Category: See it or Skip it

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 preview day 1 – see it or skip it

Last night was the first official day of previews for HFF19, and it started off with a bang.  It was so great seeing all three shows, and running into fringeships that included Michal Shaw Fisher, Alli Miller, Sara Haworth, Schoen Hodges, Rasika Mathur, Eric Blair, Thea Rivera, Tracey Paleo aka Giaonthemove, Monika Spirit Hawk and Amber Bruegel, among others.

TITLE OF SHOW:  The Duchess & the Stripper

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatres

REVIEW:  Based solely on this show, we have no doubt that HFF19 is going to be a fabulous festival and the perfect example of ten years of Fringe shows.  The premise of the show is that Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor had a late-night meeting with burlesque queen Blaze Starr at Starr’s club in Baltimore, Maryland in 1961.   The show is brilliantly written by David Bosley and directed by Fringe veteran and mentor (as well as a truly talented actor in his own right) Ezra Buzzington.  The cast was likewise perfectly set with AEA actress Blaire Chandler in the role of Wallis Simpson, Cherry Poppins queen Alli Miller as Blaze Starr and Krista Conti as Starr’s sister and assistant June Fleming.  The entire show was breathtaking, and kept us on the edge of our seat from start to finish.  It was the first time we have seen Miller in a straight drama, and she killed it, with nothing less than stellar performances by Chandler and Conti as well.  This one is definitely one of the best Fringe shows we have ever seen.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this show.  Remaining performances are June 9 at 1 p.m., June 15 at 5:30 p.m., June 21 at 10 p.m. and June 22 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on their Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Guilt

VENUE:  Second Stage (Cyanide Theatre)

REVIEW:  This show was composed of two short plays with a common theme.  First up was The Holy Name of Apostasy, written by Ryan Lisman and Benjamin Schwartz and directed by Lisman.  It was a two-hander that featured Varda Appleton as Mother Dawn and Brandon Courture as her student Dylan.  The story turned the #MeToo discussion on its ear with a bold interpretation of church abuse.  The second show was Man vs. Armadillo, written and directed by Schwartz.  It was likewise a two hander about the relationship between an adult son and his aging father.  But what set this one apart from so many other Fringe shows was the intriguing percussion that provided the soundtrack during the show and transitions.  It truly set the mood for the show, and added to the story in many ways.  Both halves were equally compelling, although we did think the second half was a little wordy.  Nevertheless, it was definitely worth the time.

RECOMMENDATION:  This show is worthy of your attention, just leave your religious prejudices at the door.  Remaining shows are June 14 at 8 p.m., June 16 at 2 p.m. and June 23 at 6 p.m.  Tickets are available on their Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Blackboxing

VENUE:  The Complex Hollywood (Dorie Theatre)

REVIEW:  Long-time Fringe veteran Matt Richey has mounted his best show ever, a show that would sweep the Tonys if it was on Broadway.  It told the story that every stage manager has probably experienced at one time or another, and allowed said Stage Manager to say and do things they’ve always dreamed of doing.  Jim Niedzialkowski is brilliant as the stage manager, while Richey aptly represented the selfish actor that thinks he’s ready for his one-man show.  I haven’t laughed that hard at a Fringe show in years, and it was the perfect culmination of a great day of Fringe previews.  If ever there was a sure-fire hit at Fringe, then this show is it.  The original music also added depth to the show, and provided some of the best highlights of the evening.

RECOMMENDATION:  This show is a can’t miss, and you simply must make it a priority for your Fringe schedule.  Remaining performances are June 14 at 8:30 p.m., June 16 at 2:30 p.m., June 22 at 4 p.m., June 27 at 10:30 p.m. and June 29 at 6:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on their Fringe project page.

