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
Review: CityBeat
by Nicholas Korn
"Matt Johnson’s solo improvisational piece, Tooth and ’Nuckle, at the very-out-of-the-way and very cool Hanke 2 space (1128 Main St.), might not be for the faint of heart, even by Fringe standards. The setup is pretty straightforward. A bare stage sports a phalanx of masks and puppets fashioned out of grocery bags, and audience members are invited make a selection for Johnson to use as starting points for off-the-cuff scenes and soliloquies."
Expectations have been a recurring theme for me in my reviews this year. When I read that Matt Johnson was doing a show this year, I had a set of expectations. I've seen his work before. In Tooth and 'Nuckle I got the Matt Johnson I was expecting. He is on the edge at all times, pushing you, sometimes with a very pointy stick. If you go to Fringe festivals and expect that everything is going to make sense, then I think you are missing out. We need bizarre shows, with vagina puppets made from grocery bags. We need raunchy sex crazed stuffed animals manipulated by Johnson as a puppet that then mock audience members for not wearing the right color clothing (pink for girls, blue for boys).
For the full article check it out on theconveyor.com.
Review: Behind The Curtain Cincinnati
I’m not sure how to react to TOOTH AND ‘NUCKLE. And I have the sneaking suspicion that that is exactly the reaction Matt Johnson wants from his audiences. The show seem to have been birthed from too much free time spent alone with his young children’s toys and his strangely unique sense of humor. The result is sometimes dark, sometimes uncomfortable and sometimes just plain weird. There is also some interesting commentary and a few good laughs.
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
Review: CityBeat
by Stacey Recht
"I suspect that the word “dude” has never been uttered so many times in so few minutes. John Ware and William Brown, both drama students at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music, invite you to hang out in the cluttered dorm room that is the 40-minute play The Masculinity Index. This snapshot shows us two aimless, barely post-adolescent, middle-class white males waxing and whining introspective about the “space between boyhood and manhood” and pledging to be each other’s bros/wingmen, a la Top Gun. "
There are some problems with the performance that can be addressed. First and foremost, the songs are too loud. Not in the “if it’s too loud, you’re too old” sense but more in the “audience is sitting in your lap and the drums and base are so loud that the vocals are drowned out, even though that mic is maxed out” kinda way.
*PLEASE NOTE - the June 5th performance of The First Book of: The Bible at 3:00 has been cancelled.
If only church were this much fun.
From: The Biblers
Most Fringy Thing: The eccentric spirit and simplistic spectacle of our show is truly fringe-esque. We also believe that improv is a major aspect of comedy, so our actors are encouraged to create their own entertaining circumstances and references.
Brief Description: What do sex, violence, thunder, lighting, plagues, circumcision, death, and music all have in common? They're all in The First Book of: The Bible! Come see a breath of fresh air breathed into everyone's favorite old standby: Genesis, with all the white hot holy spirit that Jesus surely would have wanted. See Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit! Marvel at Jacob conceiving children beyond belief! Observe the stupidity of humanity! All this and more in the first book of... THE BIBLE.
Artist/Company Biography: Actors- Maddie Burgoon, Natalie Reiger, Tori Nagel, Holly Angel, Eben Coffee, Mitch Hendee, Michael Newberry, Corey Meyer, Hugh Smith, Daniel Westheimer, Richard Lowenberg, and Chris Grosser as God. Written and Directed by Christian Haigis and Wesley Zurick. Stage Manager- Abigail Matey Lighting Designer- Ryan Theirauf Costumes- Jamaica Gilliam Musical accompaniment provided by Christian Haigis, Zacharias Muller, and Wesley Zurick.
From: Cincinnati, OH
Critics' Reviews
Review: CityBeat
by Stacy Sims
"The premiere of The First Book of the Bible was the first sold-out show of the 2011 Fringe. One of three entries in the new FringeNext category (works produced, created and performed by teens), this work by School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) seniors storms out of the gate with all the makings of a successful Fringe show."
