Day 2 -- The Beginning

Something about the way the Fringe works with the calendar in general makes me frustrated. The world somehow pulls a bait and switch on me each year. I set aside the time to only do Fringe, and nothing else. I do this far in advance. My plans are clear. I make them clear to others. And somehow, I end up with other things that steal me away from my 10 solid days of theatre.

Tonight is one of those nights. I'll be seeing a show at 5:30 and then at 7 p.m. But, then I'll be on my way to other obligations. There is a little bit of guilt, but not much. When it comes down to it, my conflict involves eating food that I don't have to pay for. I enjoy eating. Seems to be an essential part of life.

So... On to the theatre!

________________

A few random things before we move on:

• Something is out there.
• Although I enjoy the Bedlam, I sort of miss the days when Fringe central moved from pub to pub on a nightly basis. What was it called back then? Oh yeah! Nightcaps. Fringe Nightcaps. Miss those. Still, love the Bedlam. Not a knock against them.
• "Man is ready to die for an idea, provided that idea is not quite clear to him." -- Paul Eldridge
• A bit of trivia from Hooked on Facts: "Leonardo da Vinci invented scissors." -- I suppose this is really one of his greatest accomplishments. Take a moment to think about how often we use them on a regular basis. I can't think of anything else he invented that I use nearly daily. I suppose skydivers everywhere would claim that the parachute was a more important invention, as it prolongs their lives each time they use it. But, then... docotrs use scissors in surgery everyday, so that probably trumps just about everything else, no? I don't know. What I do know is that I'm happier about the invention of the scissors than about some stupid code that was named after the guy... APPLE!
• 32 MB
• Yellow, Green, Yellow, Pink
  

Day 1 -- 10:00 p.m. time Slot

Show: 2 Sugars, Room for Cream

Company: Shanan Wexler & Carolyn Pool

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Xperimental ("X")

Die Roll: 7


I already wrote a little bit about this show in the preview article I wrote about comedies here.

I put it in my top five for a reason. This was a really good show. It's all vignettes about different women and the scenes all revolve around situations that involve coffee in some way. That doesn't mean that coffee is the topic of all of the sketches, but it means that there is coffee in at least one of the actresses hands at all times. Well... in a mug or cup in one of their hands.

Scenes range from a church basement during a funeral where sisters are drinking coffee and avoiding relatives, to a "coffee break" outside a corporate workplace, to a mother who vents to a stranger about how her infant child's head is too small (the stranger has a cup of coffee). The comedy is the type that comes out of the beautiful ironies of real life. It is the comedy that we all can identify with right away and laugh at ourselves as much as at the people on the stage. This type of comedy, when well done (and in this case it is), can be a unifying thing between audience and performers. What a treat!

Not everything was all laughter, though. One monologue by Carolyn Pool was especially moving. It's a story about the first time she tried Espresso and her relationship with her dad. I was in tears and I was noticing others in the audience daubing their faces dry, as well.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Coffee plays key role in comedy of real life experiences

RATING: d20 - "One of the Best"

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

Show: Burning Man & The Reverend Nuge

Company: Tommy Nugent

Venue: Gremlin Theatre

Die Roll: 19


Let me start by reiterating my stance on meaning-of-life plays. Basically, this is a type of play that all playwrights will try to tackle at some point. Often, it is the first one that they will write. That means that the overwhelming majority of plays that try to explain the meaning of life are written by college kids who've yet to really take the time to live before analyzing what it all means. I was one of those college kids. Each year at the Fringe there are a few shows that are the products of those college kids. I don't care for those shows. If you are 21 and you come up with some revelation about what it all means, please type it out, and then put it away for at least 10 years. Get it back out then and see if you still think it was the profound thought that it once seemed.

