Cincinnati Experimental Arts: CincyFringe05

Cincinnati Fringe Festival Photos

2005-09-01T16:01:00.000-04:00

Hey Fringe artists, volunteers, and fans,

(You may or may not remember me from my time at Enjoy the Arts, Cincinnati Tomorrow, or James Czar Studios.)

Hope all goes well with you! We’ve finally gotten a good deal of our technology infrastructure in place here at Rosetta Stone*, and I’m at last able to offer downloadable images and high-quality prints from the 2004 and 2005 Fringe Festivals. On top of that, because we’ve changed photo lab vendors (after many months of experimenting and trying many different ones), we’re now able to offer prints at much lower prices, especially to non-profits and individual artists!

(*If you didn’t already know, The Rosetta Stone is the new media company I’m working to build in Northeastern Ohio – serving clients in all of Ohio and across the country. We still have a part-time Cincinnati office, by the way. More details as they are available at http://rosettastonestudios.com)

So, if you would, please forward this information to all interested parties:

Prints available to order at: http://rosettastonestudios.com/prints

Photos available to download at: http://rosettastonestudios.com/photos

All are Fringe shots are priced at non-profit pricing, with additional discounts for special packages.

James

James Czar

Creative Director

Rosetta Stone Studios

Digital Media Services and Consulting

330.480.0884
JCzar@RosettaStoneStudios.com

www.RosettaStoneStudios.com

Wrap Up...

2005-06-21T12:51:00.000-04:00

Hey Cincy Fringe!

You know I love you and miss you all already, big time. I wish I was still in Cincinnati, enjoying the nightly pub crawl. Hmm. Maybe I enjoyed this a bit too much.

I look forward to seeing y'all in Boulder, and at fringes year in and year out.

One statement stood out on the fringe "wrap-up" article: "The top six shows accounted for 40 percent of the attendance." That does not strike me as "All Good News." It's a huge problem in getting national and (eventually) international acts to take a chance on Cincinnati. (Only one of those successful shows was from outside of Ohio, with much success the result of some great media coverage for that particular show.) (Jealous, moi? Okay, yeah, a little bit.)

The real trick is to get people into Fringing, more than to live and die on the "buzz" of a couple of shows, and no, I don't pretend to know the answer, except to say you should see what they do in Canada. It feels like the whole city has stopped what they are doing for the week to go see theatre.

Personally, I think of the fringe as a "loss leader". I don't mind losing some money for some good exposure, good times and great friends, and perhaps the chance to set up more bookings down the line. If I make a profit, and sometimes I do, that's great. But when I spend more money on beer than I make at the box office, then I have to examine my priorities. (And cutting back on beer is not an option.)

You guys are great. I hope I'm able to do it all again next year.

Love,
Tim

Visit my Websites: http://www.timmooneyrep.com/, http://www.moliere-in-english.com
Join my Listserv: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/viewfromhere/
View my Weblog: http://timmooneyrep.blogspot.com/

Nice recap article on Fringe

2005-06-15T11:33:00.000-04:00

From the June 15 Cincinnati Enquirer:
"Fringe feels its growing power"
by Jackie Demaline

It's all good news for Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

Attendance jumped by 30 percent, from just under 3,000 to 3,822 for ticketed events and "We broke even - by a nose," is the happy report from executive producer Jason Bruffy, who finished counting up the required $30,000 early this week.

The top six shows accounted for 40 percent of the festival'sattendance:

Big winners were, in order of attendance, "Britney Spears and All the Other (Stuff) We Deal With" (292); "Tectonics" by Moving Art Dance Company (262), Amy Salloway's "Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?" (245); "A/ThePostModernLoveStory" by BlueForms Theatre Group (236); "Don't Look Down" (225) and Exhale Dance Company's "Kala Natesa" (184).

The lessons learned: Never underestimate the drawing power of University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. Both "Britney Spears" and "Don't Look Down" were written by grads, Stacey Morrison and Adam Wagner, respectively; and there just may be a contemporary dance audience in Cincinnati.

The bounce in interest, says Bruffy, "proves we can grow." He's a little disappointed because he was shooting for 5,000 in attendance. The fringe doesn't track numbers for its late-night Bar Series and Visual Fringe, but Bruffy was pleased with what he saw.

"We knew the second year would be the toughest. Anybody can produce one festival.

"The first year we were supported by Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival. This year we were on our own and the budget tripled when we became independent."

Mark the dates May 31-June 11, 2006. Bruffy and Cincinnati Experimental Arts (CineX), the festival's administrative umbrella, have already set next year's third annual Fringe Festival. Applications are already online.

After a brief breather, Bruffy would like to have performing spaces locked down by the end of July, with most of them downtown. "I want to bring it closer together again."

He's hoping to hang on to Memorial Hall, where the schedule of back-to-back-to-back performances in adjacent spaces proved popular with audiences.

Bruffy expects the fringe to continue with about 25 events next year. "We want to grow the audience before we grow the schedule" but he is hoping to take the overall quality up a notch.

To that end, Bruffy is hoping to hop from Boulder to Minneapolis to Indianapolis to Philadelphia fringes in coming weeks and put Cincinnati on the map for top fringe performers. Contributions of frequent flier miles will be most welcome.

Hello to All That

2005-06-14T01:42:00.000-04:00

Is real life supposed to be like this? All the frantic energy and late-night socializing reminded me of college days, but only better. Interesting, clever, creative, inspired. So many people supporting the idea of a city that doesn't sleep much, at least for a few exciting weeks out of the year.

Maybe there is a sense of letdown, but the party doesn't have to be over. We did this together. In this place. We've got each other. I can't believe that I can just keep meeting more and more people who not only like to laugh and have a good time, but like to think and come together to do something good for this city. It's great, isn't it? So many different kinds of people with different points of view, and all with such positive energy.

Sure I'm looking forward to next year's Fringe. But I'm also looking forward to whole hell of a lot going on about town between now and then. See ya at the theatre. See ya at the bar. See ya around.

-- Pam

A Reminiscence.

2005-06-13T16:06:00.000-04:00

Just got off work, and don't have anywhere I need to run off to and be. Same story tomorrow, and the next. What a fucking relief!
What a void.
So I write....
In fall of '03 I was working in Pennsylvania, when the realization struck that my contract expired in less than two weeks. What next? Where to begin this new chapter? A friend dangled her keys before me and said "These are to my apartment in Cincinnati. You should check it out. You can have my place for a month."
Three days after my arrival I end up at the CEA awards, where I first heard Bruffy make mention of the Fringe. The whole night seemed cast in magic and my new city seemed to pulse with the promise of dreams.
The first Fringe was a whirlwind, a blur, and a tornado took me away to other cities halfway through its run. Each town I visited tried to suck me in, new friends inviting me to stay, but nowhere did I feel serotonin rushing to the cranium quite like it did during my experience of Fringe.
And then I was in Hawaii. Very little can make me higher than backpacking through the solitude of paradise, with only my two best friends and the wind (and a pack of wild boars) on a black sand beach in a valley full of mysticism.
Given my history, friends and family all expected me to plant roots there. My ticket was for three months. I left after one. I wanted a home. I wanted community. I wanted the stress-induced adrenaline rush inherit in organizing something HUGE. I wanted to be a part of something that could touch people and change lives.
So I left paradise for this Midwest ghetto.
At this point, y’all must think I’m crazy.
I am.
But fortunately, so are many of the folks involved in this beautiful thing.
This is only my story. Though I know I am far from the only one whose direction, path and place have been altered by this thing called Fringe.
Congrats to everyone involved for a being a part of something bigger and inadvertently sending a big "fuck you" to apathy.
Highlights from day 12: a friends’ tears after “Slow Children Playing”; the statement from a staffer “Sooo glad I finally got to see some shows and remember why it is we do this stuff.” (In other words, the shows fucking rocked.)
And lastly, the chance to see a performance in the sadly under-used, absolutely gorgeous space that is Memorial Hall. Yummy.
Thanks to all.

This is a Cincinnati Fringe Festival love letter.

