. Photo Blog

South Asian American Dance

2008-07-27T11:39:00.004-04:00

By Bob Morrison

This won't be a regular posting because I have to rush to get to another show. But before their last performance today, I wanted you to see a few images from the beautiful and accessible showing of a unique dance form. It was born in Pakistan and has been growing here in the U.S. for years. It combines elements of classical Asian Bharatanatyam dance, complex rhythms of north Indian music and contemporary themes. If this sounds daunting, it shouldn't. The dances presented here are colorful and very accessible. They are easy not only to understand but also to enjoy, even if you don't know anything about any dance form. The last performance of the Tehreema Mitha Dance Company takes place today at 5 p.m. in The Forum at the Shakespeare Theatre across from the Verizon Center at 610 F Street N.W.

Now a few images:

For more images, click here.

Born Normal

2008-07-26T12:37:00.000-04:00

By Paul Gillis

"Born Normal", at the Source Theatre, is the story of a very unconventional family. But they're unconventional by birth, not by choice. In many ways, they're dysfunctional, but it's largely because in so many ways they're hyper-functional.

The story really centers on the mother, who is born with white-feathered wings, the only such person in history. (The production does not actually equip her with strap-on wings. They are only suggested.) Her parents immediately capitalize on her unique endowment, turning her into a media sensation. Of course she grows up spoiled, and more self-centered than anyone would think possible.

Her more conventional female endowments also prove to be spectacular, and she eventually moves from the pages of the National Enquirer to those of Playboy. She falls in love with the Playboy photographer & they marry, eventually having three children.

The whole story is narrated by the younger of her two daughters. She suffers from middle-child syndrome in the worst way. Both of her siblings have extraordinary powers, while she is completely normal. Her sister can raise small animals from the dead. And her baby brother is born talking, not merely in complete sentences, but expressing the most carefully-reasoned opinions with the vocabulary of an Oxford don. (But he still poops in his pants.)

As the brother grows, his amazing articulateness fades away. But eventually it is replaced by a gift of more dubious value. He is able to remember, in his own thoughts, things that the people around him have forgotten.

Eventually, a fourth child is born, who literally glows with a warm light. But he dies in infancy. His sister's powers of revival prove useless on the baby, which casts her into a long depression.

Eventually, the mother loses her wings. She is utterly bereft, having tied up her whole identity in her unique gift. Her two children continue to use their own gifts, restoring dead pets to life and retrieving the memories of the senile. But these gifts seem to be slowly fading as well.

There are still two performances of "Born Normal" at the Source, Saturday the 26th at 5 and Sunday the 27th at 6:30.

For more pictures, go to my photo website.

7 1/2 Habits

2008-07-25T20:04:00.003-04:00

By Paul Gillis

On Thursday night at the Warehouse Mainstage, I caught the first CapFringe performance of "7 1/2 Habits of Highly Effective Mistresses". As you might guess, it's pretty funny. It's a two-woman show in the form of a self-improvement seminar with songs and musical accompaniment.

The show was created by its star, Lisa Faith Phillips, who plays Dr. Faith. The music was composed by Ellen Mandel, who, as Mistress Ethel, accompanies Dr. Faith on piano & backing vocals.

The show gets in quite a few good jokes, and the cabaret-style music is great. Dr. Faith encourages lots of audience participation--and if you don't join in, you may suffer the wrath of Mistress Ethel's riding crop. They did manage to get the whole audience to sing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." (See habit #2.)

Dr. Faith keeps promising that the best audience member will be named "America's Top Mistress", and sure enough she picked a woman from the audience at the end of the show, bringing her on stage to recieve a prize. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show.

There are more performances scheduled at the Warehouse for Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th, both at 2:30 p.m.

To see more photos of this show, click here.

Power House

2008-07-25T13:09:00.004-04:00

By Paul Gillis

I'd never seen a show before like "Power House: the Disco Energy Dance-Along Show", at the Source Theatre. It's basically a play, put on by Charlie Fink and Bouncing Ball Productions. But the staging puts the audience in the middle of the action--in fact, they're encouraged to participate.

A surprising number of people ventured out in the driving rain Wednesday evening for this show. When I arrived, the lobby was packed with patrons, including most of the audience from the previous show, waiting for some break before they dashed home. When we came into the house, it was lit like a disco, and cast members were already dancing. They got many audience members to join in. I was hoping the whole audience would get into the disco spirit, but unfortunately most people reverted to just watching.

The premise, introduced in a video at the beginning, is that new technology is developed to harness the energy released by a disco full of dancers. The video explains how mechanical, thermal & sweat energy are captured for conversion into clean, "green" electricity. The dancers in this powerhouse bounce and spin atop turbines, under the watchful eye of a menacing scientist/engineer type. They are fed drugs by a very sexy nurse to keep them dancing. But it's not clear how they were recruited for this work.

Trouble starts when the overseer decides to test the limits of the plant's power output. He wants to set a record for kilowatt-hours, but one of the dancers decides he has had enough. He tries to take a rest, and even encourages the others to stop. The overseer has other ideas, and brings the recalcitrant dancer into his office for "reprogramming"

This does not end well. The dancer will not cooperate, even when a hot woman comes in, seduces him, and encourages him to continue his work. So he has to be eliminated--and is immediately replaced by a dancer picked out of the audience.