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Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre

HFF19 previews 2 – see it or skip it

Last night was the final night of Office Hours for HFF19.  All five of  the May sessions were held at BLACK, with the finale at Thymele Arts.  Last night was also Fringe Runway, with participants showing off their amazing costumes, followed by a round of live band karoake with the Moon Units.  It was a very interesting evening and signaled today’s start of preview performances.  Before we head out tonight for our first three “official” Fringe previews, we wanted to tell you about another show that we saw back on June 1.  The show opened in May, but will run through Fringe so it is considered part of HFF19.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Roots:  An Evening of World Premiere Shorts

VENUE:  Theatre of NOTE

REVIEW:  This show gave me an excuse to return to where it all started for me in 2010 – the Theatre of NOTE.  I fell in love with this theater and its company then and have tried to see at least one show there every year.  I had run into one of the actresses, Channing Sargent, at Office Hours on May 22, and she talked me into attending.  I am so glad I did, as these four shows were so different yet similar, and each one featured a stellar cast, although they were all directed by Lee Hannah Conrads and stage managed by Aaron Saldaña and Zachary Burch.

The first show was Deadpan by Phinneas Kiyomura, and featured truly gifted actress Jennifer Flack in the role of Winchester, a bride-to-be who gets wasted on her wedding day because she is uncertain about her future.  She was supported by Sierra Marcks as her best friend Heckler, Dan Wingard as Koch, and Brad C. Light as her fiance, Colt.  Patricia Canale also made a cameo appearance  as the parent of Colt.  This one was hysterical from start to finish, with a surprise ending that kept it fresh.

Next up was Big Ones by Lisa Sanaye Dring, and featured Sargent as one of three characters dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake.  She was supported by Tony DeCarlo and David Guerra, and all three turned in a united effort that made this a true ensemble piece.

The third show was Rand! by Bill Robens, and was the most complex and dynamic, and eerily similar to an opera, with Canale leading the charge as Peter the Great.   This was the showpiece of the four shorts, and featured Cat Chengery in the title role, with dynamic support from Alysha Brady as Natasha, DeCarlo as Vlad/Keynes, Kelby Jo McClellan as Rhodia/Hopkins and Jaxy Boyd as Anna/FDR.  Tying it all together were Boyd, Brady, Flack, Light, McClellan and Wingard as the Suitcase People, a dynamic chorus that were stunning to hear. and also contributed some hilarious transitions between the stories.

The final story, The Smell of Something to Eat by Erik Patterson, featured Chengery and Marcks as a couple that hook up only to discover some interesting truths about each other afterwards.  We won’t betray those surprises, but assure you that you will be pleasantly shocked by them.

All in all, it was a wonderful show that had what we truly encapsulated what we call “the NOTE experience.”  The entire show is about 90 minutes long with no intermission.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this show.  Remaining shows are June 8 at 6 p.m., June 9, 15, 16 and 23 at 7 p.m. and June 22 at 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on their Fringe project page.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 previews – see it or skip it

The tenth annual Hollywood Fringe Festival is officially upon us with the first preview of #HFF19.  America got its first glimpse of the potential for this show when they appeared on America’s Got Talent and made it to the quarter-finals, but that was nothing compared to what is in store for attendees at their Fringe show.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Human Fountains

VENUE:  Let Live Theater at The Actor’s Company

REVIEW:  This show lifted physical theater to an entirely new level.  Now pared down to three performers (Benjamin Tillis, Sam Kaufman and Joel Lowinger), they wasted no time to wowing the audience with their “human interpretation of the Bellagio fountains in Vegas.”  The show was magical from start to finish, and told with amazing music and absolutely no words.  Each performer had his moment and the chemistry between the three was palpable.  It was quite obvious that they loved what they were doing, and their audience interaction and involvement weresome of the best we have ever seen at Fringe.  This show may very well turn out to be the surprise hit of the Festival.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this show.  There is one more preview on May 21 before it officially opens for Fringe.  Performances are scheduled for June 25 and 26 at 8:30 p.m., June 27 at 9 p.m., June 28 at 3:15 p.m. and June 29 at 12:45 p.m.  Don’t live your life with regret – make sure you see this show above all others.  Tickets are available on their Fringe project page.