Most Fringy Thing: This play is historical, with a world outlook and remarkable characters that will capture anyone’s interest. The creative combination of art and alluring music promotes passion and collaboration of art forms perfect for Cincinnati’s artsy community. Audiences will be touched by the sweet melodies and uplifting outlook on their world.
Brief Description: Raphael, a young blind boy in 1800’s Northern France, finds solace in the memory of his deceased mother and the colors taught him to sing. Raphael strives to protect his younger sister, Annalise, against their father’s drunken abuse. Raphael and an elderly painter uncover a beautiful combination of music and art leads them to discover that they are much more connected than by their love for color alone. Raphael searches for answers about his mothers death and a crucial moment leads him to decide whether he will continue succumbing to his father’s cruelty or fight for what his family deserves.
Artist/Company Biography: The Directors: Aly and Carly are high school senior drama majors from the School for the Creative & Performing Arts (SCPA) who have always had an interest in directing, both stage and screen. Both intend on pursuing their acting careers after graduation. Aly plans to get her BFA in Acting at Wright State and Carly will get her AFA in Acting for Film at New York Film Academy, Universal Studios. They both jumped at the opportunity to direct such a moving show, written by a close friend of theirs, Emilie, a senior creative writing major. The Writer: Emilie revamped this play from the winning short story she wrote last year for the school's Corbett-Mayerson competition. Emilie loves to explore the unwinding of plot and character both in fiction and reality, and she plans to pursue a career in creative writing and journalism. Through this play Emilie hoped to speak to the importance of the welfare of children while their undying bravery is a testimony to the overcoming of hardships. The cast ranges from grades 5th through 12th. They were auditioned and selected by Aly, Carly and Emilie, and are made up of a wide range of SCPA majors including a visual artist, vocalists, pianists, as well as actors.
From: Cincinnati, OH
Critics' Reviews
Review: CityBeat
by Stacey Sims
"The Color of Harmony kicked off the first-ever FringeNext series of shows. FringeNext is a new Fringe category that invites performances produced, created, and performed by high school students. It was presented in the black box theatre of the new School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) by the next generation of theatre artists."
Part of The Body Speaks: seven photos inspire dance, film and theatre. Explore three independent interpretations and one unique collaboration. See The Body Speaks: Movement and corresponding visual art & film exhibits.
Most Fringy Thing: Wait a minute...you can see three different fringe shows in three different genres all responding to one theme (and some amazing photos) creating an unbelievable variety of thought, emotion and curiosity? It's like an art ménage-a-trois and Performance Gallery is all up in the middle of it.
Brief Description: The Body Speaks roller-coaster plows through the brains of six playwrights and out pops a unique vision. A series of photos by Sean Dunn inspire our “scripted” response; concise vignettes creating a variety of worlds, characters and stories. They may enchant, they may enrage as they explore the body, brain and beyond. Come along on the ride. Continue your journey through the theme by seeing the “movement” and “captured” versions by our collaborating partners. Part ofThe Body Speaks: seven photos inspire dance, film and theatre. Explore three independent interpretations and one unique collaboration.
Artist/Company Biography: Often outlandish, sometimes profound, always unpredictable, Cincinnati based Performance Gallery is a collaborative performance environment existing to produce and promote challenging works of theatre. Founded in 2002, they have produced a varying amount of works per year, which, among others, have included premieres by local playwrights (Chasing the Wolf ’04, Gilgameshin Uric; G.I. in Iraq '07), some revamped classics (The Maids, ’03, Woyzeck ‘05) and seven widely different original offerings at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival (Images of a Beating Heart ’04; The Killer Whispers and Prays’05; godsplay: ’06; girlfight ’07; fricative ’08; KAZ/m '09 and The Council '10). Yes, we are the “bad penny” of the Cincinnati Fringe. We just keep turning up and we love it here.
