Theatre

A special Fringe workshop performance from The Bengsons.

NYC-based husband-wife duo, The Bengsons, are proud to be sharing this performance of choral music from their new mixed-media folk opera, The Proof. The Proof is the story of a young couple who face the sudden diagnosis of a terminal illness. With only a year to spend together, they decide to live 12 months as though they were the 60 years they feel they were owed, creating a world of rapidly changing seasons and tiny moments of stillness. This special Fringe performance will feature a selection of The Bengsons celebrated compositions and will feature THE FRINGE CHOIR, a collection of the finest singing talent of the Fringe and SW Ohio.

Catch another special performance from The Bengsons at the CityBeat Fringe Kick-Off Party on May 31st!

Visit The Bengsons website

Artist/Company Bio: The Bengsons are the best in vaudevillian indie folk and rising stars in the NYC experimental music and theater community. They have performed their original shows, performances pieces and original musicals, Ain't That Good News and The Magic Show: The Story of the Barefoot Angels, across the country and around the world. They have appeared to acclaim at such venues as Culture Project’s Women Center Stage (NYC), MASS MoCA (North Adams, MA), terraNOVA Collective’s soloNOVA Arts Festival at The Daryl Roth Theater (NYC), La MaMa E.T.C. (NYC), Dixon Place (NYC), BRIClab (Brooklyn, NY), The Flynn (Burlington, VT), Town Hall Theater (Middlebury, VT), The Thacher School (Ojai, CA), the Tijuana Christian Orphanage (Tijuana, Mexico) and the Market Theater (Johannesburg, South Africa). The Bengsons are also activists and teachers, who have taught students in NYC's public schools and Cambodian immigrants in Massachusetts, as well as internationally, including at the Market Theater Lab of Johannesburg, ZA, the Tijuana Christian Orphanage of Tijuana, Mexico, and ASAPROSA, in Santa Ana, El Salvador.

Part of FringeDevelopment

Come join us for an evening of True Theatre...where time slows down and we can listen.

From: True Theatre

Brief Description: True Theatre is one of Cincinnati’s hottest new tickets, selling out shows advertising only “true stories told by real people.”  Their themed shows (trueFEAR, trueBEGINNINGS, and trueFOOLISHNESS) have drawn storytellers from all walks of life.  Their next scheduled show is in July, but they’re adding an evening just for the Fringe Festival! trueFRINGE, like every True Theatre show, features 5 storytellers (all artists in this year’s fringe festival) sharing true, personal stories—this time, about life in-and-around the theatre.  Don’t miss the chance to make your Fringe experience complete with this ONE NIGHT ONLY show!

Artist/Company Biography: The mission of True Theatre is to bring together a wide variety of people to share stories in an effort to create community, encourage discussion, and remind everyone that ALL of us have stories to tell with unique insights and broad appeal. Though storytelling can take on many forms, True Theatre realizes that what great stories have in common are their power to hold attention, slow time, and capture the imagination. They may redden cheeks, make eyes water, and elicit eruptions of laughter. They take you somewhere. Although great storytelling is not limited to true, personal stories, True Theatre believes that these real moments of our lives, from the mundane to the extraordinary, give both the speaker AND the listener the ultimate sense of being part of a larger community than they were aware.

Visit True Theatre's website for more information

Acclaim Recommendation, Acclaim Nominations: Staging, props, and general creativity.

Danger, intrigue, the end of the world! BUM BUM BUM!

From: Four Humors Theater

Most Fringy Thing: This show will celebrate humor and laughter every way it can. We take our humor seriously so you don't have to.

Brief Description: Danger. Intrigue. Dashing men. Clowns. Sexy women. Double crossing. The bad guy has a cat. Secrets. Dazzling Special effects. Puppets. The world is in peril and there is only one person who can save it! A new ridiculous comedy from Four Humors Theater and the artists who brought you The Finkles' Theater Show.

Artist/Company Biography: Four Humors strives to create art that celebrates the humor,... stupidity, and beauty of our world by letting the artist connect with the audience in a vulnerable and honest way. We make the beautiful foolish and the foolish beautiful.