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Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

Cherry Poppins and Celebration Theatre deliver a gem

We have been covering the Hollywood Fringe Festival every year since it was started in 2010, with the exception of 2015.  When we returned to the Fringe in 2016, we discovered Cherry Poppins Productions, an amazing troupe of dancers that were so much more than traditional burlesque.  Every one of them could sing, act, and dance, but they were also amazing people both on and off stage.  We quickly became not only fans of their inspiring and truly entertaining shows, but also friends with most of them, including their brilliant co-founders Alli Miller and Sarah Haworth, as well as their “other halves,” Michael Shaw Fisher and Schoen Hodges.  We had been good friends with Fisher since 2012, based on his brilliant work with Orgasmico Theatre Co (Doomsday Cabaret, Exorcistic, the Werewolves of Hollywood Boulevard).  When he joined forces in 2017 with Miller, Haworth and Hodges on the award-winning Shakeslesque:  To Thine own Cherry be True, we knew that this would turn into the greatest entertainment merger of all time.

During HFF18, we witnessed the mastery of a new rock musical from Fisher called Doctor Nympho vs. the Sex Zombies, which combined the amazing burlesque of the Cherries with the brilliant songwriting chops of Fisher.  It was our most anticipated show of the Festival, and we loved reviewing it.  Imagine our joy to arrive for HFF19 and find out that they were doing the show AGAIN before the festival at Celebration Theatre.  We simply knew that we had to see it again, and see what changes had been made to stage it in a bigger and more traditional space.

Celebration moved to The Lex a few years ago, and we had not had the chance to check out their new digs.  We love what they have done with the space, and felt it the perfect location for the return of Doctor Nympho.

For the most part, this new version included the same cast as last year’s Fringe show, with a few notable differences.  Madeline Heil replaced Rebecca Reaney as Dr. Shatz and brought an entirely new sexiness to the role that only a Ginger can.  Likewise, Natalie Masini took on the role of Fisher’s assistant, Stacy, in place of Shannon Glascow, and truly nailed it.  Everjohn Feliciano joined the cast to round out the Zombettes, and was the perfect addition to originals Haworth, Lauren Avon, Amber Bracken, Meredith Lim, Reagan Osborne and Cory Robinson.  Miller reprised her role as Dr. Nympho with Fisher as her husband, and Kim Dalton and Kristyn Evelyn as their children.  Jeff Sumner was outstanding in his return as Jerry, giving the audience a Tony-worthy performance, while Hodges as Adam, Sarah Wines as Eve, and Brin Hamblin as Virus rounded out the cast, providing some of the finest dancing seen on any LA stage.  In fact, Hamblin is one virus we wouldn’t mind catching.

Of course, none of the brilliant stage work would be possible without Fisher’s amazing book, music and lyric, Haworth’s direction  or Miller and Hamblin’s choreography.  Music Director Sandy Chao Wang and Vocal Director Michael Teoli also contributed heavily to the success of the show.

Let loose and enjoy a thrilling night at the theater with the Cherries and Orgasmico.  This one is worthy of multiple viewings, and never gets old.  Don’t miss your chance to see it again or for the first time.

The show runs through May 26, with performances on May 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. and May 12, 19 and 26 at 7 p.m. at Celebration Theatre (6760 Lexington Avenue).  Tickets are available through this link.  Come get infected.

You can also purchase the original cast recording of the soundtrack for only $10, and relive the music over and over again.

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Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre

The legend of Harry Potter lives on Nineteen Years Later

We never seem to get enough of the “boy who lived,” and the M&W Theater Group has crafted a masterpiece that will enthrall every Potter fan.  This is the third time this amazing work has been run since it began last year at HFF18, and the cast is perfectly suited to make the tradition continue.

