MXTW on The Interwebs!

Our trip was fantastic and I promise to tell you all about it over the next few days, but I’m still too exhausted to compose my own thoughts tonight so here is everything I could find on the Internet that includes other peoples’ thoughts:

Star tribune review:

http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/onstage/100086549.html?page=2&c=y

Shockwave video interview:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BaronDave007#p/a

http://barondave.livejournal.com/266959.html

Behind the Fringe Interview:

http://behindthefringe.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118:faq&catid=34:fringe&Itemid=1

vita.mn review:

http://www.vita.mn/event_detail.php?event_id=97456

Fringe Fest Flickr photos from Aug. 8:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/minnesotafringe/sets/72157624563914123/

Single White Fringe Geek blog and top 20 list:

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/matthew-everett/fringe-2010-fringe-all-2-other-manhattan-kansas

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/matthew-everett/fringe-2010-fringe-top-20-s-11-through-15

Examiner.com preview performance review:

http://www.examiner.com/x-55452-Minnesota-Fringe-Festival-Examiner~y2010m8d5-Bedlam-Theater-is-Fringe-hot-spot-for-outoftowners-showcase

Twin cities .com review (with what I believe is just a flub in the title, not an intended jab):

http://www.twincities.com/fringe/ci_15688412

http://www.twincities.com/fringe

Minnesota Playlist Blog Entries:

http://minnesotaplaylist.com/magazine/column_post/black-spandex-and-heavy-breathing-08062010-1024am

http://minnesotaplaylist.com/magazine/column_post/prep-pomp-and-circumstance-08082010-107am

Local blog about our blog:

http://ofsmallthings.org/2010/08/02/but-a-flight-of-fancy/

Audience reviews on our festival page (click the grey reviews tab above the description)

http://www.fringefestival.org/2010/show/?id=1298

Fringe Adventure: Day Seven Teaser

Ok, so finding time to update the blog while here was a lot harder than I anticipated. Sorry, loyal followers. I will just have to fill everything in later, but I wanted to go ahead and give you a preview of this story's penultimate happy ending (the ultimate happy ending being everyone getting home safe and sound tomorrow - as director and trip leader it is my job to keep this in mind).

Tonight was our late night performance - 10 pm. It was extremely stormy, with heavy rain and hail audible on the roof of the theater throughout the performance. We were worried our audience would be even smaller than we had feared. John, our friendly tech, assured us there were indeed audience members, and then one of the directors discovered that the performers of our favorite show at the fringe, Casebolt and Smith, were in the audience. There was much excitement. The show went off fantastically, the audience loved it, and we got a standing ovation. There was MUCH MORE excitement.

Our last warm up on the stage at the Jungle.

Here is the triumphant crew with Casebolt and Smith.

Our last night in the dorms at St. Kate's

Fringe Adventure: Day Three

Day three was one tough day. We had a 6:30 am breakfast call so we could be down at the theater by 8:00 am for our four hours of tech. Tech didn't go according to my plan, but it seemed to go according to the techs' plan, which was fine by me, so long as we got what we needed, which we did. Our show is beautifully lit thanks to John, our lighting designer. After tech we tried out the Falafel King and Milio's Sandwiches across from the theater. Then we awaited our grand opening as the very first performance of the 2010 Minnesota Fringe at our venue, The Jungle Theater! Opening night went well despite the long day.

Here we are waiting for the Jungle to open in the early morning light.

The Kondoleon group during our tech rehearsal run.

Fringe Adventure: Day Four

Day four started with a tour of the Guthrie Theater. The new facility is amazing. There was much oohing and ahhing. Here we are being entertained by our tour guide where the dressers sit for fixing things.

More shaping on the endless bridge.

A shot of their warm ups on stage at the Jungle before the show.

Fringe Adventure: Day Two

Yes, I know this was yesterday, I am a day behind. I had a few things to do today what with tech in the morning and our opening show in the evening, but more on that tomorrow. . .

Day Two:

Our first full day in the Twin Cities brought the moment I feared most, my first attempt to lead the group through public transit I was unfamiliar with. Alas, it went just as horribly as I had feared. Our bus driver was not helpful and friendly. He had clearly woken up on the wrong side of the bed. He certainly had no patience for tourists and affirmed we were o the right bus with an exasperated grunt. I then proceeded to put my bus pass in the wrong slot and it was devoured by the cash box, never to be returned. Well, at least then I knew what to tell everyone NOT to do. Thankfully, we did manage to make all our connections and enjoy our first public transit ride to the Walker Art Center.

Here they are doin that thing they do in the sculpture garden.

After the Walker visit we had our first performance, at the out of towners showcase at the Bedlam Theater. They performed only the opening piece, but the packed house of tipsy fringe goers really enjoyed it. We got a lot of laughs and lots and lots of people had very nice things to say to the performers after the show. Hopefully some of this will actually translate to audience numbers.

Flinn's take on Day Two

Falafel King has excellent Lamb Kofta Pita Sammiches (but weak lemonade), Caffrey's Deli & Subs' Adult Club chicken salad sandwich is life changing (in the 'I never thought to put bacon and chicken salad together' kind of way, Jackson's Coffee and Gelato (in addition to having a gorgeous Blackletter typeface for their logo) was amazing and made the end of my day that much better. I mean what's better than black chocolate and white chocolate side by side in a ying/yang of flavor wonder. WE HAVE THE WONDERS!

