Day 9 -- The Beginning

As you've probably noticed, there wasn't a single entry for Day 8 of the 2009 Fringe Festival. Sorry about that. I had rehearsal for GTC Dramatic Dialogues with whom I tour to college campuses each year with shows about Diversity, Drugs/Alcohol & Sex/Date-Rape. It's just about the college orientation time of year, so we had to rehearse the shows. Ergo... no Fringing on that night.

You may have also noticed that I've seen fewer shows over the last few days than one might expect. All I can say is that life as a single dad is not always the most conducive to scheduling for the Fringe. Especially as my daughter gets older and has more activities in the evening. I can't even tell you how much I'm dreading this next school year's activities. One night of peace each week! I never thought I'd say this, but I'm looking forward to her learning to drive. Only 6 years until her license!

So... A full docket tonight! It's a Friday and I'm stayin' up late watching plays! AND the shows start one slot earlier than normal tonight. 4:00 p.m. shows. I'm looking forward to 5 shows in one evening.

Can you handle all that theatre action? I know I can't wait.

________________________
Something random this way comes:

• Paper Clip!
• Trivia from Hooked on Facts: "Wearing yellow makes you look bigger on screen. Green makes you look smaller" -- This is especially true if you are wearing Green against a Chroma Key screen. Then it's likely that not only would you appear smaller, but that you'd be partly invisible.
• I have a vast knowledge of things that no one cares about. For this reason, I often find it difficult to find interesting things to say in this portion of my column.
• The panther is looking to its right.
• Bromine's atomic number is 35
• Left-left-left-right-left
• Nothing can be done that can't be done.
• Say what?

Day 7 -- 10 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Full Frontal: A Tale of Love and Lobotomies

Company: Zanzibar Productions

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Proscenium

Die Roll: 5


This show was an intriguing mix of historical comment and quirky romance. It was also inconsistent throughout. The acting had high points (Dan Linden, Jennifer Allton, and Lauren Wills), and low points (I won't name names). The rest of the cast was competent.

The same can be said about the script. Some scenes were good. Others terrible. The rest... somewhere in the middle there.

One brilliant moment: a spontaneous song sung by a surgeon driven to try new procedures for fun. Sadly, it's the only song in the show.

Really, I think the biggest flaw with this show was the directing. Certain things that ought to have been clever (an self-aware reference to the earlier song & the ending) were treated badly & staged ineffectively. Really, the whole show was a mess staging-wise. Many of the scene changes could have been avoided by reconfiguring how the blocking was handled.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Psychiatrist with new toy damages brains of characters in love.

Rating: d8 - "Not Bad, Not Great"

Day 7 -- 8:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: June of Arc

Company: Sandbox Theater

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Xperimental

Die Roll: 5


I'd never seen a Sandbox show prior to this one. I've been familiar with their work, and their reputation, though. They are a creative force to be reckoned with. And they've proved it once again with June of Arc.

The play revolves around the story of June Cleaver, played by Heather Stone. June is recalling the better days of her life. The ones prior to Wally and the Beav. While she never outright says it, you can see that her life, so often seen as an example of blissful correct living in the 50's, was miserable, though somewhat fulfilling at times. Stone's characterization of June is complex, funny, sorrowful, and beautiful.

Clever staging of 1950's commercials at regular intervals throughout the show are very possibly the best part of the presentation. While Stone's acting is superb, the descent into madness and memory is interrupted with strategically placed bits of relief: an advertisement for shaving cream that explains how the stuff works, one for Dove soap, another for Folgers Coffee. All the commercials are ones that were really on the air back in the first days of Television, and the presentation of them here made me believe that you could do a show of nothing but these gems, and it would do fine, too.

All in all, this was the crispest show I've seen this year. It clipped along and was an enriching experience.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: June makes cookies while remembering better days. Fang Bang! Jello!

Rating: d20 - "One of the Best"

Day 6 -- 5:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Concord, Virginia: A Southern Town in Stories

Company: Peter Neofotis

Venue: Gremlin Theater

Die Roll: 9


A few years ago now... let's say between 12 and 15... I used to work at a public radio station in Iowa. One of the programs that we ran on the weekends was called "Selected Shorts". It is a program upon which Broadway actors read short stories. This show reminded me of that radio program.

Why? Well, this wasn't a play. It was an author reciting two of his short stories. There are a lot of differences between plays and fiction in their delivery. For that matter, there are a lot of differences between how a storyteller tells a tale and how an author reads his own work. In this case, it was clear from the beginning that the man on stage was not a storyteller, nor really an actor. I imagine he has probably acted before, but really he's a short story writer.