Incredibly well-written by Kena Worthen (who also portrays Rose Granger-Weasley), Nineteen Years Later is an alternative (and more believable) sequel to the original, and is everything that “Cursed Child” is not.  If you’re like most Potter fans, you detest the stupidity of the “Cursed Child.”  Rest assured you now have a story that works, is much more plausible, and will keep you cheering as the legend lives on.

The only drawback is its length (nearly two and a half hours), but if you can survive Avengers: Endgame, then this one is a piece of cake.  We can promise you that you will be so engaged in this one that the time will fly by and you will never be bored.

The lighting design of Greg Crafts perfectly fits with the sound design of Graydon Schlichter, and the show is well controlled by stage manager Lizzy Hayes.

The cast was led by Frankie Zabilka (Albus Potter), Ryan Lefton (Scorpius Malfoy), Andrew Thomas (Harry Potter), Michael Lutheran (Ron Weasley), Kyle Maraglio (Draco Malfoy), Michelle Grey (Hermione Granger-Weasley) and Justin  Eliot Huff (Neville Longbottom), who brought their individual characters to life as if they’d been portraying them for their entire careers.  The villains were admirably portrayed by Erin Astin (Keres McGuffin) and Tianna Cohen (Cecilia Sinclaire), who almost made you love them as much as the good guys.  Zion Bell (James Potter) Malissa Marlow (Ginny Potter/McGonagall), Tiffany Bobbs (Stella Towie), Ayla Dumont (Lily Potter), Rob Hixon (Frank Longbottom), Bella Phillips (Julianne Rycroft), Jade Rosenberg (Kaylin Blackwell), and Rachel Strysik (Kendall Betcher) rounded out the magnificent cast.

Without giving away the story, suffice it to say that this one is truly worthy of the JK Rowling “Stamp of Approval,” and has great inside jokes to anyone who has seen all of the movies.  They even entertain us with a great game of trivia during the intermission.  This one is worthy of multiple viewings.  Unfortunately, the final performance is TODAY at 5:30 p.m., so grab your tickets before they sell out.  You can purchase a ticket here.

 

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF18 day 14 – see it or skip it

Just arrived back in Montana, and realized we hadn’t published reviews for the final day of Fringe.  We had a remarkable time this year, and can’t believe that we have to wait another year before we do it all over again.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Yarn

VENUE:  Broadwater Second Stage

REVIEW:  This show applied for our sponsored award, so I was expecting a play that included music.  Imagine my surprise to arrive and find out it was physical theatre with no words and limited to no music.  Not only that, but it was supposed to be 45 minutes long, and when it reached 55 minutes, we had to leave to attend another show.  It definitely had its moments of slapstick humor, but it seemed like they didn’t know when to quit, and it just went on and on and on.  Needless to say, we were not impressed.

RECOMMENDATION:  If we had known that this was not a play, we would have been better prepared, and probably enjoyed it more.  As it was, the audience seemed to love it, and The Broadwater gave it an extension.  It was not one of our favorites, but at least it has found its audience.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Maddy’s Musical

VENUE:  Three Clubs

REVIEW:  Three Clubs has been running a show called Mimosas and Musicals on Sunday afternoons during Fringe, but decided to change it up for the final day of Fringe.  They brought back their “MadLibs” game show from a couple of Fringes past, and called it “Maddy’s Musical.”  The concept was for the audience to pick a collection of 10 songs (solos, duets and group numbers) and then the cast would have five minutes to create a narrative that would tie those songs together.  The event was hosted by Le Phantom (Nick Rubando) with piano accompaniment and sidekick comedy by Cheedo.  The cast contained original members Kate Bowman, Lauren Byrd, Nathan Ondracek and Reagan Osborne and had guest stars of Alli Miller and Adam Lau.  Needless to say, it was pure chaos and magic, and the audience had a blast.  This is the stuff that Fringe legends are made of.

