IndyFringe 16: Acting a Foo Is Only Half the Story: Local Comedians Share Some of Their Dreams and Struggles

We remember the first time we saw Act A Foo Improv Crew (AAF) at IndyFringe. The year was 2012, and we had just seen a couple of affecting but heart-wrenching dramas. We figured it was the perfect time to let off some steam and remind ourselves what a good belly laugh feels like. Turns out we saved the best for last.

Since then, we have seen AAF perform in every IndyFringe festival plus a few of their Sunday night shows and their Halloween and Christmas parties. We invite friends along to every AAF outing because the band of lovable misfits of AAF have a way of making everyone--especially women (hey, it's their gift!)--feel like the guest of honor. 

"Les enfants terribles"of AAF are always the life of the party at IndyFringe. (From bottom left: Daniel Martin, Ennis Adams, Joshua "The Girth" Owens, Jocque Carey, and Joshua Short.)

I was curious about this animated group whom I'd heard had all grown up together in Indianapolis, but I'd never met any of them in person. And here's the beauty of Fringe. It literally breaks down the walls of a guarded society.  Even the most timid can approach a stranger and walk away a friend. Thus was the case in 2013, when I was stepping out of IndyFringe theater, feeling a post-stage rush, when I spotted the enfants terribles crossing the street. Not knowing any of their names, I began to call to them, "Hello, Foo! Mr. Foo! Mr. Act A Foo!" A gentleman turned around and smiled as I ran up to greet him. It turned out to be the MC of the group Daniel Martin, and with one spirited greeting from a stranger on St. Clair Street, I now have a friend for life. 

Since then, we have had the joy of seeing these gentlemen perform in various plays and venues around town, and Larry and Daniel even wound up together on the set of an industrial film last year. Truly one of the greatest gifts of being involved in various capacities at IndyFringe for the past twelve years is the sheer number of people from all over the globe with whom I've crossed hands.

It's our last post of the festival, so I will impose on readers to enjoy a post that I hope will be more meaningful than sentimental. It seems a fine way to end our coverage of IndyFringe '16. 

I caught up with Martin this week to discuss their troupe, their sense of place in Indy, and their hopes as performers. My one regret is that I couldn't interview the whole group. (Future post idea: A night on the town with Act a Foo.) Make no mistake: although Martin takes the reigns of the group on-stage, this is a 100% team effort by all members, and each of them contributes equal effort and talent to their great success.

Maybe you're like us and have watched them slay the audience and wondered, "What were they like growing up? What did their poor mothers do?!" Incidentally, I mentioned this to member Joshua Short once, and he responded in all seriousness, "Please pray for them!" (Future post idea: Let's talk to the Foos' mothers!) 

In Carey's case, his mother sent him to Asante Children's Theater. As explained by Martin, Carey was "hyperactive" (his mother's words) as a child, and rather than squelch his enthusiasm and interest in making people laugh, she helped him find a way to channel his energy. It was here that Carey met Martin, Adams, and Short.

Martin and Owens met by way of church, and telling me so made Martin crack up. "Why is that funny?" I asked. "Because the two of us...in church. Talk about not fitting in!" The plot thickens: It turns out that Martin was not just a member of Harding Street Church of Christ--his father, Peter N. Martin, Sr. is the minister. Martin and Owens are still members of this church.  (Future post idea: What is it with Preachers' Kids growing up to be Fringe Artists?! One half of this duo--the handsome, debonair one--also falls into the category of PK-turned-Fringe Artist.)

Sidebar: We would be remiss not to include this tidbit. Martin's grandfather was journalist Fletcher Martin of the Chicago Sun Times, a WWII correspondent who also had the honor of introducing the city of Chicago to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. during a civil rights conference. Fletcher Martin was also the recipient of The Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University--the most prestigious journalism fellowship in the U.S.  

AAF started performing professionally as a group about seven years ago. Before that, they constantly "performed" for friends and family in various living rooms around Indy. When asked how they came with their name, Martin replied, "We figured we'd give ourselves a name that would give people an idea of what to expect at our shows. And that's just it. We invite people to 'act-a-foo' with us."

"I figured it was an admonishment administered by your mothers growing up," I offered. Martin laughed, "Well she was rather fond of saying to me as a boy, 'You act a foo' now, I'm gonna act a foo' later!'" Since launching professionally, members have come and gone from the group, but the current five foos remain thick as thieves.  

Each member of AAF continues to perform in various capacities around Indy. Adams recently appeared in Blues for an Alabama Sky at Spotlight Players; Carey is a frequent director of Asante Children's Theater; and Martin recently turned in a stunning performance as Tom Robinson in the sold out run of To Kill A Mockingbird at the Indiana Repertory Theater. 

Recently, however, Martin and Carey have set their sights on bigger markets. After years of dreaming about taking things to the next level, they took a leap of faith and moved to Atlanta, a burgeoning film and theater city. "One day, Jocque said, 'That's it. We gotta stop talking about it and start doing it. Come June, we're out of here,'" Martin explained. "Jocque is a schoolteacher and wanted to finish out the year before moving. By March, I realized he was serious, and I was like, 'I have got to get on the ball and make this happen!'" 

One might question the timing of such a move. Things have been going well for AAF these past few years. Martin shared the reason for their move. "We want to be professional actors. Not just comedians. We love bringing comedy, but we are also serious actors. We're always surprised that people are surprised that we also do drama.'" (It's this writer's opinion that comedians often make the best dramatic actors.) Although they have climbed the ladder of success in Indy, it does, unfortunately remain a small market for professionals. "In Atlanta, there are greater opportunities," and he adds somewhat ruefully, "More opportunities for actors who happen to be African American." 

