Thymele Arts

by Constance Jaquay Strickland

Quick peeks at #HFF25’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins

WHO: Tabatha Myers

WHAT: How Do I Hold It?

WHERE: Thymele Arts (Kansas Room), 5481 Santa Monica Bl

WHY: Because this show doesn’t ask for your pity—it earns your presence. Because her words are spoken like a gust of wind: sudden, sweeping, and unforgettable. Because it’s rare to witness a performer this willing to blend absurdity with honesty, grief with punchlines, and horror with lightness. Because I walked away from this show with a keener sense and understanding of what it means to not let anyone steal your light. Because trauma isn’t linear, and neither is healing.

Because Tabatha reminded me to laugh. Because Tabatha reminds us all that expression doesn’t have to be tidy to be true. Because watching her on stage feels like sitting with a friend who finally lets you in. Because she never asks you to feel sorry for her—only to feel. Because joy and resilience are not opposites of pain, but its unexpected companions. Because her story holds both the weight of what she’s survived and the shimmer of who she’s still becoming. Because you’ll walk out seeing your own light a little clearer. Because this is a show that leaves room for you to heal sideways. Because the stage needs more writing like this. Because laughter in the dark is a revolution. Because Tabatha had this profound ability to see through violation, confusion, pain, and disappointment and find a way to keep living.

Go support this show, you won’t be sitting hoping to be entertained, instead, you’ll go through a quiet revelation of self.

HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/11783

Click Here to Find More “Women on the Fringe!”

by Jennie Webb

Well, this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival is over… although the energy is still palpable along Theatre Row, what with the great group of shows extended in Encore! performances through July.

And, yeah, there are SO many shows that I missed during #HFF18, which I swore I’d catch if they were extended but… Argh. July was supposed to be saner than June!

But enough of that. (Why are we always obsessed about what we don’t manage to do?)

This year during the Fringe, as in years past, the work and camaraderie of women artists was pretty damn impressive. Those amazing Fringe Femmes wasted no time kicking ass big time. So great seeing LA FPI badges and logos all over the place in June – thank you for all the love!

Also great to be able to give LA FPI’s “Most Wanted Awards” again at the HFF18 Awards Ceremony to venues who staged 50% or more works by women onstage during the Fringe. (Many thanks to fabulous presenters Fiona Lakeland and Katt Balsan, and Olivia Butaine and Lisa K. Wyatt who helped tally to find this year’s figures!)

Fiona Lakeland & Katt Balsan – Thx Matt Kamimura for this super shot!

And now, the numbers.

The “Most Wanted” Awards went to 12 venues this year: 2nd Stage, Actors Company, Art of Acting Studio, Assistance League Playhouse, Lounge Theatre, Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre, Studio C, studio/stage, The Broadwater, The New Collective, Theatre of NOTE and Thymele Arts.

Also pretty pleased that 70% of the community-voted “Fringe Freak” Awards went to works created by women. And 53% of the Sponsored Awards were given to femme-penned projects, including “Fort Huachuca” by Ailema Sousa, receiving The Inkwell Playwright’s Promise Award.

And then there were the overall numbers. This year, 49% of the scripted Fringe shows were written by women.

So a big yay there, considering the year-round #LAThtr average is probably still around 20%.

But I was a bit bummed that we didn’t hit 50%, a bar we’ve reached for the last two years. Hmph. Sure, the percentage is up from 39%, when we started counting. And I don’t know if 49% vs. 50% is statistically significant; last year we did hit 52%. However, as far as I’m concerned, it’s an important reminder: We still have work to do, ladies… and allies!

Right. We, as theatermakers, must make a conscious effort to put more diversity onstage. And we, as artists, must take positive action so that untold stories are heard and celebrated, in all shapes and forms.

Because here’s another number: only 47% of the Producers’ Encore! Awards, with extensions, went shows by female playwrights. Grrr.

So who’s with me? We continue to spread the #FringeFemmes energy & support each other as a community throughout the year so that we get our voices out there, and our plays into the hands of decision-makers!