There is one more show of "Power House", Friday the 25th at 10:00 p.m.

To see more pictures of this production, click here.

Omega - A Free Concert From The Capital Fringe Festival

2008-07-24T16:46:00.003-04:00

By Bob Morrison

For centuries Omega, as the last letter in the Greek alphabet, has stood for the end, the termination, the last and final whatever. Well, I'm sure the Omega concert I heard last night in the Baldacchino at Fort Fringe isn’t their last, though it may be the last time you can hear Omega for free. Here are a few photographs taken during last night’s show, which they performed for an audience almost slightly larger than the band. (I hear it may have reached 15 after I left.)

For more photographs of Omega, click here.

The Disappearance of Jonah

2008-07-24T16:12:00.002-04:00

By Bob Morrison

From a small town in the Midwest, a young man sets off to find his missing brother in New York City.

We learn more about him and his brother and meet an assortment of New Yorkers as the play, by Darragh Martin, moves through fast-paced flashbacks and flashforwards.

On the night I attended Will Snyder (below at right) substituted on extremely short notice for an actor suddenly unable to perform, and did so very ably.

Though not listed in the program credits, a major player in this drama is New York City itself, present in projected photos and videos. There were no technical glitches, which should be mentioned to the credit of the crew as it doesn’t happen that way in every Fringe show.

The young cast, either in college or not far beyond it, was believable. You might have a bit of trouble following the story as it quickly shifts through time and space, though; at least I did.

There are four more performances at the Shop in Fort Fringe: tonight at 6; Friday the 25th at 8:30; Saturday the 26th at 5; and Sunday the 27th at 12:30 p.m. For more photos, click here.

Diamond Dead

2008-07-24T16:01:00.007-04:00

By Paul Gillis

Late last Friday I went to experience "Diamond Dead" at the Warehouse Mainstage. It's quite a show. Landless Theatre Co. does a great job with it, and obviously has lots of fun. The musical numbers had the audience on their feet, rocking along with the beat.

The story, such as it is, is a very silly horror sendup, penned by the composer of "The Rocky Horror Show". It's sort of like "Spinal Tap" meets "Shaun of the Dead." Diamond Dead are a rock band, killed in a (not-quite) accident. But they return to life as flesh-eating zombies. Despite their antisocial habits, they become a huge hit.

Much of the action is precipitated by a southern revivalist preacher, who launches a crusade to rid the world of these satanic creatures. His style & self-assurance are magnificent. But his Achilles heel is his habit of patronizing a very sexy dominatrix, Mistress Aria. It just happens that she is the (still-living) singer for Diamond Dead. Their scenes are great--and since the band has come to Washington, we learn about another one of Aria's high-profile clients.

As you might expect, the play ends with a monumental bloodbath (luckily, not recreated with the realistic effects used in modern zombie movies.) But finally evil triumphs, and the victims are all resurrected with a little help from Satan. It winds up with a great song about going to hell for the rock and roll.

I've read that George Romero has long been planning a movie of this story. If it's half as much fun as Landless Theatre's show, it will be worth watching. (Though as I mentioned, I'm no fan of Romero's extremely graphic gore.)

There are three more shows of "Diamond Dead" at the Warehouse: Thursday the 24th at 6:00, Friday the 25th at 10:00, and Saturday the 26th at noon.

To see more pictures of this show, click here.

Slash Coleman Has Big Matzo Balls

2008-07-24T14:48:00.004-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Growing up in Chester, Virginia, Slash Coleman felt that part of his Jewish heritage was missing. Finding it – ”the missing triangle ”– is the framework on which he loosely hangs this comedy stand-up routine.

There’s something here for Jew and non-Jew to like – and maybe to be offended by, if that’s your schtick. Slash explains how he got impregnated . . .

And gave birth discretely behind a dark curtain held by an audience volunteer . . .
to – of course – a giant matzo ball.

Audience participation was reluctant the night I attended. When Slash eventually did get someone up on stage they shone, however, like the man who read a funny letter very effectively to great audience applause while Slash changed costumes backstage.

If you hear a groaner – and you just may – hang in there because the next joke is coming quick on its heels.

There’s a happy ending – he eventually finds his missing triangle.

Slash has four more shows at the Warehouse Beyond: tonight, Thursday, at 7; Friday the 25th at 9:30; Saturday the 26th at 5; and Sunday the 27th at 3. For more photos, click here.

Prototype 373-G

2008-07-23T01:34:00.004-04:00

By Paul Gillis

On Saturday, I went to see "Prototype 373-G" at the Source Theatre. This play, produced by the Flea Market Theater Co., is loads of fun. It has a cast of eight, and they all seem to have as good a time as the audience.

The story starts out conventionally enough. A youmg actress, Belly, is having trouble with her overbearing boyfriend, while her slightly crazy former boyfriend has reappeared in her life. And her agent, who claims to be dying, warns her that her career will go down the tubes unless she sells out to a repulsive corporation.