RECOMMENDATION:  If you ever get another chance to see these guys do what they do best – sing and improv, then you would be well advised to see it.

TITLE OF SHOW:  My Own Private River Phoenix

VENUE:  Asylum Studio C

REVIEW:  For our final show of HFF18, we decided to see another Jessica Lynn Johnson directed show.  This show was the perfect one to close out this year.  Ai Yoshihara was hilarious as she explained how she had fallen in love with River Phoenix when she was nine years old, but had to change her plans when he died at the age of 23.  She began her quest for her very own version of him, and with the support of her family, left Japan to seek him out in America.  She used her unique humor, as well as cute audio-visual clips and fun character impressions to deliver a compelling story.  We had a blast and so did the audience.

RECOMMENDATION:  We would love to tell you that you still have another chance to see this remarkable show, but alas, she did not win an encore.  Nevertheless, it was wonderful and we would gladly see it again.

We’ll be back tomorrow with our Best of HFF18 list, including our own award selections.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF18 day 13 – see it or skip it

As we wrap up our coverage of HFF18, we find ourselves slowing down and more fully savoring the beauty and talent of the available shows, and Saturday was a perfect example.  We had originally packed our schedule but ended up only seeing two of those shows, opting instead to check out a couple of additional shows that had a lot of buzz and for which we were personally sought out to attend.  It proved to be the perfect remedy for our last full day of fringing this year.

Because of the Cultural Event happening on Hollywood Boulevard, the street was closed between Highland and Western.  We decided to come around the north end, travelling down beautiful Laurel Canyon Boulevard and then south on Santa Monica.  It only added about 20 minutes to our trip, so we had time to stop at Eat This and enjoy their breakfast special with scrambled eggs, mixed with bacon and cheese.  So worth it.  From there it was over to The Lounge Theatre to start our day with a pair of Jessica Lynn Johnson solo shows.

TITLE OF SHOW:  SQUIRREL!!

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatre

REVIEW:  Soaring Solo and Johnson are becoming synonymous with quality Fringe shows, and this one was no exception.  Sarah Rose Reynolds is a force of nature, a comedic actress who can sing and does both with an unforgettable flair.  She wears her ADHD like a badge of honor, and gave us not only an incredibly funny and refreshing show, but revealed herself to be a wonderful human being as well.  It was also amazing how our two worlds intersected, as we discovered we had several friends in common, including The Groundlings’ Tracy Newman and indie music queen Abby Posner.  We even had the same taste in Fringe shows, as we met up later in the day for another amazing musical treasure at Three Clubs.  Reynolds earned herself an encore, and will be back next weekend.

RECOMMENDATION:  Reynolds only performed three shows during Fringe, two of them before we arrived in Los Angeles, so we were privileged to get to attend her closing show.  Thank goodness for you LA that you will have one more chance to see her next Saturday, June 30 at 5 p.m.  Get your tickets now because she is almost sold out, and you don’t want to miss this masterpiece of solo theater.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Wild at Hart:  A Tale of Trauma & Triumph

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatre

REVIEW:  This show was the 14th one we reviewed for our Larry Cornwall Award, and it was a true image of beauty.  Kamakshi Hart has a beautiful voice, whether chanting her mantra or singing out show tunes.  Her story, although full of pain and trauma, is told so beautifully that the audience can’t help but be uplifted by her unquenchable spirit and her ability to triumph over that tragedy.  Of all the #metoo stories at this year’s Fringe, hers is the most touching and powerful.  Johnson has once again left her mark upon an actor with this compelling tale of incest, rape, and abuse and the ultimate freedom obtained through dealing with that trauma and learning how to help others faced with similar pain.  Hart’s ability to bounce back and conquer her shame is an encouraging story and model for us to emulate.  We are so thankful that we had the opportunity to take that journey with her and to be able to apply it to our own personal battles.