So... Here's the thing about this show. It is a meaning-of-life play. However, it is by a guy who has lived. And from the content of the show, it seems that his whole life has at some level been about searching for that meaning. Now that he's in his 40's he's able to look back and see what his life has been, and what were truly the profound moments thus far. So... essentially... if a person is goign to do a meaning-of-life play, he or she ought to be able to claim the same things as Tommy Nugent can.

Now, this is the tale of a man who grew up as a charismatic Christian, went on to preach, lost his faith, found other faiths, and eventually came to know himself through a mercurial life path that involved public speaking, writing, and attending the Burning Man Festival. I would really like to sit down at a bar and hear Tommy tell me these tales over a beer or three. In fact, I'd buy him a beer or two and feel that it was well worth the price of the beverages to hear about this fascinating man.

Sadly, the show is in a theatrical venue. It is not intimate enough to capture that same feeling. While I was very interested in what Nugent was saying, I found myself drifting from time to time. I never wondered to myself, "When is this going to be done?". But, I did find myself thinking, "What's he talking about now?" a few times.

My advice? Sit close to the front to capture the feel that he's talking directly to you. My issue with the show really does feel to me to be more a comment on the staging than the show itself. The other option would be to track Mr. Nugent down at Fringe Central and buy him a beer or two (or whatever else he might be drinking) and ask him about his life. That's the performance I would want to see.

The play has a great moral, if you want to call it that. And Tommy is a charismatic fella (not the same meaning of "charismatic" as earlier in the article). Grab one of his buttons on the way out, too. I find it somewhat reassuring, too, that by attending this show, I've now been promised that I won't burn in Hell. There's more to that, but you'll want to go to see what it means.

Ten Word Summary: Sharing the meaning of a life well and fully lived.

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

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

Show: Something Witchy

Company: Partizan Theater

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Thrust

Die Roll: 13


There are a lot of shows in this year's Fringe about murder. So, it seems appropriate that my first day should include one of them.

This is a play built around a few bits of actual history involving the "Family" of Charles Manson. Basically, one of the members of the family made her escape shortly after a trial that sent most of the others to jail. She has lived a life of normality for 15 years. Now a suburban housewife with a teen-aged daughter, she has avoided the past for a long time. That is, until a stranger who has far too much info about her old life shows up at the door.

The play deals with some heavy matters. It moves well, and is acted well. There are some rough spots, but they are smoothed over quite quickly. I think this happens because of the period of time allotted to a show in the Fringe. I think this play took on story that would have been better served with an additional half-hour to 45 minutes. That being said, Catherine Johnson Justice puts in a nice turn as the former hippy/cult-member. Chris Carlson carries the show on his shoulders. I am always impressed by his character work. The show is worth seeing for that alone. And Lindsey Alexandra Hartley is more than believable as a young teen.

The story could've been a little stronger. One of my main questions that I pose toward a play is "What is at stake?". Other than for the Catherine's character, Rachel, I'm not sure I could find an answer to that question for most of the play. Carlson's character had a clear stake in the action that appeared at the very end, but prior to that... not sure. There were also some leaps that I didn't follow. Perhaps another conversation between the mother and daughter. Perhaps a reveal of what the daughter may know about her mother's past. Perhaps a build toward the knowledge that Rachel enjoyed being a part of the killings that happened many years ago. I don't know if those were part of the play, or not. I don't know if they should be added, or not. I do know that there were points when the plot had gaps that would've solidified the play as a work.

What is present is an interesting "what if" type tale that makes for a mostly engaging hour of theatre.

Ten Word Summary: Former cult member faces her past and forces her future.

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

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

Show: Comedy Go!

Company: Ferrari McSpeedy Theatrical Productions

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Thrust Stage

Die Roll: 14


A few years ago now, I was introduced to Ferrari McSpeedy through their show Punk Rock Awesome!, the last show of their "Punk Rock Trilogy". It still remains one of the best shows I've seen at the Fringe ever.

So, starting the Fringe with a show by this comedic duo was exciting.