2005-06-13T10:24:00.000-04:00

An ode to what was, and a call to what will be. A thank you, a big hug, some kisses, and some tears.

I am sitting at my desk, immersed in "real work" once again. Tim Mooney's "Karaoke Knights" CD is on repeat on the computer, and I have already burst into tears three separate times this morning alone- not to mention yesterday's goodbye meltdowns. Jackie Demaline's post-script article sparked a wave, in particular. It's been so emotionally fulfilling- and at times, dramatic. And in the absence of that energy, I'm feeling a little lost, a little empty. This too shall pass, I'm sure- life (or it's equivalent) will return to its regularly scheduled programming. But the residue- the sweet lingering aftertaste- is that Cincinnati artists' community outdid itself over the last 2 weeks. We are stronger and closer for our experience, and we have added such new dimensions to our extended family by embracing the out-of-town artists as our own, just slightly more mobile, cousins. Please keep in touch and come back. You were all much loved.

I feel truly blessed to have had this experience. It's been like a summer at Kellerman's- an collision of souls that may not occur in nature, but produce wonderful and unpredictable effects. And to be completely maudlin, "most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you." Cincinnati can wear on me, and I was feeling a confidence and a rightness with the world that I was afraid would be gone in the morning light.

Last night I sat in Milton's, wilted but unwilling to go home and really acknowledge the end. It was a largely family affair- those who we know we'll see next week, the volunteers and staff and "regulars," peppered with some die-hard out-of-towners. It was denouement, as if we knew needed to release this beautiful thing that was slowly, with lingering kisses and great reluctance. Because although intentions are good, there are no guarantees, and an exact replica would be impossible AND boring.

There is much to be done- sleep foremost among them. But after that, after the well-deserved rest- start working on next year's submission. You've got until December. And I'll see you next summer.

I love you all.

The Lady Ms. deShango, aka "Embryonic Fluid"

Goodbye from the Enquirer

2005-06-13T07:48:00.000-04:00

From "Feel Good About Arts' Future After Fringe" by Jackie Demaline, in the June 13 Cincinnati Enquirer:

The second annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival wrapped up Sunday night after 120-odd (some odder than others) performances at five venues over 12 evenings and an occasional afternoon.

There were hits - and misses. Hey, it's Fringe.

The festival did what it was meant to do. It gave experimenting artists a place to work; it gave the public a taste of what's happening beyond the mainstream, good and bad.

It was an invitation to try out unfamiliar performing spaces. Now that you know where to park, please come back year-round.

And it generated an elixir that can be in short supply in Cincinnati - buzz....

Fringe staff, friends, artists and volunteers were partying late Sunday night at Milton's, the Prospect Hill watering hole where the idea of the festival was birthed a couple of years ago.

Long before the rounds of thank-yous and congratulations, Fringe executive producer Jason Bruffy and company had made up their minds to do year three. "We'll be back in 2006," Bruffy promises.

The First Goodbye

2005-06-13T07:35:00.000-04:00

Goodbye, 2005 Fringe.
Goodbye, out-of-town artists and new friends.
Goodbye, in-town artists and new friends and old friends we don't see enough.
Hello, normal life or something like it.
Hello, sleep.

Please stay in touch. We'll be sending out monthly email updates leading up to 2006 Cincinnati Fringe Festival (which runs May 31-June 11, mark your calendars).

You can also find many CineXers/Cincinnati Advancers/Fringers at Milton's on any given weekend and often weeknights too.

Now please share your own last words on CincyFringe 2005: web@cincyfringe.com.

A Love Letter from Don't Look Down to the Cincinnati Fringe Festival

2005-06-11T13:12:00.000-04:00

A sincere thank you to all the movers and shakers and visionaries and volunteers for making the Cincinnati Fringe Festival such a wonderful experience. It was a professional experience all around, and everything ran so smoothly, which is a huge accomplishment. Things don't run so smoothly without a great deal of planning and hard work, and it is a testament to CinEx and the leadership of Jason that year two of the Fringe was such an unqualified success. Bravo.

As I get ready to head out for our final performance, I want to congratulate my pick of the fringe, and I'm biased and proud of it, and want to point to the accomplishments of Adam Wagner and the cast of Don't Look Down: Josh Breckenridge, Preston Boyd, Katie Klaus, Joe Medeiros, and Zach Dietz at the piano. As we started two weeks ago we had no show, just a pile of 13 songs and some musings written by Adam. It was a pleasure, in a true artistic collaboration, to decide together what we were saying, who would sing what, who we were, what songs went together and what didn't, and then to watch you learn the material and breathe life into each individual song. To be able to lean over to Zach and say, "Can we have everyone sing here, and can there be harmony?", and 30 minutes later hear what had been created on the spot, was thrilling. I am very proud of your work, and know that you are so talented that you make it look easy. What could have been just a concert, with people coming out to sing solos, instead evolved into a coherent 45 minute evening, with a visceral arc that the audience loved to ride along with you.

The Fringe provided Adam a chance to hear his work live on stage. He could not have that opportunity anywhere else in this town, so thank you Cincinnati Fringe Festival. The Fringe provided the actors a chance to work in an intimate setting where sharing with an audience directly was paramount, so thank you Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

The Fringe embraced us, and allowed us to do our best work, despite presenting what some people thought probably wasn't very 'Fringy" material, so thank you Cincinnati Fringe Festival. In the world of musical theatre, we were extremely Fringy, so comparisons are useless as the actors in the show head off to appear in Beauty and the Beast and Crazy For You and The Pirates of Penzance around the country. Don't Look Down was a unique theatrical experience that pushed our envelopes in so many ways, so thank you Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

Thank you Adam, for allowing me to touch your work, to shape your life story musically and make it audience worthy. Thank you Zach for your magical hands on the keyboard. Thank you cast for stretching and taking this journey. Thank you Doug for 50 amazing light cues that helped us in our story telling.

I'm a little sad that no show with local roots has the chance to represent in the Pick of the Fringe. I'm so proud of every Cincinnati artist involved with every show who made the decision that they had something to share and used this opportunity to give a little bit of their artistic souls to our lucky audiences. It's hard to do that in your own backyard, and harder to get noticed.

I noticed, and I'm proud of us.

As Adam Wagner taught me to say,
Take care, and give care,
-Richard Hess
Director/ Don't Look Down: A Song Cycle

Britney Spears!!

2005-06-11T10:44:00.000-04:00

LOVED! LOVED! LOVED! "Britney Spears and all the Other Shit We Deal With!" This show truly exemplified every emotion a girl/woman has at some point or another in her life. Some parts made you laugh (SOCCER MOM!), some made you want to cry, some parts almost frightened you and some just made you sit back and think. I didn't know what to expect going in to see this show, but i left with a smile knowing that i'm not crazy when i think alot of things that i think!!! This was a spectacular show, with a phenomenal cast and i hope to see more of Stacey Morrison's work in the future!!! You can't take life too seriously all of the time or you can make yourself wacky and "Britney Spears ...." definitely makes you put everything into perspective! YEAH!!!!
~kristin scherrbaum

Battle of the Bulge

2005-06-10T14:00:00.000-04:00

Last night I finally had the opportunity to read Jackie Demaline's review of my show "Hooray for Speech Therapy." In her review, she gave me this advice: "One performance note: stand-up performers should empty their pockets before they go on stage to avoid weird bulges in their slacks." Wow! This is the first time a reviewer has admitted in print that they spent a good part of my show staring at the bulge in my "slacks."

Someone came up to me after last night's show and said to me, "Kurt, you are very funny on stage, but after reading that review I was expecting more of a bulge in your slacks. I would like a refund." And one Fringer asked, "Did you not empty your pockets or are you just glad to see me?"

Should I feel violated or complimented? I never dreamed that an, uh, average guy such as myself would reach a status only achieved by people such as John Holmes and Milton Berle. So I thank Jackie Demaline for finally giving my bulge the press it deserves, and audiences have two more chances to check it out for themselves! Friday 10pm and Saturday 7pm at Memorial Hall.

