The Hollywood Fringe Festival is a premier example of a thriving Los Angelean creative arts scene.
Modeled after the famed Edinburgh Festival imprint, Fringe founder, Ben Hill spent a few years gathering support to mount such an event in this city. The launch happened summer of 2010 with 130 shows. 2017 marks year seven with a whopping 375 shows, which serves to corroborate the width, breadth and depth of the L.A. creative community.
To experience, first-hand, the energy, spirit and originality of local theatre, continue to check out the Fringe website. The Tvolution offers up a unique perspective on the shows. Subscribe to stay informed.
Here’s access to Ernest Kearney’s first Fringe 2017 coverage.
The Hollywood Fringe runs June 8 — 25. Below are additional titles you may wish to add to your daily calendar.
TURBULANCE!
The musical comedy ensemble, Robot Teammates follows up last year’s production of Thug Tunnel —“ —”Outstanding Songwriting—” Fringe winner with, what else …! An “original musical space race comedy” TURBULENCE!, set in 4242, centers around an intergalactic Olympic-style “race around the sun” between fierce rivals, Mars and Earth.
Under the direction of Molly Dworsky, other production team members include: Musical Director, Sam Hohnides, and Head Writer, Miles Crosman. Cast includes Dworksy, Crosman, Kat Primeau, Dave Reynolds and Chris Bramante.
TURBULENCE! will be on the Sacred Fools Theater’s main stage on Lillian Way.
For directions, show schedule and tickets go to: http://hff17.com/4557
OCTOBER BABY
Actress and writer Brook Baumer, has constructed a 60-minute tale about a woman so obsessed with the month of October—the season, the food, the holiday, etc.—she decides to give birth to a second child in that month. Every detail has to be orchestrated and times; right down to the conception.
Directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson, October Baby unveiled to sellout crowds at the 2017 Los Angeles Solofest.
Brook took a year to develop what was a 10-minute story into a full-fledged one-woman show complete with 20+ characters.
“I attended one solo show at Fringe 2016 and was blown away by the immense energy and creativity of not only the particular performance I attended, but the entire Fringe scene,” Baumer said. “During my drive home, I thought to myself, this is what I want to do.” It had been 13 years since I had created my last solo show. It was time to unleash the creative beast once again. I literally began the next day really focusing on fleshing out my piece into a full-length show, with Fringe 2017 always in the back of my mind as the goal date and I’m thrilled to bring this show here.”
October Baby will be performed at Sacred Fools Theater’s Black Box stage. Los Angeles, CA 90038
For directions, show schedule and tickets go to :
THEATRE UNLEASHED has brought two shows to this year’s Fringe!
THE SPIDEY PROJECT
Justin Moran’s brainchild, this musical satire was birthed in New York City, circa 2011, with a two-night run as the first ever Spider-Man play. It opened at Theatre Unleashed in Los Angeles a year later, playing to sold-out crowds and critical acclaim.
“At the time, The Spidey Project turned out to be a perfect theatrical event, but over the years, cracks began to appear in the play itself,” said Moran, who directed the reinvention. “There were characters I would have liked to flush out a bit more, scenes that I’d liked to have tied together a bit tighter, and moments that asked for songs we didn’t have time to write. When Theatre Unleashed started talking about bringing it back, my team and I were emphatically on board and Spidey 2.0 was launched.”
See Spidey swing during the Fringe at Studio/Stage on Western Ave.
For Information and Reservations:
call: (818) 849-4039
For additional information go to:
www.hollywoodfringe.org
http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/4398
Also from THEATRE UNLEASHED comes
THREE CAN KEEP A SECRET
Playwright Gregory Crafts has fashioned an audience participation event in which no two performances will be identical.
Three Can Keep a Secret, described as “a darkly funny and slightly twisted interactive crime thriller,” involves thug-like goons, con men, and wannabe gangsters Moose and Sonny.
Directed by Jacob Smith
Venue: Studio/Stage on Western
For further information, please call: (818) 849-4039
For directions, performance schedule and to purchase tickets: http://hff17.com/4735
CONVERSATIONS ‘BOUT THE GIRLS
Conceived and mounted as an ensemble piece of all about the breast-themed stories told by women, this year’s production of Sonia Jackson’s play, Conversations ‘Bout the Girls, marks its 10-year anniversary.
The current Fringe production has been reworked as a solo piece with and under the direction of solo show artist and director, Jessica Lynn Johnson.
From the press release:
Conversations ‘Bout the Girls focuses on women’s relationships to various aspects of their breasts or the breasts of others. It is a series of relatable stories that connects with topics such as the names women have heard breasts called, getting breasts, bras, cancer, cleavage and more. The stories vary from hilarious to heartbreaking, embarrassing to moving, but all are ’bout the girls.
“I have a lot of stories myself and interviewed women for others and what I got back was amazing,” Ms. Jackson has said. “The more I told the stories, the more came back to me. So, I’m telling them to remind women how elegant, strong and powerful we are.”
Written and performed by Sonia Jackson
Directed and Developed by: Jessica Lynn Johnson
Conversations ‘Bout the Girls will run during the Fringe at
Dorie Theatre at The Complex on Santa Monica Blvd.
For Directions, Schedule and to Purchase Tickets:
or see: www.conversationsboutthegirls.com
DREAMS IN OVERDRIVE
Dreams in Overdrive is the creative result of writer/performer Jon Jacobs, who has crafted a one-man show out of “a years’ worth of work and a lifetime of stories.”
According to Jacobs you can expect a “comedic psychodrama across romances in Paris, breakthroughs in therapy and trips into my inner demons.”
Dreams in Overdrive will run during the Fringe at the Lounge Theatre on Santa Monica Blvd.
“I hope audiences comes away from my show feeling that despite great struggle—in my case, depression, anxiety, self-loathing—we can still reach for our dreams. I also hope to bring some light to the darkness. There’s so much shame around mental illness and I want to break some of those feelings down. One way I’ve found to do that is through humor. I want audiences to leave feeling the joys of laughter while also holding a deeper understanding of life’s challenges. When we begin to accept all of life’s incarnation—both the good and the bad—that’s when we truly begin to heal.”
Directed and co-developed by: Jessica Lynn Johnson
For directions, show schedule and tickets go to: hollywoodfringe.org.
http://www.dreamsinoverdrive.com
The Magic School Bus: A Traumedy
Fringe veteran performer and solo artist, Bonnie Joy Sludikoff offers up The Magic School Bus: A Traumedy, for her third Fringe production.
The local non-profit campaign, That’s What She Didn’t Say, “dedicated to creating healthy conversations about topics deemed taboo, challenging, or “off-limits” is listed as producer.
From the press notice: “Sludikoff has spent the last 4 years performing solo pieces ranging from her 2014 Fringe Hit, That’s What She Didn’t Say: A True Story of Taboo, Redemption, and Musical Theatre to last fall’s Backwards: A Comedy About Trauma. After a sold-out fringe run, TWSDS played in Hollywood Stag, Solo Fest, IOWest’s Funny Women Festival, and United Solo in NYC! Bonnie is stoked to be back at Hollywood Fringe with a hilarious and interactive show where audiences get to explore a serious topic in a lighthearted and innovative fashion.”
Directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson
Find Bonnie and The Magic School Bus at
Sacred Fools Theater (Studio) on Lillian Way.
For directions, show schedule and tickets go to:
http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/4500
For details on locations, venues, events and all plays go to: hollywoodfringe.org.
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