You can find part 1 here.
Our next show was one of our most anticipated shows. As extreme Die Hard fans who live in Montana, we have never had the chance to catch Theatre Unleashed’s annual Christmas present, and were overjoyed by the prospect of getting to see it at this year’s Fringe.
TITLE OF SHOW: A Very Die Hard Christmas
VENUE: Studio/Stage
REVIEW: We came to this show with high hopes and standards, and were relieved that once again, Theatre Unleashed did not disappoint. Parody shows will either uplift or alienate fans of the original, and we are proud to say that this show is a definite hit. From the amazing rewrites of holiday songs to the long list of puns included in the show, the action kept us mesmerized for the entire 90 minutes, which flew by like Christmas morning. We especially liked the use of the Snowman for Patrolman Powell, and the creative casting methods used by this company that defy logic but which always work. The only person who seemed typecast was Jim Martyka as Hans Gruber, and anyone who has dealt with him knows I mean this in the best possible way. We just couldn’t think of anyone else in the Company (except maybe Greg Crafts) that could get away with being such a horrible villain. Kudos to the amazing ensemble cast for always rising to the top of the fringe.
RECOMMENDATION: Definitely get off your keister and catch one of the two remaining performances on June 21 at 7:30 p.m. or June 23 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are running out, so grab them here.
TITLE OF SHOW: Sex and the Musical
VENUE: Three Clubs
REVIEW: We come to our last show of the weekend, another of our most anticipated shows, and Laura Wiley once again delivers a hit. We are almost as big a fan of Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha as we are of McClane, and to see this amazing prequel was like a drink of water in a vast desert. Her cast of Sherry Berg (last year’s Buffy) as Carrie Bradshaw, Emily Craig as Miranda Hobbes, Amanda Hootman as Charlotte York and Alli Miller as Samantha Jones was truly inspired. I mean, in all of Fringe, who is better equipped to play Samantha than Miller? The original songs were well written and ably performed by this talented cast, who were supported in their roles by Aaron Matijasic as Stanford Blatch, Reagan Osborne as Allen Prince, Cory Robinson as Mr. Big and Nicholas Rubando as the waiter and Carrie’s editor. This is definitely a contender for Best Musical of HFF18.
RECOMMENDATION: Don’t miss your chance to see one of the best shows at Fringe. Catch them on either June 19 or 21 at 11:30 p.m., but be advised, they will sell out. Grab your tickets today by clicking here.
We’ll be seeing three shows tonight and then taking tomorrow off for the LA Music Critic Awards Winners Showcase. Details in tomorrow’s reviews.