Kurt Fitzpatrick

Day 10 ALREADY????

2005-06-10T13:27:00.000-04:00

I have so much left to do...but I must admit that I am beginning to resemble Fringe- I think I actually saw my boss celebrating the coming end of my "crazy hippie theater distraction." I've been alternately tired and antsy at work; damn day jobs.

Today's ode has a dual purpose. The brilliant and wonderful percussionist in "dr. pain on main," Christian Schmit (with no "D"), was the subject of an article by the Divine Ms. Demaline in today's rag. Text follows (or just click the link):

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050610/ENT/506100356

"If the Cincinnati Fringe Festival gave an award for best supporting performance by a one-man band, it would go to Christian Schmit and his percussion machine...."

(Web editor's note: cut article for space and to be fair to others also getting press coverage, so be sure to follow link to this story and then check out other reviews and stories here.)

So that's great- Christian deserves the recognition. Keep on the lookout- I'm sensing a new entertainment darling in the making.

The second half of this ode is for the staffers. I love each and every one of you guys, and because of your hard work and enthusiasm, I have had some of the greatest times in my 30-year stay in this Cincinnati place. If nobody else tells ya, I have an inkling of what it took to pull this off, and I am so proud of you all, and so grateful to you all. I was telling my best friend (based in NYC) about the Fringe, and how fun it's been, and how many talented people I'd met, and how we were coming close to the end...and I honestly teared up. Got all emotional. This Fringe means that much to a lot of people. Especially me.

OK, going now...my vision's getting blurry again...

Embrya deShango
"keep Fringin'"

Cool News

2005-06-10T11:14:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys!

Okay, this has almost nothing to do with the Cincinnati Fringe, but ... I got home late from the karaoke joint last night to open up an e-mail that confirmed that Playscripts, Inc. wants to publish my versions of "Tartuffe" and "The Imaginary Invalid!" (And, possibly, my collection of Moliere monologues!)

Tim, happy dancing

Visit my Websites: http://www.timmooneyrep.com/, http://www.moliere-in-english.com
Join my Listserv: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/viewfromhere/
View my Weblog: http://timmooneyrep.blogspot.com/

Big Fringe News!

2005-06-10T00:28:00.000-04:00

Two of the June 12 Picks of the Fringe shows have changed venues and we're throwing a Fringe Reception June 12 at 7pm!

At 5pm, "Slow Children Playing" now plays at Gabriel's Corner, and at 8pm "A/ThePostModernLoveStory" plays at Memorial Hall.

That final show is preceded by a 7pm Fringe Reception at Memorial Hall -- celebrate, reminisce and then bid Fringe adieu with us with free wine, beer, other drinks and snacks (while they last). (Then still head to Milton's after the last curtain call to close down the festival's Bar Series).

For more information visit our Pick o' the Fringe page.

...WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THERE'S JUST 3 SHOWS LEFT IN THE 2005 FRINGE FESTIVAL

There are still 28 performances of 20 different shows today and Saturday. Check the calendar, study the show descriptions and reviews, then come see what you can't afford to miss.

Finally, photos!

2005-06-09T00:10:00.000-04:00

In keeping with the raw, DIY theme of Fringe, your Webmaster only just figured out how to post behind-the-scenes Fringe photos to the Web site. Check them out by clicking here. Send your own for posting to: web@cincyfringe.com.

Slow Actors Dozing

2005-06-08T23:35:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh, Minneapolis. It's still here, just as I left it two weeks ago, except twenty degrees hotter and a billion dewpoints more humid (Dewpoints? Barometer pressures? Dopplegangers? Ohms? Whatever.), which seems to be brining out some kind of increased nuttiness in the locals. On one of the buses I rode today, four seats-worth of people -- random strangers to each other -- were engaged in a wild, flying-spittled shouting match about whether the Bible says that Eve took a bite of the APPLE, which created the disastrous fall of mankind, or whether no EXACT FRUIT is specified, which implies that the disastrous fall of mankind could have been precipitated by an orange, a banana, a nectarine, maybe even just one small, puckered lingonberry. A Jesus-loving African-American fellow was VERY adamant (get it -- ADAMant? Ar ar!) about the APPLE being to blame for ALL the evil in this world...his chief opponent was across the aisle -- a girl in a TGIF uniform who had an actual Bible in her hands, and was jabbing at the page and retorting, "Fruit! Fruit! It says here, fruit! Eve coulda gone and got herself a BANANA for all you know, brotha!" The entire front of the bus got involved, including the driver. It was like in "Fiddler on the Roof", where all of Anatevka is shouting, "Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! Traditionnnn...Tradition!"

But I digress. My main point is -- I'm back home, VERY bleary, VERY sleep-deprived, and I miss the Cincy Fringe. I can't believe how profoundly fatigue hits when the adrenaline rush stops...I fell asleep while getting my hair trimmed today. I think I feel asleep while walking, and while eating.

I agree with everything Matt and Tim and Les and Kurt and Embryonic Fluid have written -- it was a total joy being immersed in a Fringe so full of enthusiasm, smart, creative, talented people, and folks who are SO committed to making alternative arts happen in Cincy -- audience members willing to take risks on shows far from typical repertory fare...volunteers willing to
donate time in hot buildings, standing on their feet for hours...a staff working their BUTTS off while still staying cheery and calm and upbeat...and artists who were such a delight to meet and talk to and get to know. I am so, SO grateful for the immense kindness everyone showed me -- thank you ALL for all the hugs and great discussions and kind words and rides and running around and fanning me with palm fronds and feeding me peeled grapes and finding me cabana boys to massage my...oh, wait -- that last part only happened in my head --er, in general, THANK YOU, everyone, for everything. This Fringe is off to a pretty awesome start, and is only going to get better -- and I hope to be here to see it do so!

I'll be back this weekend to do that one last show thang -- if you have friends/family/peers/dates/whatever who haven't yet seen "Does This Monologue...", DO send them on Sunday at 2 pm! Perhaps by then I won't be falling asleep mid-sente

Zzzzzzzz....

Love,
Amy Salloway

P.S. Please please, before they leave town, go see Donna Sellinger and Jo Marvel perform their show "Three". They are two incredibly talented young women -- great actors, great writers, and great at crafting impressively fluid ensemble work -- and "Three" is full of moments and details you'll remember long after you exit Gabriel's Corner. Yes. Go. Go now.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

2005-06-08T22:06:00.000-04:00

Dear Everyone,
As you may or may not know, we are touring a different show later this summer. Unfortunately, some deadlines have recently come to our attention. In order to meet them, we are canceling our Friday 8:30 p.m. show. Therefore, our final show will be tomorrow (Thursday) night at 7:00
p.m. We've had a wonderful time here. Thanks to all the Fringe folks and Fringe attendees. We look forward to coming back next year. Have a great end of the Fringe!
Sincerely,
Donna and Jo
"Three"

Web editor's note: in case you didn't see it in Amy's Salloway's post above, here is her advice:

P.S. Please please, before they leave town, go see Donna Sellinger and Jo Marvel perform their show "Three". They are two incredibly talented young women -- great actors, great writers, and great at crafting impressively fluid ensemble work -- and "Three" is full of moments and details you'll remember long after you exit Gabriel's Corner. Yes. Go. Go now.

I have a new one for you!

2005-06-08T22:05:00.000-04:00

Embrya/Tamara -

I say you give up both and go by the new name of The Lady Ms. deShango (or does that make you sound like a Rubi Girl?).

Gabe Johnson

Names and changes

2005-06-08T21:07:00.000-04:00

In response to Kurt-

I know. This name thing has gone on waaay too long. It's my inner artist colliding with my outer corporado, plus there are an amazing number of people here who I grew up with and, let's just say, resist change. Maybe we should take a Fringe poll? Change or not change? Nah. I know you people- you like to joke.

But whichever name I go by on whatever day, I'm so glad that all the out-of-towners have now gotten here! Met the cast of Fafi Meets Sandie last night- glad you made it! We danced on stage with them last night (big fun- check the show!). But I also had to say goodbye to two new awesome acquaintances- Les and Amy- and realized- we're on Day 8 and it's not winding down, but the endings are gonna KEEP happening (moment to pause to boo-hoo).