From: Cincinnati, OH
Critics' Reviews
Review: CityBeat
by Kathy Valin
At the opening performance of Cincinnati-based Performance Gallery’s entry into the 2011 Fringe mélange I was sometimes puzzled at the direction the show was taking. But my attention rarely wandered far from the 14 very competent actors onstage who appeared in situations ranging from the absurd to the tongue-in-cheek. Creative credits are too many to list, including scripting, directing, conceptualization and development.
As usual, The Performance Gallery brings another interesting, thought-provoking, head-scratching, full o’ talent, show to the Cincinnati Fringe Festival.
The pure sensations of the human soul on capitalism...and bread sticks.
From: Artemis Exchange
Most Fringy Thing: Hallucinogenic trip in an Italian bistro nestled between slot machines and roulette tables while mad men spew forth poetry and philosophical counter-arguments in an attempt to decipher the job skills of an unemployed loser.
Brief Description:A job applicant meets the CFO of an Indian Casino Corporation and the CFO’s Secretary at the Olive Garden inside their casino for a final interview – which just so happens to be a peyote-fueled vision quest. With the help of Spirit Guides, the men explore their collective subconscious with cleansed perception and experience the pure sensations of the human soul on capitalism (with unlimited soup, salad, and bread sticks.) Starring Christopher Dooley, Kate Kershaw, and Fringe-regulars George Alexander and Randy Bailey (Tantric Acting at the Holiday Inn.) Written by Chris Wesselman, Paul Lieber, and Christopher Karr. Directed by Chris Wesselman.
Artist/Company Biography: Artemis Exchange was founded in 2008 by Christopher Karr and Chris Wesselman through a shared interest to pursue independent theatrical endeavors which demand a fully realized production through aesthetic invention that rejects the notion that dollars and cents will produce effective theatre. Since its inception, Artemis has created three original plays for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival: A Perfectly Wonderful Evening, which received two Cincinnati Entertainment Award (CEA) nominations and garnered a win for Best Alternative Production; Aberrant Reflections on the Barbarism of You & I, which was nominated for a CEA the following year, recently received a remounting as a co-production with New Edgecliff Theatre, and will be featured in the Chicago Fringe Festival this September; and this production, Peyote Business Lunch, a play born in the mind of collaborator Paul Lieber. Artemis delights in working with new and fresh talents in the creation of their pieces and never ceases to let the world be its creative muse.
Previous Fringes: Chicago Fringe 2010 (Aberrant Reflections on the Barbarism of You & I), Cincy Fringe 2010 (Aberrant Reflections on the Barbarism of You & I), Cincy Fringe 2009 (A Perfectly Wonderful Evening).
From: Cincinnati, OH
Critics' Reviews
Review: The Conveyor
by Brian Griffin
Free Bread sticks, special tea, a lizard, Adam Smith, and big dose of introspection make total sense after you see Artemis Exchange's new production Peyote Business Lunch. The show goes deep inside the mind, and I do mean deep, to pull out that wave-particle choking your soul, causing you to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, but then makes you laugh when you think about it years later. It takes you on a journey to experience everything that ever was and will ever be, all in about 60 minutes.
The Artemis Exchange scores well with "Peyote Business Lunch," turning an comic sketch into a compelling and very funny one-act play with some thought-provoking reflections on our society as the conventions of an ancient native culture find something like common ground with modern capitalism.
Unlike the characters in Peyote Business Lunch, Artemis Exchange’s high-octane entry in the 2011 Cincy Fringe, you don’t have to ingest anything to have your head turned around several times. The cast of four (performing at the gallery space at ArtWorks, 20 E. Central Parkway, enter from Jackson St.) will keep you laughing, furrowing your brow and being amazed for the entire 65 minutes you're there."
Review: Cincinnati Enquirer, Enjoy these local Fringe entries
by Jackie Demaline
Two easy-to-recommend entries by local companies in this year's Cincinnati Fringe Festival are "Darker" by New Edgecliff Theatre and "Peyote Business Lunch" from Artemis Exchange.