But the story quickly takes a turn to the bizarre side. The emperor of the turtle people on a distant planet has a scheme to invade the earth, and Belly is to be the vehicle for introducing the aliens to our world. A tiny turtle that her friend gives her turns out to be Prototype 373-G, designed to take over her mind and impregnate her with the seed of the evil emperor. The little creature begins to grow at an alarming rate, and Belly starts transforming her apartment into a leafy green turtle paradise.

Belly's dreams are troubled by aliens, turtles, and weird versions of her agent and boyfriends. These sequences are some of the most striking parts of the play, and are accomplished with minimal sets and wonderful costuming. I loved Belly's boxer shorts adorned with turtles.

There is a big blowup with the BF and the agent caught in flagrante, but the story reaches its crisis when the emperor arrives and somehow transmogrifies into the turtle, which has grown to gigantic proportions.

Luckily, Belly figures out how to destroy the evil invader at the last minute. Suffice it to say that she liquidates him. (Of course I must acknowledge the Wizard of Oz for that groaner.)

This show is all in good fun, and seems like a wonderful homage to the cheesy sci-fi films of the 1950's. There are still performances scheduled for Wednesday the 23rd at 5:30, Saturday the 26th at 1:00, and Sunday the 27th at 4:30.

For more pictures, click here.

The Sticking Place

2008-07-23T00:28:00.003-04:00

by Paul Gillis

On Saturday night, I went to the Shop at Fort Fringe to see the Molotov Theatre Group's latest creation, "The Sticking Place". I was thinking the title might refer to getting stuck in a situation you can't get out of, but it seems in fact to refer to a place where you might get stuck with a knife.

Although there are other Fringe shows which may boast a higher body count, this play is definitely the goriest that I have seen. If you are intrigued by gratuitous sex and violence, this is certainly a show to see.

The play starts with a D.C. television newscaster (I loved the local setting) blathering about the rise in "blood play" as a sexual kink among young people. Soon it turns out that one of his underlings shares this interest with his girlfriend, and thinks that murder would be just the thing to speed his rise through the corporate ranks, as well as spice up his love life.

He enlists his girlfriend's aid in offing his boss, a scene which should get some kind of prize for both its goriness and its callous viciousness.

Afterwards, he takes her back to his apartment for some blood-stained lovemaking. What he hasn't counted on is her jealous roommate, who was hoping to be the one to introduce her to bloodplay...

It was quite a show. But it's definitely not for the faint of heart. You can still catch it Thursday the 24th at 8:00 or Saturday the 26th at 3:00.

For more pictures of mayhem & blood-crazed lust, see my gallery at this link.

The Dream-Casting

2008-07-22T17:27:00.002-04:00

By Bob Morrison

The Dream-Casting is unique. You won’t see anything else like it at the Fringe. It was conceived and produced by Huilo Marvavilla, a painter and sculptor who performs along with Sizzle and other special guests. This work brings an explosion of color, music, puppetry, dance and imagery to The Baldacchino at Fort Fringe.

It is divided into three parts: Dream 1, The Awakening;

Dream 2, Tea With Duality;

and Dream 3: Manifesting the New. Throughout all three parts, huge phantasmagorical puppets move to and fro on the stage, illuminated by a visual barrage of projected original digital art including abstract designs, illustrations and word messages.

The original sound track works together with the other elements to create a fusion of sensation that weaves a spell almost hypnotic in its effect.

At one point a dancer weaves a skein of yarn in and out through the audience, evidently symbolizing a bonding. But don’t get too literal about this show. It is meant, I believe, to be experienced and not necessarily understood.

Five performances remain: Wednesday, July 23, at 8 p.m.; Thursday the 24th at 9 p.m.; Friday the 25th at 9:30 p.m.; Saturday the 26th at 9 p.m.; and Sunday the 27th at 2 p.m. For more images of The Dream-Casting, click here.

Fool for a Client

2008-07-22T16:21:00.002-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Is Mark Whitney an ex-con? If not, he sure fooled me and the rest of the audience at a sold-out performance at the Goethe Institute Main Stage. With wit and pathos he told the fascinating story of his trial and punishment, and his ultimate triumph over The System.

His troubles stemmed from misstatements he made on an application for a bank loan so he could set up a chain of Ben and Jerry’s stores in Vermont.

He represented himself at trial and was convicted and sent to prison. And that’s when he learned law and used his knowledge – and his vacuum cleaner salesman tricks -- to gain his freedom.

Whitney keeps us laughing as his tale unfolds. His performance is polished, artless and insightful.

It’s a great show, and I wasn’t alone in not wanting it to end. There are three more performances: Thursday, July 24 at 9 p.m.; Friday the 25th at 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday the 26th at 5:30 p.m. Be sure to reserve tickets in advance so you’re not turned away from a full house. For more photos, click here.