I am having more fun than ever with this Fringe. I am constantly amazed at the ability of the CinEx staff to give and give and DRINK and give some more. They are so amazing and hardworking and require SO little sleep. I was telling some out-of-towners last night that I am so glad I live here, in this weird/crazy little city, and I didn't up and move away to New York.

Tonight (for the ONE of you reading who maybe cares) "dr. pain" is in rehearsal, and I'll hopefully be out in time to rush over to ETC (Ensemble Theatre) for "Moments of Disconnect." Dan is a really cool guy who I met a few months ago at a slam in Lexington when he announced that the piece he was reading was going to be a part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. I let out a solo whoop and outed myself as an out-of-towner, but it was good times. So come join me at Dan's show. We'll catch a drink at the always fabulous Hamburger Mary's afterwards. See ya at 10!

Embrya deShango (Tamara)
-shut up!

Karaoke Speech Pain Therapy on Main Knights

2005-06-08T20:59:00.000-04:00

Or, "Does this monologue make me look like a 'toothpick?'"

Thanks to all who've stepped up to say great things about my show, my website and me over the past couple days: You know who you are Tamara, Kurt and Renee! I look forward to two more very fun shows while still in Cincinnati. And perhaps three or four more nights enjoying the Cincinnati bars! I've enjoyed very much the warmth with which I've been received here in town ... aside from that little incident where my car got sideswiped ... you don't want to know, but hey, "MR JUDAS," you know who you are.

[Actually that's an inside joke: My car is the one with the MOLIERE license plate, and within an hour of arriving in Cincinnati, I got sideswiped by a guy whose license plate said "MR JUDAS". And so I've been speculating that I'm caught in the middle of some sort of weird automotive celebrity death match.]

And it's been great meeting everybody: the volunteers are great; the audiences are gracious; the performers are very cool. I look forward to encountering some of you on the karaoke circuit in the months (and years) ahead.

And, after losing 30 pounds in recent years, it's nice to read a review that calls me "a slight toothpick of a man," no matter what else the review had to say.

Love to all,
Tim

847-757-3648
Visit my Websites: http://www.timmooneyrep.com/, http://www.moliere-in-english.com
Join my Listserv: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/viewfromhere/
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Hooray for Cincinnati

2005-06-08T11:42:00.000-04:00

I always enjoy visiting a new city, and Cincinnati is no exception. I had never spent time here before this week (I'm one of those "out of towners," the town being NYC), and I am enjoying myself. First of all, there is a bit of confusion as to where we are geographically. I have heard that this is the Midwest (which is what I thought), the North, and the South. I knew something was up when my story in my show about the Southerners I met in Virginia fell flat - material that kills in NYC. After the show I asked my awesome house manager Alex, "Are we in the South?" "No, this is the Midwest," she replied. Then I went to a Bob's Big Boy in Blue Ash. Uh, it was not what I would call a Midwestern dining experience. One Fringer actually made an argument that Cincinnati was in the East! A very literal Fringer, she said if you look at the map, Cincinnati is clearly on the Eastern half. Well, I can't argue with that except to say that that would mean that Mexico is the Deep South, and you probably won't be eating grits in Mexico City, unless you brought them with you.

Speaking of eating, I am happy to say I have had some good grub here. I would like to give a special shout-out to that German chocolate cake I had at the Courtyard. Excellent! And good people I have met, as Yoda would say. Performers, staff, volunteers, and audience have been fun to hang out and spend time with. And to the lovely and talented Tamara/Embrya ("dr. pain on main"), you've got to pick a name! For people who aren't good with names, you're giving them some major confusion!

I've enjoyed doing my show, "Hooray for Speech Therapy," which has three more performances. And please go see "Karaoke Knights," as it is a blast and a half. Tim Mooney will now be using "it is a blast and a half" as a pull-quote.

Kurt Fitzpatrick

Announcing...the Picks of the Fringe!

2005-06-08T05:26:00.000-04:00

The 2005 Cincinnati Fringe Festival is proud to announce this year's Picks of the Fringe!

Congratulations to these 3 groups of artists...and also to the nearly two dozen others who have made this year's festival amazing. Thank you all so much, truly.

All 3 "Pick" shows take place Sunday, June 12, at the Contemporary Arts Center, and all proceeds go toward ensuring the existence of a 2006 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

Critics' Pick of the Fringe: 2pm
"Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?" by Amy Salloway

Producers' Pick of the Fringe: 5pm
"Slow Children Playing" by Anna Marie Agniel

Audience Pick of the Fringe: 8pm
"A/ThePostModernLoveStory" by Blue Forms Group
(also with one last regular performance June 11, 3pm, CAC)

Tickets to these shows will go fast, so reserve them through the Cincinnati Arts Association (513.621.ARTS).

For more about these shows and their creators, visit our Pick o' the Fringe page.

Bruffy on the radio!

2005-06-08T04:12:00.000-04:00

Listen to Fringe Producing Director Jason Bruffy expound on all things Fringe this morning at 10am on WAIF 88.3 FM (streaming: www.waif883.org) for the debut of the "Brian & Joe Radio Show."

from Blue Forms...

2005-06-08T03:06:00.000-04:00

Dear Cincinnati-

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you for being such wonderful hosts. You are a gracious and attentive audience and
“A/ThePostModernLoveStory” has improved profoundly under your tutelage.

Thank you for the late night food, drink, and company. The Greenwich was cool, so was Milton's, we always enjoy Hamburger Mary's (... so sad to miss it tonight...) and Madonna's was a tasty and friendly place for late night eats on Sunday night. (Thanks, Burgess!)

Thank you for passionate people who like to talk about theatre and humanity until the wee hours of the morning. (And thanks to Gina for keeping me out until
the wee hours of the morning.)

Thank you for volunteering for the Cincy Fringe. I don't know where you people come from, but you're wonderful. We all owe you so much.

Thank you for beautiful shows like “Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?” and “Slow Children Playing.” Anna and Amy made me laugh and cry, and I left feeling jealous of their talent and humbled by their performances.

Thank you for looking at our website. Our stats have improved considerably. (For those who haven't, it's http://www.blueforms.info.)

Thank you for your world-class EMS squad. I couldn't believe how quickly they arrived at the Southgate House. I hope that dude was okay.

Thank you for the Contemporary Arts Center. It's the nicest place we've ever performed and we are blessed by its many lights, its slanted walls, its confusing elevators, and the super-cool seats. (If a few of those chairs happen to go missing, it wasn't us.) Thank you for letting us park inside the great, black wall that magically opens for Dave's truck.

And thank you most of all for the best team in town - Jason, Jen, Stephanie, Gina, Jeff, Liz, Lindsey, Gabe, and Jay – and all the other wonderful people of CinExArts, the Know Theatre Tribe, and the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. I wish we could repay you with more than t-shirts and buttons.

Thank you, Cincinnati. I love you as one ought to love - in madness, ecstasy, and despair. See you this weekend.

All the will,
Matt Slaybaugh
BlueForms Theatre Group

One of the "hippest, hottest, most innovative theatre troupes in the U.S." - American Theatre magazine

The BlueForms Theatre Group

A fellowship of artists dedicated to building a more conscious
and compassionate world by creating joyful and profound theatre.

www.blueforms.info
blue@blueforms.info - 614-975-3764
P.O. Box 10630 - Columbus, Ohio 43201

Fringe Record?

2005-06-08T03:04:00.000-04:00

Ray and I have now seen 9 shows (as of Tuesday, or Day 7, as we say in
Fringese). We liked all of it some, and some of it a LOT.

Of particular note were "Slow Children Running", "A/ThePostModernLoveStory"
and "A Comment From the Peanut Gallery". Good acting, a universal theme, and
an extremely likeable guy, respectively.

We look forward especially to "DADA as Translated 2 Stage" and "Karaoke
Knights" in the next few days; I've read the script for "DADA" and know the
actors, and Tim Mooney of "Karaoke" was delightful to talk to, and his
website is a blast!