Long-form improv can be hit-and-miss, and this show was that. However, there were far more hits than misses. I enjoyed the fact that they basically stuck to the Harold format. It was a well done and well executed improv set. They played to the truth and reached the comedy. The callbacks were always appropriate and sometimes brilliant.

That being said, I liked their scripted work better. I've also preferred their imrov work better at other times. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps they've set the bar really high for themselves trhough their past work. Or, more likely, as I learned back when I was doing the Theatre Manager thing at the Brave New Workshop (many, many years ago), not every Harold is brilliant. Not every set is comedy gold.

This show was Comedy Silver. It was wonderful on so many levels. As a student and fan of improvisational theatre, it was fascinating and impressive to me. Two guys thinking quickly, performing whatever comes into their heads, and doingit in a way that shows that they trust each other implicitly... great! Just with fewer laughs than one might normally expect.

Now, the bid "however": When improv is really done well, the comedy develops naturally, and that means that sometimes the scenes can be touching, or serious, or whatever, rather than funny, when they head that way. And that's part of the beauty of it. Playing to the truth and the height of their intelligence is something that these two do well.

I would go see another performance of this show in an instant. It will be a different show each time. So, this one wasn't the barrel of laughs that it could've been. It was enjoyable. It was an accomplishment. It was worth the money that most people in the audience paid to see it. And there's a good chance that the next performance clicks that little bit better that will make "Comedy Go!" into comedy gold.

Ten Word Summary: Fotis and Bozic do Harold. Truth, beauty, and laughs result.

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

Day 1: The Beginning

Welcome to the first day of the 2009 rendition of the Minnesota Fringe Festival! Now the reviews start. And for those who like the randomness that has come to be a signature of this column over the years, that starts today, too.

First up, a point or two about the way this all works. I write this column in a certain way to accomplish a certain task. This is a place where you can't really guarantee anything about which shows I'll be seeing. Normally, the bloggers and the press cover very similar plays. Why? Well, they are the ones that get the most pre-Fringe word of mouth, whether that be because of past performances, or a particularly well-written description.

So... Many years ago, I came up with a completely random way of determining what shows I was going to attend. Short and sweet: I make charts for every hour of the Fringe. On those charts each show is assigned a number. Then I roll a d20 (a 20-sided die, for those of you who have never played a tabletop role-playing game) and go to a show according to that. If I roll a "1", then I don't go to a show in that time slot. If I role a "20" I go to a show of my choice. Otherwise, on a role of "2" through "19" I attend whatever piece of theatre has been randomly chosen for me.

It's a pretty effective method, really. What normally happens is I see a few of the hit shows, a few of the mediocre shows, and a smattering of the really bad shows. My Fringe tends to average out as "pretty-good" and some shows that wouldn't otherwise get any press coverage get an article on their work. Normally, at the end of the two weeks, I'm pleased.

So... my charts are done. My dice are with me. And I'm ready to roll for the first shows of the year. I hope you'll come along with me for the random ride.

_________________

Now for the randomness:

• The fifth line down on page 56 of the book closest to me reads: "No para volverse loco esto que me esta pasando!"
• I just realized I have no idea how to make an accent mark or an upside-down exclamation point in this blogging program.
• 5'3" tall.
• A bit of trivia from Hooked on Facts: "A cubic mile of ordinary fog contains less than a gallon of water." -- I don't have a lot to say about that, other than "Fascinating"!
• The person in the next room provided me with the the following word to spur my writing: "Gibberish". I'm not sure if that is a comment on my writing, or what, but... there it is... So... Gibberish. I love the fact that a word that essentially means a bunch of made-up garbled words sounds like it is one in and of itself. Wow! I really don't have much to say about that at all. I see an unfortunate trend in my writing today.
• My daughter is now 10 years old.
• Squirrel!