Unfortunately, we haven't gotten to see any other shows. We got to the amazing and experimental dance show SlapDash a few minutes too late because of traffic. Tomorrow we plan to reciprocate and and attend the Parabola Youth Theater's dont u luv me.

Fringe Adventure: Day One

Our trip began with much excitement and anticipation. Here we all are in the MAC parking lot getting ready to set out on our Fringe Adventure.

We learned that while we make great theater together we do not make a great interstate highway caravan together, but we all managed to convene for lunch at Palmer's Deli (overwhelming menu, but delicious in every way) in Des Moines and, of course, in St. Paul, where we are staying in conference style dorm housing.

We ate at a local pizza place for dinner and the pizza was super delicious! Then it was off to bed.

Performance Schedule at the Minnesota Fringe Festival

I will not make the same mistake twice!

So, it was pointed out to me, after our regular workshop performance earlier this summer, that I had failed to put performance information up on the blog. Let it never be said I cannot learn from my mistakes, or, at least, not in this instance.

living traces - burning breath

at The Minnesota Fringe Festival

PREVIEW:
August 4: 7:30 p.m.
Bedlam Theatre (FRINGE CENTRAL!)
Out-of-Towners Preview Performance
http://www.fringefestival.org/2010/fringe-central/

PERFORMANCES:

The Jungle Theater

2951 South Lyndale Ave.

Minneapolis

Thursday, August 5: 5:30 p.m.
Friday, August 6: 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 7: 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 8: 2:30 p.m.
***Tuesday, August 10: 10:00 p.m. Final MXTW Performance***
http://www.fringefestival.org/2010/show/?id=1298

NOTE: Tickets are $12 and you MUST have a Minnesota Fringe Festival button to get into any shows. You can buy buttons at any Fringe Box Office, or you can buy one right now, along with your tickets to the show!
http://www.fringefestival.org/2010/tickets/

In living traces - burning breath we explore the story of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp from the Arabian Nights. Using the techniques of Ntozake Shange, Betsuyaku Minoru, Harry Kondoleon, Peter Handke, and the dadaists, we have created a collage of provocative works full of fascinating soundscapes and movement that defies physical limitations—pushing our minds and bodies to the edge to create a performance of astounding passion and infectious abandon.

Let the Buzz Begin!

Thanks to the hard work of the staff and the help of some friends not very near (South Korea) but very dear to the workshop we are starting to get a little buzz on the ether!
Check it out!

Behind the Fringe interview

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/matthew-everett/fringe-2010-fringe-all-2-other-manhattan-kansas

We are not just performance artists...

We are visual as well. Check out the cool stuff Hanne made!

you can see the originals in full sized glory and wonderful tags on Facebook.

Let's Get This Show On The Road!

So maybe I’ve been a little remiss in my blogging, or maybe I’ve just been so busy I haven't even noticed that a month has gone by since my last entry. It might lead the innocent reader to believe nothing has been going on workshop-wise over the last month, but don't be deceived, we’ve been working like a giant rhythm machine running a slow motion race!

The first round of performances in Manhattan went off wonderfully. Thank you to everyone who came out for the show and to everyone who stuck around in the lobby afterwards to say such nice things about the performance to the cast and staff. I heard a lot of comments about the quality of the energy the audience experienced throughout the night and that seems like a very good thing! Our cast party was a particularly raucous affair full of the usual: pizza, carrot cake, moving, shaping, drumming, screaming. And then we could all pat just ourselves on the back and breathe a sigh of relief; at least, I hope that’s what the performers did, for the staff the fun was just beginning . . .

For the staff and myself it wasn’t bask in the glow of a job well done time, it was MINNESOTA FRINGE TOUR TIME! That’s right, the very day after closing night we had a meeting to discuss the immediate actions needed for our fringe tour. Tech questionnaires, marketing materials, press releases, and web page launches all loomed with deadlines that seemed suddenly upon us. But, never fear, we leapt into action and things were accomplished, in fact we’ve been accomplishing things ever since.

Thanks mostly to Ashley's hard work our web page looked fantastic on launch day. Check it out:

http://www.fringefestival.org/2010/show/?id=1298

It was two weeks of marketing and logistical blur, but we made it through and then began the really hard part: getting the show itself ready for the tour. The show had to be melded into one continuous beast, no time for the directors blither blathering between the pieces in our one-hour time slot! And everything had to be adjusted or re-blocked entirely to work in a traditional proscenium venue. The cutting for time was the hardest part, so painful to cut such wonderful work, but the pieces have emerged leaner and meaner and better for it. Come see how gracefully the show has emerged from our alterations at our preview performance this Sunday:

You are invited to:

A Special Preview Performance of

Living Traces - Burning Breath

presented by

The Manhattan Experimental Theater Workshop

Sunday, July 25th

7:30 pm

Reception to follow in the Arts Center lobby

Manhattan Arts Center

1520 Poyntz Ave.

Manhattan, Ks

Adults $10.00

Students and Military with ID: $5

Proceeds go to benefit the workshop tour to the Minnesota Fringe Festival August 3-11.

Please come support our trip to the Minnesota Fringe!

living traces - burning breath at the Minnesota Fringe Festival

Summer 2010 Closing Piece Part #2

Summer 2010 Closing Piece Part #1

Summer 2010 Shange Part #2

Summer 2010 Shange Part #1

Summer 2010 Betsuyaku Piece

Summer 2010 Kondoleon Part #2

Summer 2010 Kondoleon Part #1

Summer 2010 Opening Piece