The stories were quite good. The story entitled "The Botanist" was about the trial of a college-aged lad for the crime of "Forced Sodomy". It was funny and suspenseful. It was good courtroom drama.

The second tale, entitled "The Vultures" was a stronger story, in my opinion. And this one added blocking... a long climb down the risers next to the audience. Why? I don't know. It added nothing to the tale. It was merely a source of confusion for many of us who discussed the why-the-Hell-did-he-do-that factor of the choice. Anyway... this was essentially a love story. One that was about love for a deceased spouse. It also has a bit of Hitchcock feel to it, as well as Poe. Nice.

Side thing: The Fringe circuit seems like a brilliant way for small publishers to manage a book tour. Make no mistake... that's what is going on here. Peter Neofotis is selling his book from which these stories come. And what is brilliant is that people are paying him to attend his reading. Some of them are probably buying the book. And his lodging, as an out of towner, is likely being donated by one of the Fringe's volunteer hosts. Do that in a few cities, and you've got yourself a low budget, but effective book tour.

Despite the fact that this was not really a play, I really enjoyed this performance. "Selected Shorts" was one of my favorite features on Public Radio when I worked there. This had that feel. I could close my eyes at times and feel like I had a Broadway actor reading to me. Bliss.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Author tells tales of Southern eccentricities from his new book.

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lot of Fun"

Day 5 -- 8:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Thrower of Light

Company: Cathy Wright

Venue: Ritz Theatre

Die Roll: 10


You may have just read in the time slot before this one that I unexpectedly had my 10 year-old daughter with me for this evening. And, as such, she was going to be attending somethings that might have seemed a little risque for her. Sunday was the day for her choices. Monday the dice were back in control. Well... They were kind at the 7 p.m. show, so 8:30 should work out fine, too, right?

Well... Not exactly. Before I get into the meat and potatoes of this review, I would like to say that even though this show said is was appropriate for 11 year-olds in its description, as a parent, I would be hard pressed to take a kid under 14 to this. Why? Well... sexual content. Pretty graphically represented. I don't know what point of reference Ms. Wright had for dubbing pieces like "Phallousy" and "Wombman" as age appropriate for 11 year-olds. Granted, had my daughter not been with me, I would've seen both pieces as challenging works that pushed boundaries and made me think. Instead, I cringed as I tried to figure out how to explain to my 'tween girl what she had just seen.

All right... now... if my progeny had not been along for the ride, and this hadn't claimed that it would basically be okay for her, this is what the review for this show would look like:

This is a show that is made up of a smattering of Cathy Wright's sizable portfolio of dance pieces. She has quite an impressive collection here, too. Most of it is of a modern dance bent, and is somewhat abstract. The fact that much of the accompaniment for the pieces is ambient noise and hisses and pops and the like, can be a bit harsh at times (sustained piercing notes cause inner ear pain).

For me, the first five pieces of the concert weren't my cup of tea. Or even my can of Jolt soda. Although they did reflect the latter's energy level. I did, however, really appreciate the last two pieces. "Old Man" was moving and quite interesting. And the "Irish Pirate Madness" that was featured a few weeks ago at the Fringe-For-All was still brilliant. It was this piece, however, that I blame for my gut feeling about this show. Because I saw this frantic, happy, and entertaining dance as a representation of what this company did, I expected a show more along that line. Instead, I felt that the majority of this show was a bait-and-switch. The style was not similar to this piece in any of the others, and the tone was far from being alike.

So... The dancing was proficient, and at times quite beautiful. But, with other offerings out there in the modern genre that are exceptional, I would look to them, if you are wanting a dance fix.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Wasn't expecting what happened here. What's that screeching? Ears bleeding.

Rating: d8 - "Not Bad, Not Great"

Day 5 -- 7:00 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Stray Pieces

Company: Kari Jensen & Moving Arts Ensemble

Venue: Ritz Theater

Die Roll: 16


I had my daughter along again on Monday night, but she didn't get to choose the shows. She had her day. Now, if she was going to be with me, she had to risk seeing something that might be a little too grown-up for her. Luckily this show was perfect for a single dad to take his daughter to on short notice.

This was a selection of dance pieces that were staged by a varied group of choreographers. There were primarily three groups of dancers that made up the company for this show. First, the ballet company which was comprised of some of the best I've seen in town. The second group was a duo who did a mix of Hip-Hop and Jazz (with some belly-dancing moves thrown in for good measure) on one piece, and then tapped on a couple of other pieces. And finally, there was a pair who did some comedic turns at ballroom dancing.

