Tag: Wigfield

Categories
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.

Categories
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.