Fringe Preview 2009: The Musicals

There really is nothing more American than American Musical Theater. Now, fans of football, baseball, grandma, and apple pie may take issue with that statement, but... Looking at the world of theatre, the musical genre as we have come to know it has been something of a mainstay for the last century. New American Musicals are put out every year on Broadway with huge budgets, big stars, and familiar plots taken directly from popular movies. Once upon a time, musicals developed on the stage first and became hits on their own merit.

This is my list of five shows that I believe will stand on their own worth and be worthy of using up a five-show punch card on at this year's Fringe Festival:

1. Alice Unwrapped - Nautilus Music-Theater - Two things put this show at the top of my list. First, Nautilus makes good theatre. Period. Second, Jill Anna Ponasik possesses the singing voice I most like to listen to (as opposed to the one that I most like to sing with, which is my own... closely followed by Kermit the Frog's). Anyway... Jill Anna has a rich, expressive voice that you can close your eyes and float on as if it were a cloud. Oh yeah, and one of my favorite people in the world is the music director on this show. Michael Pearce Donley is a great musician whose works I've always admired. I guess that makes three things.

2. Spermalot: The Musical - The Change Co-Operative - Spoofs! Puppets! Songs! Talking bodily fluids! For the sake of all that is good and twisted in this world, you shouldn't miss this bit of epic low-brow humor. If one show could encapsulate the outright craziness that makes the Fringe something unique in the theatre world, this show might be it.

3. The Traveling Musicians - 3 Sticks - This company has a great history at the Fringe. This play grew out of their contribution to the 2009 Five-Fifths of the Fringe evening back in May. A few years ago a major hit, Corleone, grew out of a Five-Fifths segment, so one might say the bar has been set. I believe these guys will raise that bar. One of the only shows whose trailer made me actually want to see the show itself!

4. Love Me Or Die! - Savage Umbrella - Blake Bolan and Laura Leffler-McCabe create good theatre away from the Fringe. After seeing the Fringe-For-All preview of this piece, I have to believe that they do so in the Fringe as well. The sensibilities of this piece say "fringe" all over it. The onstage accomaniment to the songs and the wry sense of humor that permeates the piece makes for a musical that dares to be more subtle and rewarding than many of the more campy offerings in this genre.

5. Two Short Operas: Mr. Berman's Bath-Size Bar and There's a Mastadon in My Back Yard - The Dead Composers Society - I love Stephen Houtz's music. In all fairness, I should point out that he is my voice instructor (I've neglected my need for lessons for far too long... Sorry, Stephen!), and that he wrote the songs for a show I wrote and directed. Now... one can assume that I asked him to write those songs because I like his musical tastes and stylings. That would be spot on. The Dead Composers Society is new to me, but after their Fringe-For-All preview earlier this summer, I'm glad that they chose to perform the works of a living composer. Enjoyable, funny, and well-executed stuff.

A few years ago a trend started at the Minnesota Fringe Festival. Musicals started to pop up with titles such as "Google: The Musical", "Jaws: The Musical", and last year there was "Musical: The Musical". The trend continues, despite the fact that I figured that the last of the aforementioned productions would've been the clincher.

There are no less than 6 shows that append their title with the words "the musical" in this year's festival. Plus there's one that declares itself "A Splashy New Musical!" as part of its title. Personally, I find myself wary of plays that tag themselves with the type of play they are in the title. This really only happens with musicals, and not normally with the best ones. I've never seen something like "Agnes of God: The Drama!" or "The Odd Couple: The Comedy!" Perhaps we should do that, however. It would be a handy way to know if what you're seeing fits with your mood and inclinations. Anyone want to see "The Importance of Being Earnest: The Drivel" at the Guthrie with me in September?

Fringe Preview 2009: Dance

Now... way back when Leah Cooper originally tapped a bunch of us to be the "League of Extraordinary Fringers", she got John Munger to write about all things dance in the Fringe. I cannot compete with Sir John's expertise in the field, so I defer to him when he tells me that this is the busiest time of the year for dance in the Twin Cities.