My favorite parts of the show were the on pointe ballet numbers. One entitled Karabushka featured some Russian folk dance influences. My other fave was a longer piece made up of six movements. The whole selection was entitled "Episodes" and the dancers performed either solos or duets that played out emotions such as "Lonely" or "Stubborn", as well as "Loving" and "Dominating" (two dances that had an ironic amount of similarity in their feel).

One thing that bummed me out about this show was tha tI didn't get to see shannon Corbett dance her selections. She is really good. BUT the trade off was that I got to witness a much larger dose of Kari Jensen, and she is also quite good. All in all, this was a dance show that had beauty, humor, grace, and precision. It did a remarkably good job of capturing the feelings of the music in the movements of the dancers.

There were some inconsistencies from dance to dance, as the ballet dancers were clearly in a league above the others experience-wise. But, everything was fun to watch.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Ballet, Tap, Ballroom, and other styles capture magic in movement.

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

Day 4 -- 7 p.m. Time Slot

Show: The Sleuth Sisters

Company: Harmony Theatre

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Thrust

Die Roll: None (my daughter chose this show)


This Fringe has been strong for children's shows featuring children. The kids in this show were precocious, and quite well coached. I've never heard of this group before, but it seems to be built partly out of kids of immigrant parents, specifically from former Soviet republics.

It is clear that there is some strong community support behind this production, and one of the most refreshing moments of the show is the inclusion of "Commercials" for local companies that sponsored the production. The Commercials fit right in because the structure of this play assumes that it is an early 1950's radio show about two sisters who solve crimes: sort of a pre-teen female Hardy Boys duo.

The script is built around a mystery of a set of sisters who are kidnapped. And the staging is built around Foley-style sound effects. One door frame migrates from place to place to indicate entrances and exits, and to provide the obligatory sound effects of doors opening and closing, locks being fiddled with and the like.

I enjoyed this show for what it was. If you're looking for edgy or top of the line professional production qualities, then this isn't the show for you. However, if you want to see something unlike the other shows in the Fringe, and you'd like a brief glimpse into what the youngsters are doing to get ready to perform for us tomorrow, you should stop by the Thrust to see this one.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Pre-teen kids stage a radio mystery with live sound effects.

Rating: d10 - "Worth Going To"

Day 4 -- 5:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: The Comedy Hypnosis Show

Company: Katie Knutson

Venue: The Playwrights Center

Die Roll: None (My daughter selected this show)


As you may know, hypnotists are a staple of high school graduation celebrations and college activities councils it's fun to see a person do something silly and then have no recollection of it. When hypnosis actually works, it can be very entertaining for the audience all by itself. When it is performed by someone who has a good show put together around it, it is even more fun.

Katie Knutson builds an entertaining hour around hypnotizing a group of about 12 people in front of their peers. And for the most part the willing subjects are led through activities that are harmless and amusing. Now, I say "for the most part" not with regards to the potential for harm statement, but with regard to the concept of being led.

I think the difficulty for a performer doing this sort of show for an audience packed full of attention seeking theatre folk, is that some of those same theatre folk will do anything to get on stage, including pretending to be hypnotized.

I honestly don't know hoe many of the people on stage were in a state of trance. But I do know that a couple of them weren't and that frustrated me as an audience member. What Katie was doing was entertaining. She's clearly good at what she's doing.

I must admit I was surprised at the success she has with this show. I didn't doubt her ability to entertain. She is an able storyteller and a good performer. Going in, what I wondered was how effective a hypnotist could be who has a higer pitched, slightly nasal voice. The answer was that she can be quite effective. I enjoyed seeing how people behave while driving their "dream cars". And how the memory can be confused by odd directions. And how you can be led to think things like you have no belly button. I laughed a lot.

I really wish the couple of folks who went on stage to mug at the audience and goof around hadn't gone up there. But... all in all, even with those people, Katie put forth an effort that was well worth seeing.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Hypnosis leads to disco dancing and searching for one's navel.

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

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

Show: The Pizpor Show

Company: The Pizpor Show

Venue: Gremlin Theatre

Die Roll: None (My daughter chose this show)


I've noted over the years that my daughter has a fascination with magic. Not the little girl likes fairies kind of fascination, but an honest to goodness interest in prestidigitation. It's been a while since we made the trip to the magic store, but I'm sure that seeing this show with her stirred the passion again. I'm hoping she wants a rope trick. What she told me in the car afterward was "I want to learn to make balloon animals".

Anyway... The Pizpor show is a magic show that points out just how important the patter is between the tricks. In fact, this show is almost entirely patter. There are a handful of tricks done through out, and always under the conceit that the magician is piss poor (note: sound out the show's name). He isn't bad at all. His tricks are varied and fun. And in the face of hecklers (there were active hecklers at this performance) he holds his own with self-depricating humor.

