Fringe Festival buzz?- Page 2

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:44am

keen, there's no show called BOY GIRL BOY GIRL in this year's New York Fringe Festival, unless it's under a different name.

wickedrentq, which show are you working on?

Updated On: 8/12/08 at 11:44 AM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:50am

That Dorothy Parker; I'm running the light board. It's a great show I think (I'm probably biased), but Carol Lempert wrote it and stars in it as Dorothy and all the characters; I just can't get over how talented she is to play so many different characters, have conversations with herself, and change the mood in an instant.

You're working for the Fringe org Yero right, not a particular show?

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:55am

Right. I've been interning with them since May, and I'm so glad that I finally get to see these shows I've been assigning and scheduling and hearing about for months!

Updated On: 8/12/08 at 11:55 AM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 12:12pm

Cool. Glad to read your reviews, keep them coming!

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 3:32pm

More reviews from last night:

FOR REASONS UNKNOWN - Pretty funny, but it was one of those plays where everyone is a little unstable and screaming the whole time and you're thinking, "Come on, real people don't act like that, cops aren't really that incompetent, superindendants really aren't that creepy!" I know that was the point, that it was an exaggeration and absurd, but those things always bug me. I like absurd humor, but only when it's done well so that it's not all that far from reality and when the characters suddenly start screaming and freaking out, it makes sense. Some parts were very funny, though.

GEM! A TRULY OUTRAGEOUS PARODY - Ohmygod, new favorite Fringe show! So much fun, goofy, silly, ridiculous! I honestly don't know if anyone who did not grow up in the '80s would enjoy it as much as I did, but I absolutely loved it. It was like a trip into my childhood, complete with actual commercials from the '80s ("There's no wrong way to eat a Reese's!"). The songs were fun, the acting was fantastic and perfectly over-the-top, and the costumes were spot-on. A really fun time, highly recommended!

[king_duncan]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 3:36pm

I have my reviews on the main BroadwayWorld.com review page of:
That Dorothy Parker
Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell
The Boy in the Basement
Big Thick Rod

Also will be reviewing on Sunday:
Cycle: A Vaudeville Comedy
There Will Come Soft Rains

Also seeing (but not reviewing) my friend's "Pawnshop Accordions" tonight.

BroadwayWorld.com Reviews

[king_duncan]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 3:39pm

Oh, and Yero my Hero, "Fabulous Kane Sisters" is quoting your review in their press materials.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 4:34pm

Are they really? That's awesome! Link?

[keen on kean]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 7:02pm

Sorry for my mis-information. BOY GIRL etc. It is one act of SECRETS OF LAMP LIT BLINDS.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 7:08pm

Ah. I have not heard a lot about that one yet, but I'll keep my ears open.

[wexy]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 10:12pm

I saw "Love Is Dead" yesterday, It was very good necrophilia AND dancing, Really enjoyed it. I grabbed a beer and a slice of pizza and went back to see "Becoming Britney" which I liked as well.
Going to see "Petty and Favre" tomorrow after work.

Updated On: 8/14/08 at 10:12 PM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 11:13pm

I saw "Love Is Dead" tonight, and I really, really enjoyed it. Laughed throughout the show, enjoyed the music, and the plot is even surprisingly clever. Good, not great, performances from the cast. But I highly recommend it -- unfortunately, there's only one performance left tomorrow at 4:15. But to quote the writer/lead actor, come attend the performance if you don't have job.

Updated On: 8/13/08 at 11:13 PM

[rclocalz]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 1:05am

I saw UNDERWEAR: A SPACE MUSICAL this past weekend, and I thought it was great. It's definitely out there and original.

[Nikki2]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 9:10am

Got to see I Love You, Petty & Favre which I thought was great. It's a touching story with lots of laughs written in an unusual style with really good actors. Give it a shot.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 12:36pm

PEREZ HILTON SAVES THE UNIVERSE (OR AT LEAST THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA) - Nothing I say here will make any difference, because I think all the remaining performances are sold out. If not, they will be soon. But if you want to take a chance and wait in line in case someone doesn't show up, you definitely should!

PEREZ takes place in the near future, where Obama is the president, Dustin Diamond and Flavor Flav are dating, and High School Musical 5 exists. In this show, the famous celebrity blogger is trying to find a hot date for Britney Spears's wake while dodging a famewhoring Kathy Griffin, pissed-off celebrities, and Islamic terrorists who want to blow up Hollywood.

The songs were great, the dialogue was funny, and the acting (particularly the numerous celebrity impersonations) was spot-on. The woman who played Kathy Griffin (I don't remember her name, but she was the dancing pie in Cry-Baby) was perfect. This was the most polished Fringe show I've seen so far.

Watching Andrew Keenan-Bolger hop around as Zac Efron was priceless. He's got some killer abs. I would never have guessed.

Other celebrity "cameos": Amy Winehouse, Sarah Jessica Parker, R. Kelly, Paris Hilton, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Joan Rivers, Tom Cruise, Queen Latifah, Jaleel White, Lindsay Lohan, and even Britney Spears.

Even through all the silliness and dirty jokes, the show had a bigger point: the celebrities pictured need Perez even more than he needs them. They are so desperate for attention and publicity that they beg Perez to spread rumors about them. It was a really interesting idea that leaves you thinking, something I wasn't expecting going in.

My favorite part:
"Boy, why are you crying?"
"Is that you, God?"
"No. It's Britney, bitch."

I have to say, though, I felt really bad for one girl in the cast whose bio stated that she is "excited to make her Broadway debut in this fall's GODSPELL!" I wanted to give her a hug.