The Girl in the Iron Mask

2008-07-22T15:13:00.002-04:00

By Bob Morrison

This production by the Georgetown Theatre Company takes place in the social hall of the Universalist National Memorial Church at 16th and S Streets N.W. I mention this because it is not air conditioned, and I have read complaints about the heat by other bloggers. My experience was different. When I arrived for a noon performance on a 90 plus day industrial fans were blasting away and it was cool. I feared the worst when they were turned off for the show, but even then I never broke a sweat. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I was not at all uncomfortable. So don't hesitate to go to one of the remaining performances: Saturday, July 26 at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 27 at 5 p.m.

This is a swashbuckling tale inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ novel. Most of the characters, all played by women, wear swords (epees?) and use them a lot. The action spills off the stage and the front row audience comes perilously close to the action.

The plot involves twins, threatened infanticide, an army of Queens Guards, Robespierre, a masked mystery prisoner of the Bastille, an escaped slave and a few other everyday items.

There were two surprises here for me. One was that it all seemed logical, a rollicking good story.

The other surprise was the swordplay. It was incredible. There was none of that feeling of choreography, of mental beat counting. These women went at it like they were out for blood.. Fight Director Cliff Williams should be very proud.

Romantic heroics, lots of realistic swordplay, a tale of adventure and intrigue and a cast of gorgeous and talented women. What’s not to like about that? For more photos, click here.

Tales of Doomed Love (Or Is It Ever Worth It?)

2008-07-22T13:50:00.004-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Tales of Doomed Love (or Is It Ever Worth It?) combines the formidable acting skills of Hilary Kacser and Dave Coyne with the directorial intensity of Jessica Lefkow to create a memorable evening exploring love in a number of guises. Performed at Stage 4 on the 4th floor of Studio Theatre, the show has four performances remaining: Thursday, July 24, at 9 p.m.; Friday the 25th at 6 p.m.; Saturday the 26th at 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday the 27th at 2 p.m.

Varied stories intertwine to present contrasting aspects and viewpoints as the script by Andrea Stolowitz unfolds.

Much of the time the actors’ performances were individual -- essentially monologues -- and while this gave them great opportunities to showcase their considerable talents . . .

. . . it also made me wish for more scenes played together and the sparks that flew when that happened.

When Hilary told me about the show at the Capital Fringe Opening Party, she said it would answer the question in its title: Is love ever worth it? She was right. It does. See the show and learn its answer for yourself. For more photos, click here.

The Bacchae

2008-07-22T01:59:00.008-04:00

by Paul Gillis

Since I just blogged about "Gilgamesh", I thought I would try the old double-header thing again, and write about another tale from ancient mythology. So here are a few images from Euripides' "The Bacchae".

On Friday I went to the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint to see this production by the Rebellious Players of Bristow, Va. This theatre is a small space, so the production feels very intimate, despite the text coming to us from so far in the past.

The story, of course, tells of Dionysus coming to Thebes, where his mortal cousin King Pentheus has forbidden the populace from worshipping Dionysus. In fact, the whole house of Cadmus, their maternal grandfather, denies that he is a god. But Dionysus has enchanted the minds of Thebes' women, now known as the Bacchae, who have run off into the wilderness to worship him in endless mystery rites and wild orgies.

Pentheus imprisons Dionysus, who is disguised as a traveller, and sends his army to round up the errant women. But his punishment for not honoring a god is terrible. His palace is destroyed, and Dionysus leads him into the mountains, dressed as a woman, to spy on the Bacchae. When they discover a man in their midst, they tear him limb from limb. His own mother, under the delusion that he is a lion, rips his head off and proudly brings it back to Thebes before realizing what she has done.

Thus Dionysus completely destroys the house of Cadmus for its impiety. Not an upbeat tale by any means, but a riveting one.

I particularly liked the inventive costumes in this production. The text seems to hew closely to Euripides' own words (in translation, of course!)

There will be two more performances of "The Bacchae", Saturday the 26th at 10:30p.m., and Sunday the 27th at 2:30 p.m.

To see more photos of this show, click here.

Gilgamesh, Who Saw the Deep

2008-07-21T21:46:00.006-04:00

By Paul Gillis

On Sunday afternoon I went to the Source for ancient Mesopotamian myths. "Gilgamesh, Who Saw the Deep" retells some of the tales of that ancient warrior-king and his dealings with gods and men.

The production, by Steven Spotswood in conjunction with the Mobtown Players, uses very simple technique & costumes to create an atmosphere of the world's early days and people dealing directly with their gods. The set is mainly two large scrims, onto which hidden actors cast their shadows to represent the gods. A few movable boxes serve as props for the people in the foreground.

The overall tone of these stories is solemn, even melancholy. The gods are not merciful--they only toy with men, and send death to quiet our incessant noise, which disturbs their sleep. Chillingly, our understanding of the "hush" sound, as an admonition to be quiet, is explained as a memory and a premonition of mortality.

The tales end, of course, with Gilgamesh's death, but the people will continue to tell his story ever after. This particular retelling is very moving, even in today's world that is so different. I think there will always be a place for tales that are primal and mythic.

"Gilgamesh", at the Source Theatre, repeats Thursday the 24th at 10:00 p.m., and Saturday the 26th at 7:00.