I really enjoyed this show, as did my daughter. It was a low-key show that totally worked with the senario put forth as its premise. We were watching a street performance by a somewhat charismatic (though not too much) guy who wanted to be the best street performance we saw that evening... if only it weren't for that saxophonist we kept hearing nearby and the mime around the block!

The audience participation was fun. I even got invovled a couple of times, albeit not on purpose!

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Endearing street magician is just trying to catch a break, Bob!

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

Secrets of the City - 1st Weekend Wrap-Up

Here's the latest of my articles posted in "Secrets of the City": http://www.secretsofthecity.com/talk/posts/fringe-first-weekend-wrap

They tend to be on a one-day delay. I think they'll catch up soon, though.

Day 4 -- 2:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: In Another's Size

Company: SteppingStone Theater

Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre

Die Roll: None (My daughter chose this show)


I have certain self-imposed restrictions that I put in place when I review educational theatre productions. I don't review performances of individual youths who are developing their skills as actors. It doesn't behoove a child to get ripped up one side and down another. It doesn't help them get better. Basically, I'll wait until a kid is either 1) acting in a professional company, and therefore not in an educational setting, or 2) said kid is a shining example of what is good about educational theatre. In the second instance I am not pointing out, nor criticizing, the skills of said kid, but merely pointing out that the activity in which they are partaking and the behavior they are exhibiting are of quality and are desirable.

I point this out because SteppingStone Theatre is a leader among the many educational theatres in the Twin Cities. The play that they put forth here is another example of the terrific work they do.

In Another's Size is a show that tells the story of a bunch of kids who all get swapped into each other's bodies and learn from the experience to be more tolerant of each others' differences. It is narrated by a "Lunch Lady" played by professional comedic actor Brian Kelly (of Triple Espresso and The Temp fame, among other things).

The kids in this show wrote it with the assistance of Joe Scrimshaw, some guy who has some sort of credentials in comedy and Fringe-stuffs.

The kids in this show, all the way around, performed at a high level. They projected. They cheated out correctly. They communicated with each other. They captured the characters that they originally portrayed, and (even better) they captured the characters who later inhabited their bodies.

My daughter thought this show was the best of the five shows we saw on this particular day, and I would have to agree with her. The plot wasn't amazingly complex, but it had enough turns in there to make it rewarding and something better than the After-School-Special type fare that this show could've become. It was funny, endearing, teased a little, but didn't even come close to being inappropriate for children.

All the kids were quite talented and I really enjoyed the multiple characterizations that Kelly pulled off.

My one complaint... and this is actually about society in general, it just happens to be reflected in this piece a lot. Apparently at some point the origin of using the phrase "This Sucks" and its derivatives has been lost on the current generation of youth. I, for one, do not let my daughter say that around the house. I find it rude to have her implying anything about fellatio when she doesn't even know what that is yet. I would find it rude even if she did know. I find it unacceptable that the phrase "You Suck" has replaced "You stink" in our collective vocabularies. If this show is actually for ages 6 and up, perhaps having an insult that suggests that the target engages in lewd oral sex ought not to be in it. But... like I said. Really, it's a complaint about how our language has lost its meaning and something originally meant to be offensive had essentially lost its meaning through common use.

Otherwise... Congrats, all! Great show.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: High Schoolers swap bodies and become their friends and enemies.

Rating: d20 - "One of the Best"

Secrets of the City - Day Two Wrap-up

Here's the link to the second of my exclusive articles for Secrets of the City

Day 4 -- 1 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Made Up: Confessions of a Counter Girl

Company: La Coeur Da Vie Theatre

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Arena

Die Roll: None (This show was my daughter's choice)


First, while this show is listed as something for Ages 10+, I would have to disagree. Yes, there isn't anything in it that is inappropriate for youngsters. However, to truly identify with the show, you ought to be at least 16. That is, you need to have had your first experience with having had a retail job.

While my 10 year-old daughter didn't really grasp much of this show, I enjoyed it. Having dealt with customers and been on the behind-the-counter side of life, I appreciated much of what this show was about. And the characters that Jennifer J. Phillips put forth were a lot of fun. Distinct and well-formed.

It did seem that for the first few minutes the transitions between characters weren't as crisp as they ought to have been, but once Phillips settled in things clicked wonderfully. I loved her main character and wanted her to succeed, but I also completely understood when she didn't. All of the forces around her conspired to create an inhospitable world that is so familiar, so frightening.

Two characters stuck out for me. I especially enjoyed the teen goth girl who after seeking make-up advice ran to her mother accusing the sales lady of insulting her. I also enjoyed the rich lady who kept calling in and changing her appointment. Wonderful.