Free Bread sticks, special tea, a lizard, Adam Smith, and big dose of introspection make total sense after you see Artemis Exchange's new production Peyote Business Lunch. The show goes deep inside the mind, and I do mean deep, to pull out that wave-particle choking your soul, causing you to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, but then makes you laugh when you think about it years later. It takes you on a journey to experience everything that ever was and will ever be, all in about 60 minutes.
This show is a wonderful blend of tongue twisted mental exercises of dialog, rich characters, and brilliant acting. The cast of George Alexander, Randy Lee Bailey, Chris Dooley and Kate Kersaw are all veterans of Fringe and add hilarious layers to the script.
"Before I get into my review for the show I have to talk about the elephant in the room or, in this case, the elephant that IS in the room. The ArtWorks venue was problematic for WHITE GIRL, it works better for both HEADSCARF AND THE ANGRY BITCH and I LOVE YOU (WE’RE FUCKED) because the performers are standing for most of their one-person shows. However, the venue buries
A nimble mix of con artists, slapstick, and longing.
From: Jessica Ferris
Most Fringy Thing:
I threw my head back with laughter, I inhaled crisply, I was slack-jawed. -- San Francisco Audience Reviewer
Innovative structure... The show never rests on its laurels. -- Nuvo Indianapolis
That was a great piece of physical theater! -- Twin Cities Theater Connection
Stunning. I went home heartbroken and uplifted. -- Minnesota Fringe Audience Reviewer
Brief Description: This magical realist detective story traces California solo performer Jessica Ferris's search for the truth about her father who disappeared when she was two, and her discovery that he is a con artist on the lam. She portrays the members of her family as they reluctantly reveal clues, and she deftly transforms everyday objects (a folding chair, a metal toolbox, a sheet) into supernatural beings.
Jessica Ferris (Creator, Performer) has been creating solo shows that connect her most intimate stories with wider social concerns for the past decade. Her nimble approach to content and form yields performances that reviewers describe as “intricate,” “mesmerizing,” and “fresh.” Her eclectic aesthetic grows from her international physical theater training and the San Francisco Bay Area’s fertile performance community. You can connect with her at http://www.JessicaFerris.com
David Ford (Director) is a playwright and Director in Residence at The Marsh Theater in San Francisco. He has directed at the Public Theatre, Second Stage, St. Clément's, Dixon’s Place, One Dream Theatre, Theatre for the New City, (New York), Highways (Los Angeles), and Woolly Mammoth (DC).
Mark Orton (Composer) is a founding member of Tin Hat, a composer collective that blurs the line between jazz and chamber music and which has produced five critically acclaimed releases. He is an award winning film and radio composer, nominated for Best New Composer by The International Film Music Critics Association in 2006. Modern dance and circus collaborations include Pilobolus, Donald Byrd/Spectrum Dance Theater, Lawrence Goldhuber/Big Man Arts, The Pickle Family Circus, and Le 7 Doigts de la Main. Keep up with his work at http://MarkOrtonMusic.com
From: Oakland, CA
Critics' Reviews
Review: The Examiner
Biography and personal mythology come together in "Missing: the fantastical and true story of my father's disappearance and what I found when I looked for him," a solo show by Jessica Ferris of Oakland, Calif.
"The title of Jessica Ferris’ one woman show, Missing: The Fantastical and True Story of My Father’s Disappearance and What I Found When I Looked for Him (at Know Theatre), would pretty much seem to say it all. And yet, there would be so much, well — missing."
"Ferris has created this one-woman show as a clever theatrical mystery detailing "the fantastical and true story of my father's disappearance and what I found when I looked for him." With inventive staging (by director David Ford) that involves the creative use of simple props (a folding chair, a tool box, and three white sheets),Ferris digs deeper and deeper into the puzzle of why her father has been gone for 28 years and what happened to him."
"Jessica Ferris has a true and personal story to tell. Well, to say “tell” does not do her performance justice. Ferris brings considerable talent to her solo show: strong character acting, physical theater skills, a bit of the avant-guard, and a willingness to tap into and share the painful emotions she experienced over the years."
