My wife and I met performing a two-person play at Chicago Dramatists. It was a cute, romantic comedy and it was very much fun to perform. We made each other laugh, we became friends, we started to date and the rest, as they say, is history.
Ten years, a marriage, three dogs, and one big move cross-country move later, and here we are once again, performing a two-person play and having an absolute blast. Of course, this is way less romantic and much more absurd, but we are still making each other laugh, challenging one another to be better, and reconnecting in a way that has renewed my creative spirit.
I love Fringe Festivals. My first Fringe was the Orlando International Fringe Festival, which I attended as an audience member. It was so excited and so much fun – Orlando has a very well-renowned festival. All the venues are in Loch Haven Park with the big green lawn full of food trucks and outdoor entertainment. Getting to perform in that festival a couple of years later was a such a breath of artistic freedom.
Chicago had started its own Fringe when I first moved there. Like many, it was very small at first, but within five years it had grown to a decent size and had many nice venues in Jefferson Park. However, Chicago is already one, big, year-long Fringe festival, so it never took off quite like it should have. But it was the first of many successful Fringe collaborations with my good friend Kelly Haramis.
After a fun at the ol’ Studio-B, we took Kelly’s one-woman show, “Double Happiness” to the Orlando Fringe (full circle!), the Chicago Fringe, then Frigid Fringe in NY. Later, Kelly and I collaborated again her second one-woman show, “Hard Core Corn”, which also played at Chicago Fringe, Frigid, and then Montreal Fringe, Minnesota Fringe, and it was to play at Calgary Fringe but then … you know … covid. Blah.
And then this play, “Small Box with a Revolver” has its own great fun of festivals. First debuting at the Big Muddy Theatre Fest at Southeastern Illinois University. Because we love this show and believe in the talent of this playwright, we have tried to get it out there as much as possible. Last year, we took the original cast and performed at St. Louis Fringe, and the mini-Fringe at SETC.
But now, it’s our turn. And it’s great to back on the boards again. Even though I did perform in last year’s Great Salt Lake Fringe, with my own one-man show, “One Man, One Guitar, Superstar: a Jesus Christ Superstar Sing-along”. This is different. This is, you know, actually acting and stuff. With a really, really good script. And it’s a show I am just so incredibly proud to produce and share with the world.
So, if you are out there, dear reader, I hope you’ll check us out. And I hope you’ll take time to support all of the wonderful artists at this year’s Fringe Festival.