Another little high point: free lipstick candy at the door! Yay!

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Putting your face on can reveal so much about characters.

Rating: d10 - "Worth Going To"

Day 3 -- 8:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Voyages

Company: New Plymouth Players

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Arena

Die Roll: 7

As far as musicals in the Fringe go, this one surprised me with some of its accomplishments. First, there was a live orchestra. Granted, it was a small one, but the four-piece combo made up of a keyboard, cello, oboe, and percussion made for a wonderful musical experience that most other shows can't provide because they use canned accompaniment.

Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised that I could hear everyone well. Projection is a universal shortcoming for Fringe actors. I have no idea why, but it seems that over the last decade someone stopped teaching actors to speak loudly. Projection was not a problem at all with this show. I heard the singers loud and clear over the orchestra, and I understood the dialogue.

Now, the script wasn't the greatest thing on Earth, but it wasn't as full of holes as some of the other things I've seen this past weekend. The basic jist goes something like this: All-Powerful Shepherd-like-God-figure decides that for some arbitrary reason that the world's first man and woman must decide at this moment to become mortal or remain immortal. In order to help them with their decision, he provides a few stories for them to watch and become involved in. He also tells them of the advantages of being mortal and the disadvantages, as well. From the script, I gather that the main advantage is that you get to have sex, the main disadvantage is that you have to die. So... it's a slightly different take on that whole sex=death conundrum.

Granted, the stories show that being mortal allows for the inclusion of beauty and love in one's life, but they don't really resonate as the best arguments. Nor do the behavior of Man and Woman. In fact, I had a hard time believing that Man would change his mind. There was no build to convince me that he had decided that being mortal was truly what he wanted after he'd spent the entire play declaring that he'd rather be immortal like the moon, despite it meaning that he'd be lonely and unchangeable. He'd already displayed himself as unchangeable attitude-wise, so it seemed natural.

This was a high-quality community theatre production. Now, as a professional actor and director, you might think that I use the term "Community Theatre" to mean a level below professional. Sometimes that may be true, but not in this case. This captures what community theatres ought to be doing. It clearly provided many people with a great theatrical experience. AND it provided them with support and training that elevated them to a new level of performance quality. Were I an amateur thespian, I would be proud to be involved in a show like this one. It is full of energy. It is well-rehearsed. It has a feeling of artistic vision realized.

Are there places where it falls short? Sure. But, as I've seen throughout the last six years of writing about the Fringe, almost all shows have that. I was entertained for an hour, and I enjoyed this show.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Moons or Bananas? Odd choice to have to make. Choose!

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lotta Fun"

Day 4 -- The Beginning

Technically, I'm writing this out of order. I still have reviews to write from Day 3. BUT... I have to go pick up my daughter in a minute. Once every year I take my daughter around with me to Fringe shows. On this day I throw out the dice-rolling method of show selection, and we go see the children's shows.

Today is that day. This year my little one is 10 years old. She's part of the Hannah Montana set, and not as big on the fairy tales as she used to be. That means that while we may take in something that is for really little kids today, it will only be because there isn't always a good selection of shows for kids in every slot.

However, I should point out that this year there are kids shows in every slot, on the weekend days. That's a first since the "Kids Fringe" venue was done away with many years ago. Kudos to the Fringe festival on better program planning. Kids shows offered when kids are available to see them! Yay!

______________________

Sorry, no randomness today. I've gotta go get a kid.

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

Show: Holding Patterns

Company: Monica Rodero & Dan Schuchart

Venue: Southern Theater

Die Roll: 6


This is another duo dance company. And they have a great chemistry and sense of play that makes their dancing something behold.

I do have to confess that I liked last year's offering better than I did this year's from this same pairing. Partly this is because I didn't connect with the pieces as much this year. Partly because the chemistry of the two was altered to include a third dancer this year. And partly because the best part of the show wasn't a dance at all.

The best part of the show was a section in which Monica and Dan had a silent conversation via cue cards. It was a conversation split in two. Essentially it was akin to two people breaking the fourth wall with their inner thoughts and their outer declarations, but without ever saying a word. Sadly, all of that was accomplished without any movement other than dropping cards on the floor (one card cleverly noted that they were "making a mess"). Does that mean that the dancing wasn't any good when it is trumped by a comedy routine on card stock? Not at all.

The dances in this show are going to have me thinking for a long time. Partly because they were more abstract in their presentation than other pieces I've recently seen. Sometimes a dance doesn't have to have meaning. Yet, from what I watched, I'm sure that these pieces did have intended meaning. I just haven't figured it all out yet.

I like when a piece of art stays with you for days afterward, and this one will. Once I figure it out, then I'll know better what I thought of the dance parts of the show.