All told, we expect to see at least 17 of the 24(?) total Fringe plays this
year. I think that might be this year's record -- can anyone top it?

Renee Alper

Karaoke Knights

2005-06-07T14:34:00.000-04:00

I just want to plug a grossly overlooked show, Karaoke Nights. I saw it last night, and I really had a good time. It is fun and inventive and the lyrics of Tim Mooney's original songs are really clever. I've heard he's not been getting very good houses over at Gabriel's Corner, so let's all show him that Cincinnati really is a karaoke town. I know you are out there- the Front Porch in Florence does not do karaoke seven nights a week for nothing. I think he has a couple more shows- Thursday and Saturday, if I'm not wrong. If I am wrong, somebody on staff for Fringe correct me before I make an ass of myself.

Anyway, the message is simple. Go see Karaoke Nights. And sing a little. You'll feel better.

Embrya deShango

Web Editor's note: Tim's last shows are, in fact, 6/9 at 9pm 6/11 at 7pm. Though other than that there's nothing we can do about Embrya making an ass of herself. Kidding! Love you, Tamara! While we're at it, a reminder that she's in a show herself, dr. pain on main.

I'm a Little Sad Today...

2005-06-07T13:22:00.000-04:00

I'm a little sad today because it's my last day at
Fringe. I had no idea that I would get so attatched to
you guys. It's been a blast and this is a great
Fringe.If you haven't seen my show tonight is your
last chance to see A Comment from the Peanut Gallery
tonight at 8 in Memorial Hall. And please come to the
bar series tonight so I can say goodbye and get email
addresses. I'm going to miss you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Les Kurkendaal

More on Peter Bronson

2005-06-07T08:28:00.000-04:00

...who makes an interesting point about Fringe we'll just ignore (via Brian Griffin's blog, http://cincinnati.blogspot.com/):

Response to Challenge From Peter Bronson

Peter was very kind to respond to my email regarding my challenge to him:

Thanks for the note. Question: How many times can the Fringe Fest be on front pages of the Enquirer before it loses Fringe status and becomes Mainstream?

Just kidding. I'll check out your challenge and consider it. Pretty jammed up right now, but it sounds interesting.

Best wishes,

Peter Bronson

I don't want to call Peter a Chicken or anything, but well I would bet he's CHICKEN. It is not like I want to goad him into coming to a Fringe event. That would be just too much for a busy guy to do. It is not like he has all week to do it, with shows running through Sunday.

Fringe News 6/7

2005-06-07T08:07:00.000-04:00

The Fringe Festival has crested the halfway hill and just keeps kicking up its RPS (revolutions per show) --

Today the is the festival's final show opening! Fafi Meets Sandie, 9pm, The Ballet. The elusive NYC-based troupe arrived in Cinci at 6 a.m. Now that's Fringe.

Then, tomorrow we announce the three PICKS OF THE FRINGE (Critics' Pick, Producers' Pick, Audience Pick). Check back to this blog, check the Web site or pick up a CityBeat or Cincinnati Enquirer to find out who gets one last performance at 2, 5 or 8pm June 12!

Tomorrow also, listen to Bruffy expound on all things Fringe at 10pm on WAIF 88.3 FM (streaming: www.waif883.org) for the debut of the "Brian & Joe Radio Show."

Thanks to all the dedicated artists, Cincinnati Advance volunteers, CineXers and everyone in our Fringe orbit who make this possible.

Now come out tonight to Hamburger Mary's for $3 "Absolut Fringe" cocktails, late-nite nosh (kitchen open 'til midnight!) and, best of all, Fringe comraderie.

Many Thank You's

2005-06-06T23:56:00.000-04:00

Fringe Friends,

I have returned home to Chicago safe and sound, sporting my Fringe05 new black T across 4 states and a number of gas stations. I can't thank you all enough for the wonderful time I had in Cincinnati this past week. My tech. rehearsal for Slow Children Playing went off like a dream, and I was fortunate enough to have warm, generous, attentive audiences all 5 nights. From Jen to Doug to Liz to Jeff to Jason to Stephanie and lots more people: you guys made my experience so easy and enjoyable. Thank you!! Good luck with the rest of the festival.

all the best,
Anna Agniel

Just a quick note -

2005-06-06T14:55:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much for all your work in doing this - it's so inspiring to see this art here and to see the Cincinnati community supporting it. Well, except for Peter Bronson, that is. I don't understand people like that, and although I did want to write a slightly longer and meaner email to him, I forwarded the blog post to his email and invited him to come see the art he dismisses so easily. The Fringe Festival proves we have a vibrant and hungry arts community here - the saddest part is he'll never know what he's missing.

Thanks again,
Katy Cosse

The Show Time of MYSTERY....

2005-06-06T14:11:00.000-04:00

Setting: Midnight. Darkness. A sliver of moon, shrouded in skulking gray clouds...rain...bats flap by...an owl screeches...in the distance, the howl of a wolf. A lone computer sits on a craggy cliff, shadows falling across its rain-spattered screen, which displays a website...why...why, it's the Cincy Fringe website.

Close up on the website. Through the spatters of rain, we can see the show description for Amy Salloway's solo show, "Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?" Closer up still on the showtimes for this performance...we see a listing for tonight, June 6th, at 8 pm. And that is all. After June 6th,
there is white space...
White space....?
Lightning flashes through the sky! Thunder claps!

Why..why..."Does This Monologue..."'s final showtime has DISAPPEARED!

"Owww Owww Owwwwwww!" howls the wolf in the distance!

How can this BE?!?! What forces of evil, what supernatural MONSTERS have come by with their jaws that bite and claws that catch to SNATCH AWAY Amy's final show date and time from her spot on the website?!?!

OH, the humanity. Oh, the unknowable power of the dark side.

Ohhhh...but seriously. Somehow my final performance date and time disappeared from the listing of shows on the Cincy Fringe's web page -- the listing of the shows in alphabetical order. SO -- JUST in case you're one of the people who's been using that list as your guide (cuz who knows! you might be!) -- know that there is yet ANOTHER performance of "DTMMMLF?", on: Tuesday, June 7th at 9 pm in Memorial Hall 2.

In other words: show tonight at 8pm, show tomorrow at 9 pm.

Please come please come. I would love that.

Thunder claps! Lightning flashes! BWAHHH hahahahahaaaaa!

-- Amy Salloway

P.S. Also, I agree with Embrya. This has been a ton of fun, this Fringe.

Web editor's note: The storm has passed; that show date/time has been fixed.

Peter Bronson on last year's Fringe

2005-06-06T13:53:00.000-04:00

This 5/18/2004 Cincinnati Enquirer column is what led Fringe volunteer and blogger Brian Griffin (http://cincinnati.blogspot.com/) to challenge Peter Bronson to join him at this year's Visual Fringe (see post below).

Fringe art? Just give me 'Oklahoma!'

The sculpture on display downtown at Race and Garfield Place looks like one of those Frankentoys in Toy Story.

The front is an ancient Oldsmobile grille, almost rusted beyond recognition. It's attached to a moldy old steamer trunk from someone's attic. On top of the trunk is a large light-bulb thing with an inflated rubber glove inside.

The steamer trunk has rearview mirrors and sits on top of a tangle of bent and twisted spoked wheels that look like a bicycle with polio. Dragging behind it is a ball and chain like a dinosaur tail.

It could be a pile of junkyard parts accidentally welded together by a random bolt of lightning.

Or it could be art.

If it's just a pile of landfill leftovers, all it says is "Someone call Rumpke.'' But if it's art, it might say something more serious. My guess is something about being prisoners of our automobiles.

There is probably some political statement locked inside that trunk. But I'm not dying to raise the lid and let it out.

Welcome to the Fringe Festival. Two weeks (through May 23) of sculpture, paintings, performance artists and lots of plays.

"It's like a Taste of Cincinnati for the theater,'' said Brian Phillips, artistic director for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival. "It's not cutting edge just for the sake of being cutting edge. But it's a chance to do things you can't usually do because they're not financially viable.''

