By Ernest Kearney — Well what do you know?
Here’s The Tvolution’s final list of recommendations prior to the opening of the 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival, which runs the entire month of June. And they are a captivating catalog to say the least:
(IM) PERFEKT
Blond-haired Swedish model Jannica Olin tells the story of her being hit by Alopecia totalis * 
* resulting in the total loss of her golden locks. Follow Ms. Olin’s journey from this seemingly disastrous starting point to her taking the gold for bald beauty in the tale that asks, “What if you have been Perfekt all along?”
Jannica Olin at Hollywood Fringe Festival 2019
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Lounge Theatre (Lounge 1)
6201 Santa Monica Boulevard
ANNA ST. HESIA DREAMS
A one-woman show about a woman (duh!), Anna (Jinny Ryann) who is trapped in that medical nightmare of an anesthesia-related coma. “When reality isn’t worth it, is fantasy the next best thing?” Written and directed by Drew Pertriello.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
The Complex Hollywood (Flight Theatre)
6472 Santa Monica Blvd
“Sunbathe in Darkness” Co-Author, Adam Cash
SUNBATHE IN DARKNESS: A FAN FICTION STORY
Casey (Sarah Richards) at a low point of her life writes a purposely bad fanfiction for the Alfie Wunderkid series (a Harry Potter clone I believe.) Against all her intentions, her work becomes an online hit to the point where Alfie and others begin to intrude into her life.
Co-written by Written by Adam Cash and Drew Pertriello (What, again??)
For Tickets and Info:
Venue:
The Broadwater (Second Stage)
6320 Santa Monica Blvd.
UNDER THE TABLE & DREAMING
Interesting. Another entry of “Fanfic.” This one explores a “what if?” tale of love and redemption from the Disney cinematic franchise Toy Story, written by Holly Comb, adaptation by Lanchi Le (aka Chi Le). We are assured “No toys were harmed in the making of this play.” Cease and desist letters may be another point altogether.
Tickets and Info”
Venue:
Los Angeles LGBT Center (Davidson / Valentini Theatre)
1125 North McCadden Place
ALIVE-ISH
For lovers of dance, the lovely Anabella Funk promises to high kick her way through a “dark humor and raw narrative” with live string duo, as a young woman confronts the choices life either offers us or slaps our faces with. Developed in association with the Female Playwrights Initiative, all proceeds from this production will go to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
The Broadwater (Studio)
1078 Lillian Way
WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?
From London Matthew Hennigar’s comic funsters arrive promising to turn “the familiar joke into a comedic quest.” (Did you notice? Another Matt!!)
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
The Complex Hollywood (Flight Theatre)
6472 Santa Monica Blvd
More laffs still seem to be offered by –
VOTE FOR MURDER!
From the winner of HFF 2018’ Best in Immersive Theatre (Unreal City) comes a murderous take on High School politics. Fringe dynamo veteran Kristen Boulé directs the show she co-created with Tiffany Asta, “a sandbox-style immersive experience/co-operative Murder Mystery game inspired by Clue, Mafia, and other party games.”
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Vine Street Elementary (Main Space)
955 Vine St
SEXUAL MISADVENTURES OF A STRAIGHT WHITE MALE: A PRIVILEGE STORY
Written and performed by Ross Gosla, with Steph Martinez directing, we are told this is “the male response to #MeToo, bro. And like, it’s totally true.”
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
The Complex Hollywood (Flight Theatre)
6472 Santa Monica Blvd
DANDY DARKLY’S ALL ABOARD!
Fresh from the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe and the San Francisco Fringe where it won “Best Show,” Dandy Darkly promises audiences “a dripping earful of Southern Gothic grotesquery: creepy country robots, African spider gods, beauty shop gossip and inbred family freakery — oh, and trains.”
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Studio C (Studio C)
6448 Santa Monica Blvd.
ORACLES & MIRACLES
From the land of Hobbits and Kiwis, New Zealand, comes the story of two lower class sisters growing up through World War II. “Nick-named Ginnie and Fag the sisters are driven by the hope of a better life, consumed with love stories, romantic ideals, luxuries beyond their reach and the desire to be loved.”
Play by Norelle Scott. Based on the best-selling novel by Stevan Eldred-Grigg. Featuring Amy Waller and Siobhan Marshall as the two sisters. Directed by Leah Patterson.
