Tag: Hollywoodn’t

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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.

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Hollywood Fringe Festival Theatre

Most anticipated shows at HFF19

It’s time once again for our annual list of the shows we are most anticipating at the 10th annual Hollywood Fringe Festival.  Unlike past years, not only are we reviewing shows and screening shows for our Larry Cornwall Award for Musical Excellence, but I am also doing my first solo show.  Needless to say, this is going to be a very interesting Fringe.  Here is our list, in alphabetical order.

Come on Down (The Broadwater) – This one’s directed and written by Jeff Scot Carey, features Emily Clark, CJ Merriman AND Victor Isaac, and was part of Serial Killers at Sacred Fools – what more reasons do we need?  This one is going to be epic.

Crabbe & Goyle are Dead (Studio/Stage) – The Harry Potter legend continues at Fringe with this latest creation from Kitty Keim.  That’s reason enough to see it.

Hollywoodn’t (The Lounge) – This one tells the story of the Hollywood scene before women were allowed to speak up and say no.  It also features writer, performer and lyricist Lisa Verlo.  It’s also part of the amazing Soaring Solo community and is directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson.  Can’t wait for this one.

Klingon Tamburlaine (The Complex) – I am a huge Star Trek fan, and have always love the Klingons.  This one sounds like a sure-fire hit, and the dream show for every nerd at Fringe.

Pockets (The Broadwater) – If ever there was a “sure thing” at Fringe, it would be anything put on by Robot Teammate.  They have brought us the incredible Turbulence and Thug Tunnel and their creativity and musical abilities are among the best we’ve ever seen at Fringe.

Tattered Capes (Studio/Stage) – We think this may well be the best thing Theatre Unleashed has ever attempted.  Written by Greg Crafts and directed by Corey Lynn Howe, this show looks to take TU into uncharted territory, and we have every confidence it will be amazing.

The Duchess & the Stripper (The Lounge) – Every year we look for a historical play, and this one is our selection for HFF19.  It tells the story of the Duchess of Windsor and Blaze Starr, one of the most famous strippers of all time.  It’s also highly recommended by the Cherry Poppins crew.

The Mayor’s Debate of Tranquility, Nebraska (The Complex) – we have always been a huge fan of Jim Hanna, and his latest projects looks to be as close as we will come to an actual intelligent political discussion until next year.  We also love his marketing campaign.

Transference (The Broadwater) – This one features a pair of our favorite actresses in Esther Mira and Lisa K. Wyatt and is written and directed by the incomparable Jim Blanchette.  That adds up to an amazing time at the theater.

Wigfield (The Hudson) – Last year we almost missed out on the stunning Pamela Eberhardt show The Runaway Clone.  This year we’re jumping on the bandwagon and making her latest show required viewing.  Based on the amazing marketing campaign she has run, this one looks to be even better than last year’s Clone.

And there you have it.  We can’t wait for Fringe to begin, and already have 32 shows on our schedule, including all  of the above.  We’ll be publishing daily reviews, so keep it here for our See it or Skip it articles.