That being said, I don't see a lot of dance during the regular year unless it is at my daughter's dance studio. That means that I really appreciate being able to take in shows featuring the movement arts (when my dice allow) at the Minnesota Fringe Festival.

Here are the top five shows I would see if I had a five-show punch card dedicated to dance:

1. Stray Pieces - Moving Arts Ensemble - A few of the cast of this show appeared in last year's Conundrum Rehabbed. I loved that show. I also really liked the Fringe-For-All preview of one of the selections from Kari Jensen, the woman at the helm of Moving Arts Ensemble. This is a varied selection of styles and subjects. A great sampling of what's out there in Twin Cities dance.

2. Holding Patterns - Monica Rodero & Daniel Schuchart - While Joseph Bingham produced the dance show I most enjoyed over-all last year, these two put together the best individual piece that I saw last year (it was accompanied by the sounds of masking tape coming off the roll!). They are innovative and clever dancers who can alter your perception of dance.

3. Thrower of Light - Cathy Wright - I know nothing about this group of dancers outside of the fact that I really enjoyed the segment they did at the Fringe-For-All this year. A pirate dance! There was a sense of wild abandon that caught me and didn't let go. Beautiful!

4. My Body Made Me Do This - Third Rabbit Dance Ensemble - Did I mention before that John Munger is the grand poobah of dance as far as the Fringe is concerned? I did? Well, know this, too... The shows he produces for the Fringe are terrific, so he not only can write about the stuff, but he backs it up with action!

5. The Return of LICK! - LICK! - You know, this show almost made my top five comedy shows, but I wanted to point out that not all dance has to be a serious and high-fallutin' kind of thing. In fact, most of the folks on this list capture whimsy and humor in their dancing, as well as ethereal beauty. LICK! will not provide any of the ballerina-esque grace of the others, but they'll make up for it with their "Sexiness". I missed LICK! the first time they did a Fringe show back in 2005. If my fate weren't tied to random chance, I would make sure this was one of my top-priority shows.

I honestly don't think there is a bad dance show in the Fringe. At least at this point. My opinion may change once I see them (obviously). Dance is something that is by default at the true "fringe" of the theatre world. The two arts are directly related and yet there often isn't a whole lot of overlap in audience or participants. Fringe audiences ought to take advantage of the offerings and expand their horizons.

Fringe Preview 2009: The Dramas

For many people, the Fringe Festival is all about the comedies. They go to see the newest Scrimshaw show. They go to see spoofs with the words "the musical!" tagged on the end of the title. They basically wand to enjoy a bit of the lighter side for a few days.

I am not holding anything against those people in any way, shape, or form. The need to laugh is valid, especially this year. However, the beauty of this thing called Fringe is that there is so much more than just comedies. For those who are looking for something more challenging, today I'm going to tackle the dramas. With apologies to vegans everywhere (Hi, Mom & Dad!), here are five meatiest dramas into which I would want to sink my teeth, if the buffet were limited to a single plate (read: Five-Show Punch Card).

1. The William Williams Effect - Balance Theatre Project - Great story, great cast. The story of the last man to receive the death penalty in Minnesota. The crime. The punishment. Heavy topic done by one of the most solid casts I've seen in the Fringe across the board.

2. Harold Pinter's The Dumb Waiter - Paul von Stoetzel - As you may have guessed one line up, one of the main things I use to judge a drama's potential is the cast. When it comes down to it, you don't want to watch something serious acted badly. Erik Hoover and Ariel Pinkerton are sure to deliver in this show.

3. Phi Alpha Gamma - Dan Bernitt - I am not one to usually go see a show twice at the Fringe Festival, although there are some exceptions. This is one of them. I saw it last year. Dan does a masterful turn in this one man show about a gay brother in a not-too-welcoming fraternity.

