Tag: fringe show reviews

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 preview day 6 – see it or skip it

Well, previews are now official complete, and the fabulous Opening Night Gala is tonight.  During previews, we took in 22 shows as well as doing our own preview of Livin’ the Dream (a journalistic journey).  Tomorrow is the first “official” day of HFF19, and we are ready, but tonight we party.  Here are our final two reviews from the previews.

TITLE OF SHOW:  The Dating Game

VENUE:  The Hudson Theatres (Guild)

REVIEW:  I try to see at least one cabaret each year, and this year I stumbled upon this one by up and coming musical comedian Darcy Rose Byrnes.  She is doing a total of five different show during Fringe and joins with the amazing Sam Johnides (who contributed to the amazing Robot Teammate musicals Turbulence and Thug Tunnel) on this one to provide a comedic look at the current dating scene.  Byrnes may be the next Carol Burnett.  She is funny and extremely talented with a voice that deserves a shot at Broadway.  Catch her now before she becomes a huge star.

RECOMMENDATION:  This one is worth checking out.  Remaining performances are June 21 at 6:30 p.m. and June 29 at 2 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Saving Cain

VENUE:  The Hudson Theatres (Guild)

REVIEW:  There are only a handful of “can’t miss” writers at the Fringe, and Aaron Kozak is definitely on that list.  His latest, Saving Cain, is an extremely well crafted masterpiece that shines new light on the religious right and those that can’t meet their standards.  He has assembled an all-star cast that includes the incomparable Leah Verrill (star of last year’s masterpiece The Women of Lockerbie) as the hard-right leaning helicopter mom, Lenny Hernandez as her hell-raising son Levi, Jim Martyka as guidance counselor Ed, and Christian Blake Splitt as her son’s best friend Bryan (who just happens to be gay).  Cindy Chavez (Nancy, Daniel Cirilo (Peter), Travis Joe Dixon (Bobby) and Tiffany Walker (Dr. Zeliner/ Pentecostal woman) likewise provide amazing support, making this one of the best dramas at this year’s Fringe, and most worthy of extending their run afterwards.  Like Guilt, this one is best viewed when you leave your religious prejudices at the door.

RECOMMENDATION:  This one is a “don’t miss.”  Remaining performances are June 15 at 2 p.m., June 16 at 4 p.m., June 22 at 4 p.m.,  June 23 at 8:30 p.m., June 29 at 4 p.m. and June 30 at 3 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 preview day 4 (part 2) – see it or skip it

Continuing on with our reviews for Sunday, here is part 2.  You can check out part 1 here.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Alive-ish

VENUE:  The Broadwater (Studio)

REVIEW:  If there were an award for the most delightful and refreshing piece of art at Fringe, then this show would be a shoo-in.  Anabella Funk is a gifted ballet dancer and storyteller that shone the light on suicide and its consequences on those left behind.  Through a well-written dialogue, amazing instrumental performances by Elias Alexander on violin, Annette Dunklin on cello and Heather Grove on piano, and stand-out interpretive dance and ballet, we learn her story, and understand why she has dedicated the show to suicide prevention.  Bravo to you, Ms. Funk – you have served the cause well!

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this one – it could easily change your life.  Remaining performances are June 16 at 6 p.m., June 22 at 8 p.m.  and June 26 at 8 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Wigfield

VENUE:  The Hudson Theatre (Backstage)

REVIEW:  Last year we almost missed out on the stunning Pamela Eberhardt show The Runaway Clone, but thanks to the persistence of Scott Golden, we made it just before the end of its run.  This year Eberhardt has adapted a best-selling book into a project of love that has been ongoing for 15 years, and in the process has delivered one of the true gems of HFF19.  With a cast of Fringe veterans like Golden, Emily Clark, Jeff Scot Carey, Eric Curtis Johnson, and Meghan Parks, as well as Fringe newcomers Bedjou Jean, Joe Hernandez-Kolski, Connor Pratt and Heather Marie Roberts, she brings us a show that is a can’t miss hit from start to finish.  Arlo Sanders captures all the nuances of Eberhardt’s adaptation, and keeps the timing up and the show jumping.  This one will definitely be your guilty pleasure.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this one!  Remaining performances are June 21 and 28 at 8:30 p.m. , June 22 and 29 at both 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and June 23 and 30 at 2 p.m.  This show will sell out so don’t delay, order your tickets on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Cave Girl the Musical

