The TVO AWARDS for Hollywood Fringe Festival 2021

By Ernest Kearney —  Well, 2021 was strange in every way: The UN declared it the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, a mob of goose-stepping “Americans” cretinized political lunkheads and MAGA sophomoraniacs, who congressional Republicans mistook for “your average tourists,” and who attacked the nation’s capital, Covid-19 vaccinations, worldwide, topped 100 million.

But added to that: “Keeping up with The Kardashians” was cancelled, perhaps, indicating America has finally grown bored with making stupid people famous, Democrats won control of the Senate (narrowly,) skateboarding made it into the Olympics, Greenland experienced its first heatwave, the world doesn’t seem to be noticing that Chinese Muslins are disappearing, and the twice-impeached Donald Trump still isn’t in federal prison.

And then there was the Hollywood Fringe Festival… 

That there even was a Hollywood Fringe is a testament to Ben Hill, Lois Neville, Ellen Den Herder, Bella Luna, Stina Pederson, Alex Prehm, Corwin Evans, Dave McKeever, the ranks of support workers and volunteers, and especially to the creative souls of Los Angeles itself.

This year the TVO crew saw 30 shows out of which, four were “virtual performances.” Click HERE for a list of those shows and a tally of TVO medals bestowed. And now…

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THE TVOLUTION 2021 FRINGE AWARDS…

BEST OF THE FRINGE AWARD


I HEAR SO EXTREMELY LOUD


Written and performed by
Ava Hase

Directed by
Oscar Falcon

BEST SOLO SHOW (FEMALE) AWARD


BLACK WOMAN IN DEEP WATER


Written and performed by
Makena Hammond

Directed by
Jane Fleiss Brogger

BEST SOLO SHOW (MALE) AWARD


THE LAYERS OF TOM LEHRER


Written and performed by
Allan Murray

BEST MUSICAL, OPERA & CABARET AWARD


LA DIVINA: THE LAST INTERVIEW OF MARIA CALLAS


Written and performed by
Shelley Cooper

BEST ENSEMBLE AWARD


GIDEON & THE BLUNDERSNORP


Written by
Michael Gordon Shapiro

Directed by
Matthew Toronto


Produced by
Elise Dewsberry


Featuring:
Dan Amerman, Maggie Ek, Ember Everett,
Tyler Stilwill, Jeremy Lee Staple,
Emily Jones, Casey Alcoser,
Deborah Apodaca, Jenna Luck
and Kaylor Toronto

BEST COMEDY AWARDS


THE LAYERS OF TOM LEHRER


and


GIDEON & THE BLUNDERSNORP

BEST DRAMA AWARD


LIES, ANGER AND FORGIVENESS


Written and performed by
Barbara Saba

Directed by
Debra Deliso

BEST IMMERSIVE THEATRE


GATSBY AN IMMERSIVE ILLUMINATION – CHAPTER 1: EAST EGG


Created by
Kristen Boulé & Tiffany Asta


Production Design by Madylin Sweeten

Technical Director Nick Foran


Music Composed by Michael Teoli


Performed by Leslie Baker & Paul Kriebich


Costumes by Jen Derosa


Featuring:
Chris Lanehart, Sarah Schulte, Colin Willkie,
Ren Montoro, Bill Posley
and Devon Michaels

BEST ACTOR

in


THE EASTER BUNNY


Written & Performed by
Tommy Jeff McAteer


Directed by
Mario D’Alimonte


Produced by
Joanne Byrne

BEST ACTRESS


STRONG LIKE HONEY


Written & Performed by
Alma Collins

BEST DIRECTORS


Jane Fleiss Brogger
for
BLACK WOMAN IN DEEP WATER

Oscar Falcon

for
I HEAR SO EXTREMELY LOUD

DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE


EGG


Conceived & Performed by
Erin Fowler

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHOW


THE REICHSTAG IS BURNING


Written & Performed by
Joanne Hartstone


Designed by
Tom Kitney


Produced by
Hartstone-Kitney Productions & Black Box Live (Australia)

THE ESSENCE OF FRINGE AWARD


TOSHANISHA – THE NEW NORMALS


Produced & Created by
Aroji Otieno / Bold Theatre (Kenya)
Ivam Cabral and Rodolfo Garća Vázquez
in collaboration with Os Satyros (Brazil)

Directed by
Rodolfo Garća Vázquez

___________________________________

AND A PERSONAL NOTE….

I missed a number of performances this year. There were reasons for this. Shows were cancelled and could not be rescheduled, and on occasion the distance between venues defeated my best efforts to keep to my timetable. Also, I experienced a record number of productions that ran over their stated playing time resulting in my coming in late to shows or missing them altogether. To those shows I offer my sincere apologies and an honorable mention:

EXPERIENCING LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM


JUSTICE? OR… JUST ME?: THE BITE


IN THE MIX


THE DEFINITION ASSOCIATION


NOBODY NEEDS ANOTHER HAMLET

SO THERE IT ENDS “THE FRINGE IN THE TIME OF PLAGUE,”


CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WHO BRAVED


THE THREATS TO BODY AND SOUL FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR CRAFT


AND THE LOVE OF THEIR ART.

____________________________________

LET’S DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
(BUT HOPEFULLY WITHOUT THE MASKS…)

* * *

Written by

An award-winning L.A. playwright and rabble-rouser of note who has hoisted glasses with Orson Welles, been arrested on three continents and once beat up Charlie Manson. His first play, "Among the Vipers" was a semi-finalist in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition and was featured in the Carnegie-Mellon Showcase of New Plays. It was produced at the NPT Theater in Ashland, Oregon and Los Angeles’ celebrated Odyssey Ensemble Theatre. His following play, “The Little Boy Who Loved Monsters” was produced at The Hollywood Actors Theater, where he earned praise from the Los Angeles Times for his “…inordinately creative writing.” The play went on to numerous other productions including Berlin’s The Black Theatre under the direction of Rainer Fassbinder who wrote in his program notes of Kearney, “He is a skilled playwright, but more importantly he is a dangerous one.” Ernest Kearney has worked as literary manager or as dramaturge for among others The Hudson Theater Guild, Nova Diem and the Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, where he still serves on the play selection committee. He has been the recipient of two Dramalogue Awards and a finalist or semi-finalist, three times, in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition. His work has been performed by Michael Dunn, Sandra Tsing Loh, Jack Colvin and Billy Bob Thornton, and to date, either as playwright or director, he has upwards of a hundred and thirty productions under his belt, including a few at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater as puppeteer. Kearney remains focused on his writing, as well as living happily ever after with his lovely wife Marlene. His stage reviews and social essays can be found at TheTVolution.com and workingauthor.com. Follow him on Facebook.

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