That usually means stuff about AIDS, sex, race, women's issues, sex, gays and AIDS.

And that means Cincinnati's famously short fuse for offensive art could be lit again. But Phillips and Fringe Fest organizer Jason Bruffy don't think so.

Some plays and performance artists will go "outside the bounds of normal theater,'' Bruffy said, but others may be OK for "Joe and Jane from the 'burbs.''

Bruffy sees it as "a big step'' toward making Cincinnati a national magnet for artists. Only five other cities have Fringe Fests, he said, putting us among the in-crowd of San Francisco and Seattle.

"It's a place to take risks. Art cannot survive and thrive if it can't test itself and try things out.''

That's a good idea. If they keep trying things out, they might finally figure out what works. From what I've seen lately, shocking art is losing the Shock America Contest to pictures from Iraq. Severed heads? Stacks of naked bodies? That's not art, it's news.

My idea of "high culture'' is the top row of seats at Oklahoma! I live on Square Street with Joe and Jane Burbs.

During intermission at the Aronoff recently, I noticed something: The place was packed. Little girls in church hats, men and women in suits and evening gowns rode buses from Nashville for a night in Cincinnati. It made me realize something I often forget: Cincinnati is a cultural stage. We are the city that lights the horizon.

Musicals that are older than the atomic bomb may not be cutting edge, but the ticket prices show they're still financially viable. I think it's because they entertain us without a left-handed political rant as heavy as a four-course Italian dinner.

They succeed by showing us there's more to life than sex, AIDS, race, sex and AIDS.

My odometer is a few miles over the 18-35 crowd the Fringe Fest attracts. So maybe I just don't get it. "There is something for everyone,'' Bruffy said. "Anything here could be the next big thing.''

The next big thing? Paint me skeptical. In five years, most contemporary art will look as dated as a rusty Oldsmobile grille.

And this is the response from Rebecca Bowman of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, published 5/25/2004:

'Oklahoma!' brims with radical concepts

Your voice: Rebecca Bowman

As a concerned citizen of our community, I was deeply distressed by Peter Bronson's column in the May 18 Enquirer "Fringe Art? Just give me 'Oklahoma!'" Clearly, Bronson is unaware of the radical nature of this piece of "theater." When it debuted in 1943, Oklahoma! revolutionized theater as the first fully integrated American musical. Songs and dances grew out of particular character relationships and emotions, rather than being "stand-alone" moments arbitrarily assigned to different cast members.

The rebellious new team of Rodgers and Hammerstein also had the audacity to set their play in a rural American setting, rather than in the accepted New York nightclub atmosphere of musical theater. The break with traditional musical theater was so radical that Variety panned the show saying, "No girls, no gags, no chance."

More disturbing is the content of the "all-American show" that Bronson is promoting. I can hardly believe that parents are bringing their young girls in Easter bonnets to a show that features a girl who "can't say no" in a love triangle with a cowboy and an itinerant Persian con man. Sex and violence runs rampant in this scandalous play that includes a near-rape, a violent death, the destruction of property, young men "swinging" young girls around, and a "dream ballet" that can only be described as a transparent metaphor for a young woman's sexual awakening. Worse, this play gained such popularity because of its format that the musical theater has never recovered. For 50 years, many composers and playwrights have been following the Oklahoma! formula.

It is this shameless promotion of new and radical art that leads to unfortunate cultural trends such as the Impressionist movement, (regularly on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum) and jazz (regularly played by the Cincinnati Pops orchestra). If we are not careful, Cincinnati will soon have a reputation as an arts and culture center where arts of all kinds are enjoyed by an ever-expanding audience. This open and welcoming atmosphere could lead to community dialogue, artistic collaboration, and national recognition. For heaven's sake, Bronson, please don't encourage those radicals down at the Aronoff.

Rebecca Bowman lives in Clifton and is the managing director of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival.

Visual Fringe: Challenge to Bronson

2005-06-06T13:50:00.000-04:00

More about the Fringe from Brian Griffin's blog (http://cincinnati.blogspot.com/) -- this 6/6 post is a challenge to local conservative columnist Peter Bronson!

"It gets less attention but there are two art galleries at the Cincy Fringe Festival. The Post gave a little attention in Friday's edition. I myself will be staffing one of the Galleries Tomorrow, Wednesday and Saturday Afternoon. If you would like to find out which one, you will just have to visit both of them, do that or make it to the bar series and I am sure you will see me there. This news may instead make the Art Galleries biggest days Thursday and Friday.

My Challenge is simple: I want to see Peter Bronson at the Galleries he attacked in his column last year. I want to discuss with him, in a very friendly manner, what he thinks of art and why he hates it so much, well all art outside of Dogs Playing Poker.

If you want to help push him on a bit, use the little mail icon on this post and email it to him at pbronson@enquirer.com.

I hope someone at the Enquirer might be able to pass this on too.

I am not looking for a showdown, I would just like to see how or what he finds wrong with the art and people's person expression. I want him to see some of the performances. I really think he and everyone would enjoy them."

Cincy Fringe Going Strong

2005-06-06T13:46:00.000-04:00

One of the best-known local bloggers, Brian Griffin (http://cincinnati.blogspot.com/) has been talking up the Fringe. If you've been to the Fringe Bar Series you've probably seen him. This is from 6/5:

"The Cincinnati Fringe Festival has another full week to go!

Last night I saw Karoake Knights, a One-Man Rock Opera by Tim Mooney. What is so cool about Fringe is that I had that chance to meet Tim earlier in the week at the Bar Series and some friends even helped him pack up his set for the night. I was able to chat with him about his show and his other works later on at the Greenwich. The turnout at the Greenwich was excellent as well. Many artists nearly all of the staff and lots of volunteers came out to the Walnut Hills mainstay.

Shows I still want to see:

A/ThePostModernLoveStory by the BlueForms Theatre Group
Britney Spears, and All the Other Shit We Deal With! by Odds & Ends Productions
A Comment from the Peanut Gallery by Les Kurkendaal"

Fringe Rocks

2005-06-06T11:30:00.000-04:00

Oh.
My.
God.
Fringe Rocks.

Can it really be the halfway mark already? I can't keep up; I've missed a show I wanted to see (Slow Children Playing); I've seen a show I wish I'd written (Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?); I've met some amazing out-of-town Fringers (Les, Amy, and Tim- thanks!); and my red wine/Blue Moon/spiked Corona habit is at an all-time high. And the CityBeat Hot Party- Hot! The Ravonettes and Autolux blew me away- great night, great crowd.

God, I love the Fringe. Can we just do this every month? (Sorry Bruffy; it's so much fun for the rest of us!)

I'm a veteran now, of some sort, I guess; second year, second show. I'm spoiled, I'm hooked, I'm binging on Fringe. My mom caught the fever- bought a flex pass. I have a feeling she'll need to buy another one before it's over. I'm gearing up for missing more sleep and laughing too hard and trying real hard to not lose my voice entirely- it's starting to go.

Fringe rocks, and anybody who doesn't Fringe, sucks.

Can't wait till tonight,

Embrya deShango

Slow Children Playing

2005-06-06T02:43:00.000-04:00

I want to turn back time.

I just returned home to my Fringe Foster Home (ie, billet) after seeing Anna Marie Agniel's show "Slow Children Playing". This was Anna's last performance here -- and all I want now, my greatest greatest wish, is to turn time back to June 1st so that I can GRAB every single audience member as they exit my show, "Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?", and look them in the eye and shake them hard (but lovingly) and say NOW YOU MUST GO SEE 'SLOW CHILDREN PLAYING'!!! RUN, DON'T WALK! GO NOW!!! DO NOT MISS THIS AMAZING, AMAZING PERFORMANCE OR YOU WILL REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!"

I am not being glib or insincere when I say that I'd even consider, once time was turned back, REDIRECTING half (okay, maybe even two thirds!) of each of my audience over to Anna's show before my curtain came up, telling them, "See her performance instead. No, really. Trust me on this one."