Carey and Martin have settled in Atlanta but point out that Indy is just a "quick" (their words, not mine) eight-hour drive away, so they can still stay involved with AAF. For the past couple of months, they have been focused on the bare bone necessity of survival, which has thus far taken precedence over networking and auditioning. After IndyFringe closes, however, they will meet with directors and theaters, including Alliance Theater, which is Atlanta's equivalent of the IRT.

When asked what he misses about Indy, Martin quickly responded, "I miss being comfortable! We could always find work here, and now no one knows us. We are starting all over. It is going to be incredibly difficult and expensive to get established. I miss my family and friends and performing in Indy, but honestly that comfort  kept me here longer than it should have." Martin, although not starry eyed about his future as a performer remains hopeful. "I need to get my feet wet in the film industry. I still prefer the stage. It's more thrilling. You don't get to do several takes on the stage. You have to sustain your range and depth of emotions night after night. You have to reach so much deeper. But working in film will give me more experience and credibility. And right now my main goal in life is to be as uncomfortable as possible." 

Martin still feels inextricably connected to Indy and plans on returning often for the foreseeable future. "We're (AAF) grateful to Indy for supporting us and for all the publicity we've been getting." He takes a deep breath, and gets lost in a thought. "What it is it?" I asked. "I just--. Can I be honest about something, just speaking something from my heart?" 

He continues. "We are so excited to be featured on local TV stations and various local media outlets. We couldn't be more grateful for that coverage--really we are very thankful. But the truth is, we are constantly referred to as an 'African American' Comedy Group.' Every time it happens, we shake our heads and wonder why people continue to see things in terms of race. The problem with that kind of descriptor is that it suggests that our comedy is only for African Americans, and that is just not the case. At various times, we've had white people in our troupe, so it's also not accurate." 

I encouraged Martin to continue. "We want to be known for our art and craft, not our skin color. We just want to make people laugh, and the truth is, we're pretty darn good at it. If people who have never seen one of our shows see us described as 'African American Comedy Group,' they might not feel welcome, thinking that we have a preferred audience. You know, we're just grown men who grew up together around Indy. We represent Indy, not just certain demographic groups. I say this not to complain or create friction. We just want everyone to know that all are welcome to come play with us and make art with us and act a foo with us!" 

Although there a couple of other improv groups in town, AAF takes pride in the fact that they built their group one by one over the years. They didn't have a theater to support them. They had to find their own venues and figure out how to reach the most people without an established audience. IndyFringe has gone a long way in helping them grow their audience. 

Martin concludes, "In a Fringe setting, it's okay for anyone to talk to anyone. When it's just me--just Daniel--outside of Fringe, I'm always open to meeting people on the street. But at Fringe, people feel more open to greet me. It provides a safe place to get out of your comfort zone." (As Larry puts it, "Fringe audiences just don't have the 'ol broomstick up the ass.") 

Now if you really want to get over your comfort zone, head down to IndyFringe for AAF's closing weekend to get a belly ache from laughing for your foo' head off.

Saturday 8/27 3pm
Sunday 8/28 1:30 pm

Don't be a stranger now. If you see one of the foos out and about, say, "Hello, Foo!"

Daniel capturing a selfie--or an "ussie" for plural, we decided, at last year's AAF Halloween party.

IndyFringe16: Loren Niemi: Bad Brother...Good Human

Loren Niemi, a storyteller based out of Minneapolis, is perhaps best known in these parts as one-half of the duo that has brought Indy 55 Minutes of Sex, Drugs, and Audience Participation for several years. Niemi is back this year with his brand new solo autobiographical piece Bad Brother. A performer around North America for decades, IndyFringe marks the debut of this show, which Niemi has been writing--or trying to write--for over twenty years:

I was in a religious order - you know, poverty, celibacy, obedience - I was good at one of them. It was the 60s and revolution was in the air. This is the story of how I entered a Catholic and left a Buddhist anti-war peacenik with a FBI file. (from the IndyFringe program guide)

Niemi has been receiving a lot of well deserved attention for this particular show, so I thought I would add to that conversation some of Niemi's thoughts on developing and refining the show: 

"My show has been in development for 20 years, which is how long it's taken to burn away any residue of guilt, shame, anger, or grief about who I was when it takes place. What I want the audience to see is that the challenges to peace and justice in the era of 'Nam and Flower Power are still with us though perhaps not as starkly generational. 

"I've spent most of life balancing art and politics as work and as necessity. I've alternated between being highly nomadic and being rooted in specific communities and arts organizations. It is all good. It is (almost) all a story worth the telling." 

IndyFringe has proven itself an incubator once again, and Niemi has been grateful for the opportunity not only to present a show so close to his heart, but also to get feedback from audiences after the performances. Niemi says he is getting a wide range of responses to the show, including people of his generation eager to share with him some of the experiences of the era that still haunt them. 

The Larry half of this duo offered that the play conjured a painful memory about losing a good friend from high school to the war. "I hadn't even known he had been sent to Vietnam when I read his obituary in the Detroit Free Press while I was away at college. The draft dictated that any kid who couldn't afford college was sent to the war. It was discrimination, plain and simple. The government decided that certain members of our society were valued more than others." Talking with Niemi after the show about his lost friend offered him the chance to relieve some of the guilt and agony, as Niemi understood all too well how deeply that pain is rooted. 

On the flip side, Niemi also notes that he is surprised by a younger generation's response to his show. Evidently, perhaps due to pop culture and bad film, there is a misnomer that this generation produced nothing but peaceful, love-making flower children, and that everything was harmonious. He shared that he is at least happy that younger people are showing an interest in the show--or as he humorously puts it, "politely suffering through my spiel about why they should attend."  

Explaining the show to say, millennials, who seem to have a rather shallow understanding of what was actually happening at the time, has proved to be flummoxing for Niemi. "They're looking at you kind of wide-eyed and speechless when you offer a more realistic picture of how things were, and you get the feeling that maybe they prefer the myth over the truth, " Niemi offered. 