RECOMMENDATION:  Like Reynolds’ show, this one was only performed three times.  We hope for your sakes that it is extended.  If it is, do whatever it takes to see this one.

We threw out our schedule for the rest of the day, and decided to check out a couple of shows that we had really wanted to see.  Rasika Mathur joined us, along with Johnson and Reynolds for our next show at Three Clubs, one of the best venues for Fringe.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Stages:  Girl Meets Boy, Boy Meets Boy, Girl Meets Drink

VENUE:  Three Clubs

REVIEW:  Emily Goglia is one of the most gifted voices and talents we have ever experienced in our eight years of doing Fringe.  You’ve probably seen her on NBC’s Grease Live! or if you’re a fan of a capella music, on The Sing-Off as the lead singer of Element.  At any rate, she is a voice that you will never forget, and we are privileged to get the chance to see her perform so intimately on the small stage of the Hollywood Fringe.  When she’s not singing in Los Angeles, she tours the world with the USO show, entertaining our troops.  Stages is a work of art and beauty, capturing the essence of the five stages of grief with a powerhouse performance that has literally taken Los Angeles by storm.  You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll drink plenty of alcohol, and anxiously await the chance to do it all again.  We’re just sad that we didn’t discover the amazing talent earlier, but now that we have, we will tell the world about her.

RECOMMENDATIONS:  Be on the lookout for the next chance to catch her, as this was her closing performance.  By any means necessary, don’t miss her next show.

TITLE OF SHOW:  The Parisian Dream

VENUE:  The Assistance League Playhouse

REVIEW:  The venue was one of the most beautiful we have ever seen, and perfect for this amazing show by Cabaret Versatile, who we had not experienced since 2012.  Director Lola Ohlala has assembled a remarkable troupe who truly understand and demonstrate the beautiful art of French cabaret, and took the audience on a sweet journey to Paris.  The dancing by troupe members Natalie J. Davis, Ohlala, Sarah Marquelle Krueger and Julianne Kusmierczyk, and British newcomer Georgie Leahy was breathtaking, while Krueger and Ohlala also mesmerized us with their singing voices.  They were supported by the acting of Evan O’Brien and Aaron Stiles, who truly complemented the troupe with their comedic mime.  This was a true Fringe event and must be experienced.  We will treasure the memories of this performance until the next time they return, which we hope will not be another six years.

RECOMMENDATION:  If you EVER get the chance to see Cabaret Versatile, we highly recommend you jump at that opportunity – they will give you a show that you will never forget.

 

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF18 day 12 – see it or skip it

Friday was a chance to take in a couple of musicals, and to finally get Scott Golden off my back.  He’s been riding me for two years because I had not seen any of his shows, so I finally bowed and went to see him at The Broadwater, Second Stage.

TITLE OF SHOW:  The Runaway Clone

VENUE:  Broadwater, Second Stage

REVIEW:  OMG – Scott Golden can sing, and act, and so can the rest of this amazing cast.  Pamela Eberhardt has written a masterpiece of comedic musical theater, as well as stealing the show with her fabulous portrayal of Laura, maker of clones.  This show was truly one of the best parts of HFF18, and The Unknown Artists deserve all the recognition they can get.  The harmonies created by the amazing cast, which included Golden, Emily Clark, Jeff Scot Carey, Quinn (Eberhardt), Peter Carrier, Shannon Gerrity, Parissa Koo, Adriana Colón, Lucas Alifano and Lindsay Zana was only topped by the incredible voice of the cherry on the top, Katherine Washington as the Runaway Clone.  We attended the show with several of the Cherry Poppins gang, and like me, they were all in awe of this performance.  Hats off to this entire ensemble cast for helping us truly escape the madness of this world and getting us lost in The Agency and a world of clones.

RECOMMENDATION:  This was their closing show, but you can be sure they will receive an encore extension.  Make sure you rush to the Fringe site and get your tickets as soon as they go on sale.