From: Minneapolis, MN

Critics' Reviews

Acclaim Recommended, Acclaim Nominated: Writing and Creating (Jimmy Hogg)

Fast-paced, hyper verbose, physical comedy with an accent

From: Jimmy Hogg

Most Fringy Thing: It's as relevant now as when I wrote it. More so even, since it deals with themes of underemployment and the constant struggle to find work. I didn't realize until I first did it how much people would relate to it.

Brief Description: It's a show about my introduction into the working world at a very young age and consequent period of underemployment, moving from one awful experience to the next. It's also a users guide as to how to get a job. It's really the show where I made my mark on the Fringe scene by establishing a style that was very physically detailed, exceptionally fast-paced and packed with details, descriptions, segues and anecdotes leaving the audience little time to breathe until the curtain comes down.

Artist/Company Biography: Jimmy Hogg is an actor/writer/director and stand-up comedian. He has worked on more than 50 theatre productions in varying capacities. In recent years he has focused on his solo shows having toured the fringe circuit since 2006. Currently he is preparing to tour to seven cities in Canada and the U.S., as well as preparing a travel TV show which will commence shooting sometime in the summer in Bolivia. He is also a columnist for Toro Magazine, where he has worked for the past 3 years since its inception. This is Jimmy's second year at the Cincy Fringe, returning after the sell-out success of last year's A Brief History of Petty Crime.

From: Toronto, ON

Critics' Reviews

Cabaret-style fire performance. 6 artists, 15 props, tons of fire!

From: Incendium Arts

Most Fringy Thing: Fire is an element full of wonder, a key component to life on this planet. It provides light, sustains the flora, and fuels the madness of our society. Taming it provides a sense of empowerment, as something both life giving and destructive is bent to your will.

Brief Description: Incendium Arts is cabaret-style fire entertainment. Dance, object manipulation and flame exhibition combine with an eclectic soundtrack and nerdy abandon to provide an outrageously fun full sensory experience. Incendium's 35-45 minute, 15 prop shows provide a few solo performances intermingled with 6-7 multi-person, multi-prop, fully choreographed pieces.

Artist/Company Biography: Incendium Arts is a fire and light troupe based in Cincinnati, OH. Why Incendium? Incendium is the Greek word for fire. After months of pondering, in the end it was simple... Fire Arts. Incendium began as a two person poi and fire breathing/eating act, founded in late 2005 by Jonathan "Grimm" Zimmer and Lyndsie "Vega" Wildt. Their roster now consists of Grimm (spinner of 11 years), Kate "K8" McCoy (spinning prodigy since 2007), Melissa "Hex" Rounds (stage manager extraordinaire), Brandon "B" Schlunt (musician of 16 years), Kara "Valkyrie" Livesay (ex-military singer/musician), and Jonah DiGirolamo ("strapped" Fire Tender). Their skill sets have expanded to include fans, staff, double staff, floating wands/orbs, full-size and mini fire hoops, palm torches, clubs, whips, and two full sets of tuned fire drums, an original creation. Nearly all of their tools and set pieces are built in-house by the crew, and they are currently working on original soundtrack pieces. Since 2006 they have performed and taught at events across the country. Currently they are involved in teaching youth circus such as My Nose Turns Red, helping to organize Kinetic Fire Retreat in Chicago, and gearing up for a busy 2011.

From: Cincinnati, OH

Critics' Reviews

Biting the hand that feeds, one finger at a time.

From: Matt Johnson and Artistic Compatriots

Most Fringy Thing: This thing will be completely different every night, there is no script, but plenty of rhyme although iffy on the reason. We have a plan but like sausage and democracy you'd be better off not knowing how its made. Truly alive and honestly dangerous this promises to be the Fringiest of Fringe shows. Love it or hate it you will never forget it. Tooth and 'Nuckle (I ate the fucking K)

Brief Description: Part meditation. Part freak out. All righteous theatrical indignation. This improvised treatise is aimed at the intersection of the tooth and the knuckle; when the feeding hand of benevolence spreads its flesh to the mongrel tooth of freedom. Interdisciplinary and insane with a rotating cast this show is never even remotely the same. Make the choice: Tooth or 'Nuckle? Either way you'll have blood on your hands.