The other half of this duo, who was not yet born during the riots of 67, felt especially connected to his story about being refused service in a barbecue joint on account of being white. As someone who was born and raised in a place where the stronghold of segregation is only now begining to deteriorate, I was eager to hear of first-hand experiences.  As he walked the audience through his emotions of what discrimination feels like on the receiving end, I could feel his reticence to explain to the proprietor that he wasn't "one of those kinds of white people." Incidentally, his avid descriptions of the joint also made me really hungry for barbecue, so a prospective attendee might do well to eat before the show. 

As a professional storyteller Niemi is no stranger to sending his stories out into the world and letting the chips fall as they may. An artist is never at liberty to instruct an audience how to receive a message. Clearly, his stories from Bad Brother have a been an important touchstone for many at IndyFringe. As he says in his book, The New Book of Plots, "Storytelling always has been the primary means of articulating our fundamental core values, of describing who we are as individuals and peoples, and of confirming our peceptions of what it means to be human. It shapes the chaos of the ever-changing world and speaks to what is 'right' and 'true.'"

Niemi's Bad Brother concludes its run this weekend at the Phoenix Underground:

Fri 8/29 9 pm
Sat 8/27 4:30 pm
Sun 8/28 1:30 pm

On the off chance that this your first exposure to Niemi's work, you might be of the misconception that he is a very serious man.

Well, here he is photobombing like a boss with our friends in Act a Foo Improv Crew! I believe his words were, "I'll show you how it's done."

Loren Niemi proving that "Gentlemen of a Certain Age" are not afraid to steal anyone's thunder.

IndyFringe16: Holy Butts in Seats! Meet IndyFringe's Superheroes Lola and Kevin Elkins!

We are pleased to introduce IndyFringe's Superheroes, Lola and Kevin Elkins!

This power duo has an extraordinary super power: they see a whopping 48 shows per festival! BAM! This year they will see 38 because they decided they needed to eat. Even superheroes get hungry! (How about some food trucks on Mass Ave, already?! Pizza by the slice, sliders, tacos, anything!) 

Lola and Kevin have been attending IndyFringe theater festival for about five years, six including this year, so between the two of them, that means that come Sunday night, they will have seen an astounding 556 shows between the two of them! KAPLOWIE! That would be the equivalent of filling the IndyFringe theater five times over and some change! ZLONK! Talk about Standing Room Only!

So who is this power duo? Like all superheroes, they don't give away their secrets, but they managed to squeeze us in before the evening's festivities began, leaving us with a few clues:

They live in Brownsburg. They both grew up in Indy. They love Indy because it's a big city that feels small. They are long-time theater fans and especially love musicals. At various times they have been season ticket holders to Broadway Across America, the Civic Theater, Theater on the Square, and The Phoenix. 

They discovered IndyFringe by accident. One night while hanging out at The Pub on Mass Ave, they suddenly heard a commotion from across the street and spotted alien-like creatures cavorting and carousing! (Some were eating fire like it was a food truck taco! Get some tacos down here already!) 

Those weren't aliens! Those were Fringe Artists in the IndyFringe beer tent! POWIE!

They approached cautiously at first but were warmly greeted by one of the very fine-looking gentlemen bartenders who explained this fascinating scene. Lola and Kevin downed their beers and dispatched immediately to the nearest participating theater, and they've never looked back.

While they love most of the shows they see, a couple have stood out over the years:

$3 Bill's Schoolhouse WRONG! and Ben Asaykwee's My Name Is. (Both of their fathers are veterans. Their son's girlfriend is also a veteran, so they took her to the show too.) "We love anything by Ben!" they said.

This year their favorites thus have far have included I'd Like to See More of You, Hold on to Your Butts, Sleeping Beauty, The Indiana Squirrel Stampede, Haul & Oatz: Time Traveling Detectives, An Alien of Extraordinary Ability, and The Juniper Tree. "We're saving The Circus of Joy for our last show so we're sure to end on a high note," they explained. "We just love Jason Adams!"

We think it is valiant that most of your favorite shows are by Indy artists, Lola and Kevin!

And with that, the clock struck 5:30--time for the power duo to swoop back down to IndyFringe to let off some steam after a long day at their respective jobs. (It's their cover.)

I did manage to get one snap shot of them. Be sure to say, "KABOOMJIE!" but don't blow their cover!

Superheroes Lola & Kevin Elkins. Mild mannered professionals by day, IndyFringe Superheroes by night!

Thanks to Bat-mania!, a blog about words that flashed on the screen while Bat Man and Robin beat on some bad guys, for helping with proper superhero terminology. 

IndyFringe16: "Short Fringe Theater" Gives Local Artist Courage to Press On

IndyFringe, while it features many professional artists, is still at its heart an incubator for new artists and new performance pieces. IndyFringe is constantly evolving to ensure that these new voices and new stories have a place to grow. 

This year marks the inauguration of "Short Fringe," an intimate performance space inside the beer tent:

"Every night we present a new, unjuried bill of 15-minute performances. Brilliant monologues? Plays in progress? Comedy improv? Cabaret singers? Avant-garde dance? Drag? Bring an open mind because we have it all!

"On weekends, we just double the performances and the fun! Kids shows--including magic, puppets, and storytelling--fall on Saturdays on Sundays.

Every Sunday night is a juried 'Best of the Week' of Short Fringe performances, and the last weekend is the juried 'Best of the Fest,' with a few wildcards thrown in."--IndyFringe program

We were pleased to check out a couple of these performances opening weekend. One was a polished piece by Les Kurkendaal of West Hollywood, who brought his story from his tour with The Moth. With just a microphone in hand and no props or lighting, Kurkendaal gave the delighted audience a chance to feel what it would be like to attend a Moth story event in New York City. 

