This weekend only – Friday August 29th thru Sunday August 31st – between the two big political lovefests, some humor to skewer the way things are, and the way we wish they’d be, just to let it all out a bit with some laughter from two teams of very nimble comic performers. Smart, funny stuff, both highly recommended…
First up –
Rolling Out The Welcome Mat – Artists Respond to the RNC
(the welcome mat on the site says, simply, “Go Away“)
This is combo of MV’s Fringe show “All Rights Reserved: A Libertarian Rage,” (early evening, 7pm) and the Rockstar Storytellers presenting “News In Briefs (which they no doubt take literally): Stories Of Politics,” (later evening, 9pm) plus some great satirical songs from The Nonsense Company.
More info on their website – www.maximumverbosityonline.org
Also on tap, I got a couple of emails about this and the folks involved make it look like a lot of fun as well…
THE WIDE STANCE: A Theatrical Essay on the Two Party System
Can sudden political activism save a terrible show? YOU, the audience, must decide!
“The Wide Stance” is an audience-interactive political comedy that casts “the show” as “the nation” in an absurdist take on modern politics, media frenzy and the popular vote. Complete with politicians, pundits and product placement, this fast-paced, unruly show puts our current political system through a “speed-dating” process in which the audience is given the power to affect change – but only with limited options.
WHO:
Written by Tom Poole and Joseph Scrimshaw!
Directed by Randy Reyes!
Produced by critically acclaimed playwright and Hollywood screenwriter, Jeffrey Hatcher!
Starring a bevy of Twin Cities theater super stars – Warren Bowles , Caroline Cooney, Steve Hendrickson, Ryan Parker Knox, Tracey Maloney, Lindsay Marcy, Kris Nelson, Randy Reyes, Joseph Scrimshaw, and Phyllis Wright!
WHEN:
THREE SHOWS ONLY!
Friday, August 29th at 7:30 PM
Saturday, August 30th at 7:30 PM
Sunday, August 31st at 7:30 PM
WHERE:
The Playwrights’ Center
2301 Franklin Ave E
in South Minneapolis
HOW MUCH:
$15
$2 off with Fringe button
RESERVATIONS:
Call 612-280-9210
Or visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/41433
For more info visit http://juniorbirdman.com/widestance
WIDE STANCE BACK STORY:
The Wide Stance was conceived at Totfe Lake Center at Norm’s Fish Camp, a creative retreat center founded by Michael Bigelow Dixon and Liz Engleman. Nationally known playwright Jeffrey Hatcher was invited to curate the center’s inaugural week in early June.
In light of the upcoming Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Mr. Hatcher was interested in discussing a fresh approach to the concept of political theater. He titled the week-long session “Right To Laff,” and gathered a collection of writers, actors and directors who had specific experience in comedic or political theater (Warren Bowles, Beth Gilleland, Sarah Gioia, Craig Johnson, Tom Poole and Joseph Scrimshaw were the lucky invitees).
One recurring theme of discussion was the political system itself – specifically the two-party system and the inherent comedy of only having two options: Republican or Democrat? Lower or Higher Taxes? Is Hillary being too masculine or too feminine? These thoughts led to the idea of using the “voting” dynamic from Joseph Scrimshaw’s Adventures in Mating to put the audience in charge of the content of the show. The result is a fast-paced, unruly show that puts our current political system through a “speed-dating” process in which the audience is given the power to affect change – but only with limited options.
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