In the meantime, I'll ask you to challenge yourself to the same task. Go see this... we'll hash it out together.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Dancers find their true calling as silent comedians... and dancers.

Rating: d12 - "Heckuva Lotta Fun"

Day 3 -- 5:30 Time Slot

Dinner Time! No review for this time slot. I gathered with friends and ate food. These are the things that sustain life.

Day 3 -- 4 p.m. Time Slot

Show: You/Provoke/Me

Company: Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Proscenium

Die Roll: 15


In business there is an axiom that you can get things fast, cheap, and good... but you can only ever get two out of the three at any given time on any given project. With this show I propose a similar axiom with regards to dance: Inspiration, execution, and communication. Choose two out of the three. For any given piece in this concert by "one of Chicago's premier dance companies", one of those three was sacrificed for the other two. Sadly, it was often execution.

Another axiom... this time from NFL commercials a few years back: Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

I came to this show with high hopes. Two reasons... this day of the Fringe was becoming my day of dance, and there was a huge line outside for it. Clearly, people wanted to see this group.

After seeing casebolt and smith immediately prior to this show, I was ready for another terrific dance show. Sadly I was let down.

More often than not, this show sacrificed execution in order to put up pieces that were inspired and communicated with the audience. Now... one can certainly argue that as art, it is accomplishing the most important things that art tried to do and be. However, I offer up the NFL quote again.

This show actually made me angry. Why? I expect professional dancers to be able to tell where the Hell the downbeat is in a measure of music. C'mon! If the choreography is to clap on beat one, then do it. At the most basic level of dance classes and music theory you learn to count rhythm. Eventually, if you can't, then someone should sit you down and say "Honey... I know you love to dance, but maybe this isn't the career for you."

All too often parts of the dances that were clearly choreographed to be in unison and yet they were so sloppy that when one of the pieces ("Hearts on Fire") had sections in which one dancer was supposed to be at odds with the other three who were supposed to be doing the same thing, it was hard to tell that that was what was going on.

The first, third, and fifth pieces of the concert were consistent in one thing... their inconsistency. And the problem is this. They were all very interesting and innovative pieces. They were fun. They connected. And yet, they all appeared to be under-rehearsed. What's worse, the piece called "Sextet" was internally inconsistent. Some moments were clearly what had been worked on far more than the others.

Dancer Elizabeth Bergman put forth a piece that was executed wonderfully. In fact, I'm not sure anything was sacrificed in "Watch Me Harder"... although I might argue that the communication aspect was lacking for a bit. One dancer who I've now known for a couple of years spoke of one of her students as being technically proficient, but lacking soul. I would say that Bergman didn't lack soul here, but from time to time the soul of what she was doing was pushed back and away from the technical accomplishments of the dance. Yet, most of the time, her body was communicating and executing with inspiration.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Inspired at times. Sloppy at times. Often the same times.

RATING: d10 - "Worth Going To"

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

Show: casebolt and smith: Speaking Out

Company: casebolt and smith

Venue: Southern Theater

Die Roll: 16


First, a thought totally unrelated to the show, merely how I got there. I walked. I walked from the Rarig Center to the Southern. And it was a beautiful walk. I know a lot of people latch onto the Rarig pretty hard because of how much you can see without ever leaving the building, but I just wanted to remind folks that you can easily make it from the Rarig hub'o'Fringe to a number of other venues by foot in the allotted time between shows: Mixed Blood, the Playwrights Center, The Southern, The Nomad, and Bedlam's Parking Lot are all a hop, skip, and a jump away. No cars needed.

Onto the show... This duo comes from California. They've got a good pedigree according to their program bios, and I had heard good things about them in the lobby. Apparently they'd had a good out-of-towner preview (which I missed).

So... this was a show of four pieces (although it felt like five or six). When we entered the space, the dancers were already on the stage going through what I migth guess were warm-ups. However, it looked like a dance had already started. One that was clearly not in the program, however. Because these were warm-ups, I won't review them, other than to say that it was interesting to encounter dance already in progress as you come into the theatre. It creates a more casual atmosphere around the whole event. Sort of a "Hey! Thanks for stoppin' in. Why don't you chill for a while?" kind of feel.

This show marked the premier of one piece... "Two Minute Duet to Open the Show". What a creative title! Well danced, but it didn't leave any impressions on me at all. Other than that these two could move well together and in actual unison (more on that shortly...the next time slot, actually).