Southern belle trapped in the body of a gay New Yorker.
From: Left Out Productions NYC
Most Fringy Thing: Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown is not a typical one-man show, but, rather, a solo play. The characters, plot, and action of the piece are very real and the audience is consistently surprised to be taken on a complete theatrical journey. And you get to see Joe's naked butt.
Brief Description: Miss Magnolia Beaumont, Southern debutante, finds herself trapped in the body of Joe, a gay New Yorker visiting Provincetown, MA. This hilarious and touching tale of two souls struggling for balance and understanding celebrates the beauty and magic of P-town.
Artist/Company Biography: Joe Hutcheson has been writing and performing solo shows in New York since 2007. His first endeavor The Purpose of Matter in the Universe appeared at Stage Left Studio as part of the 2007 Midtown International Theatre Festival, and received two Best of the Fest nominations (Best Solo Show and Best Sound Design). The following year, Joe and Cheryl King (creator and producing director of Stage Left Studio) created The Left Out Festival for emerging LGBT theatre. Joe’s solo show Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown first appeared in this festival and was extended twice throughout the summer; in 2010, under the direction of Cheryl, Miss Magnolia enjoyed a critically acclaimed run at the Cherry Lane Studio with the New York International Fringe Festival and garnered a FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award. Joe holds an MFA from the University of Florida and a BFA from Cal State Fullerton. Some of Joe’s writing can be found on his blog at: www.becominghutch.blogspot.com/.
Previous Fringes: New York International Fringe Festival 2010 (Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown).
From: New York, NY
Critics' Reviews
Review: The Conveyor
by Brian Griffin
I am thrilled when my expectations are exceeded. The running time of Left Out Productions NYC's Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown was leaving me a little bit disconcerting for a solo Fringe show, but this is more than a solo show. This is a multiple character one person play that is a crafted work with two distinct and seamlessly woven roles played by Joe Hutcheson.
The art of the improbable premise is a standard at any Fringe Festival. What counts is not the unlikely starting point, but how one develops and delivers from the unreasonable setup. Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown (presented at the 1423 Vine venue), written and performed by Joe Hutcheson and directed by Cheryl King, shows that style, imagination, intelligence, heart, talent and daring are what make such productions worth the gamble. In fact, these elements make any art worth creating and sharing with an audience of strangers.
Review: Behind the Curtain
If there is any misstep in this production, I didn’t see it. The script is extremely well-written, emotionally vibrant and real. Both Miss Beaumont and Master Joseph are fully developed characters with depth and heart. The characters transitions are eye-blink fast and yet there is never any confusion as to which character is speaking. The progression of their “forced” relationship to friendship hits all the right emotional notes. MISS MAGNOLIA BEAUMONT GOES TO PROVINCETOWN is an impressive. entertaining work.
One fringe festival staple is the one-man show. Many of them are autobiographical, or nearly so. I sure hope that "Miss Magnolia Beaumont Goes to Provincetown" is not.Joe Hutcheson does play himself and a few other characters, but the main character and narrator is the Southern Belle of the title, also played by Joe, who after choking to death on a piece of pork just after the start of the Civil War has mysteriously inhabited the body of Joe, a gay New Yorker as he embarks on a solo vacation to Provincetown, Mass. She's apparently been in there a while, lurking and learning, but during this vacation she becomes more aware of Joe's body, manages to take it over from time to time, and carries on a set of hilarious conversations with her landlord (bodylord?) as they get accustomed to sharing.
Hilarious, fast paced mix of stand-up, storytelling and original music
From: Kevin J Thornton
Most Fringy Thing: This is the first time in your life that an hour of dick jokes will make you feel warm and fuzzy and thrilled to be alive. No really.