Artist/Company Biography: Matt is thankful for whomever showed up tonight to risk their reputation, their career, and quite possibly their life by "performing" in this performance of Tooth and 'Nuckle. Matt has written, performed, directed, and designed for many Cincinnati theaters but mostly for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company where he was the Associate Artistic Director and an ensemble member for nine seasons.

Previous Fringes:  Cincy Fringe 2003 (You Don't Exist to Me)

From: Newport, KY

Critics' Reviews

In Hell, every story you hear is funny.

From: Kleesattel Productions

Most Fringy Thing: It uses humor to provide insight into concepts and history that people might otherwise ignore. Also there might be hot chicks there. I mean, no guarantees or anything but you never know.

Brief Description: Demonstrating yet again his strong interest in the advancement of public awareness, Satan (a.k.a. Prince of Darkness) will be hosting an educational Bible study at this years Cincinnati Fringe. The content of the production will center around his role in both the Old and New Testaments. Please feel free to come and learn from this figure's vast experience, which includes not only being the universal symbol of evil, but also extensive work of the 1980 Presidential elections. (Please note that just because he came here from hell doesn't necessarily imply there will be audience participation or puppets. So don't worry.)

Artist/Company Biography: Gina Kleesattel has directed numerous productions during her career in theater. She has worked with Jersey Productions, Showboat Majestic, Monmouth Theater, University of Dayton, and Kincaid Regional Theater. Also she teaches at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Over-the-Rhine. She has more than proven her knowledge of the theatrical arts which makes the decision to produce and direct a script written by her nephew, Benjamin Kleesattel, so perplexing; being as he so blatantly has demonstrated a demeanor of almost uncanny apathy. When asked about this Gina responded, "Hey, I go off of material and what can I say, I really liked the script. I was surprised Ben was able to write it considering he so blatantly has demonstrated a demeanor of almost uncanny apathy. But please don't use that statement if you're going to put a mini bio of us in your advertisements."

CAST:  Dain Paige, Joe Caesar, Brendon North, Anne Arezina

 From: Cincinnati, OH

Critics' Reviews

Man, even once, is twice.

From: Powerhouse Productions

Most Fringy Thing: The Masculinity Index is a patchwork of theatre, spoken word poetry, narrative, movement and music, both instrumental and vocal. It's a story that everyone may find familiar with the visceral feel and rough edges that make it real. This is our story. It could be your story.

Brief Description: What makes a man? The answer to this question is ever elusive, but John Ware and William Brown delve fearlessly into their own hearts, minds, and guts, popular culture and conventional wisdom to uncover the truth. The Masculinity Index is the journey of one young man to attain a sense of having grown up and to cross the mythical barrier between boyhood and manhood. His path is littered with all the trials young men must conquer before they can rightfully call themselves men. Through soliloquy and encounters with the outside world, our young hero learns what is truly important.

Artist/Company Biography: The journey of The Masculinity Index began humbly, with just a few scattered notes jotted down in a notebook belonging to cast member and writer John Ware. He had hatched an idea for a show that was visceral, interdisciplinary and expressed what he had wanted to say through years of growing up, admittedly still in the process. He wanted to tell the story of someone like himself, but who was also an archetypal hero who could express the anger, the frustration, and the triumph of an entire generation: Young Joe. As time wore on, John realized he would not be able to do it alone. One night, William Brown made an offhand remark to John about the responsibility of a man, to which John replied: "Exactly. Listen William, I have this show I'm working on, and I need help..." And the rest is history. Powerhouse Productions is a brand-new company of two artists whose powers of expression balance each other perfectly. They are logic and soul, staccato and flow, aggressive and pensive, guitar and drums. Together they have one mission: to tell a story so seldom told truthfully in the modern world, the story of manhood.

Previous Fringes: 2008 Cincy Fringe (It Might Be Ok)

From: Cincinnati, OH

Critics' Reviews

The play Anton Chekhov couldn’t write - about his own true love.

