a bunch of other info that you probably never wanted anyway.

So... in this particular episode of Fringe By Numbers, I m going to do some brief plugs for shows that have sent me their info and I've deemed worthy of sharing with you... cool?

First, I'll start with a show by a former Twin Cities company that relocated to Seattle. Some of you may remember Gaydar Productions and their show a couple of years ago, Naked Boys Singing!. For this year's fringe, they are putting their best...um...foot...forward and doing a show called Dirty Little Showtunes. Singing, dancing, and spoofing abound as they poke fun at traditional broadway tunes by looking at them through a gay male perpective. The group will only be in town starting the 9th, so even late into the Fringe you can be one of the first in town to see it.

There are always some shows that don't get all the hoopla sturred up about them prior to the fringe that turn out to be terrific. I'd like to suggest that Jordan will be one of those shows. Adia Morris and Christiana Clark are two remarkable women, and I'm going out on a limb that by association Corissa White must be, too, although I don't know her. These three have teamed up to put together a show that looks like it will be something we're all saying, "Have you heard about..." in a day or two.

Natalie Wass is an actress that I almost cast in a show of mine seven years ago. At the time I thought, I'm sure I'll work with her on my next project. Since then she's priced herself out of my range, but she's still one actress that I hope to work with someday. And until that day comes, I'll just have to watch instead. If I get the chance to watch her in this Fringe, it will be in the show Love in a Time of Rinderpest.

Over the last couple of years, some of the best shows to come out of the Fringe were put on by Nautilus Music Theatre. This year's offering is Songs From An Unmade Bed. This is a song cycle turned into theatre...the natural domain of Nautilus.

I'll give you something random, if you really want me to...


You can tell that I'm in a Fringe-induced time crunch because all I've eaten today is 2 packs of Keebler Cheese and Peanut Butter Crackers... which reminds me... I'm so glad to be back in America where I can get Peanut Butter again. Although the first thing I ate upon my arrival was a fruit smoothie in the Miami airport, the next thing I ate was a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Let me tell you... I don't understand why PB hasn't taken off in Europe. I was suffering withdrawal.

It looks like I'll be attending the Fringe Masquerade as Pirate... Aaargh!

I am dreading seeing what problems arise around the Rarig Center at the UofM during the first weekend of the Fringe. The main entrance stairway, normally 30 feet wide, has been gutted, removed, destroyed (choose your misfortune-themed past participle here). Foot traffic into the building which holds four of our venues is sure to be interesting to say the least. If attending a show there, plan accordingly.

I am the proud (?) owner of a Razr phone as of a couple of days ago. Holy crap! I can't figure the thing out at all! Aaargh! Someone needs to save me from my technology.

Zoe Pappas sent me info about a fringe show that she is in, but upon searching the Fringe Website I couldn't find it. Zoe, if you want me to cover it, please send me a link so I can do so... thanks.

This story is about beauty.

I feel like throwing some darts. Anyone up for a game of Cricket?

Blimey! I almost forgot my Trivia for today!: "Farmers in England are required by law to provide their pigs with toys!" -- Note: there is no such law requiring yo to give your kids toys in England. So, in some regards having your parent refer to your room as a pig sty in the UK at least means that you have some material possessions, and that can't be all bad, right?

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

I've got your Top-10 right here, baby!

Well, the powers that be are asking for my list of top ten shows going into the Fringe. I've got to tell you, that I normally don't put together such a ranking, and yet this year the simplicity of this kind of list appeals to me greatly. So... I'll be doing just that. Are you ready? Here's my Top-10 shows (Pre-Fringe Sssstyle!)

1. Screwed to the Sticking Place -- Even if I weren't producing this show, I'd recommend it highly. Why? Let's just say that at rehearsal last night I was in tears from laughing so hard. The ladies in this show are amazing in every possible way. The scenes are touching, funny, sad, and important. The characters are timeless but are now more accessible than ever.

2. The Afterlife Project, or 'She's Just Sleeping' and Other Lies Your Mother Told You About Death -- There are two reasons for me to recommend this show... three really... 1). This show has the longest title of any show in the Fringe. 2). Danielle Siver is part of the cast, and she rocks my world every time I see her on stage or off. 3). Brian O'Neal is also acting in the project, and is by far one of my favorite actors to work with in town, I respect his craft and his artistry, and support anything he puts forth.

3. Bent -- Technically this show tied with Tape as the shortest title in the Fringe, but because it has a short-E sound, and the other show has a long-A sound, I deemed Bent to be shortest by the power of vowel. This show has been done a number of times in town, but not for a few years. It seems to be about time to see it again.

4. The Balcony Scene -- In The Basement Productions is one of my favorite companies in town. Their stuff is always solid, and the preview of this show that I saw earlier in the year made me believe that this will be a huge success. It's the beginning of a great season that ITBP has planned for 2006-2007 (Did I mention that said season includes a show directed by yours truly?)

5. The Musicker's Balalaika -- This is the very first show of this year's Fringe. It is the only one at 4 p.m. on Thursday... So... I guarantee that I will be in attendance, because no matter what I roll (with the exception of a 1, but more on that later), I will attend this show. I recommend you join me... Let's give them one helluva crowd for the first performance!

6. Dancing Rats and Vampire Moms -- Hardcover Theater and Nancy Donoval combine their efforts to bring you tales of Mothers. This is the Mother of all story telling shows (I'm sorry, bad joke). That mom in "Mama Gone" is one bad Mother--Shut Your Mouth!--Just talking 'bout Nancy's story...

7. Woman -- For the full and complete Fringe experience, you've not only got to take in the very first performance (Listed above at #5), you've got to take in the very last show (listed right here at #7). This is the only show at 9 p.m. on Sunday the 13th.

8. Best of the 24 Hour Plays -- Theatre Unbound makes me happy...generally. When it comes down to it, they are on the cutting edge of feminist theatre. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, it empowers females without bashing those of us in the male universe. Anyway... I've written for the 24-hour play festival in the past (once in the modern era, and three times in the time before that)...In fact, it was through these festivals that I first met Matthew Foster (Fringe Web Master) and Matthew Everett (Fellow Blogger). And how I co-wrote a play with each of them.

9. The Depth of the Ocean -- This is the show that takes place in a pool. It is also Matthew Everett's top choice. I'll be writing one more article on this show before it opens, so I'll save the rest of my comments for that one.

10. Johan Santana's Perfect Game -- Did I mention that I love baseball? Football, too, but baseball is a wonderful thing. I once read that the quickest way to get a grown man to cry is to get them thinking about baseball and their dad. I don't know it that's true, but I know that some of my fave memories of growing up were attending Rangers games with my dad, and some of my fave memories as a dad have been taking my daughter to see Twins and Saints games.

So there you go... 10 shows that I recommend seeing. I also recommend seeing a bunch of others. My advice: seek out the ones that aren't getting as much buzz. If you come across the name and think "I've never heard of that one," then go to it... be the first person to post a review on it. Be the person who finds that hidden gem in the Fringe Festival. That's what this this is really about.