On the flip side, we saw a local artist who used her time slot to pitch and refine a show she's been dreaming of doing for the past couple of years. In When You Marry, A Look at 1940s Propaganda Aimed at Women," (a working title) Janice Hibbard read from an actual text book that belonged to the Indiana School for Girls, and offered a comical yet thought-provoking commentary on the messages women have been sent through the decades, and how the echoes of those messages can still be heard.



Hibbard shares some very "helpful" advice that was administered to prospective brides of the 1940s at the Short Fringe stage.


I got to sit down with Hibbard and discuss how she came up with the show idea and how the Short Fringe stage has helped her refine her vision.

"For a long time, I had this vision of a show about housewives from the 1950s, riffing on the old instructional videos aimed at women of the time. I wanted to write about how women felt about constantly being reminded how to be a 'respectable woman,'" Hibbard began.

"But something wasn't gelling in my idea. Then I found this book back stage at a local theater, and we all started reading it and laughing hysterically, except it wasn't funny when you actually thought about it. I got to thinking of how I would have felt as a young woman or girl who wanted to please my teachers and parents, and how I would have received these messages. That's when I got the idea to do a one-woman show about this book and similar propaganda and intersperse the narrative of the book with my own ideas of what it's like to be married," she continued. 

The idea of doing a one-person show began to take root in Hibbard about a year ago. "I watched my friends and contemporaries leaving established theater groups to branch out and go solo, and I started to feel ready for such a challenge. When I heard what Fringe was doing this year with the Short Fringe stage, I took a deep breath, and signed up for a slot.

"Before I took the stage, I started grappling with doubts and fears. 'What if this flops? What if people get mad that I'm reading out of a book? What if they hate what I'm doing or think that I'm confirming the messages of these instructional books--or think that I'm making fun of marriage? That's not what I'm doing. I'm just wondering how these women felt; I'm exploring that." 

After her performance, she shared some thoughts on how performing the piece-in-progress helped her.

"I got immediate response on what parts got a reaction from people. I'm getting a better feel for how to structure the show. I feel encouraged to press on."

When asked what her next step will be for this piece, she replied, "Write. Edit. Finish. Perform." As an actor, director, and stage manager, Hibbard is well connected in the local theater scene and has a few theaters she'd like to approach. "I've also been checking out other Fringe festivals that are reasonably close to Indy," she added.

Born and raised in Munster, Indiana, Hibbard moved to Indy to attend college. In 2006 she bought a house on the east side, where she lives with her husband, Eddie. 

Hibbard has been involved in theater all her life, from performing in community theaters around Munster as a child, to teaching piano lessons as an adult here in Indy. After graduating college, however, she began to feel that her options as a performance artist in Indy were limited to just a handful of theaters, which frankly did not always perform works that compelled her. For about five years, she feared she would never get to do the type of meaningful theater she'd dreamed about her whole life.

"But around 2010, things started shifting in Indy. New, independent theater groups started popping up all over town. I got involved with Q-Artistry, and through their New Plays Festival, I was able to write and stage my first play. (Imaginary That, IndyFringe 2012). Since then I've volunteered for every role there is in theater--not just acting, but directing and stage managing. I find the Indy theater scene to be very accepting, and there's a lot of collaboration between groups--we don't seem to have rivalries or bad blood among different groups at our level. I've grown so much the last few years."

When she's not busy with theater, Hibbard can be found at CitYoga, Half Price Books, or Books-a-Million. She loves Indiana and says she can make a vacation out of simply going to Bloomington for the day to take in the charm and visit the bookstores. Her favorite place to hang out is the Sinking Ship in SoBro because of its incredible vegan options. Next to theater, she loves nothing more than relaxing at home with her husband and her dog, going on Netflix binges. 

Congratulations on facing your fears and taking the Short Fringe stage at a moment's notice, Janice!

 
The future looks very bright for emerging local performance artist/writer Janice Hibbard.

IndyFringe16: Spotlight on Volunteer Andrew Ball

What's one of the greatest assets of IndyFringe? 

IndyFringe has the best staff of volunteers of any Fringe festival, to which I can attest as I've participated in four Fringe festivals besides Indy. Some festivals simply don't have the community support that IndyFringe has, and performers are left to secure their own staff to run the house and box office.

At IndyFringe, all performers have to do is show up and put on a good show--that is once they have completed the labor of love of creating, perfecting, and marketing--and the rest of the work is completed by volunteers. Whereas performers can earn monetary profits from their efforts, a volunteer's only reward is a sense of satisfaction for helping the arts scene in Indy. 

Perhaps you've seen the volunteers in their purple t-shirts. Did you know that some of them work ten-hour days? Next time you're in line for a performance, and a volunteer is assisting you, say, "Hello! Pleased to meet you! Thank you for what you do!" (If you want quicker lines, remember, cash is king, people!) Without the volunteers, your ticket might be twice the price! While you're out this weekend, why not buy a volunteer a beer and a slice of one of Jazzy Doris's delicious homemade pies in the beer tent? (Jazzy D. is also the pie chef at Mimi Blue's Meatballs!) 

Because the level of success that IndyFringe enjoys would not be possible without the tireless support of volunteers, we wanted to turn the spotlight on someone you've probably encountered at one of the many comedy shows at ComedySportz this year.

Andrew Ball has been volunteering for IndyFringe for five years. Ball has lived in Indy for 24 years and called Dallas home previous to that.

"I believe strongly in what's happening at IndyFringe, and the incredible way it affects our community. I love helping artists and seeing people enjoy themselves," says Ball.

Volunteers work long, hard hours, and one of the perks of doing so is that they can earn tickets to shows through their service. "I have never used a comp ticket," explained Ball. "I always pay for the shows I see because I believe the artists deserve my financial support, and the shows are simply worth the investment."

Now that is what we call generosity!

