2009 Fringe Encore Series Announced

The 2009 Fringe Encore Series has announced the shows that will get a second chance to wow NYC audiences. The Encore performances will take place at Soho Playhouse and Actor's Playhouse. For tickets and more info go to www.fringenyc-encoreseries.com.

SOHO PLAYHOUSE

Viral

Mon 14- 9pm
Sun 20- 1pm
Thu 24- 7pm
Sat 26- 2pm
Sun 27- 6pm

The Boys Upstairs

Thu 10- 8pm
Fri 11- 9:30pm
Sat 19- 7:30pm
Thu 24- 9:30pm
Sun 27-8:30pm

A Contemporary American's Guide to a Successful Marriage

Sat 12- 5pm
Sun 20- 8:30pm
Fri 25- 9:30pm
Sat 26- 5pm
Sun 27- 1pm

His Greatness

Thu 17- 7pm
Sat 19- 2pm
Sun 20- 3pm
Wed 23 - 3pm
Fri 25- 7pm

AND SOPHIE COMES TOO

Sat 12- 7:30pm
Sun 13- 6pm
Mon 21- 7pm
Wed 23- 8pm
Sat 26- 10:30pm

Complete

Tue 15- 8pm
Fri 18- 7:30pm
Sat 19- 5pm
Sat 26- 7:30pm
Sun 27- 3pm

Sex and the Holy Land

Fri 11- 7pm
Sat 12- 2pm & 10:30pm
Sun 13- 8:30pm
Tue 22- 8pm

Notes on the Land of Earthquake & Fire

Sun 13- 3pm
Wed 16- 8pm
Sat 19- 10:30pm
Sun 20- 6pm

The K of D, an urban legend

Mon 14- 7pm
Wed 16- 3pm
Thu 17- 9:30pm
Fri 18- 10pm

Jesus Ride

Fri 18- 8pm
Sat 19- 6pm
Sun 20- 3:30pm
Mon 21- 8:30pm

Dolls

Wed 16- 8:30pm
Thurs 17- 7:30pm
Thur 24- 8pm
Fri 25- 7:30pm
Sun 27- 6:30pm


ACTORS' PLAYHOUSE

DEVIL BOYS FROM BEYOND

Tues 15- 9:30pm
Wed 23- 9pm
Fri 25- 10:30pm
Sat 26- 10:30pm
Sun 27- 8pm

SINGIN' WID A SWORD IN MA HAN'

Performances TBA

MoM - A Rock Concert Musical

Thu 10- 10:30pm
Sat 12- 2pm
Sun 13- 7pm
Mon 14- 8pm
Mon 21- 9:30pm

Powerhouse

Sat 19- 5pm
Sun 20- 12:30pm & 6pm
Mon 21- 3pm

Zipperface!!?!: The Hobo Musical

Fri 11- 10:30pm
Sun 13- 2pm
Tue 15- 7pm
Fri 25- 7:30pm

Terranova

Wed 16- 9pm
Fri 18- 7pm
Sun 20- 3pm
Mon 21- 7pm
Tues 22- 7pm

Tales From The Tunnel

Fri 11- 8pm
Sat 12- 5pm
Thu 24- 10:30pm
Sat 26- 3pm
Sun 27- 5pm

Willy Nilly: A Musical Exploitation of the Most Far-Out Cult Murders of the Psychedelic Era

Thur 17- 10:30pm
Fri 18- 10pm
Sat 19- 2pm & 10pm
Sun 20- 8:30pm

Muffin Man

Wed 16- 7pm
Wed 23- 7pm
Sat 26- 6pm
Sun 27- 3pm

2009 Fringe Overall Excellence Awards

Outstanding Play:
Viral
Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party
Devil Boys From Beyond

Outstanding Musical:
Mom - A Rock Concert Musical
Citizen Ruth

Outstanding Solo Show:
Art’s Heart
The Event
The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer
Remission
Truth Values: One Girl’s Romp Through MIT’s Male Math Maze
Jesus Ride
The Songs of Robert

Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event:
Bullettrun
666
Baby Wants Candy

Outstanding Playwrighting:
Jason Schafer - Notes on the Land of Earthquake & Fire
Laura Schellhardt - The K of D
Mary Adkins - The 49 Project

Outstanding Direction:
Ben West - How Now, Dow Jones
Patrick McNulty- Harold Pinter Pair
Jeremy Dobrish - Dancing with Abandon
Bill Oliver - A History of Cobbling

Outstanding Costume Design:
Lisa Zinni - A Contemporary American's Guide to a Successful Marriage
Luke Brown - The Doctor and the Devils

Outstanding Actor:
Alyson Weaver - La Ronde
Autumn Hurlbert - A Contemporary American's Guide to a Successful Marriage
Ethan Downing - Confirmation
Colin DePaula - Mutti’s After Supper Stories
Ken Barnett - La Ronde

Outstanding Ensemble:
Two on the Aisle, Three in the Van
Powerhouse
Ether Steeds
Bargains and Blood (How To Succeed in Home Shopping!)