We met one of our nearest and dearest friends, Rosine Avedissian Correa and her husband, Ronnie, for drinks at the Plunge and had a chance to catch up before heading over to the Main Stage for the second musical of the night.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Parallel Worlds

VENUE:  Broadwater, Main Stage

REVIEW:  Parallel Worlds is unlike anything we have ever seen at Fringe before.  It is a unique blend of film, stage play and rock concert that shatters the boundaries that limit so many other Fringe shows.  The premise is simple – a rock band is brought in and commissioned to write a soundtrack for a film, but their music creates a parallel world where the story line of the film changes.  Elise Testone from American Idol gives a powerful performance as Tabitha and Casey Lee Hurt does likewise as Miles.  They are the lead singers in an incredible band that features Angelica Abrams on keys and backing vocals, Shareef Addo on bass, Fabrizio Cavallaro on drums and Braden Lyle on guitar.  Shawn Reaves as J.B. and Marci Miller as Ella are our on-screen lovers, and their performances are breathtaking to behold.  Quite frankly, this show is too big for Fringe, and deserves more time to allow the audience to be swept up into their world.  It is a world worth visiting, and we would love to see just how far this one can go.

RECOMMENDATION:  We strongly encourage you to visit their website, and be on the look-out for their next performance.  It could very well change your life.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF18 day 11 – see it or skip it

Hard to believe that our annual Fringe experience is rapidly drawing to a close.  It has been a whirlwind two weeks, and we have loved every second of it.  We even found some time to take in another movie yesterday, checking out Hotel Artemis before heading off for another night of Fringe fun.

Our first stop was Studio/Stage for the highly anticipated Esther Mira show, With my Eyes Shut.

TITLE OF SHOW:  With my Eyes Shut

VENUE:  Studio/Stage

REVIEW:  In the past two years, Esther Mira has impressed us with her abilities and acting, and become a good friend.  In this production, she was able to more fully show her multiple skills, and we found ourselves carried away by the sheer beauty of her performance.  This was a most amazing production, and showed autism in a very positive light.  Not only was Mira brilliant, but her director Tara Donovan stepped in and assumed one of the roles.  Craig Shields, who doubled as the music director, continued his outstanding portrayal of Cole.  The music and dancing were first rate, and moved the story along nicely.  It was so easy to get swept up in this show,, which is definitely one of the best productions of HFF18.  This one deserves recognition at the awards, and another run.

RECOMMENDATION:  Unfortunately, this was the closing performance, and Mira is on her way to Europe for a vacation.  Hopefully they will earn an extension so that everyone will be able to see this masterpiece upon Mira’s return.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Charlotte’s World or the Lone Terrarium

VENUE:  Theatre of NOTE

REVIEW:  During the Fringe’s first few years, the Theatre of NOTE was one of its central venues, and the place where Kimleigh Smith took the Fringe by storm with her amazing T-O-T-A-L-L-Y, winning three of the top awards at the 2011 Fringe.  Since then, the venue line-ups have not been as strong, and we have not attended a show there in the past two years.  Fiona Lakeland, who brought us the amazing show Stranded, reached out and invited us to her new show, and we are so glad we said yes.  Like her previous show, this one was another work of art, encompassing beauty, belief and child-like faith in the story of Charlotte and her desire to fly.  Lakeland’s performance was breathtaking, and we were quickly caught up into Charlotte’s World.   We really love the closing rhymes she so skillfully constructed, which left us with a surplus of faith in our own abilities to accomplish our dreams.  Well done!

RECOMMENDATION:  The show has one more performance, and we highly recommend that you see it on June 23 at 3 p.m.  You will not be sorry.  Get your tickets here.