VENUE:  The Complex (Flight Theater)

REVIEW:  One person musicals are usually hit and miss at Fringe, but Glennis McCarthy has written and performed a memorable show that brings a totally different point of view to the problem of addiction.  Skillfully directed by Amber Petty, it is the story of an addict who loses herself in a fantasy world, only to come to the realization that she desperately needs help.  McCarthy has an amazing voice, and delivers a dazzling performance that includes rewritten lyrics to hit songs including Billy Joel‘s “Moving Out,” as well as songs from the Disney classics Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.  This one is worth the climb up to The Flight Theatre, and wiil have you humming along to these all-too familiar songs.

RECOMMENDATION:  This one is definitely worth your time.  Remaining performances are June 15 at 8 p.m., June 20 at 10:30 p.m., June 22 at 4 p.m.  and June 26 at 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Corina, From Lap Dance to Sundance

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatres

REVIEW:  Corina Calderon is a gifted SAG/AFTRA actress who got her start in the Sundance-nominated film All She Can, which led to her nomination for Best Film Actress at the Imagen Foundation  Awards in 2012.  Since then she has been very active in Hollywood, including appearing in the DC/Warner Bros. moving Suicide Squad, as well as numerous television appearances.  Her show tells her back story of growing up in a musical family and working in a strip club to pay for acting classes and head shots. With the assistance of the talented Jessica Lynn Johnson, Calderon delivers a masterpiece, keeping the story real as she examines her path to the silver screen.  This show is a strong candidate for best solo show at Fringe this year.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this one!  Remaining performances are June 15 at 4 p.m. and June 20 at 8 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 preview day 4 (part 1) – see it or skip it

Saturday was a blast but Sunday was even more so.  Check out part 1 of our reviews of Sunday’s shows.  We’ve now seen 19 shows at HFF19, plus done our own preview last Friday.  Fringe On!

TITLE OF SHOW:  Hollywoodn’t

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatres

REVIEW:  Last year I missed seeing this show in its original form, but so glad I could make it to this reformatted and completely amazing new version.  Lisa Verlo was part of the audience at my preview, and I was glad to return the favor, as she has delivered a stunning performance of her #MeToo experience.  You will be stunned at the revelations in this show, and laugh along with Verlo’s characterizations of her experiences within the Hollywood scene.  You will also be amazed and thrilled by her musical talents, both songwriting and performing.  Needless to say, this is an early favorite for our very own Larry Cornwall Award for Musical Excellence.  It is also another contestant for the best solo show 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., June 22 at 8 p.m.  and June 26 at 8 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Fertile

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatres

REVIEW:  So many of us have always taken having children for granted.  Thanks to the comic genius of Heather Dowling, we will never think of that topic in the same way we have before.  Dowling delivered a gem in her last Fringe show back in 2015, the only year we did not attend, so we were determined to catch her latest show, and we’re so glad we did.  She walked us through all the nuances of the assisted fertility industry, keeping this serious subject light-hearted and full of memorable moments.  We won’t tell you the result of her journey – you’ll just have to come see it to find that out.  We will tell you that your time will not be wasted and your life may be permanently enriched by the experience.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this one!  Remaining performances are June 14 at 8 p.m. and June 29 at 6 p.m.  The show is currently sold out, but tickets may be available on her Fringe project page or at the door.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Crabbe and Goyle are Dead

VENUE:  Studio/Stage

REVIEW:  When you decide to create a new chapter in an iconic story like Harry Potter, you had better deliver.  Unfortunately for Crabbe & Goyle, it does not, although not for lack of trying.  The show suffered from a lack of direction that hurt the herculean efforts of the cast to deliver a first-rate show.  The show started off strongly but somewhere around the middle of the show it fell off the tracks and was unable to get back on.  The audience wanted so badly to like this show, but even for those of us who have read all the books and seen all the movies, this one had us lost in the Forbidden Forest.  We applaud the efforts of Graydon Schlicter as Goyle, Michael Lutheran as Crabbe and Kiki Anderson as house elf Tinsy, but they were unable to save this one.  Hopefully they will find their way before the end of their run.

RECOMMENDATION:  Wait until closing weekend for this one – hopefully it will be better by then.  Remaining performances are June 19 at 8:30 p.m., June 29 at 10 p.m. and June 30 at 3:30 p.m.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.