To see more images from this production, go here.

Fringe Training Factory

2008-07-21T15:52:00.002-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Fringe Training Factory presents Monday and Tuesday Workshops and Fireside Chats on topics of interest to Fringe participants. The second series begins today. Check them out on pages 13 and 14 of the 2008 Capital Fringe Festival Guide.

Here are some images from ones I attended last week.

First was a Monday workshop held at MLK Library titled “Look Ma, No Pixels! Digital Media in Live Performance,” led by Capital Fringe staffer Lane Pianta.

Panelists included Joseph Price of Truffle Pigs and representatives from Banished? Productions. All agreed that the use of digital media in live performance is in its infancy, and has a long way to go. And they gave interesting examples from their experience. More photos here.

Later that evening at Fort Fringe Julianne Brienza, Executive Director of the Capital Fringe Festival, introduced a Fireside Chat called “The 60-Minute Guide to Producing Your Own Play.” Panelists included Terri Allen of DC Cabaret Network, Ed Spitzberg of “The Eddie Lounge Show,” and Mark Whitney of “A Fool for a Client.” More photos here.

Tuesday at MLK Library was “Taking It and Dishing It Out: The Messy Art of Grand Guignol Stage Violence” led by Tara Garwood and Lucas Maloney, Artistic Directors of Molotov Theatre Group.

This was great fun to watch and to photograph as we learned to make stage blood from Karo Syrup and food coloring, and

how to create and apply stage wounds. Here Brian Reed, Online Editorial Associate for City Paper, inspects his "injury." Click here for his video and an account of reactions to his condition as he walked Washington streets. More bloody photos here.

Back at Fort Fringe was a Fireside Chat, “A Discussion on Intercultural Theatre,” again led by Lane Pianta with Huilo Marvavilla of Teatro Jaguar Luna and Lary Moten of Mosaic Theatre Productions. Though not as picturesque as Grand Guignol, the topic was engrossing enough to keep the discussions flowing for almost an hour beyond its scheduled close. More photos here.

Slave Narratives Revisited

2008-07-21T11:46:00.002-04:00

By Bob Morrison

This is a big piece of theater with a small cast. Ed Shockley wrote the script and Lary Moten directs, and the two of them, Philadelphians both, are the players. Theryn Knight does sound and lighting, and the show takes place at Stage 4 on the 4th floor of Studio Theatre at 1501 14th Street N.W.

Moten reminds us in the program notes that slavery sometimes takes place even when both slaver and the enslaved share a culture or skin color. One such instance at the show’s beginning quotes the chilling admonition of an Indian master to his young Indonesian. Reminding the slave to do everything he is told to do, he concludes, “and if you live . . . perhaps I will feed you.”

The third word in the title, “Revisited,” sets this play apart from a simple retelling of the horrors of America’s Peculiar Institution. For example, even in the worst of times humor helped make an intolerable situation more bearable, and moments of humor lighten the narratives.

A series of letters from Vanunu, the Israeli imprisoned for telling the world about their secret nuclear weapons program, is a thread running through the play from the first day of his confinement through the years until his release.

There is horror, too, of the worst kind – the everyday acceptance of evil. How could there not be in an honest work about slavery? But overall, the play meets its objective as stated by the director: to perhaps find in the examination of choices “something that may prepare us to bravely face our own crisis of conscience when it inevitably arrives.”

I know that “It’s good for you” is faint praise. The Slave Narratives Revisited, though, demonstrates that good intent need not preclude absorbing entertainment, with both humorous moments and profound ones. There is one more chance to see this thought provoking work: the last day of Capital Fringe, Sunday, July 27, at 4:00 p.m. For more photographs of Slave Narratives Revisited click here.

Iconicity

2008-07-21T11:14:00.003-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Iconicity is a show about photographs that explores the power of 15 images whose ability to affect us has made them icons of their times. It does this with movement and dance and music and, yes, with words. The ensemble works together in wondrous ways.

On stage are Ryan Christie, Jennifer Crooks, Mary C. Davis, Ty Hallmark, K Clare Johnson, James Radack and Paul Nalabandian, and James Radack. Behind the scenes are stage manager Chris Klimek, Running Crew Jeff Crooks Stella Dilke, public relations.

How are timeless images interpreted? Mainly through the fascinating stories associated with them. We learn how some photographs happen to be taken, like the Dorothea Lange portrait of a migrant mother.

Some images awaken memories within us of their times and events. For other images we see the consequences, for better or worse, of the fame the photo brought its creator.

At this writing, there will be three more showings: Friday, July 25 at 6:30 p.m., Saturday July 26 at 7 p.m. and Sunday July 27 at 5 p.m. This is a beautiful, thought provoking, powerful production that deserves a longer run. Anyone who has ever taken a photograph or looked at one will enjoy it. For more pictures of Iconicity, click here.

The Nature and Purpose of the Universe

2008-07-21T11:10:00.004-04:00

By Bob Morrison

The Nature and Purpose of the Universe, presented in the Shop at Fort Fringe by Circle of Fools, lampoons ordinary family and Roman Catholic values with a talented cast and simple staging as it tells the tale of a family far beyond disfunctional. I found the script, however, not quite up to the level of the cast and crew – leaving me vaguely annoyed. Come to think of it, maybe that’s the reaction it’s aiming for.