Brief Description: "I was going through an intense break up in Los Angeles. I moved out of our West Hollywood apartment and came to Indiana to hibernate for the winter and clear my head. Instead, I ended up drinking a lot and writing folk/country songs. I decided to take all this heartbreak and music and smash it together with my stand up." This unique hybrid of styles is displayed in Thornton's hilariously show about a gay man looking back over the greatest loves (and sex) of his life written by and starring Kevin J Thornton. Includes original music from Thornton's 2011 release January Dreams.
Artist/Company Biography: In a way, Kevin J Thornton is a throwback to the golden age of entertainers on the vaudeville circuit-- he sings, he tells jokes, he truly entertains his audiences in clubs and on the underground Fringe Festival circuit. However, Thornton's shows are anything but old fashioned. His stories and songs comment on sexuality, religion and American life in a new century. His performances are a fusion of stand-up comedy, Sandra Bernhard-like storytelling and original music akin to Ryan Adams and Van Morrison. Thornton spent the early 2000s building a reputation as a professional musician in Nashville, TN. His first effort entitled Had A Sword won the Nashville Scene Music Award for Best Experimental Rock. During that time he worked as an actor, ironically, to pay the bills. He appeared in several professional theatre productions, playing John in John and Jenat the historic Tibbit's Opera House in Coldwater, MI. and in a sketch comedy group aboard a luxury ship in South America
From: Los Angeles, CA
Critics' Reviews
Review: The Conveyor
by Brian Griffin
Kevin Thornton's I Love You (We're Fucked) filled the sweaty Artworks space with both eager audience members and wonderfully funny stories and songs. Thornton is an extremely talented performer who has improved on his 2009 CincyFringe show Sex, Dreams & Self-Control with a crisp comedy that was more fast past and improvisational. Kevin knows how to put on a show and knows how to push the crowd over they edge with him.
"What makes revealing personal anecdotes compelling? Perhaps it’s peeling back the layers of detail to get at the heart of emotions — if not situations — we can all identify with, with what’s human. By revealing plenty and walking cheerfully to comfort’s edge with TMI (too much information), the stand-up comedian/storyteller/singer-songwriter Kevin J. Thornton pretty much kept the audience in the palm of his hand during his sold-out opening performance of I Love You (We’re Fucked) on June 3."
Kevin Thornton's I Love You (We're Fucked) filled the sweaty Artworks space with both eager audience members and wonderfully funny stories and songs. Thornton is an extremely talented performer who has improved on his 2009 CincyFringe show Sex, Dreams & Self-Control with a crisp comedy that was more fast past and improvisational. Kevin knows how to put on a show and knows how to push the crowd over they edge with him. The tone of the show takes many more detours. You don't know what he is going to say, but that will not scare the audience if they aren't prudish. The prudes might want to skip this one. Beware of the "Blood stories" as they mix emotional elements that snap back to humor very quickly.
"The tag line for ILY(WF) show reads, “Hilarious, fast paced mix of stand-up, storytelling and original music.” To which I say, “Yes folks, there is still truth in advertising.”" I really enjoyed Kevin’s first Fringe performance two years ago with SEX, DREAMS AND SELF CONTROL and was happy to hear he was returning this year. What was great to see last night’s performance is how much Kevin has matured as a performer. He comes across more confident, more comfortable and more content on stage. But still all Kevin."
Most Fringy Thing: Breaking down cultural stereotypes has never been so fun! The 60-minute show is hilarious, has a solid performance history, and is extremely relatable to anyone who considers themself a "hyphenated American." And, as, Washington DC's CityPaper says: “The future of American-Islamic relations could hinge on this one-woman show.”