The second piece is the one that seemed like two pieces... I think. The duo went through actions accompanied by recordings of ambient noises. They then repeated them throughout a humorous conversation that represented their meeting eah other for the first time and getting to know each other. I must admit that the first half made no sense to me whatsoever, and it was refreshing and reassuring that I recognized the moves on the second go-'round. And, there was both a sense of the piece's brilliance and a ego-driven sense of accomplishment on my part for the rest of the piece. I like art that makes me feel smart, even if it had to make me feel dumb first to accomplish the feat.

The third piece was another set to their own speech and seemed to be a spoof of the way dancers work in creating a piece. What a wonderfully playful work! I can't really describe it without ruining it for those who've yet to see it, so I'll just suggest that you see it. Let me say, though, that one of the best things ever is to see a woman teaching her dance partner the proper way to grab boobs as a dance move!

The final piece was another piece that emphasized the duo's ability to move together wonderfullly. It starts out at a table with little green plastic army men all over it. Individual movements eventually combine and the efforts of two separate entities merge into once cohesive unit. It was beautiful.

These two are well worth the time to venture over to the Southern, even by foot.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Duo brings comedy and dance together seamlessly. Army men, what?

Rating: d20 - "One of the Best"

Day 3 -- 1:00 p.m. Time Slot

Show: WORD

Company: Dante' Pirtle

Venue: UofM Rarig Center Proscenium

Die Roll: 11


Before I launch into this review, I want you to see the official description about this show: "An urban musical about the end of hip-hop. A musical satire starting at hip-hop culture's beginning in 1984 and ending up in the present."

First, this play did not in any way start in 1984. I was ten when the movie Breakin' came out, and I'm guessing that it is the benchmark being used as the start of the "culture." The only things that hearkened back to those days were the two songs played prior to the show ("White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash and Mel Melle - 1983, and "Rapture" by Blondie - 1980).

The show itself does start with a bit of break dancing. Some of the dancers were really good. Some of them were...well... there's no reason to be too negative yet. Although, that's coming...

This is a musical purportedly about the death of Hip-Hop, a society in a dystopian situation wherein it is a crime to play the music from the streets, a world in which there is only one place to hear Hip-Hop and that's on the radio station WORD in Illinois. I got all that from the director's notes in the program.

What I got out of what happened on stage: There's no Hip-Hop in this Hip-Hop musical. None. The music is something that would be happy to reside in any children's musical. The songs were safe in their structure, and for the most part completely unmemorable. No hookline was stuck in my head as I left the theatre.

What else I got out of what happened on stage: There was no plot. What was the conflict in this play? Two people who are somehow inexplicably roommates don't like each other. One of them, who supposedly doesn't talk much, won't shut up. A song about love is sung for no good reason. Some breakdancing happens between a couple in the one song that approaches rap (sort of). And a bit of manufactured epiphany occurs because of the ghost of the main character's mom.

Does that all confuse you? Good. If not, could you come explain it to me?

I have no idea what the point of this play was. I certainly don't think it had anything to do with the explanations mentioned heretofore.

The program notes suggest that this play is the response to the question, "When will hip-hop finally be onstage?" The real answer from this play... "What is this hip-hop of which you speak?" I guess we'll have to wait for a while to see it "finally on stage". That being said... I'm pretty sure I've seen hip-hop on stage in past Fringe Festivals. Sorry that these guys missed it.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Parental Warning: Hip-Hop Musical Contains No Hip-Hop. No Plot, Either

Rating: d4 - "Not Worth the Time"

Day 3 -- The Beginning

It's Saturday at the MN Fringe Festival. That means there are many more shows than on the other days. I'll be seeing seven. I think. There's a good chance I'll actually see six. Something about needing to eat in the midst thereof.

I've not seen anything at the Southern this year, nor the Playwrights Center. Both of those statements will be false by the end of today.

Now... I explained recently the whole concept of rolling dice and how I do the Fringe generally. You may have noticed that I rate things by dice, too. I thought I'd re-explain that system of scoring for your pleasure and information: there are six types of dice that are standard in tabletop Role Playing Games (RPGs). They are the four-sided, the six-sided, the eight-sided, the ten-sided, the twelve-sided, and the twenty-sided. They are abbreviated as d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20, respectively. I use them to rank the plays I see. So... d4 is the lowest ranking and d20 is the highest. I normally post a key phrase that describes what each ranking means at the time that I give them.

Eventually (read: in a day or two), I'll have a web page that has a comprehensive list of all my rankings of all the shows that you can access. There's just no time until the first weekend of the Fringe is done, though.

____________________

Who wants a heaping helping of random?