It is not fair. It is not fair that Anna is leaving this Fringe without allowing hundreds more people to see this beautifully-written, phenomenally-acted tribute to not only her sister, but to the concepts of cognizance, perception, time, family and human dignity. It is not fair that somehow she was a well-kept secret or a "hidden gem" instead of a superstar. "Slow Children Playing" left me in tears, not of sadness (though there is indeed some sadness in the story of Mary Kate), but the kind of tears you can't help shedding when your heart is so full of every emotion -- joy, love, pain, awe, pride, compassion, gratitude -- something's got to seep out.

I am a mere mortal, and cann'a change the laws of physics, so I guess we won't be flying backwards into June 1st, but if you see the name Anna Marie Agniel again, please go see whatEVER she's performing...be it "Slow Children Playing" again (on June 12th perhaps? Hint hint), or her next show, which is bound to be just as wonderful if not better...this young woman's career is one thing that I doubt will move slowly.

-- Amy Salloway

Love from DC

2005-06-05T08:59:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I was at the Festival last year and had a blast!! I'm bummed I can't be there this year to celebrate Year 2 of such an amazing project, but I'm definetly there in spirit. Raise a beer to the power of Art and the courage of all those who stand up for the freedom of expression! And if you happen to see any of the hard-working folks from CineX while you're around town, be sure to shake their hand (or even better, buy them a drink!)...what they've accomplished is truly amazing! I can't wait for Year 3!

Ghillian Porter

Now Post Your Own Reviews, Thoughts

2005-06-04T19:28:00.000-04:00

Hey, it's the fringe, it's power to the small massive, and it's driven by you, not us. So instead of readers only adding to the blog just through "comments," from now on please send your show reviews, thoughts and general rantings about the 2005 Cincinnati Fringe Festival to web@cincyfringe.com and we'll give you full-fledged posts of your own. Thanks for reading, thanks for contributing, thanks especially for Fringe-ing and thanks most of all for fighting for the arts with us in Cincinnati.

PoMoLoSo etc.

2005-06-04T19:22:00.000-04:00

(from 6/2)

I went to both shows at CAC last night, and had a great time. The audience was smaller than I expected, but both shows were fascinating (especially the PoMoLoSto), and I'm excited about going to Gabriel's Corner tonight for more.

Thanks to all who helped make the Festival happen!

-- Heather

Heading to the Fringe

2005-06-04T19:21:00.000-04:00

(from 6/4)

I am about to head to 'Dr Pain on Main' Today. Hope you all are doing well and that you keep this going
www.iambenjaminhughes.com

Slow Children Playing

2005-06-04T19:20:00.000-04:00

(from 6/2)

I absolutely loved "Slow Children Playing" Wednesday night at Gabriel's Corner. It was beautifully performed with intelligence, intensity, sincerity, and flat out love. The best kind of theatre, when you enter a new place, a very different experience, and at once sigh over something familiar and are energized over something quite new.

This is a one woman show which could be maudlin if it weren't so carefully crafted as a gift.

Anna's timing and energy were perfect. Some of what she works has the mark of craft. She has that magic of holding the character in her head and hand, and inviting the audience into her world, their world. I just had a great time and I hope others will see and pay attention to Anna's loving craftsmanship.

It must be hard to play your sister. She does it very well. It's a clean, vibrant celebration of a special family.

I recommend it. (mdillon)

Day 4 of Fringe! Tell Us About Days 3, 2 and 1!

2005-06-04T09:14:00.000-04:00

Yo, Fringe-goers, there's surely lots to talk about by now -- and fully 15 shows play today, from 2 to 10pm. That's a hell of a lot of Fringe, and no excuses.

So tell us what you've thought so far -- review a show, critique a venue, share your take on the festival as a whole, riff on the city in general, tell us about your pre-Fringe breakfast, whateva -- by clicking on "comments" below this post!

comments on your first hate mail

2005-06-03T17:40:00.000-04:00

Regarding Ann Walker's piece of hate mail: You must be doing something right to elicit such a visceral response. You should note that (as far as I know) you're doing this show on your own dime, or on donations from like-minded folks.� This is a fringe festival, and no one is forcing her to participate. "Fringe" connotes experimental and uncharted.� What maps there are for these territories are sketchy at best, and blank at worst.� No guts, no glory, and these artists have the guts to climb out on the skinny branches. There, some find art, while others merely demonstrate adventursome self-expression, but risk is� what the fringe is about.� I wonder how much risk Ms. Walker enjoys in her life.
Michael.
--
mwcrowley

GIMME MORE!

2005-06-03T14:42:00.000-04:00

This day is slow, s l o w, s s l l o o o w w. It honestly feels like someone flipped a slo-mo switch at my desk. Perhaps it's the absence of that nightly Fringe adrenaline rush - the festival roller-coaster-ride! Sitting here, I am bored out of my gourd, truly. Fringers aren't made for dreary desk work! We're built for the road! or in my case...the box office, the coffee house, the bar, fountain square in a bikini with a Fringe sandwich board - trying to sell tickets. It's kinda ironic though - over the past few days when there was tons of work to do here at 53, and there was also tons of Fringe tasks too. However, today, both jobs have been remarkably quiet. It feels like I've crossed over into the twilight zone...an parallel universe where things are...eerily clam...and excruciatingly quiet. I just can't wait to get back downtown where the action is. Bring it on! Fringe on! Come to Gabriel's Corner tonight and buy a ticket from me!! I won't have on my bikini...but I may be sportin' a new fringe tee. ; )
(Liz Taylor, CineXartS Communications Director)

How Did We Get Here

2005-06-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

So I look back 2 and Half years ago and wonder...

Nick Rose and I sitting at Milton's Tavern
Wollowing in our beer, dreaming of the next big...
something or other

But we knew it was time
for this city... for us...

This journey has taught me a few things:
No matter what we open on Wendesday
no problem is as big as the next one
no use worrying about it till its over

350 artists, 250 volunteers, 25 staff members
we are growing with leaps and bounds
i think to all of the amazing artists traveling to Cincy to attend
all of the talented performers bridging new collaborations
new ideas being born.

I thank you all for making this happen
for owning our fringe festival

Day 3... 9 more to go
who knows what lies behind the next corner...

Bruffy

The Fringe hits City Hall!

2005-06-03T09:12:00.000-04:00

So yesterday Bruffy and a couple out-of-town artists, Les Kurkendaal ("A Comment from the Peanut Gallery") and Dan Bernitt ("Moments of Disconnect") hit City Council's public comments forum. Bruffy introduced the festival and then Les and Dan took their allotted two minutes to perform excerpts from their pieces. Dan's poetic excerpt was universal, lovely but non-offending. But it was especially delicious to feel the tension in the room as Les launched into his riffs on racism, police racial profiling, homophobia and intersections of the three. Councilman Christopher Smitherman came up to me afterwards and said, "He has no idea what the climate is like here, does he?" "We've been trying to explain it to him," I said, remembering Les's initial amazement at the boldness of the local panhandlers. But though Les had to edit out some profanity, he chose that material exactly because of our local political and social climate, and because of what he'd learned just a day earlier about Article 12 at the Pride Rally on Fountain Square (initial reaction: "You're kidding me, right?"). Both perfomers did a great job -- thanks to them for helping us get the word out to City Hall about the Fringe Festival.

Welcome to Day 3! Tell us about Day 2...

2005-06-03T09:06:00.000-04:00

The comments section is all yours -- Fringe-goers, tell us what you saw, what you thought and what you're looking forward to!

Fringe artists, send us your blog posts about life on the Fringe's stages, and you out-of-town artists, also tell us what you think so far of our beloved and maddening city.

Don't forget Visual Fringe!