(I hope it's safe to say that performers are thrilled when volunteers attend their shows and are more than happy that IndyFringe offers them comp tickets to their shows. The more, the merrier!)

An accomplished artist himself, Andrew is a sculptor and sits on the board of Primary Colours. 

Primary Colours is an organization of volunteers dedicated to serving visual art and culture and connecting artists with their communities. We’re based in Indianapolis and we do everything we can to support art and the people who create it in our own backyard.

Our Mission
To facilitate interaction between visual artists and the community.

Our Purpose
To create and sustain a thriving environment for the visual arts through unique exhibitions, cultural events, and awesome resources for up-and-coming artists.

--Primary Colours Website

Ball participates in and facilitates many of Primary Colour's fascinating programming, including creating art for Installation Nation and Art vs. Art, and he helps organize Paint Day for Kids, which can be described as an Art vs. Art event for kids! As far as creating art himself, Ball's favorite "medium" has been creating temporary art galleries out of shipping containers. 

Thank you for your service to performing artists and for ensuring that Indy will have a long and prosperous life as a community of local artists, Andrew! By the way, we think your smile lights up a room!

Andrew was fun to interview, but because he is known and loved by so many passersby, we had a few pleasant interruptions. Here he is greeting a friend on friendly Mass Ave. When you see Andrew--or any volunteers in a purple shirt--say hello and give them a high-five! (And that aforementioned beer and/or pie!)

Thank you to all IndyFringe volunteers on behalf of the artists and patrons! We wouldn't be here without you.

IndyFringe16: Tortillo 2. Catalyst Repertory Wants to Take Away Your Crap

The multiplicity of shows offered every year at IndyFringe is simply astounding. From storytelling to drama to musicals to dance to acoustic concerts...and then there's this: the junk food offering. 

IndyFringe poster woman, Casey Ross, has unleashed the long awaited sequel of her 2009 offering Tortillo, to IndyFringe16 in Tortillo 2. If you saw the first installment, you recall that someone had coked the chips at a snack food company. In Tortillo 2, you won't believe it, but someone has done it...again!

Tortillo! is getting a sequel! Hailed by critics as "a series of disjointed dialogues held together by profanity," the sequel to the celebrated fringe comedy, promises to ask the important questions - like, "How is there cocaine in these f@*king chips - again?" Join the returning cast for the sequel of a play that proudly "relies on a lot of crass slapstick and dick jokes." Recommended 16+; it's a bit crass. --(IndyFringe Program guide)

On the particular night we saw it, one half of this duo had completed a triathlon that morning and was exhausted by 10:30 p.m. (The handsome, debonair one, if you're wondering.) We pressed on through the driving rain and flooded sidewalks of Mass Ave and found our seats. As the lights dimmed (and Pete Townsend sang), I hoped we would stay awake.

Staying awake was not a problem. Nuclear reactors don't have the energy of these actors. Equally impressive was the impeccable timing. This was a well rehearsed show that ran like a finely tuned, well, nuclear reactor. 

Watching these foul-mouthed sleuths meddle again in the chip-coking business was a shot of caffeine every 30 seconds from start to finish. I burned as many calories as Larry did completing a triathlon just by watching it. Now that's what I call exercise!

The cast of Tortillo 2, written by Casey Ross and directed by Fedora Dave Matthews, includes Robert Webster Jr., Davey Pelsue, LisaMarie Smith, Ryan Powell, Tristan Ross (not pictured), and Matt Anderson.

We caught up with Ross before the opening, and she shared some thoughts about her show and what it’s like running a small theater group in Indy. (Catalyst Repertory Production, formerly Casey Ross Productions).

“Indy is large enough to live life like a city but small enough where I can't really be out too long without running into a friend. There's something very lovely and unpretentious about that. 

“We run shows year-round, now. We started as a Fringe troupe, and this season we did lots of heavy shows, and we didn't want to lose sight of where we started, how we as a troupe met, and our roots. I want to audience to have fun. I want them to forget something that's eating away at them, or getting them down so they can just laugh at our stupid little show that we're trying to put the best energy into. Long story short, we want to take away a little bit of the crap and leave you with a smile by making fools of ourselves. We did lots of heavy this year, we want to make you laugh and laugh with you this Fringe.

  

"We're pretty new as an official company. This is our eighth Fringe, but only our second year as a company other than just myself, Casey Ross, writing. It's very important to me that we're listed as a repertory group: We're a rep company because we're a family. We know each other deeply, work together often, take care of each other, push each other and that leads us to be able to give you the most honest entertainment we can muster. We're a Repertory company because we believe in the family and team. Also...no one else would put up with us...” 

So remember that, Indy! Her name is Casey Ross, and she wants to take away your crap! Mighty generous of you, Casey!

Indy playwright Casey Ross. Your crap doesn't stand a chance with her.


Tortillo 2 continues its run at TOTS 2:

Fri. Aug 26th @ 9:00 PM
Sat. Aug 27th @ 4:30 PM

IndyFringe16: Journey from Johannesburg "I'm in the Right Place."

IndyFringe never disappoints in its variety of offerings. Sunday we found ourselves at an intimate acoustic concert of songs and storytelling in Journey from Johannesburg by Toby Tobias of New York.



"Journey from Johannesburg is an audio/visual story by songwriter Toby Tobias. It is a solo journey through three continents with Toby's original songs being interspersed with small vignettes about his life growing up in Apartheid South Africa, his life in Jerusalem, Israel, and his settling finally in Northport, New York." (Fringe Program)

Tobias delivers a magnetic stage presence, defying the stripped down production level of this riveting story-song cycle. This is a highly emotional show about how a white man of privilege is conflicted by the way his housekeeper/surrogate mother and all black people were systematically abused, imprisoned, and tortured by the government of the country he loved.  His journey begins in Johannesburg, a land that ignited his musical passions while crushing the lives of his countrymen, to Jerusalem, where he explored his ideals, and eventually takes us to New York, where he discovered his true gifts as a proud American while coming to terms with being a son of South Africa. 

