Tag: The Word

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Awards Hollywood Fringe Festival Theatre Women in Entertainment

Top ten shows at HFF 18 and Indie Voice Awards for Theatre

The 9th Annual Hollywood Fringe Festival has been put to bed (with the exception of those shows selected for encores) and we are safely back in Montana, so it is time to reveal our favorite shows of HFF18, as well as our winners for the Indie Voice Awards for Theatre.  You can find the “official” list of winners that were handed out on June 24 here.

We saw a total of 46 shows during the 13 days we were at Fringe.  So many of them were great, and we wish we could give credit to more, but here are our favorites.

TOP TEN SHOWS

10.  Met Again.  Once again, Theatre Unleashed delivered a breathtaking drama of infinite worth.  The duo of Julia Plostnieks and Michael Lutheran were stunning in their portrayal of a loving couple who had ups and downs during their lives.  This one left us with tears in our eyes.

9.  Blind Spots.  This was the only show we saw at the beautiful Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre, and it was definitely worth the trip.  The show was female written with an entire cast of females, and they demonstrated by their amazing performances that they are definitely forces to be reckoned with.

8.  The Parisian Dream.  Cabaret Versatile is the master at creating interesting shows, and this amazing French Cabaret was definitely one of their best.  It was told through mime, skits, song and dance, and it represented the historic Assistance League Playhouse well.

7.  With my Eyes Shut.  Esther Mira led a strong cast and told the story of two people with Asperger’s Syndrome who were learning how to function in life.  Through incredible dancing, music and physical theatre, they told the story as lovingly as they could, and made us proud to be part of HFF18.

6.  SQUIRREL!!  Jessica Lynn Johnson directed and Sarah Rose Reynolds delivered a stunning and revealing story of dealing with ADHD.  Reynolds even wowed us with her singing abilities, on top of her hilarious telling of her life story.

5.  Stripped.  Another great Johnson directed show featuring Julia Cavanaugh as the exotic dancer with a heart of gold.  Like Reynolds, she has an excellent singing voice, and totally tugged at our heart strings as she told the story of her life.

4.  The Word.  Victor Isaac is a comic genius and he puts it all on display in this comedic romp through the discovery of how to forgive yourself.  This one truly deserved its Fringe recognition.

3.  Doctor Nympho vs. The Sex Zombies.  The triumphant return of the Michael Shaw Fisher rock musical claimed three Fringe Awards, and was truly one of the highlights of HFF18.  Just seeing the entire cast safely navigate the small stage at Three Clubs was an event worthy of recognition.

2.  Play On!  A one-woman musical event, Laura Jo Trexler stole our hearts and our ears with these amazing original songs about the heroines of Shakespeare.  She also showed her stage presence and skills as she brought the songs to life, with nothing but herself and a grand piano.

1. The Women of Lockerbie.  We think it is a travesty that this show was not even nominated for a single award at Fringe.  This amazing cast brought the story of Pan Am Flight 103 to life by showing its effect not just on the passengers but those in the town of Lockerbie, Scotland as well.

INDIE VOICE AWARDS FOR THEATER

We agreed with some of the awards given out by the community, but not all of them, so here are the shows we would have given awards to:

In addition, we would also award these shows:

What were your favorites?  We would love to know.

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

HFF18 day 4 – see it or skip it (part 1)

Day 3 was our busiest day yet with five shows, and we were out late enjoying the Fringe.  Writing the reviews took two articles, and we were a little tired after the first one so we laid down to rest.  Three hours later we awoke, having missed our first show of 2018.  Nevertheless, we got our second article finished and relaxed until time to head out for the first of four shows on Day 4.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Skin Jobs

VENUE:  The Broadwater Studio

REVIEW:   We didn’t really know what to expect from this show, but we had heard the buzz and needed to check it out.  The subject matter deals with the practice of “whitewashing” – using white actors for what should be ethnic actors and then changing their appearance in post-production.  The show is the debut of famed playwright and journalist Jim Vejvoda and is directed by the equally famous director Lee Costello.  Their casting of Virginia Tran as Kerri and Aussie transplant Claire Fazzolari as Viv was perfect, and brought home the reality of the play.  The venue was packed, the anticipation was palpable, and the actors did not disappoint.  This just might be one of this year’s hidden gems.  They both delivered sparkling performances, and the chemistry between them was very real.  It was also a blast to talk to Claire after the show and hear that beautiful Aussie accent, which she so skillfully hides during the performance.

RECOMMENDATION:  You should definitely see this one.  Unfortunately, there is only one additional show on June 20, and it is sold out.  Hopefully this show will be extended so additional people will have the chance to check it out.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Lorelei:  I’m Coming Out!

VENUE:  Three Clubs

REVIEW:   What is Fringe without a drag queen?  In years past, that queen has been Lyla, and she has delivered a couple of amazing and award-winning shows.  With Lyla nowhere to be found, Lorelei has stepped up and delivered a smashing performance about her coming out, complete with original music, a live band, and all that goes with the perfect drag queen show.  Lorelei has written a great book and lyrics, and the music composed by band leader Raiah Rofsky is to die for.  Her score was perfectly delivered by Mina Bloom (piano), Marlon Meyerson (bass), J.J Ross (percussion), and Justina Jones (violin).  The show was the perfect combination of word and song, with some nice multi-media thrown in for good measure.  All in all it was a rousing good time at the Fringe.

RECOMMENDATION:  If you aren’t afraid of the queer, then you should check this one out.  If you are queer (and even if you aren’t), you will probably love it as much as we did.  Check out one of her remaining shows on June 22 or 23 at 7 p.m.  You can purchase tickets here.

TITLE OF SHOW:  The Word

VENUE:  Three Clubs

REVIEW:   Who doesn’t love or want a chance for redemption?  Victor Isaac has written a brilliant show about redemption and forgiveness of the hardest kind – forgiving yourself.  He skillfully weaves together the stories of the Rev. Johnson of the First Church of the Holy Homeboy and inmate Lewayne Johnson – two apparently different ends of the spectrum.  Or are they?  Director JJ Mayes proves he is more than just a great Fringe performer with the brilliant direction he gives this show, and he had the fortune of having such amazing material to work with.

RECOMMENDATION:  This show is a must see and sure to become one of this year’s Fringe hits.  To find out what happened, be there for one of the remaining shows on June 20 at 10 p.m. or June 23 at 3:30 p.m.  You can purchase tickets here.

We’ll be right back with part 2.