Tag: See it or Skip it

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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.

 

 

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it

HFF19 preview day 2 – see it or skip it

Day 2 was not as hectic as day 1, but just as enjoyable.   I worked my part-time job in the morning, then spent the afternoon writing reviews of the day 1 shows, as well as getting ready for my own preview performance last night.  One of my roommates at the Air BnB wanted to see the show, and wanted to spend some time discovering what the Fringe is.  Although he is the son of long-time Fringe reviewer Ken Worther, Angel Morales had never been to a Fringe show.  He made a great +1 for the evening, and got the chance to see what I do first-hand, including having dinner with one of my fringeships, Rasika Mathur.  Thanks for coming along.

TITLE OF SHOW: Uprooted:  A Tale of Navigating Turbulence to Find Home

VENUE:  The Lounge Theatres

REVIEW:  Solo shows have always been one of my favorite forms of Fringe expression, and I review a multitude of them each year.  I love their honesty and triumphant story, and the bravery it takes to share these sometimes dark truths with the public.  During my nine years of reviewing Fringe shows, one director keeps popping up behind my favorite shows, and that is Jessica Lynn Johnson, who not coincidentally directed this show.  Vanessa Boss revealed so much in this show which was totally relatable and filled me with more hope that I was following the correct path.  What made her show so different was her use of mythological creatures to represent the different aspects of Boss’ psyche and bring her struggles to life so that we could all cheer as she made life-changing discoveries.  Although a bit slow at first, she soon hit her stride and kept the audience mesmerized with her beautiful storytelling.  Her audience interaction skills were likewise brilliant, enabling her to break the third wall without missing a beat.  It was the perfect show to prepare me for my own preview show that occurred later that night.  Thanks for a wonderful experience.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this show.  Remaining performances are June 23 at 12 p.m. and June 29 at 2 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 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.