2005-06-02T22:20:00.000-04:00

(Less concerned you'll overlook the Bar Series)

"I just returned from the opening of Visual Fringe, the visual art offshoot/stepchild of the ginormous Cincinnati Fringe Festival and who should I bump into in the steamy attic of the makeshift gallery, ie. unrehabbed tenement building/storefront, at 1219 Sycamore St. but busy, busy, busy curator Laura Hollis...But with the move to new spaces - some negotiated at the last minute, she - and the three dozen artists - were scrambling to get everything up...It is an exciting, young show...I was so taken with the spacious Sycamore location I wanted to buy the building ('til I found out that it is about $100,000 over my price range). Fading lineoleum floor cloths. Peeling wallpaper. Boarded-up windows. What could be more in sync with Fringe's eclecticism?...The overriding theme this year is the human form - and it takes on some wonderful shapes in both galleries." (Sara Pearce, The Cincinnati Enquirer)

CITYBEAT too!!

2005-06-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

...more reviews, links courtesy of our very own ticketing guru, thx Gabe.

CITYBEAT: http://citybeat.com/fringe/

A/ThePostModernLoveStory
http://citybeat.com/fringe/APOSTMODERN.html

A Mime is A Terrible Thing To Waste
http://citybeat.com/fringe/damime.html

Slow Children Playing
http://citybeat.com/fringe/SLOWCHILDREN.html

Woyzecked And Left For Dead
http://citybeat.com/fringe/WOYZECKED.html

and the reviews start rollin' in...

2005-06-02T14:51:00.000-04:00

so...i'm here at work and can't get on the CityBeat site from ye ol' 5/3...tha bastads...web proxy sucks! BUT this is what the reviewers at the Enquirer and the Post think so far:

ENQUIRER:
BlueForms' 'LoveStory' could be hit of Fringe
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050602/ENT/50602001/1091/CINCI

'Does This Monologue' is a must-see
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050602/ENT/506030301/-1/CINCI

'Karaoke' uses song to tell stories
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050602/ENT/50602002/1091/CINCI

Another interview/editorial about Amy Salloway:
So, stop feeling bad about your body
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?ID=/20050602/ENT/506020334/1091/CINCI

Enquirer's Arts Blog: Visual Fringe: overshadowed showcase a must see
http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/arts/

CINCINNATI POST:
New play launches Fringe Festival
http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050602/LIFE/506020352/1005

2005-06-02T10:28:00.000-04:00

I can't believe one organization can have nine totally different
productions, two gallery openings and a kick ass party at a bar afterwards
all in one day.

Then ... do it again for the next eleven days!

Cin Ex and the Fringe are Rock STARS!

Fringe Day 2!

2005-06-02T10:09:00.000-04:00

We opened last night! Nothing fell apart, no one lost a limb, my venue at Memorial Hall for a while had no coffee and then our dedicated and hardworking Cincinnati Advance volunteer accidentally brought me two decafs (a cosmic conspiracy to keep me tired), and Barry says a dog wandered into another venue, but as far as I can tell that's the extent of the unscheduled excitement.

Already you can feel the momentum building -- and both CityBeat and CiNWeekly gave the Fringe cover stories in the issues that came out yesterday (so pick them up)! There's something in the downtown air, the collective energies of trolling artists and arts lovers.

So, Fringe Fest audiences, tell us which shows you saw yesterday, tell us what you thought, tell us anything. The comments section is your open forum.

All yesterday's Fringe artists, email your posts about opening night experiences. To everyone opening today, since theatre artists shy from "good luck" and "break a leg" is just weird to wish someone, how about "don't suck"? And have a fantastic time.

Can't wait to catch up with everyone tonight at Alchemize -- and catch our beloved Official Fringe Band, those insane, brilliant and occasionally frightening poet/musicians from Catharcism of Narcotica.

Mary Mary, Come Hither

2005-06-02T00:08:00.000-04:00

The Bar Series started off with a boom at Hamburger Mary's. Yes, we
talked, we ate, we fretted over schedules and food and they ran out of
Bass, but New Castle still works! The crowd was huge and Fringers
were out meeting and talking with artists and volunteers and staffers.

Much Kudos was had for the Volunteer T-Shirt. The Orange just had to go.

Bring on day two! Cincinnati Advance folks should be heading out to a
show and then on to Alchemize for music Thursday.

Fringe Squared Comes 'Round

2005-06-01T14:17:00.000-04:00

Four hours thirty two minutes 'til curtain of the first three shows on the first night of the second annual.... Whew! Way too many numbers involved in this whole production. (refer to Gabe's "Lots o Tix" entry below, or just look at the dizzying schedule of shows....)
Best of luck to all the artists, producers, performers, techies, CinEx-ers, curators, staffers, volunteers, etc tonight! Hope to see y'all out at Mary's!!!
Break some legs,
Linds :)

Britney Spears, And All The Other Shit We Deal With!

2005-06-01T04:02:00.000-04:00

10 people...9 of whom are actors...1 an accountant...5 Delta flights
from NYC to CVG...1 long bus trip...and a short ride in my little 1999
Ford...and you have the cast and crew of "Britney Spears, And All The
Other Shit We Deal With!" ready and willing to get our fringe on!

~Stacey Morrison

That's A Lot Of Tickets!

2005-05-31T21:28:00.000-04:00

Hey Fringe Fans!

Gabe here, Director Of Ticketing for Cincinnati Experimental Arts (and the Fringe Festival). I was sitting here making a chart (which I spend a lot of time doing) and was astounded once again at the magnitude of this project.

Let me give you some figures to play around with. There are 24 ticketed events. Each of these events has five performances (except The Ensemble Project with two and Kala Natesa with four). Each venue holds between 70 and 150 people. Basically put, we have 10,195 seats available for you to sit in. Putting it another way, we could fill Procter & Gamble Hall at the Aronoff Center 3.7 times with this number of seats. That’s a lot of tickets.

That’s my thoughts this evening. I’ll be working every night at the Cincinnati Ballet Studio – please stop by and say hello.

See you at the Fringe!

Gabe

Our First Hate Mail!

2005-05-31T21:11:00.000-04:00

As you may know, we put out a call for help finding housing for our out-of-town artists. Maybe she doesn't understand she's only encouraging us.

From: ann walker
To: cincyfringe@hotmail.com
Subject: available housing
Date: Mon, 30 May 2005 11:13:15 -0700 (PDT)

Might I suggest Rumpke Dump or any dog pound.

They have just the perfect environment for garbage and mongrels, which would about describe your "artists".

Please practice group abortion - your genetic scum is not required in the human gene pool.

CineX Nuts(hell)

2005-05-31T11:01:00.000-04:00

The festival opens tomorrow. Hard to fathom. But there's evidence of it everywhere: for the last few days Bruffy and our production crew have been killing themselves teching our five venues while the rest of us run around putting things in their place and "putting out fires," as Jeff calls it.

"We" are CineX (see link on the right called "What is CineX?"). The festival's founder, Jason Bruffy, or just "Bruffy," this year gathered around him the six of us to help produce the festival's second year two. Now, of course, that number has grown exponentially. New faces every day. It's amazing the sheer numbers of people who have bought into this festival, because without them, it just couldn't be and we'd be a bunch of arts geeks sitting around dreaming and ranting. Which is not to say they've saved us from that fate. We just enjoy the company. Isn't a mandate only 51 percent anyway?

The Artists Come Marching In

2005-05-31T10:53:00.000-04:00

Last night at Milton's we met up with Les Kurkendaal, L.A.-based creator of "A Comment from the Peanut Gallery." Jen Spillane had to drive to Indianapolis to pick him up because our airport's prices are so ridiculous: thank you, Delta. Amy Salloway ("Does This Monologue Make Me Look Fat?") also flew in yesterday, apparently after missing her first flight. Dan Bernitt ("Moments of Disconnect") drove in from Lexington last Friday. Add them to the in-town performers and it looks like we're starting to reach critical mass for a fringe festival.

This is a blog. Yes.

2005-05-30T22:48:00.000-04:00

Just checking.

So this is a blog.
It is a blog for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival.
It's a blog so we can share with you the latest news from the festival (June 1-12) and so we can highlight all the latest press and maybe even vent about some of the stupider situations that come out of producing 115 non-censored shows over 12 days in a conservative town.

Welcome!