4. Curse of the Yig - Tim Uren - This play strays a bit from the traditional drama, as it is also a genre piece, specifically "horror". Perhaps "suspense" would be better, perhaps. Tim has proven over the years that he is a genius when bringing Lovecraftian tales to life on the stage.

5. Strong - The New Theatre Group - Director Brian Balcom has a history of teaming with great local playwrights and terrific acting talent. This year is no different in a set of two plays by Dominic Orlando.

There aren't as many dramas in the Minnesota Fringe Festival as there are comedies. However, sprinkling one or two in for a respite from all the hilarity is a wise choice. Reward those who take the risk of putting up solid theatre with your attendance, please.

Fringe Preview 2009: The Comedies

There are a lot of things that people take into account when deciding which shows to see at the Fringe. Does it have some one I know in it? Is there a lot of buzz going around about this show? Does it have mimes or clowns? Granted, my method of choosing shows to attend is relatively novel (if you ignore the fact that I've been writing about it since 2004), but I don't expect most people to jump on the random die-roll train. What I will attempt for you in the next few entries here are quick lists of FIVE shows that you will want to see in a specific genre. Like to laugh? Great! That's today's topic: comedies. Tomorrow we'll talk dramas. Also between now and Thursday (the first day of the Minnesota Fringe Festival), I'll cover dance, spoken word, and solo shows. Once the festival is open, though, you can count on me to review randomly determined shows just as I have for the last few years. Check back to see which shows get the coveted "d20" rating. So... Here's the situation. You're trying to save money this year. You don't want to cough up the big bucks for a Fringe Festival Ultra-Pass. A 5-show punch card is more on your level this year. And... you like to laugh. A lot. Here are the five shows I would take in if I could only see five comedic shows at the 2009 Fringe:

1. Every Pastie Has a Story -- Nancy Donoval -- Nancy is a perennial hit with her story-telling at the Fringe. And this year she's venturing into risque territory... stripper-style nipple covers!
2. June of Arc -- Sandbox Theatre -- From the bit I saw of this play at last week's Fringe-For-All preview, there is a lot one can do with a spoof of "Leave it to Beaver" even after all these years.
3. The Harty Boys in the Case of the Limping Platypus -- Joshua English Scrimshaw & Levi Weinhagen -- As long as we're on the topic of spoofs of things from the 50's and early 60's, let's look at the Hardy Boys mysteries in the hands of two remarkably talented funny men. Both of these guys have been making me laugh for years, and I don't anticipate that stopping this year.
4. 2 Sugars, Room for Cream -- Shanan Wexler and Carolyn Pool Productions -- Two mainstays of quality theatre here in the Twin Cities take the stage together. Comedy fans will remember Wexler's stint at the Brave New Workshop and from a Fringe show two years ago with Joshua English Scrimshaw. Topline comedy endorsement right there. Carolyn has some of the best timing and sharpest delivery skills of any actress I've seen in the state.
5. Jurassic Dork -- John Skelley -- This is the risk/reward pick of my list. One gets the idea that this is going to be hilarious from the video clip of it from the first Fringe-For-All preview a couple of weeks back. However, there's a chance that a one-man version of the entire film Jurassic Park may just crash and burn. Thing is, there's a good chance that if it implodes, that'll be funny, too.

There are a few other shows that should com into your consideration as well. A couple of safe bets are the shows by Ferrari McSpeedy and Joseph Scrimshaw. Both are Fringe Festival and comedy legends... well, "legends" might be overstating it, but their shows are remarkably well regarded amongst the locals.

I'd also like to mention Ben San Del. When I left the Fringe Festival's official unofficial blogging team in 2007 for another gig (singin' and dancin'), they replaced me with Sir Ben. Why? He's funny. People like to read funny things. And his stage shows are funny, too. More like stand-up than a play, per se, but still very worth your bucks if laughing is what is important to you.