Tanera Hutz introduces the play’s segments as Ronald, an agent of God

Sarah Melinda has the role of Mom, a punching bag for the remainder of the cast.

Her family: Philip Baedecker as Steve Mann, disengaged father; angry parent-abusing son Donald (Jim Gagne); youngest brother Andy (Genevieve James) who has recently suffered a severed penis,

and gay, gay brother Gary (Steve Lee) with his lavender scarf, here with boyfriend played by Alex Perez.

Aniko Olah, another Agent of God, expertly plays a variety of roles in a pair of red shoes that threatened to steal the show – at least for me.

Perez takes turns as Father Anthony Hemmer and The Pope.

For more photos from The Nature and Purpose of the Universe, click here.

Where Did Bob's Photos Go?

2008-07-20T22:10:00.004-04:00

By Bob Morrison

If you looked recently for my photographs and they weren't here I apologize. My web site host rents storage space from amazon.com. Amazon experienced problems all day Sunday that shut down my web site among many others. That killed my photos here because they are linked to my web site, BBPPix.com. The problems have been mostly fixed and I hope all will be back to normal very soon.
UPDATE Sunday 11:30 p.m. More problems and the whole web site host is down. They predict it will be back up shortly. I predict there will be intermittent problems all night. Sorry.

Yearning to Itch

2008-07-18T17:32:00.005-04:00

By Paul Gillis

On Thursday evening I saw "Yearning to Itch--What Waitresses Will Do For Tips" at the Warehouse Beyond. Besides having possibly the longest title in this year's Fringe Festival, this play was notable for its take on the nature of dreaming, and also for its cast of hot actresses. (I can't personally pass judgment on the hotness of the single actor.)

The play begins and ends with this actor sleeping at the front of the small stage. Several actresses enter--I assumed they were entering his dreams. The man rises and joins the ladies, but the scenario they enact in a restaurant keeps stopping and restarting, various aspects of the story & characters changing each time. They discuss these changes among themselves, as if they were collaboratively producing a play.

The main thrust of the story is the man's desire for all of these women, as he propositions all three of them at various times. One actress, dressed as a waitress, frequently reciprocates. The others usually dismiss his interest & insult him. Eventually a fourth actress joins the group, and things get scary for this hapless guy.

They gang up on him, grabbing him & threatening him with castration. But he ends up back on the floor asleep. The women go on talking to each other--so I guess he's still dreaming about them. A very interesting play.

This play will have one more performance, Saturday the 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the Warehouse Beyond.

If you want to see more photos from "Yearning to Itch", click here.

Platypus Dreams

2008-07-18T14:09:00.005-04:00

By Paul Gillis

On Thursday evening I caught Nancy Havlik's Dance Performance Group in their program "Platypus Dreams" at the Forum, downstairs in the Shakespeare Theatre's Harman Center. The dancing was spirited, and accompanied by some really good live music. But it did not seem to actually feature any platypuses. (Or platypi?)

The program started with a trio, "Fits & Starts--The Musical". The dancers recited from a text, which made for some amusing juxtapositions with their movement--the text seemed to be a treatise on creating successful musical theater.

The next piece, "Roma", was a duo, danced to excerpts from a travel guide. Nancy's choice of texts is definitely interesting. Not the usual lyric poetry one might associate with dance.

Next came a musical piece, "Learning to Fly", by Gary Rouzer and Jason Tremblay, on electric cello & various keyboards and synthesizers. I really liked their work.

Finally we came to "Platypus Dreams" itself, a dance piece with texts and live music. In an interesting turn, the two musicians joined the four credited dancers on the floor. Occasionally one of the musicians had to return to the synthesizers for a little tweaking of the repeating loops. The (admittedly small) audience seemed to really like it.

"Platypus Dreams" will repeat on Saturday the 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the Harman Center.

For more pictures of this performance, click here.

Manifesto!

2008-07-18T11:09:00.006-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Often forgotten in discussions of Dada is its whimsical humor. Happenstance Theater mines that rich vein in its polished jewel of performance art, Manifesto! It takes its title and its text from those public declarations of principles -- bookended by The Communist Manifesto of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (1848) and The Capitalist Manifesto of Louis O. Kelso and Mortimer J. Adler (1958).

Manifesto! takes place in a delightfully surreal cafe. Happenstance founders Mark Jaster as Middleman and Sabrina Mandell as New Girl . . .

. . . are joined by Maia DeSanti playing Hostess with a delicious accent one could kill for -- were it not that such a Dada act would violate some Dada principle or other.

Scott Burgess' Bar Tender conveys character even when he's unseen,

while Marcus Kyd . . .

and Lise Bruneau make a compelling duo of Visionaries.

With style and flair these characters amused and surprised me against a context of earnest words that ultimately proved absurd. The cast even managed to work the audience into the act.

This sophisticated romp epitomizes Dada in all its contradictions and wit.

