by Elana Luo
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHO: Noa Barankin & DrumatiX
WHAT: Rhythm Delivered
WHERE: The Broadwater (Main Stage), 1076 Lillian Way
Click Here for more of Elana’s “Fringe Femmes” Review on Gia On The Move!
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9713
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHO: Mélia Mills
WHAT: The Allure of Thug Life
WHERE: 905 Cole Theatre, 905 Cole Avenue
WHY: As much as this one woman show was filled with humor, it was filled with heart and old truths. The topics explored elevated the humor in ways the heart did not expect. The issues of colorism, racial stereotypes, broken homes, verbal abuse, and the fighting that occurs within a race… Mélia refused to shy away from them and used Tupac and music as thread that connected the joy and the pain. Her smile reminded me throughout the piece that we can manifest our own realities; that the past does not have to hijack the future and the present is an opportunity to dig deep and make amends. The layers that live within this Hip Hopsical will require you to check what you’re laughing at, demand that you examine yourself, and also remind us that what we often seek is not what is best for us and may very well kill us. Catch this show – you’ll walk away with a smile and catch yourself thinking about the piece days later.
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9618
by Elana Luo
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHAT: Winona
WHERE: Asylum @ Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre, 5636 Melrose Ave
Click Here for more of Elana’s “Fringe Femmes” Review on Gia On The Move!
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9694
by Azo Safo
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHO: Rainee Blake
WHAT: Take Me As I Am: A Joni Mitchell Tribute
WHERE: Three Clubs, 1123 N. Vine St
WHY: What an amazing tribute to one of the most beloved artists of all time. Every single audience member either grew up on Joni Mitchell’s music or was inspired by her art in some way. The stage itself is intimate with a microphone, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and Joni’s famous dulcimer. When Rainee Blake walks on stage, barefooted and with the signature blonde hair and bangs, we immediately step back in time to a bygone era. Rainee fully transforms into Joni Mitchell – with a fantastic Canadian accent to boot! The music, voice and expert handling of the instruments, was awe-inspiring and brought tears to my eyes. If you grew up on Joni’s music or if you like beautiful, heartfelt singing, this is the show for you.
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9822
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHAT: The Queen of Bitcoin: The Rise and Fall
WHERE: Asylum @ Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre, 5636 Melrose Ave
WHY: Trust me, you will want to hear about out how Margaux Avedisian managed to crack her way into the “tech bro” world of cryptocurrency, outsmarting and making fun of these arrogant heirs to the patriarchy along the way – only to find herself aptly named, “Queen of Bitcoin.” The journey starts in childhood with the never ordinary Margaux finding her unique voice, and nearly ends with her losing it, stifled in a world of greed. This show is the reclaiming of her voice with the audience playing the (highly entertained) witness. And don’t worry, you don’t need to know anything about crypto. As Margaux says, “It’s not really about the crypto.”
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9924
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHO: Laurie Munoz & Contemporary Arte in Movement
WHAT: Ode to La Pachuca
WHERE: 905 Cole Theatre, 905 Cole Avenue
WHY: This show blew me away and filled my entire soul. I love a show about women. I love a show that features women of multi-colors, cultures, and ages. I love a show that honors and remembers history. This play uplifts and educates with love and will not let you down. It brings to life the memory of the women of color who joined the war effort while men were away from home during the war – we know them as “Rosie the Riveters.” The play also teaches us through riveting movement, powerful poetry, era-evoking music, and essential oral history how these women, the pachucas, refused to return to the old ways after experiencing the advantages of changing social roles, being the financial providers while the men were away, and upon their return, found it was too high a cost to lose that newfound freedom and independence. This play keeps alive women’s stories. In gentle but intentional ways, “Ode to La Pachuca” reveals to us the pain and joy that come with pursuing and living a life that is authentic to one’s spirit. May we never forget those who died nor those who survived unfair and violent treatment. May the resilience of all Zootsuits linger in our bones; may their actions continue to guide the present into the future.