Watch for more in this space. But, more importantly, watch for exclusive entries over at Secrets of the City. That's the big news for today. I'll be reviewing for them this year. While my long-winded musings will stay right here, you'll be able to read short takes on Fringe shows there from yours truly. And what is published there won't be published anywhere else after today.

--
No randomness today: Patience!

Fringe video trailers

There is a new trend in theatrical promotion. It's the use of the Theatrical Trailer. Not unlike a movie trailer, it tries to suck you in and make you want to see the shows that are being put on the stage. For the 2009 Fringe Festival there are all sorts of these pieces of visual media out there on the internet. One might wonder if this phenomenon would really be effective and catch on without some prompting from an outside body. Well, wonder no more!

The Fringey Awards website provides a clearing house for 2009 Minnesota Fringe Festival entries to offer up their renditions of theatrical trailers. AND, it gives you a chance to vote for your favorite. Someone will be dubbed the best! Yay!

Here's my qualms: I don't believe that many of these groups would've made these videos without the advent of this website. Ooh! There's a place for people to do web videos about their Fringe shows. Huh? Maybe we should make one! Yeah... let's do that. Got an idea for one? No. Let's do it anyway!

I spent a for longer amount of time than I would care to admit watching the trailers this morning. And I've come away less excited for this year's Fringe than I ever have before. Normally, I'm reading descriptions, hearing buzz, talking to the artists, and doing all that teases my dramatic taste buds enough that I want more. These tidbits of cinema had the opposite effect. In fact, there were some shows that I had initially wanted to see that I no longer have any desire to take in, entirely based on the fact that the video turned me off or bored me.

perhaps you should go look at them yourself and see what you think.

Getting the Ball Rolling

Now that the Minnesota Fringe Festival website is live, I can start putting together my charts. I have already sent out some notes to a few producers to get a feel for who would be willing to be covered in my pre-Fringe articles.

While my methods of show selection do not allow for me to choose which shows I see, and therefore keep me from making choices of what to write about, I do have a bit more control prior to the festival. Normally I contact about 6-8 companies and follow their pre-Fringe progress. This year will be no different. I plan to follow the events leading up to the Fringe Festival both through the preview performances sponsored by the Festival itself, and by covering a few companies in a feature story or two.

It is my hope that doing this will shed some light on how companies, actors, directors, and all the rest get ready for the most intense two weeks of theatre in the calendar year.

At It Again -- Like Riding a Bike

Back in 2004 the Minnesota Fringe Festival had a group of us start writing columns (blogs, if you will) for their website. The varied groups of people who participated in this were performers, producers, fans, and critics. The idea was to promote the Fringe and give varied views of how the whole thing worked from the inside out.

My column, as you probably know, was called "Fringe By Numbers". The whole idea was that I'd attend randomly determined plays by using charts and dice to plan out my daily schedule. It was well received and I gained a following of regular readers.

Then 2007 rolled around. I was offered a role in a musical out of town. I took a one-year hiatus from the task of blogging the Fringe (although, I did write a few "secret" guest-blogger columns as part of Kate Hoff's column that year). When I was ready to return to the job in 2008, I was met with a bit of a surprise. The Fringe Festival was getting out of the business of hosting the League of Extraordinary Fringers, as we'd come to be known. Many of my compatriots had their columns transferred over to TC Daily Planet where they continued to write. My column was picked up by the City Pages (one of the perennial Festival sponsors).

This year, whether due to the City Pages no longer publishing the annual Fringe guide, or some other reason, I am not writing for them. Nevertheless, I am going to be covering the Fringe Festival in all its glory. I am working diligently to find a host for this column with one of the major press outlets. I'll know shortly where we'll be calling home. In the meantime, I'll be here at the old hitchin' post doing my warm-up calisthenics. Keep checking back.

The Minnesota Fringe Festival website went live today, and that means there's all sorts of stuff coming your way. You do not want to miss out on all the buzz, all the excitement, and all the wild randomosity that will follow.