Dada is dead. Long live Dada.

To see more photographs of Manifesto!, click here.

3 Murdered Clowns

2008-07-17T16:58:00.003-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Clowns are actually incidental to Playwright Scot Walker's entertainment, directed by Catherine Aselford. The clown conceit does provide a framework, though, for the three parts. It begins with November 22, a play about Patrick, a retired CIA operative played by David Berkinbilt and George Balulis as David, his companion at cards.

Patrick knows who really killed JFK but cannot reveal it under pain of death. So he engages young David in a guessing game. By nodding his head, he guides David to the answer -- and the play to its conclusion.

Act Two features Jennifer Mayberry as Kim in Screeches From the Zoo. With her sidekick puppet as Cop, Kim narrates her day at the zoo. The 6th-graders she shepherds get stuck together with cotton candy that attracts African killer bees, and that's just the beginning.

Mayberry and Cop take us on an entertaining tale -- not from bad to worse, but from worse to unthinkable.

George Balulis returns in Act Three's monologue Eternal Bliss as Lance, a U.S. Representative.

Lance's wife, who wisely never makes an appearance, rations her sexual favors. Her once a month is not enough for Lance who finds a prostitute, suffers a night of bliss, and tries to sort out the consequences.

This is not a recommended evening for children. It takes place at the D.C. Arts Center on 18th Street N.W. Try to arrive early so you can read Walker's notes and the Who's Who of cast and crew before the show. You might even be fortunate enough, as I was, to run into Scot Walker himself. For more photos, click here.

B.A.D. (Black and Defiant)

2008-07-17T15:58:00.006-04:00

By Bob Morrison

B.A.D. (Black and Defiant) by Stephan Collins-Stephany portrays stories of five Black Americans who fought the prejudice of their time and gained widespread recognition. It is intriguing to watch Collins-Stephany assume the characters he plays.

With a few simple props and costumes the actor undergoes a transformation as we watch.
I liked best his portrayals of Bill Pickett, the pioneering cowboy who invented the sport of bulldogging and became an international rodeo star,

and swaggering, defiant boxer Jack Johnson.

The show is at its strongest when Collins-Stephany's characters speak directly to us. It slows a little when he fills in biographical data such as dates of birth and death -- although the youths in the audience who were taking notes undoubtedly benefited. Besides the characters themselves, we get to see a great collection of vintage photographs and listen to contemporary audio recordings. Would that history classes could be so enjoyable.

The great comedian W. C. Fields referred to one of his contemporaries as the funniest man he ever saw and the saddest man he ever knew. Go to B.A.D. and discover who that man was.

B.A.D. is playing at the DC Arts Center on 18th Street N.W. It's up and down stairs, but air conditioned effectively. There will be four more perf0rmances; see the festival guide for details. For more photos of B.A.D., click here.

Through the Looking Glass

2008-07-17T02:54:00.006-04:00

by Paul Gillis

On Wednesday evening I also saw "Through the Looking Glass", at the Shop at Fort Fringe. The Shop is a small theater created by the Fringe staff & volunteers from an old storage room at the restaurant that became Fort Fringe. In case you wonder where it is, note that you must leave the ticket office and tents on NY Avenue & walk around to a separate entrance on L Street.

I really enjoyed this adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic book, created by Omniumgatherum of Reisterstown, Md. The cast is all female, and uses precisely choreographed movement, along with (mainly) Carroll's own words, to tell the story with a completely different emotional feel from what we have come to expect.

The piece certainly has a dreamlike feel, but the subtext seems far more threatening, sexual, and emotionally fraught than the whimsical children's story that inspired it. Alice remains herself through the whole piece, but the other 5 women transform scene by scene into different characters and objects.

It was not until after I had seen this piece and the operetta "Cox and Box" in one evening, that it occurred to me that the basic stories were written just a few years apart, both in England. But I could hardly imagine two more different theater experiences. Long live the Fringe!

If you would like to see more pictures of this production, click here.

Cox & Box

2008-07-17T02:23:00.005-04:00

by Paul Gillis

I enjoyed an extremely silly Victorian operetta Wednesday evening at the Warehouse Mainstage. It had only 3 roles, all male, accompanied by piano. The performance was very tight and all great fun.

Arthur Sullivan did not only work with W.S. Gilbert. He composed "Cox and Box" in 1866 with lyrics by F.C. Burnand, based on an earlier play. The Victorian Lyric Opera Company, from Laurel, Md., does a fine job of singing it. I particularly liked Mr. Box singing an ode to a slab of bacon he is cooking for breakfast, while rocking it like a baby.

Watching this light opera made me think the whimsical humor of twentieth century groups like Monty Python and Beyond the Fringe was already established in old Blighty during Victoria's time.

For more photos of this production, click here.

Fare Well

2008-07-16T01:52:00.009-04:00

by Paul Gillis

The first performance I caught in the 2008 Fringe was a solo dance piece by Maida Withers, well-known as a choreographer, dancer & professor of dance at GW. Called "Fare Well--the End of the World as We Know It!", It featured poetry (by David McAleavey, read by Withers), music created live by Steve Hilmy, and video projections by Ayo Okunseinde.

