Indy Theatre Habit

The Preview Party for the 2008 Indy Fringe Festival was last night.  It was so much fun!  I had a GREAT time, and not just because I was hanging out with actor Dane Rogers and Indianapolis Star reviewer Whitney Smith.  There are many, many intriguing shows this year.

This afternoon I finally had a moment in which to plot out what I will see when.  It was a shock to realize that not only will I not have time to see some shows twice, I will not even be able to see every show once. There are 48 “main Fringe” shows and 48 time slots, and I have a previous commitment during a few of them.

Drat.

That got me to thinking about what I would see if I didn’t have a self-imposed responsibility to my blog readers to see and write about as many shows as I can.  For one thing, I wouldn’t have a media pass, so I would probably have a budget of $50.

First, then, I would buy a $40 Fiver Pass at the Fringe Headquarters (a white, former church building just east of the intersection of College and Mass. Ave.)   I would be able to see five shows and have $10 left over to put towards the lunch special at the new sushi restaurant at that same intersection.

(I hope it’s a good restaurant.  I’m going to try it for the first time this week.  Even if it is only adequate…sushi and Fringe theatre within walking distance of each other?  My idea of heaven!)

I would see the following five shows:

** “And I Am Not Making This Up,” by Bloomington-based artist Nel Weatherwax.  I wrote about her show at last year’s Fringe when I was part of the review team on Indiana Auditions.  One or two of my fellow storytellers were disappointed in the lack of narrative in her show when they saw it in Bloomington, Indiana earlier this year, but I love that her work is a completely intuitive combination of mime and talking and improv.  Each show is completely different.  Each show draws on the stories that she carries in her body while responding to the energy that she picks up from the other people in the room.  Her work is hard to describe, and maybe it’s not for everyone (what show is?!), but I love it.

** Alone and Testifying,” by Minnesota-based Loren Niemi.  I have taken numerous workshops with Niemi – on storytelling for corporations, on using storytelling to build community, on developing stories with non-traditional narratives, and on developing and telling erotic stories.  He and another storytelling hero of mine, Elizabeth Ellis, wrote a book called Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking About Difficult Stories (August House 2001.)  A long time ago, I read a draft of his novel – the one that is based on his real-life experiences managing a traveling circus.  At one point he ran for political office in Minneapolis on the “Zen Party” ticket, I think it was, as a way of getting the mainstream candidates to talk in a real way about the issues.  I think this is his first time at the Indy Fringe, but he has performed at other Fringe festivals.

In other words, he is a poet and a maverick.

I don’t know Howard Lieberman, the teller who is accompanying Niemi for part of his show, but I trust Niemi’s choice to partner with him.  Oh, man, it’s going to be good to hear Loren tell again.

** “Monkey Poet: The Big Brown Number Two,” by Matt Panesh.  Speaking of maverick poets, I wrote about this England-based stand-up comic, too, last year on IA.  Panesh is irreverant (!) and bawdy (in a hip way) and I know he offends some people, either because of his politics or because of his completely uncensored use of langauge or something, but he is not mean-spirited.  He recites original poetry that is full of energy but much rounder and cleverer than what I used to hear a lot at poetry slams.  I can’t wait to hear what he has written for this year’s show. 

** “Phil the Void: Comedy Over Quality,” by Los Angeles-based stand-up comic Phil VanHest.  I wrote about his show last year, too, on (yup, you guessed it) IA.  VanHest was the only performer on my list to participate in last night’s Preview Party.  He was every bit as smart and funny and sexy and genuine and generous and huggable and present as I remembered him.

However, he is hairier this year.

His “lady friend” is going to be here later in the week, wearing a t-shirt that he got her that lists various kinds of hugs, or something.  He told me he is going to introduce her from the stage.  (I wonder if she knows that!)  Anyway, I ‘m looking forward to meeting her, too.

And my fifth ticket? I would completely do the grab bag thing and either just show up on a day and time that I had free and go to the theatre nearest my parking spot, or put all the names of the shows on slips of paper and draw one out of a hat, or ask a friend to go with me and let him or her decide.

There are many, many intriguing shows this year!  All of them are described on the Indy Fringe website.  Which five shows would YOU pick, if you could only pick five?

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com