(I know the rest of my reviews have been really short, but I wasn't afraid of giving anything away here because if you don't already have tickets, you're probably not going to get any.)

Updated On: 8/14/08 at 12:36 PM

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 9:42pm

Yesterday I saw ASCENSION at the Cherry Lane Theater. It was perfect...as written, staged, and performed. There are three performances left, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Just saying it is special doesn't really do it justice.

[wexy]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 9:55pm

I saw "I Love You Petty And Favre" at Barrow St today.
OK, not what I expected.

Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:08am

TIM GUNN'S PODCAST (A REALITY CHAMBER OPERA) has about the most accurate title in the whole fest. It's an hour-long chamber opera featuring a guy singing the transcript of a Tim Gunn podcast in a recitative baritone voice while the composer plays the piano.

I'll admit only a passing familiarity with the TV show (but my daughter watches it) so I assume the intrigue and backstory that provides much of the comedy didn't make it to air. We sat right in front of the piano so it was sort of fun to follow along as the composer flipped the pages.

But the guy sitting next to me smelled like old gym socks.

Updated On: 8/15/08 at 02:08 AM

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 11:18am

MY SALVATION HAS A FIRST NAME: A WIENERMOBILE JOURNEY - A one-woman show basically telling us about her post-college summer job, but it became much more than that for her. Funny, goofy, and touching, I definitely recommend this show. I got to know the characters and I really cared about them. Quite impressive when they're all played by one woman in the space of an hour. If you were ever picked on, or you like meat puns, don't miss this!

[gilvisto]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 11:49am

Anyone see Time et al? I really wanted to, but couldn't make it to the city that week...

[CateBroadway]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 11:54am

I'm gonna have to take a cue from Yero and gush a little bit about PEREZ HILTON SAVES THE UNIVERSE. I'm guessing we saw the same performance, Wednesday night. I have to say, this was probably the tenth or eleventh Fringe show I've seen since moving to the city, and it was hands down the best time I've ever had at one.
It's pure Fringe. PEREZ managed to be the show that every production with a campy, topical title strives to be--consistently funny for more than the first 10 minutes. I wasn't even planning on seeing it based on seeing it based on the blurb on fringenyc.org. I personally despise Hilton and the idea of a 90 minute biopic made me nauseated, but the reviews have been shockingly all raves.
This is not to say it wasn't a little rough around the edges. I would maybe trim about 10 minutes from the script and perhaps give the band a few more rehearsals, but I can't remember laughing that hard at the theatre this year (excluding the [tos] first preview of course).

Standouts were, no surprise, Randy Blair as Hilton. The man's a comic genius and can sing his face off. Laura Jordan as Kathy Griffin stole every scene she was in. I would guess that only one or two lines escaped from her lips that weren't met with the audience bursting out laughing. Dana Steingold as Perez's assistant gave us the best vocals and most charming performance of the evening. Especially after her connection with the ill-fated GODSPELL, I'm guessing she'll be snatched right up and thrown into another Broadway show. It would be impossible to not mention Andrew Keenan-Bolger's, ummmm, secret hot body as Zac Efron. The show begins with him tied to a chair, half naked with a ball gag in his mouth being whipped by Perez. I'm guessing it shouldn't be too hard to find a producer to transfer this one. He also has a scene as Tom Cruise that was probably met with the biggest laughter of the evening. I'm forgetting the two girl's names who played Paris Hilton & Amy Winehouse, but both were a riot and had stand-out moments.

The show was definitely sold-out the night that I went, but it was also probably their prime performance slot. I'd have a hard time believing the whole run would be. It's one of the larger venues. I'd recommend going during one of their non-peak performance times.

I feel like this is the first Fringe show that I've seen that I would ever CONSIDER paying again to see in a commercial transfer. It seems maybe a good candidate to be snatched up and thrown somewhere like New World Stages. Surely it has more mass appeal than some of the stuff that winds up there.

Still on my list this weekend is BOY GIRL..., GEM and BECOMING BRITNEY. Will report when I get back.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 12:00pm

I'm considering seeing Exodus tonight -- anyone see it or hear anything about it?

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 12:34pm

Cate - We were totally at the same performance. Where were you sitting?

I would pay to see HILTON again in an extended run, but do you really think a producer would consider it profitable? I sort of felt that it was perfect for something like Fringe: relevant to today, but not much far past today.

Anyway, I checked the calendar and the rest of the performances are on a Friday or Saturday. The one at 2:30 this afternoon might not be sold out yet, but I guarantee the last two are.

When scheduling, Fringe considers "prime" slots between 7 and 10 PM. "Superprime" slots are those times on Friday and Saturday. We try to evenly distribute prime slots as best we can working around everyone's conflicts.

Updated On: 8/15/08 at 12:34 PM

[BorensteinBoi]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 12:34pm

SO glad to hear this is good, if only for Dana Steingold's sake. I am a little on the obsessed side with her!! She is literally one of the most adorable and charming performers. She has always reminded me of Kristin Chenoweth crossed with Bernadette Peters. Just a pint sized power house. I agree and HOPE she gets "snatched up." (Personally, I think she should be Penny in Hairspray or Glinda in some company of Wicked ASAP) I hope the rest of the GODSPELL cast does, too. Best wishes to all of them.


edit: PS. Did she have to do this show the DAY she found of GODSPELL was cancelled? Wow.. Updated On: 8/15/08 at 12:34 PM

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 12:55pm

Supposedly, the cast found out on Tuesday and the performance was Wednesday. (They had a previous performance on Saturday.) I might be wrong, though.