After the show, we returned to the Plunge at the Broadwater for a few drinks and the chance to mingle with our fringeships.  It was a fun night which resulted in getting an invite to see The Runaway Clone today, a show which we had really wanted to see.  In addition, we got the chance to meet the owner of the bar, Patrick Duffy (who played Bobby Ewing on Dallas).  Duffy is from Montana, so we had a lot to talk about.  He is an amazing man, and we were big fans back in the day.  We wish him and the bar much success.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival LA Music Critic Awards Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF18 day 10 – see it or skip it

We took Tuesday off from the Fringe for the LA Music Critic Awards Winners Showcase at the Mint.  It was a glorious event, featuring the music of Pam Taylor, Alexis Keegan, Pi Jacobs, Great Willow, The Khourys, Rusty Young, Cindy Alexander, Ted Russell Kamp, Shiragirl and ROCKET.  The music was hot and we had a blast, and managed to raise $500 for the work of the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.  Both Shiragirl (“Summers Coming”) and Alexander (“My Favorite Artist”) debuted brand new singles that will be released on Friday.  You should have seen Young’s face when we presented him with the 2018 Icon Award.  It was priceless.  We strongly advise you to check out the sounds of these award winning artists, and don’t forget to vote for your Fan Favorite with our current nominations for the first half of 2018.  Voting ends on Wednesday, June 27.

Very  special thanks to Patrick O’Heffernan of Friday Music Live, Jen Lyneis of Ue3 Promotions and Kirk Pasich of Blue Élan Records for your sponsorship of our event and your assistance in putting on this show.  We could not have done it without you.

On Wednesday we returned to the Fringe for a couple of shows, the first of which was at Studio/Stage.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Yellow Wallpaper

VENUE:  Studio/Stage

REVIEW:  This was a difficult play to review.  On the one hand, the ending left us with more questions unanswered than we had before it began.  On the other hand, the acting of Tatum Langton as Jane was truly wonderful, given the script she was given.  This adaptation shifted the focus from Jane and her descent into madness as described in the original short story, and instead focused on her family.  This shift did not play out well, leaving the audience literally “in the dark” about exactly what was happening.  It did cast a light on the horrible way that people suffering from mental illness have been treated in this country.  Even though it was set in the 1950’s, that same attitude is still prevalent today.  If nothing else, the play reminds us that we need to take better care of those suffering from mental illness, and do what we can to find a true cure for their ailment.

RECOMMENDATION:  We cannot truly endorse this play.  Although it has its moments, overall we think you should just skip it, as there are so many other plays to consider at this year’s Fringe.  Read the short story instead.

After viewing this play, we decided to head down and check out the Fringe Pride event at that LGBT Centre.  The space was lovely and there might have been more of the community in attendance if the Broadwater Plunge hadn’t decided to have their Grand Opening at the same time.  Parking was impossible, though, and we managed to get a ticket from the most obnoxious female cop.  Oh well, welcome to Los Angeles!  Back to the Fringe.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Mulatto Math:  Summing up the Race Equation in America

VENUE:  The Lounge Theater

REVIEW:  One of the joys (although it can be difficult at times) of sponsoring an award at Fringe is screening the shows that have applied.  We have had mostly great shows to screen so far (making our selection difficult), and Mulatto Math definitely falls in that category.  From the amazing original music of writer/performer/star Monique DeBose to the equally amazing accompaniment of Dwayne Augustine on double bass, this show was a thing of beauty.  DeBose is mixed race and grew up in California, although her black father was from the segregated South.  As someone who was born in North Carolina and raised in Virginia, both pre and post segregation, I could easily relate to her story of being trapped between two worlds, never fully integrated into either, but drawn to her father’s side.  Her conclusions, based on her own math formulas, were interesting and totally understandable, reminding us that we still have a long way to go for all races to feel truly free.  Hopefully this play will serve as a catalyst to better days ahead.

RECOMMENDATION:  Definitely go see this show.  There are two performances remaining, June 21 at 6 p.m. and June 23 at 10 p.m.  Grab your tickets here – don’t miss it!