Tag: fringe reviews

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 day 3 (part 1) – see it or skip it

Saturday was a FULL day of fringing, beginning with my first show at noon and ending with my final show at 12:30 a.m.  It was a hodge-podge day of hits, misses and in-betweens, so let’s get to the reviews.

TITLE OF SHOW:  An yet Another Evening with the Sistahs – Unsung Sheroes

VENUE:  The Hudson Theatres (Guild)

REVIEW:  One of my all-time favorite Fringe shows was “I Never met a Jerk I Didn’t Like,” which introduced me to the brilliance of Tiffany Phillips.  She’s back this year, along with Fredericka Meek and Erika Cohen, to bring us a lesson in black history that will break your heart.  We learn about the history of three prominent black women – slaves Anarcha Westcott and Ellen Craft and Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm.  This show will move you like few Fringe shows have, and is the perfect way to start your Fringe Saturdays.  This one is definitely one of the best shows of HFF19.

RECOMMENDATION:  This is definitely a don’t miss show, so get your tickets before it sells out.  Remaining performances are June 22 and 29 at noon.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Son of a Bitch

VENUE:  The Broadwater (Second Stage)

REVIEW:  Son of a Bitch is a brilliant piece of historical fiction that captures the spirit of the intriguing story of Lee Atwater and his role in the 1988 Presidential elections that resulted in George Bush‘s victory over the more popular Michael Dukakis.  Director Billy Ray Brewton has perfectly captured the intelligent writing of Lucy Gillespie, with amazing performances from Ben Hethcoat as Atwater, Dennis Gersten as Vice-President Bush,  Luke Forbes as “Jr.,” and David McElwee as the Vice-President’s Chief of Staff Jim.  Chloe Dworkin (Cass) and Corsica Wilson (Gladys) turned in excellent supporting performances.  If you care about politics, then this is a must see.

RECOMMENDATION:  This is definitely a don’t miss show, so get your tickets before it sells out.  Remaining performances are June 21 at 8 p.m., June 22 at 11 p.m., June 26 at 5 p.m. and June 29 at 6:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Mormon Playgirl

VENUE:  The Complex (OMR Theatre)

REVIEW:  It seems more and more actresses are coming forward with their #MeToo stories, and CC Sheffield is one of the more prominent ones.  This could have been a powerful show, but instead was shallow and disjointed.  Sheffield does a good job of telling it through her portrayal of a number of characters, but the central one was relegated to a too-short segment at the very end of her show.  There is a lot of potential for this story, but unfortunately it was not used.  This one is definitely a work in progress.

RECOMMENDATION:  It might be wise to sit this one out until she has the chance to better define her story.  If you’re brave, give it a chance.  Remaining performances are June 20 and 28 at 6:30 p.m., and June 30 at 2 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

 

 

Categories
Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 day 2 (part 2) – see it or skip it

Back for part 2 of our day 2 reviews.  You can find part 1 here.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Silver Bullet

VENUE:  Underground Annex

REVIEW:  We love the film noir, so this play sounded like a perfect fit.  It is a well written show.  Unfortunately, it suffered from one flaw that is easily correctable – pacing, or more specifically, the lack thereof.  The majority of the cast were witty with their delivery, and their efforts to pick up the pace were appreciated, especially Katherine Kimball, who was brilliant in her role as Lila Caine. and Taylor Mack, who portrayed police captain Beverly McKennon.  The other issue was the lack of focus demonstrated by actors bringing their props in after the lights went up, or leaving them on set when their scenes were done, forcing the next actor to have to remove them before they could go on with their scene.  This show is still worthy of your attention, if corrective action is taken.

RECOMMENDATION:  Give it a shot.  Remaining performances are June 22 at 2 p.m., June 23  at 8 p.m. and June 28 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  The Death of Sam Mobean

VENUE:  The Broadwater (Studio)

REVIEW:  Besides Kimleigh Smith, the person most responsible for me becoming a Fringe fixture is Michael Shaw Fisher and his Orgasmico Theatre Company.  After spending the last couple of years producing amazing art with Cherry Poppins productions, he has returned with an amazing show that channels his inner David Lynch, and gives us the “fringiest” show of HFF19.  He has assembled a stellar cast that includes his wife Alli Miller, Shoen Hodges, Eric Curtis Johnson and Heather Schmidt.  We will leave the mysteries of this show intact to encourage you to check it out before it sells out.  This intimate space is perfect for this show, so be prepared to be part of the action.

RECOMMENDATION:  This is definitely a don’t miss show, so get your tickets before it sells out.  Remaining performances are June 16 at 8:30 p.m., June 22  at 3 p.m., and June 26 at 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

 

 

Categories
Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 preview day 3 (part 2) – see it or skip it

We continue with part 2 of our reviews of the previews we saw on Saturday.  You can find part 1 here.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Leaving Prince Charming

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatres

REVIEW:  One of the reasons I have always loved solo shows is the depth of honesty and relatability.  Leaving Prince Charming is further proof of that fact.  Lara Repko delivers a masterpiece of solo theater with another in a long line of unfortunate stories about domestic violence.  Unlike so many others, she is not bitter about it, although her emotions came through loud and clear.  She tells the story in a humorous way that kept the audience at ease while she hit us with one startling revelation after another.  Her courage was evident and I left the show feeling empowered, as I have had a similar experience.  Thank you once again to Jessica Lynn Johnson for helping Repko tell her story.  This is one of the best solo shows at Fringe this year.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this one – it could easily change your life.  Remaining performances are June 16 at 6 p.m. and June 29 at noon.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  To Richard!

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatres

REVIEW:  Death is not normally a funny topic, but the brilliance of the script and the shear power of the performances by writer/ director Jessica Durdock Moreno and Nicky Romaniello turn this somber subject into a hilarious romp.  A chance meeting between a grieving widow and a former candidate for priesthood creates a roller-coaster of emotions, and leads to healing for both of the protagonists.  We don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that this one will have you laughing and crying at the same time.  This is the first self-directed show I have ever truthfully been able to recommend.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this one – it could easily change your life.  Remaining performances are June 13 at 8 p.m., June 15 at noon, June 19 at 6 p.m., June 21 at 8 p.m.  and June 29 at 4 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Tattered Capes

VENUE:  Studio/Stage

REVIEW:  Theatre Unleashed has earned its reputation for consistently delivering Fringe hits, and this show does not deviate from that pattern.  It was one of our Most Anticipated shows of HFF19.  Written by the uber-talented Greg Crafts and directed by the equally brilliant Corey Lynn Howe, Tattered Capes delivers where only DC and Marvel have delivered before.  The star-studded cast includes Travis Joe Dixon and Joanna Mercedes as Kevin and Stephanie Connelly, a couple with major secrets who are trying to celebrate their fifth anniversary.  Major props to the “5” – Tanner Risner as Maximus, Ann Hurd as Lady Voodoo, Courtney King as The Owl and Chris Clabaugh as Jonathan Strong – the best superheros since the Justice League.  This was a truly different type of Fringe show for TU, and proved that there is nothing they cannot do.  Hats off also to the “Shadows” for their amazing assistance and support to this show.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t drag your feet getting tickets for this one – it’s almost sold out for the entire run.  Remaining performances are June 16 at 7 p.m., June 21 at 10 p.m., June 24 at 7:30 p.m. and June 29 at 1 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.