In the audience was local George Huntley. Huntley has lived in Indianapolis for the past eighteen years and spent the first part of his life in Baltimore. When asked what drew him to the show he replied, "Simple. I'm a singer-songwriter. I was thrilled to see this type of show in the program this year." After the show, Huntley shared his experience of the show. Admittedly, this show left us tongue-tied, so it seemed a bit unfair to press Huntley for his thoughts. 

"The struggle for understanding what makes people fearful and hateful...the struggle for peace in life--in the world. We have the same things happening here...the same dynamics, and a big part of the problem is economics. It's a problem here, and it's a problem there. It's the same problem everywhere. It takes courage to find the solution, and talking about it is the first step. As far as [his] music, I really enjoyed hearing the influences of his native South Africa." Thanks, George. Sometimes inspired art is simply beautiful and bewildering. 

Huntley is enjoying his third IndyFringe Theater festival and typically sees three shows per festival, but this year he plans on seeing six. Other than IndyFringe, Huntley's favorite Indy activities are attending Colts and Pacers games. (We've encountered a lot of sports fans here at Indy's largest theater festival, and we think that demonstrates a wide range of interests of our fair citizens!)

Toby Tobias and fan George Huntley have a spirited conversation about writing songs from the heart and personal experiences and the venerable Paul Simon.

After the show we caught up with Tobias in the beer tent for a fascinating conversation on making accessible art through the eyes of social injustice. The key, it turns out, is always leading with the heart.

At age 55, Tobias gave up a lucrative career on Wall Street to pursue music full time. "In the beginning I had to play cover songs to make a living, but I have an excellent band in NYC, and we've been making a lot of headway in finding venues that will feature my original songs. This is when I'm most happy." He finds inspiration in the encouragement of his three adult children. "They make sure I'm walking the walk, and they're my rock."

He is grateful to IndyFringe for giving artists a chance to share their music and experiences. "I don't want to just pontificate from the microphone. I want to take the audience along on a journey."  From fear to frustration to finding solutions, Tobias is passionate about using his music to knock down the walls of fear and hatred. "If we could take those away and understand people's backgrounds, we could learn to love one another. We're all the same--Johannesburg, Jerusalem, Long Island, Indianapolis. We all want the same basic things."

The influence of the Zulu music he heard from the gardeners in his childhood middle class neighborhood is evident in his musical style. Growing up, he felt a connection to America through bootleg recordings of Otis Reding, Rodriguez, and Bob Dylan. The rebellion of American folk singers spoke to an entire generation of beleaguered South Africans who were living under censorship, oppression, and complete isolation from the world. "The things Americans sang about that we weren't even allowed to utter--oh, it was amazing! And now I'm here! I'm an American!"

After many years away from his birthplace, Tobias still feels connected to its very soil and goes back to visit family and high school friends whenever possible. (He left in 1978.) "Johannesburg feels like the Wild West to me. I understand some of the tensions, I really do. It's a violent city, yet it's also vibrant and upbeat. People under forty are living in a different Johannesburg than I experienced. They feel positive about the changes. They are mostly educated and most have good jobs. People over forty, however, feel negative about it and think it's in decline." 

Noting current similarities between the country of his birth and the country of his choosing, he remains positive about both. "I am so happy and proud to be American. This is my place. I love it here. American people as a whole will find our way through this morass. I believe that people will find their way." Certainly his heartfelt yet always hopeful songs will go a long way toward that eventuality. 

We briefly touched on Nelson Mandela's captivity during our conversation. Tobias noted that the outside world was more aware of what was actually happening in South Africa than South Africans were. A political prisoner for twenty-seven years, Mandela never chose bitterness or hatred toward his abusive jailers. Instead he chose peace and forgiveness, eventually being released and rising to the highest office in the land when he was elected President of South Africa in 1994. A few days after he was released from prison in 1990, he was celebrated in a ticker tape parade in the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan. "I was living in New York then. That was the first time I ever saw Nelson Mandela, and I knew then that I was in the right place" Tobias said triumphantly.

Tobias is a first time Fringe artist, and this is his first visit to Indy. "It's a beautiful town" he said, looking up at the rain clouds that were finally giving way to the sun. "This Fringe festival in particular came highly recommended to me by Rupert Waits." (Waits is the English performer/creator of the popular IndyFringe show Joe's Cafe from IndyFringe 2010.) "It really is amazing what you have here. So much going on in such a small space."

We hope this won't be your last visit to Indy, Toby!


Journey from Johannesburg continues its run at The Phoenix Underground:

Wed 08/24/16 9:00pm

Thu 08/25/16 6:00pm

Fri 08/26/16 7:30pm

Sun 08/28/16 7:30pm

IndyFringe16: Terror on the High Seas with Les Kurkendaal

On Friday night we took in a horror show about cannibalistic pirates. Just kidding. It was a comedy show about a man who went on an Alaskan cruise with his boyfriend's family:

What if you were trapped on a boat with your husband or wife's family and there was no escape? Les is on a cruise to Alaska with his boyfriend and his boyfriend's very wacky family and he is fearing for his sanity. This show puts the fun in family dysfunction! Come and enjoy the ride. (IndyFringe program)

Although he's from West Hollywood, CA, actor, writer, storyteller Les Kurkendaal is a veteran of IndyFringe, bringing his third show to IndyFringe. (Christmas in Bakersfield and Attack of the Big Angry Booty were other Fringe favorites in previous years.)

This show is a hoot for anyone who's ever suffered through close quarters for extended periods of time among people who question your every move: "What do you mean you're a vegetarian? What do you mean you don't drink? What do you mean you're not gonna vote for Trump?" In true Kurkendaal fashion, his humor is never biting and always makes its final resting place the heart.

