Sunday was another amazing day of fringing. Not only did I get to see five great shows, but also did my fourth performance of my solo show, surrounded by the love of a bunch of my fringeships, including my muse and best friend, Kimleigh Smith. It was an amazing time I will never forget. Here is part 1 of my reviews for Sunday.
TITLE OF SHOW: Extraordinary
VENUE: Asylum Studio C
REVIEW: Chambers Stevens is one of the best playwrights to come out of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Since he first came to my attention with his Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts several years back, he has continued to perfect his craft, and Extraordinary is truly the cream of the crop. Ashley McQueston is sheer perfection and makes us believe this fictional story is her own. She is a truly gifted actress who has a bright future ahead, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. I cannot give enough praise for her performance, the remarkable script she had to work with or the brilliant work of her young director, Jae Head. This one is truly a “must see.”
RECOMMENDATION: Definitely check out this amazing show. She has one remaining performance on June 28 at 6 p.m. Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.
TITLE OF SHOW: Orangutan
VENUE: The Broadwater (Black Box)
REVIEW: My dear friend and Fringe veteran Ben Moroski practically begged me to see this show, and I am so glad I was able to squeeze it in. Beginning with the amazing script by Troy Deutsch, the brilliant diretion of Tinks Lovelace and the Tony-worthy performance by Kristina Mueller, this show should win the Top of the Fringe award hands down. It is truly thrilling to be totally engaged in a show from start to finish, and this show takes you on a roller coaster ride worthy of an amusement park. Don’t miss this imaginative and highly entertaining show.
RECOMMENDATION: Definitely check out this amazing show. There are two remaining performances on June 27 at 9:30 p.m. and June 30 at noon. Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.
TITLE OF SHOW: Paper Trails
VENUE: Asylum Studio C
REVIEW: I have done administrative work all of my life, so this play intrigued me from the start. The fact that they could present three complete plays in only 30 minutes was a major coup, and all three stories were truly relatable. Hats off to Off the Page Productions, which has presented these three amazing stories: Dear Diary, starring Helen Burak (writer/co-director and Dana) and Audra Leffingwell (young Dana); Egucchi, written by Isabelle Moreau and starring Amanda Noriko Newman (Isabelle); and Snow, written by CJ Hoke and starring Timothy Dvorak (Glenn) and Christine Weatherup (Lacey).
RECOMMENDATION: Their final performance on June 29 at 9:30 p.m. is sold out, but definitely try to get on the waiting list.