Outstanding Set Design:
Szu-Feng Chen - The Alchemist of Light

Outstanding Choreography:
Jody Oberfelder - 38 Witnessed Her Death, I Witnessed Her Love: The Lonely Secret of Mary Ann Zielonko (Kitty Genovese Story)
Patricia Norwol - Circuits

FringeNYC 2009 Recommendations - Part 2

Ludlow has two more Fringe shows to recommend:

• Willy Nilly: A Musical Exploitation of the Most Far-Out Cult Murders of the Psychedelic Era - Trav S.D.'s hilarious musical send-up of Charles Manson and the events leading up to the gruesome murders that shocked 1960's America is given an outstanding production, directed by Jeff Lewonczyk. For info & tickets: www.fringenyc.org or www.pipermckenzie.com. Final Performance: Saturday 8/29 @ 8pm

• John and Greg's High School Reunion - Greg Ayers and John Halbach wrote and star in this very funny take on two slackers reflecting on their high school experiences while anticipating their 10-year high school reunion. It's funny and smart and Ayers and Halbach each play about a half-dozen characters in this entertaining show. For info & tickets: www.fringenyc.org or www.johnandgreghsr.com. Final performances: Wednesday 8/26 @ 5:45pm and Saturday 8/29 @ 10:30pm.

What's Left of the Provincetown Playhouse

This is all that remains of the historic Provincetown Playhouse on MacDougal Street. The facade of the once home of the Provincetown Players is all that still stands. I guess we should be lucky that NYU will preserve the facade of this historic site, but Ludlow is still outraged that this supposed institution of learning is turning Greenwich Village into a collection of ugly dorms and undistinguished buildings.

FringeNYC 2009 Recommendations

With the 2009 Fringe at the half-way point, here are the shows I can personally recommend:

• VIRAL: Mac Rogers' smart and creepy play about a woman who wants to commit suicide and the three people who want to help her...oh, and video tape it. Amy Lynn Stewart gives a tremendous performance! For tickets and info: www.fringenyc.org or www.viraltheplay.com.

• CITIZEN RUTH: A musical adaptation of the brilliant film of the same name. Expertly directed with a very good cast that includes the wonderful Annie Golden! For tickets and info: www.fringenyc.org or www.citizenruth.info (you can listen to some of the music on the Citizen Ruth site!).

• NOTES FROM THE LAND OF EARTHQUAKE + FIRE: Jason Schafer's good (if flawed) play is given an excellent production by Schafer himself, who also directs. Ian Scott McGregor gives a deep and varied performance as Chad, a Hollywood assistant. For tickets and info: www.fringenyc.org or www.earthquakeandfire.com

• THE EVENT: Fringe founder John Clancy wrote and directed this one-person play that explores theater, the conventions of theater and the roles we all play. I've been a fan of Clancy's for years, but for me this is most mature and perhaps best work to date. BRAVO! For tickets and info: www.fringenyc.org or www.clancyproductions.com.

One week to go...

CITIZEN RUTH and the Minetta Lane Theater

Ludlow really enjoyed Citizen Ruth. It’s always been a favorite film and the music is, for the most part, very good. Knowing the film, it’s hard not to miss Laura Dern’s terrific performance – but Garrett Long does more than an honorable job. Annie Golden, Janet Dickinson and Sherri L. Edelen are all excellent and it is staged so tightly (by Howard Shalwitz) that the evening just flies by! This isn’t the last we’ll be hearing about this show.

Ludlow couldn’t help but be struck by the line of ticket holders stretching to MacDougal Street. When was the last time anything at the Minitta Lane Theatre had a line stretching down the block to get in? What is generating that much interest; is it that it’s a Fringe Show? Is it the $15 ticket price? Similarly, the line was almost as long for VOTE! on Friday night. Is it that there are only a handful of performances to catch? Are people hoping to catch “the next big thing” or taking advantage of a bargain. I’m not sure, but how can someone capture this excitement and use it again in say, October?

First Foto: Bacchae In The Park With Groff

Here is the first foto of THE BACCHAE with Jonathan Groff as Dyonisus; directed by Joanne Akalaitis. Photo by Joan Marcus from The Public's Facebook page.

Fringe Preview: Willy Nilly

Willy Nilly: A Musical Exploitation of the Most Far-Out Cult Murders of the Psychedelic Era
Writer: Trav S.D.
Director: Jeff Lewonczyk
Charles Manson meets Mad Magazine in this tasteless spoof about a filthy faux-Messiah, his cult of wanton women, and high Hollywood murder. With a raucous score, gratuitous nudity, acid freakouts, excessive gore, cruel stereotypes and slapstick misogyny, consider this the anti-Hair.
1h 45m

VENUE #3: Dixon Place

Fri 14 @ 5 Sun 16 @ 8:30 Fri 21 @ 11 Sat 22 @ 4:45 Sat 29 @ 8

For Tickets & Info: www.pipermckenzie.com or www.fringenyc.org