In the house opening night was LisaMarie Smith. Smith grew up on the north side and now proudly calls Garfield Park home. An accomplished local actor, Smith admitted that at first glance, she wasn't sure she would like the show. "I'm not a big fan of one-person shows, because if I'm spending my time at a play, I want the full production. I am skeptical that one person is going to be able to dig in and create a sustainable emotional stage presence. But his promo shot and show description really intrigued me, so I had to take a shot, and I am so glad that I did. He came out with guns blazing. I enjoyed every minute!" 

In addition to acting and attending IndyFringe, Smith says she is a big foodie and loves to try independent restaurants. Currently her favorite is Ralston's on Mass Ave because they have an "amazing $7 taco" on the menu, and they welcome her fifteen year-old son, Caleb, before 9 pm. Incidentally, Smith is also performing in IndyFringe this year in Tortillo 2 with Casey Ross Productions. 

LisaMarie and Les have both weathered the storms of in-laws and lived to tell.

It's no surprise that exacting audience members, such as Smith, are taken with Kurkendaal. He has been perfecting his craft for over two decades, appearing in nearly every U.S. Fringe Festival, as well as Adelaide Australia Fringe, and at Fringe festivals all over Canada. 

We caught up with Kurkendaal in the beer tent one evening to talk shop. Kurkendaal belongs to a storytelling company called Story Salon in Studio City, CA. "To create a show, first I come up with an idea then write a scene. I bring the scene to the audience at Story Salon, and if they like it, I continue to work it. If they don't, I chuck it, and look for another idea or tweak my existing idea." 

Kurkendaal applies for national and international Fringe and storytelling festivals throughout the year. It usually takes him about five months from start to finish to get a show from idea to the stage.

The biggest mistake that storytellers make, Kurkendaal believes, is trying to fit too much information in a single show. "I find what works best is to pick one event and write a show around that single event; that way it has a definite beginning, middle, and end."  

Once he has a finished script, he sends it to a writer friend in New York for critique. "It took a long time to find someone I could trust to bring out my best work without discouraging me." After revising, he looks for a director. His rule is that the director is there to direct, not question the writing. 

Having seen his other Fringe shows, I asked Les which one has been his favorite. "Without a doubt this one," he says. "I have matured not only as a writer/performer but as a person and more importantly, as a better partner to Michael. Over the years, I have learned to bite my tongue and not just get along but honestly enjoy his family. I feel a lot more comfortable now just being myself than I did when I first met them all those years ago one Christmas in Bakersfield." 

Seasoned yet no worse for the wear, Kurkendaal added that at this point, he can describe his life in one word: satisfied.

Now, that's the second artist in two days who has described their lives that way! 

Kurkendaal did not hold back his praises of IndyFringe. He claims the people are some of the friendliest he's ever encountered, and IndyFringe, thanks to Pauline [Moffat] is also one of the most organized and best Fringe festivals in the country. 

Way to model success, Indy!

Terror on the High Seas continues its run at ComedySportz:

Tue 08/23/16 7:30pm
Wed 08/24/16 6:00pm
Sat 08/27/16 3:00pm

P.S. Kurkendaal toured with Moth Radio Hour one year, and he will be sharing his story from the series throughout the week in the Short Fringe Theater in the beer tent. 

IndyFringe16: Halfrican Closes Its Run Tonight!

Saturday we caught the first performance of a limited run of Halfrican, written and performed by Nardos Osterhart of Grand Rapids, Michigan.




Nardos Osterhart was born in Ethiopia, Africa and moved to America when she was five. She has been juggling two worlds ever since. In her one woman show, Nardos tells touching stories from her past in a humorous way. (IndyFringe program)

In the audience was 8 year-old Fernando who resides on the north east side with his parents. This was not only Fernando's first IndyFringe experience, but it's also the first play he has ever attended. When asked what made him choose this show, he shrugged and smiled, "It just looked really good!"

Patrons like Fernando will ensure a long prosperous life for IndyFringe! Thanks Fernando!

Osterhart shared her story of the forbidden marriage of her so-called lower class Eritrean father to her mother, a member of the most prominent and esteemed tribe of Ehthiopia. Growing up they bounced around countries in Africa for years before finally settling in Oklahoma. (We can't make this stuff up, folks!) Life in America was hard enough, but it turns out the tumultuous marriage made it even harder for Nardos. With the help of her brothers and a knack for telling jokes and getting people to laugh, Osterhart is continually pursuing, refining, and living the American dream.

After the show, we caught up with Osterhart. "I hope that after seeing my show, people will shed the idea that all comedians come from a place of plain. Sometimes it's difficult to connect hard times with humor, and they feel bad about laughing at your story, which might seem horrible to them. I thought that if I could tell them more about my life, then they would begin to feel more comfortable laughing at me! After all, tragedy + time = comedy!"

Nardos and Fernando felt a strong connection as Nardos invited him on stage after the show. We think this is a perfect picture of what America looks like, don't you?

Catch Halfrican's final engagement tonight at 6 pm at ComedySportz!

IndyFringe 16: Take a Note Mick Jagger! Houston Robertson is Satisfied! (on the eve of her 80th Birthday!)

"One of the great things about performing in Fringe Theater Festivals is that you get to meet people you would never get to meet in any other context--other Creatives and creative spirits." --Houston Robertson 

While waiting for a show to begin Friday night, we were introduced to visiting artist Houston Robertson of San Francisco by fellow visiting artist Les Kurkendaal of West Hollywood. "Oh. That's Houston. You have got to meet her," he said taking us by the hand. Completely beguiled by her energy, we immediately rearranged our schedule so that we could catch her Sunday show.