Brief Description: This beef ain't halal! Join Zed “The Muslim Weird Al” Headscarf on an irreverent romp through the American Muslim experience. This musically comic solo-show explores religion, growing up in a Pakistani immigrant family, and coming to terms with sex and love—all in one hilarious, energy-packed hour of story and song parody from powerhouse performer Zehra Fazal. Winner of the Best Solo-Performer award at the DC Capital Fringe Festival in 2009, the show went to play to sold out audiences at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2010. “Animated, engaging and likeable.” –The New York Times
Artist/Company Biography: Washington, DC theater credits include Studio Theatre, Synetic Theater, The Kennedy Center, Adventure Theatre, The Bay Theatre, Rorschach Theatre and Landless Theatre. Fazal also works as an actor and model for print and film, with clients including the Defense Intelligence Agency, Customs and Border Patrol, Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, and commercial clients including Marriott, Consumer Electronics Show, and National Geographic. In 2004, Fazal earned a grant from Stanford University to study with the Takarazuka Revue, Japan’s all-female musical theatre company. A graduate of Wellesley College, Fazal graduated with honors for translating and directing the English-language world premiere of The Rose of Versailles from the Takarazuka repertoire.
In following with her passion for Japanese theatre, Fazal has toured her solo-show adaptation of the Yukio Mishima play My Friend Hitler to the DC, Indianapolis and San Francisco Fringe Festivals. Fazal premiered Headscarf and the Angry Bitch at the 2009 Capital Fringe Festival, earning the Best Solo Performance Award, as well as the Favorite Solo Performance Award on DC Theatre Scene, and went on to the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival where it played to sold out houses and garnered further acclaim. For more information, please visit www.zehrafazal.com.
From: Washington, D.C.
Critics' Reviews
Review: CityBeat
by Rodger Pille
CRITIC'S PICK
It’s pretty typical for our culture to be afraid of that which we don’t know. We see it every day on TV news and in daily conversations around the water cooler. But what we probably rarely see is the reaction on the other end, how it affects the object of our fear. That’s one of the principle reasons whyHeadscarf and the Angry Bitch is so welcoming and accessible. And frankly, so needed.
Writer-actress Zehra Fazal makes it really easy for us xenophobes. She sets up her one-woman show, a sort of theatrical Muslim for Dummies with autobiographical anecdotes sprinkled in for good measure, as a series of community education sessions taught at the local neighborhood center. She addresses the audience directly, as if we’re a part of the class, which of course we are.
"Headscarf and the Angry Bitch" is an enjoyable comic solo show written and performed by Zehra Fazal that explores a young woman's experiences of growing up Muslim in America.Fazal portrays Zed Headscarf, the self-proclaimed "Muslim Weird Al" who gives us a lecture on various aspects of Muslim culture, often illustrating her points with song parodies she plays on her guitar. We quickly learn primary tenants of the Muslim religion along with proper Muslim attitudes toward foods (beer is bad but Skittles are OK), prayer, family and sex.
The Anger in Zehra Fazal's Headscarf and the Angry Bitch is reserved not for her religion or her family or her ethnicity, but lies with the actions of all of those entities interacting together and making her life full of contradictions and confusion. Fazal's character Zed Headscarf takes you in with her seminar, learning about Islam. Along the way she shares her stories about her upbringing with Pakistani parents and extended family and how sex and it's many variances lack a place in the culture surrounding her religion.
For the full article check it out on theconveyor.com
Review: Behind the Curtain
"Zehra Fazal’s very fun (and educational) show gives audience members an irreverent, personal, view of what it means to be a young, female, Muslim-American."
"Our first sold out Fringe show was "Headscarf and the Angry Bitch" by DC-based artist Zehra Fazal, and it lives up to the buzz.
Fazal plays Zed Headscarf, a young bisexual woman of Pakistani descent who is conducting a series of informative lectures about her faith, though she's not what you'd call observant, at the local Islamic Center. So you not only get a personal look at the life of a modern American Muslim, but also a primer on the lexicon, explanations of concepts like "haraam" and "halal.""
On Saturday, I tried to see “Headscarf and the Angry B*tch,” at Artworks for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, which simply describes the play with the phrase, “the Muslim Weird Al.” I dashed through the doors at 6:58pm and flashed my pass. I was turned away. The house was packed, even the standing room, and I was out of luck. On the advice of the staff, I went next door to the Know Theatre and bought a ticket for the next evening.