Amy Waller and Siobhan Marshall in “Oracles and Miracles.”
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Actors Company (LET LIVE THEATER)
916 N.Formosa Ave
WHAT I NEVER TOLD YOU
“Alysha (Amy Argyl) and Nick (Hays Mceachern) have been together for 7 years, never married and no children. After Nick arrives home beyond fashionably late for a much needed date night out, he and Alysha begin down the road of discussing their relationship.” Producer\actress Argyle saw Paus Marron’s play in Mexico, and despite not understanding one word of Spanish was reduced to tears by the end. Let’s see how it does it English.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Actors Company (LET LIVE THEATER)
916 N.Formosa Ave
BEYOND GLORY
From Northern Ireland comes Steve Scott who has already proved himself a powerhouse of an actor. Beyond Glory is a one-man show which tells the true stories — from World War II to Viet Nam — of eight recipients of the Medal of Honor, this nation’s highest military award.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Underground Annex Theater (Underground Annex)
1308 N. Wilton Pl.
SHIRLEY VALENTINE
Willy Russell’s one-character play from 1986 won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Steve Scott brings this seminal show about a middle-aged housewife, to L.A. audiences, before and after a life-altering trip to Greece.
Heather Alexander stars.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Underground Annex Theater (Underground Annex)
1308 N. Wilton Pl.
THE SCORPION AND THE FROG: A TIME-KILLER
I hate how shows can get by me, and this is certainly one. Spencer Green co-writer of Bukowsical the Musical and the HFF 2016 hit Bumperstickers: The Musical, returns with a comic spin on the “the oft-told story/fable/allegory/whatchamawhoositz about a frog who agrees to take a scorpion across a river.”
Directed by Matthew Leavitt, (Yaaahhggg, the Matts are everywhere!!), this show is bound to be a huge crowd pleaser.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
The New American Theatre (Black Box)
1312 N. Wilton Place
THE RAT MENTALIST
I love it when there’s a show that sounds completely out of left field to me and this is certainly one: Sprinkles, the Clairvoyant Rat, and his partner Christopher T. Magician, promises to amaze audiences with the “uncanny extrasensory abilities” of this talented rodent including “swapping brainwaves with a human.” And let’s admit it, on some humans this would be an improvement.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
The New American Theatre (Black Box)
1312 N. Wilton Place
FIVE PIECES OF PAPER – GRANDMA’S SPIRIT LIVES ON
From Israel, Moti Buchboot, whose grandmother was a Holocaust survivor, promises a healing ritual involving “Yiddish song, puppetry, storytelling, and baking.” An artistic reaction to the 2017 Charlottesville riots at the University of Virginia.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Los Angeles LGBT Center (Davidson / Valentini Theatre)
1125 North McCadden Place
UPROOTED
Writer and performer Vanessa Boss guides us through the uncertainty of life’s journey to the sources where strength exists. Her show, partly a travelogue of her life from Hong Kong to Buffalo, NY, “explores themes of finding home, eating disorder recovery, control, bullying, adventure and finding your voice.” An official selection of Solofest 2019.
Tickets and Info:
Venue:
Lounge Theatre (Lounge 2)
6201 Santa Monica Boulevard
Click HERE to see Part II of the Final List!
♦ ♦ ♦
Well that’s 35 shows, meaning here at The Tvolution we’ve previewed 80 shows and believe me I wish we could preview the other three hundred and four, but I’ll leave that up to you. Check out the website, you’ll find delights a-go-go there. To those shows we didn’t manage to fit in, forgive us, but we’ll be coming to review as many as we can. (I’m down for 60 and that’s only halfway through.)
And remember, we are more than a “Fringe” we are a Community of the Creative. Support that community, attend your fellow artists’ shows and when you see something splendid or unique roar it out to all.
Enjoy my brothers and sisters, let’s make some magic!
* * I am assuming its alopecia totalis and not alopecia areata or alopecia unuiversalis, if I’m mistaken, please forgive me Ms. Olin.
** ** David is a first time Fringer from New York, let’s all show him how L.A. make visitors welcome to our town.
*** *** Hmmmmmmm, I wonder who the Fringe’s Valedictorian Bardologist is? Wait! I’m sleeping with his wife!!
♦ ♦ ♦
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