• I just mailed a DVD of one of my shows to the guy who invented the Klingon language!
• Brown thread.
• When a person comes over to my house who is allergic to cats, I put one of them away behind closed doors. The other one tends to shy away from strangers, so I leave her out. today, she was not her normal self and tried to get to the lady with allergies adamantly.
• Trivia time!: "Whale oil was used in automobile transmissions as late as 1973." - It was actually the event of my birth that stopped this practice. Since that time, smashed bananas have replaced whale oil. The last two statements were completely untrue. I have no idea what replaced whale oil in transmission fluid, only that the fluid hasn't tasted quite as good ever since.
• I got three books back last night that I had lent to a friend a few years ago. I'd forgotten that the books existed. It was like a surprise gift from said friend. Best part? She gave me this gift on her birthday!
• 593,200
  

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

Show: Oops!

Compay: Warsh Iut Productions

Venue: Minneapolis Theater Garage

Die Roll: 19


The sign of a really good show is that I leave having taken almost no notes. Luckily, this play's program was completely blank, so I was able to put all my thoughts down during the show.

At its advertised essence this show was supposed to be about the resulting situation of a gay white man and a straight black woman having accidentally conceived a child together. This does happen in the show, so... I guess that the advertisement was honored, in truth.

Where this play breaks down is that once you read the show description, your own mind leaps to all the possibilities. I mean, this is a show with all sorts of potential to address all sorts of things, to get into deep and serious topics and to play around with misconceptions and stereotypes for the sake of satire and comedy. It is a situation rife with potential.

The play I saw was not successful at tackling any of those imagined situations. Nor did it really try to do so. A few things became clear to me:

1. This was staged by someone who thought cheating out to the audience halfway through each line was good acting. This is the style of acting, if you want to call it that, that pervades junior high and high schools all over the USA. It saddens me, because I've seen both of these actors do better before. It's as if the director told them to say the set-up and then face the audience for the punchlines.

2. I'm going out on a limb and guessing that the playwright has never had a child. Probably a safe bet. I'm also going to go out on a limb that no one his is close to (with the exception of his parents) has had a child. The situations in this play were ones that seemed stereotypical at best, and wholly wrong at worst.

3. This play had to have been thought up when someone was drunk. Oddly enough how the conception of the child occurs in this play.

4. There was so much extraneous movement in this play that it became a show about who got to pick up a bench next, and where was it going to go.

5. even given its lack of meritorious content, the play would've improved by leaps and bounds if someone had just gotten the two actors to appear to talk directly to each other. For them to establish a relationship of some sort.

There was one high point that was a monologue performed by Jasmine Rush showing the kaleidoscope of emotions that a pregnant woman can go through all truncated down to about a minute and a half with shifts controlled by "The Clapper".

I guess I would just look at the title for reference on this one. Generally, if it has to do with theatre, and the word "Oops!" is in the name. That should be a hint to avoid.

The woman sitting next to me at the show said, "Well, it could've been worse." That's the only thing that saves it from my lowest ranking.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Completely selfish dick impregnates best friend. Not funny. Potential unrealized.

RATING: d6 - "Has Some Merit"

Secrets of the City - Day One Wrap-up

One of my exclusive articles is now up at Secrets of the City! Check it out here...

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

Show: The Gayer Show

Company: The Adventures of Les Kurkendaal and Dan Bernitt

Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre

Die Roll: 11

These two solo artists have been seen in many Minnesota Fringe Festivals. They are both out-of-towners, who despite not living in Minnesota have come to be an important part of this community each summer. Dan is newer to the scene than Les, who has been doing the Fringe here for as long as I can remember. Somehow, though, I had never seen Les perform a Fringe show. I've talked to him at bars, interviewed him for my column or podcasts (I used to call them "Fringecasts"...witty, I know), but still had never seen him perform.

Dan, on the other hand, I've had the fortune to catch both of shows he previously brought to the Fringe. One, I didn't care for. The other, I liked a lot.

So... Although I knew what to expect when I saw this show (i.e. two guys with music stands tell stories of their lives), I didn't know what to expect from this show. What I discovered is that the back-and-forth storytelling was choppy and that Les stares forward and above the audience's heads the whole time he's talking. This is unfortunate. He's a very animated person normally and in person. On stage, I didn't want to watch. And that's somewhat sad, because I listened to the stories and they were well written. I just wanted someone to act a little bit with them.

Dan offered up his stories which had less meat to them on because his life circumstances made for less drama. However his style of writing, and more importantly his presentation, made him a more engaging performer.

Half the time I felt engaged and entertained. I found myself liking Dan Bernitt. The other half of the time I was wondering why I scared Les so much.

The show has a good message, and the stories are sure to make you laugh. Well, at least most people will laugh. I assume. I laughed.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Picture it. Discovery of homosexuality differs greatly for two guys.

RATING: d10 - "Worth Going To"

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.

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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.