From: Dawn Arnold - The Moving Dock Theatre Company

Most Fringy Thing: The Lydia Etudes shoots from the heart. A revelation from the woman who kept her secret. Suspend your disbelief about Anton Chekhov and see the play he couldn’t write - the one about his own true love. A class act for the classical music and theatre loving crowd.

Brief Description: Earthquakes happen when no one is looking. The controversial love between Anton Chekhov and a woman named Lydia comes alive on stage in The Lydia Etudes. An intimate look at the master storyteller, Anton Chekhov, told through the eyes of the woman who might have been his one true love. Be transported into the world of Chekhov as Dawn Arnold portrays Lydia and Anton, and a host of other characters, in her original adaptation of Lydia Avilova's memoir and Chekhov's letters to Lydia. "A dynamic, compelling glimpse of a fascinating woman writer by an equally mesmerizing theatre artist." 

Artist/Company Biography: The Moving Dock Theatre Company is a Chicago based company creating original work through the art of the actor. Theatre artist, Dawn Arnold, has created and directed many of The Moving Dock's ensemble-created productions including Celestial Mechanics-or the Questionable Attraction of Entities, Savage/Love, and Where our Imaginations May Lead Us, and co-directed/adapted Galway Bay, The Quiltmaker's Gift, Ocean Sea, which the Chicago Sun-Times found "...so ambitious, so fearless, so compelling, so enigmatic and so physically beautiful" and Einstein's Dreams, one of PerformInk's "Go See" Productions "...a spare, eloquent and imaginative rumination on time." Dawn Arnold's inventive work has intersected with literary giants Edith Wharton in Undercurrents and Anton Chekhov in The Lydia Etudes, and ventured out into the cosmos with the story of America's first women astronomers in Unsung Stars, which performed at Chicago's Adler Planetarium. Recently she created and performed the Spirit of the Dance with Chicago's Boitsov Ballet. A Master Teacher of the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique, Dawn appears in the documentary, Master Classes in the Michael Chekhov Technique. She teaches the Chekhov Technique around the country in guest workshops and performs The Lydia Etudes, for colleges, high schools, theatre companies, and festivals.

From: Chicago, IL

Critics' Reviews

Can the Big Guy find happiness in his crazy creation?

From: What If Play Shop Players

Most Fringy Thing: Celestial Services (aka “Heaven”) has lost market share and customers to Oprah and is in danger of going out of business. Lucifer (“a marketing genius”) convinces COO Gabriel that the the current “salvation socialism” business model must be replaced with a “free market miracle paradigm”. What will Big Guy do?

Brief Description: Yo, Fringe Fans! The Big Guy here, asking you to come see me and my friends from Celestial Services in THE GOD BLOG, a radio soap opera which asks the musical questions, “Can a burned out, demographically irrelevant deity find happiness in this crazy world he created AND stop Granola Guy Lucifer from confiscating his donuts at the staff meeting?” See for yourself why I need a new gig. Hey, remember that bike you got on your seventh birthday? I’m not trying to lay guilt trips on anyone…just sayin’ the Big Guy would appreciate a little love. Thanks!

Artist/Company Biography: I wrote the God Blog as a tribute to the legacy of “whimsical, what if” humor performed by my father, James Francis Patrick O’Neill (JFPO), the legendary “Morning Mayor” on WLW radio, who was best known for his daily soap opera, “As Your Stomach Turns.” For many years I’ve wanted to write and perform my own material, which was inspired by JFPO and the comedians I grew up listening to: Bob and Ray, Jack Benny, Jonathan Winters, Nichols and May, Mort Sahl, Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby and Lenny Bruce. I had been too afraid up until now. Thanks to the encouragement and support of friends and family, the opportunity presented by the Fringe Festival, and the energy and enthusiasm of the What If Play Shop Players, I can begin to realize my dream. I hope the other Players realize their hearts’ desires as well. I am most grateful to all who have helped me. And special thanks to you, Mom and Dad! I hope you enjoy the show, too!

From: Cincinnati, OH

Critics' Reviews