"A naïve, divorced virgin bride of the 1950s grabs you by the heart as she romps through the fearless and funny episodes of her midlife madness. She finally recycles into a sexy independent woman. Or am I a take-charge bitch? She wonders. This wise, wild, witty show is full of surprises." (IndyFringe directory of shows)

Robertson, a preacher's daughter born in 1936, spent the first half of her life reading from a script--the script that seemed to be issued to all girls and young women of the '40s, '50s, and '60s: "Be a good girl. Don't draw attention to yourself. Go to college to get an MRS degree. Live in unsatisfying obscurity for the rest of your life. You don't have to like it, but don't complain." While Houston stayed on script for twenty plus years, the husband to whom she had devoted her life suddenly pulled the rug out from under her and left the marriage, offering neither apologies nor spousal or parental support. 

One might think that this would be the ending to a very dreary story, but in Robertson's case, it was the beginning of a very exciting, sometimes scary, but always hopeful and eventually highly satisfying life. 

In the audience was local Jodee Strohmier, who grew up on the east side and now resides in Franklin. Strohmier found the show to be uplifting and inspiring: "She went from a cloistered housewife to a 'take-charge bitch.' But why do people find it necessary to call a woman who takes charge of her own a life a bitch? Doesn't matter, that's their issue, not mine! If you need to call women like us bitches, so be it!" Strohmier has been attending IndyFringe for the past four years, usually catching five shows per festival. Next to IndyFringe, her favorite Indy event is the Indy 500. Every year she either attends the race or throws a race party.

What does "Marianne" have in common with Victory for the Recycled Virgin? Come to the show to find out!

Who is "Marianne?" Stay tuned! That's another story for another day!

Jodee and Houston are obviously kindred spirits, as they both wanted "Marianne" in their photo op! Great ladies with great minds think alike!

Later we sat down with Robertson to discuss how she came to write the show and become a first-time performer at age 76. Today, on the eve of her 80th birthday, she is in the midst of living the dream she dutifully dismissed in her early twenties, because "Good girls did not go into theater."

Roberston will never forget her first performance, four years ago. Her then 28 year-old grand daughter traveled a great distance to see her show, and when it concluded, she said in awe, "Grandma, it's obvious you're exactly where you should be." Since then, she has had countless young women approach her after shows, breathless, exclaiming, "I want to be you!" "Well," she responds, "When you're 79, you can be!"

A painfully shy child and teenager, Robertson found it difficult to talk to people, but she always felt comfortable with public speaking as long as she was prepared. "My father was a preacher, and I spent my life watching him do it. I thought it was what everyone did." 

Robertson has held many jobs and career paths following her emancipation, including typist, secretary, civic organizer, clown, HR director, and most recently, motivational speaker. Although she was learning and growing at a time when most people begin to opt out of adventure, she still felt like her life was incomplete. She'd been a writer for years, but wanted to put her love of the stage to the test. Three and a half years ago, she decided the time was right to take her writing from the page to the stage.

The San Francisco Bay area has a large performance community devoted to solo artists. Robertson began attending a series called "Tell it on Tuesdays," which featured four new solo artists every week. She watched the shows intently, learning all she could. Soon she acquainted herself with producers, who put her in touch with a director, and thus began her journey of revising, practicing, and performing. In the past three and a half years, her show has grown and become more polished. "I tweak it constantly," she says. She has performed it countless times across the U.S. and Canada, but this is her first visit to Indianapolis and IndyFringe.

"Over the past few years of performing in San Francisco and touring around, I kept hearing a buzz about IndyFringe. Everyone said it's not the biggest Fringe festival, but it's definitely one of the best." She couldn't agree more with that assessment, marveling at the friendliness, hospitality, and enthusiasm of of locals and patrons; and how compact and convenient the venues along Massachusetts Avenue are. "When I'm not performing, I just love walking the streets talking to passersby and local merchants, and everyone here gets behind us." 

When we asked to interview her for our blog, she shared that she loved our mission and was excited to included. "I call myself 'incurably cheerful.' Even though I'm not always happy, if I see someone looking happy or think of something funny, I smile, and I am instantly cheered up." She continued, "Particularly since my seventies and doing theater work, the word I can now use to describe my life is satisfied. I feel satisfied. That is a strong word. Life has issued its share of disappointments, difficulties, struggles. In my fifties and sixties, I began to reconcile those disappointments, come to terms with circumstances, and recover this dream, and I! Feel! So! Satisfied!" Take a note Mick Jagger!

Robertson shared with us her personal motto: Model your life after the oak tree. Its most productive years begin at age fifty. "This has been my experience. Once I began reconciling those disappointments, I didn't let other factors impede me from getting I wanted. I was told 'No' for the first forty-plus years of my life. And now, I like where I'm at. And it turns out, I like who I am."

We like who you are too, Houston Robertson!

Because this a blog about the positive things happening around Indy, we have to close with this quote from Robertson:

"Performing at IndyFringe gives me credibility as an artist and entertainer."

Thanks, IndyFringe!

Robertson's run continues its run at IndyFringe IndyEleven theater:

Mon 08/22/16 9:00pm
Fri 08/26/16 10:30pm

Sat 08/27/16 7:30pm


And finally, here's a picture of our pal Les Kurkendaal, whom we have to thank for introducing us to our new BFF Houston Robertson. Be sure to catch Kurkendaal's new show,  Terror on the High Seas coming up Tuesday at 7;30 at Comedy Sportz. We'll be featuring Kurkendaal in an upcoming entry, so stay tuned!

TONIGHT at 7:45 you can also catch the talk he performed while on tour with The Moth Storytelling Hour at the Short Fringe Theater next to the beer tent!

 
Les Kurkendaal is not only an IndyFringe favorite in his own right, but he tirelessly promotes other artists as well! With a smile like that, how can you help but love him at first sight?!