The performance was in the Forum, downstairs in the new Harman Center of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. The video projection covered a very large area in the relatively small space, and featured many arresting images, often based on scenes in nature. Combined with the powerful music (electronic, not easily categorized in any genre) and Wither's strikingly stylized dancing, it made for a very engaging work.

The main thrust of the piece seemed to be a meditation on how people are changing the natural environment, making it ever more extreme and inhospitable. Many of the video images were of fire or ice.

As of this posting, there is still one more performance scheduled, on Saturday the 19th at 6:00. If you would like to see more pictures of "Fare Well", click here.

Unintended Consequences: Three One-Act Plays

2008-07-13T18:30:00.007-04:00

By Bob Morrison

The three one-act plays in this performance by Senior Moments Theatre Company at Warehouse Next Door begins with "Mother Helpers" by Al Lefcowitz. It opens on a visit by an aggressive INS agent visiting a household reported to have employed an illegal alien as a household worker. It turns out to be true . . .

. . . and the worker is a djinn. Madam of the house finds him indispensible -- who wouldn't?

When her entreaties fail to sway the heartless agent, she resorts to a singular solution unavailable to many of us.

In the second play, "Consultant from Hell" by Timothy Crawford, the Devil has sent out an RFP for a consultant who can change the image of his domain, making it a more desirable destination. His disciple brings him a candidate who possesses additional allure beyond most arivees -- she is not quite dead, but in a coma.

With supreme self confidence she proposes a solution that includes Frequent Sinner Points . . .

. . . and a revamping of the Seven Deadlies.

In the third, last, and best play, "Unintended Consequences" by Al Lefcowitz, a man (Stuart Scotten) finds himself the only member of a discussion group. The leader (Karen Lange) is sincere, but nobody else is attracted to the topic she has chosen for discussion. Determined to make the most of the convention, the pair follows absurdist directions -- possibly taken from a real-life earnestly educational convention program.

Of course, the inevitable happens. Played beautifully and with great restraint and comic timing,

the relationship develops and romance rears its lovely head.

Stay tuned for the surprise ending.

Senior Moments Theatre Company says it was formed last year "to encourage and support emerging dramatists over 55." This senior citizen commends them and wishes them well. For more photos from the three plays of Unintended Consequences, click here.

DC Fringe Festival Opening Night Party

2008-07-13T16:42:00.003-04:00

By Bob Morrison

A few scenes from the DC Fringe Festival opening night party, appropriately enough on opening night, July 10.

For more party photos, click here.

Dorks on the Loose: It I Awkward

2008-07-13T15:18:00.003-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Dorks on the Loose at the Warehouse Beyond is written and performed by Phaea Crede and Becca Jones, two actors from New York, and it presents a series of comedy sketches inspired by life there, here and in Eastern Europe.

Between the sketches, the stage goes red as the women rush from the clutches of the police -- not a bad conceit. At least it worked for me, and was more creative than the usual blackout.

The comedy began with the tale of two members of a vaguely eastern European rock trio. I should say, two remaining members. As the piece progresses, it turns out that perhaps the absence of the third member may not have been entirely accidental -- with each of the homicidal musings dismissed with "Eets a metaphor"!

We meet a mismatched pair of women's newscasters . . .

And then a real treat: A conversation with a cell phone with personality and attitude. My favorite sketch.

An odd couple turns up, odd indeed because the obsessive neatnik is a vampire and has one of the best lines in the show. I won't reveal it, but it concerns bathroom tissue.

I can't mention everything, but want to say that an actor doing a commercial for non-running mascara with an offstage sadistic director may have been informed by experience.

As I write this, the fourth showing is just beginning, but there are two more on Saturday, July 19, at 3:00 p.m. and midnight.

For more photos of Dorks on the Loose, click here.

Pre-Fringe Happy Hours

2008-07-13T14:37:00.002-04:00

By Bob Morrison

I was able to get to only two of the Happy Hours -- my loss! -- but here are a couple of photos that might could give you some of the casual atmosphere of these get-togethers.

My first happy hour was at Chief Ike's Mambo Room on June 18, 2008:

The second was at Nellie's a week later. From left, Festival Assistant Sam Goldblatt and Executive Director Julianne Brienza chat with Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell about "Manifesto," their Fringe entry this year.

For a few more photos from Chief Ike's, click here -- and from Nellie's, click here.

Getting Fort Fringe Ready

2008-07-13T13:59:00.003-04:00

By Bob Morrison

Can you imagine the effort it took to convert the dingy, dirty deserted shell of a restaurant into Fort Fringe? You can? Look no further. But if you would like to see some "during" photos, stay tuned.

The doors to the loading dock, where Festival Assistant Sam Goldblatt takes a break, overlooked a bare parking lot.

Volunteer painters began readying the walls of The Shop theater space.

DC Fringe Festival offices were already activated and online . . .

A week later, the tents went up:

For more behind-the-scenes photos of Fort Fringe, check the photos here
. . . and here.