A Note from the Playwright: “In June 1943, Mexican-American youth were racially
targeted and brutally attacked by white U.S. servicemen and police officers during what is
infamously known as the Zoot Suit Riots. 80 years later, in June 2023, the City of Los Angeles officially condemns and apologizes for the crimes committed against our community and declares June 3 – June 9 as Zoot Suit Heritage Week. We are incredibly grateful to witness THIS moment in history and humbled by the opportunity to present an excerpt of our latest work to honor the Mujeres of the 1940s movement: las pachucas”
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9976
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHO: Ainsley Ferrell & Hannah Moore
WHAT: The Sentence
WHERE: Asylum @ Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre, 5636 Melrose Ave
WHY: New work by young artists! Always so thrilling and needed for the American Theatre canon. Ainsley and Hannah both have such a natural, grand way of existing on the stage. It felt so familiar, the way they engaged with one another, allowing for a tremendous amount of trust between them. I was sitting on the bench in the front of the stage, and I could see every gesture and move in their bodies. I could hear them breathing, and there was not a moment when the two were not living the play. An essential aspect of theatre – women coming together to support one another against male violence by any means necessary. This story was about two women, about friendship, and, ultimately, a love story that left you guessing until you walked out of the theatre. Who did it?! I found that it didn’t matter. The most important thing was that the characters were free from terror. Go support young talent telling new stories!
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9833
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHAT: Birds and the Curiosity
WHERE: Hudson Theatres (Hudson Mainstage),6539 Santa Monica Boulevard
WHY: A majestic original new work. Olivia & Gefei, the design team, and their naturally excellent multi-cultural cast of character actors were beyond a delight. A story of a young woman able to visit her younger self is something we all have imagined. Witnessing adult Zhigeng engage with young Zhigeng spoke directly to the spirit. To see her experience life with her friends, grandmother, and her mother from a place of knowing—as this is a time travel play!—gave all of us in the audience a chance to go back in time and tell our younger selves that it will be/we are okay and that they are loved. I brought my nieces with me to see this show, and by the end of it, we all had tears in our eyes. This Theatre For Young Audiences (TYA) play broke age and cultural barriers and touched each one of us because we understood and remembered what it was like to be a kid—not knowing that what you see and believe will shift with time and that you will survive. Wow! What a truly generous gift from the playwrights to young and old audience members.
Oh! And I almost forgot how magical it was when the Ostrich came through the door; the use of puppetry and props in the show made me feel that I was not at a Fringe show but a fully produced play. BRAVO to all. Keep going! We need your voice in the theatre for young children and for those of us who may forget at times what it means to survive childhood.
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9656
For the Community: “We’re excited to announce our AAPI Kids Morning! On the morning of 18th, any Asian American and Pacific Islander children and teens can bring their parent(s)/guardian(s) to see the show for FREE!!”
There is also cool merch available for sale to support the show, payable via Zelle + Venmo @birdsandthecuriosity.
by Azo Safo
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHO: Helema Maggiore
WHAT: Who Am I? A Human Revolution
WHERE: Zephyr Theatre , 7456 Melrose Avenue
WHY: Singer/songwriter Helema Maggiore tells the harrowing story of addiction and recovery through music and storytelling. From the moment we are introduced to Helema as a child, we learn two things: she loves music and she adores her musician father who ultimately succumbs to drug addiction. This not only drastically impacts Helema, who vows never to touch alcohol or drugs, but it also foreshadows some of Helema’s struggles as she grows into adulthood. This show is a testament to the human will to survive when life is seemingly hopeless, and the power of love, family and spirituality to bring us back to ourselves. Helema’s voice and her music are remarkable and a highlight of this powerful play.
HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9553
Quick peeks at #HFF23’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins
WHAT: A Scar is Born
WHERE: Asylum @ Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre, 5636 Melrose Ave
WHY: To watch Lorelei onstage is to witness a woman not afraid to reveal all the pieces of herself. A woman who allows her vulnerability to be on full display. It was an incredible experience to be in the audience. There is this Lucille Ball quality to her, the ability to be incredibly funny while using self-caricature to enter the truth of what it means to be human—the resonance of one’s experiences and seeing them in real time. This is a magical piece that will continue to expand. When Lorelei opened her mouth and began to sing, it was an immediate emotional transportation. My heart fluttered as I did not expect to hear her sing, and there she was, this glorious light onstage that brought the room to stillness. I could have sat in that theatre with no awareness of time until the sun went down.
HOW: This production only had three viewings, but keep an eye out for extensions or arrivals at other Festivals, including Cannonball 23 in Philadelphia this September. Learn more at https://ascarisborn.wordpress.com/
