The 2010 installment, last week, was my third KC Fringe Festival since moving to Kansas City. The first year, I was alone in the audience, or one of two or three, for most of the first four days. This year, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter several full houses, even on week nights. Clearly, the word is out.
If you missed any or all of the Fringe shows — and it was impossible to see them all — you’ve got a chance this weekend, with the Fringe Hangover (schedule on The Fringe site), which includes a couple of my favorites (see below) and a couple I haven’t yet seen, but plan to catch.
Much more work was presented this year, and quite a number of really excellent shows. Some of my favorites, with links to my reviews on the KC Stage site:
- “Head” was this year’s contribution by a collection of Kansas City’s finest actors, technicians, musicians, and directors, all under the direction of its creator, Kyle Hatley. Very funny, and yet very substantive: my personal Fringe favorite for 2010.
- “The Event” was a beautifully crafted one-man show, well-presented by Bob Paisley of Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre: one of my favorite 2010 shows.
- “Goodbye Kansas” got me off to a rousing start on opening night: a Midwestern theatrical fantasy exploring madness and revelation by Frankie, beautifully done by a strong cast.
- “American Alphabet,” a two-hander created and presented by Lisa Cordes and Damian Torres-Botello, being repeated this weekend ‚— Saturday night and Sunday afternoon — at Fringe headquarters (1730 Broadway).
- “Cirque du Gay” is a delightful show you can catch in a tFringe Hangover performance on Saturday night(1730 Broadway).
- Cabaret Voler was the Crosstown Sation Fringe show by a fabulous Kansas City group I hadn’t seen before — Voler: Thieves of Flight — but which appears around town. I’ll let you know whenever I hear of new performances.
A couple of shows I didn’t review on KC Stage, but recommend are:
- “Khan! The Musical,” a popular show , spoofing Star Trek in a spirit of great fun, being repeated this Friday and Saturday night at Fringe headquarters (1730 Broadway).
- “Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story,” completely sold out at The Fringe, is currently enjoying a two-weekend run at The Fishtank. I managed to get in, but my hearing aids filled completely with the great piano being played two feet from me, so I’m going back. See the Facebook page for more information, but mostly: see the show!
Entirely new to me was David Csontos of Lincoln, Nebraska, who brought two shows to The Fringe: “I Am My Imaginary Friend” and “My Night with Rock Hudson.” Jam-packed with film references, clips, reenactments and adaptations, Csontos’ meta-subject was gay identity. Though not autobiographical, each piece relates stories of its protagonist, played by the author: the first, sorting out the murky roots of gay identity in family; and the second, a night at the drive-in in New Jersey, not incidentally the night of the Stonewall riot so near, and yet so far, in New York. Both were charming in their depiction of regular gay life in that pre-movement era — but unfortunately underattended, as few local people know his work.
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