So...I now know that the show I'm producing has 5 lovely slots at the Xperimental Theatre in the University of Minnesota's Rarig Center. I'm excited about the space. One of the best things about this upcoming year's Fringe is that there are 4 venues in one building. That means that people don't even have to leave the premisis to see more theatre. Concentrated locations mean concentrated audience masses...Yay! Multiple venue sites have always seemed better to me. MCTC has provided us with two stages right next to each other for the last few years, the old Phoenix Playhouse did so once upon a time, too. But we've never had 4 in one place before! That's sweet!
The other thing that happened within the last couple of days that relates to what is happening in my Fringe world, is that we held auditions for the Fringe Show. Now, it is important to point out that my company (Commedia Beauregard) used to solely be run by me. However, that is no longer the case. There are advantages and disadvantages to this new arrangement. I no longer rule with an iron fist like a despot kingpin from some small third-world nation. And yet, I no longer suffer all the stress of doing everything myself. In fact, this year, I'm giving over almost all control of my Fringe show to Sasha Walloch. She's directing it, and she's leading the creation of a new work based on Shakespeare's women. Should be really cool. Especially given the ladies who auditioned last night. We had a lot of very talented actresses show up. I'm quite pleased. I'm hoping Sasha is, too, since she'll be the one working with them. I'll be busy in Spain during the rehearsal process.
More on casting and such as we get closer to the whole Fringe thing.
Incidentally, I'll be doing the same thing this year that I did last year. I'm following the development of 6 Fringe shows from there humble beginnings (right around now) to their opening performance (according to them...Given the dice rolls, there's no guarantee that I'll get to see it). This is my way of exerting some control over the plays I write about. I'll be starting up with that routine in a couple of days, so tune back in then.
Until then, let's do something crazy...dare I say, something Random?
There is a National Emergency Number Association. After some thought, I now assume that this is an association of 911 operators or something like that. However, when I first heard the name of the group, I immediately thought, "Who needs this group?" I pictured some guy sitting at a table pulling his hair out over his taxes. He's sweating up a stress-filled storm when he leaps from his chair, grabs the phone, dials, and shouts something like "I need a FOUR goddammit! A FOUR! For the love of God, this is an emergency! Give me a number 4!" I'm currently designing lights for "The Women" at In The Basement Productions. They've also just made me a member of their company. I so badly want to make a smart alec comment about how foolish that was of them, but really I can't bring myself to it, because it was sheer genius! Hey Check this out:
Trivia time! Thanks to the folks at Hooked on Facts = "The average horse jockey earns only $9 per race!" -- This is good news for actors: There is someone out there getting paid worse than you! My throat is really dry. I should probably get something to drink. In honor of the Christian holiday that just passed, I would like to mention that as a child I held all airline workers under suspicion because, as I understood it, Pilots were responsible for the death of Jesus. A nickel. One more picture...For no good reason: 
