Matt Ritchey

Jesus. I mean.... look, I'd seen King Dick a few years back and I of course heard the name "Christian Levatino" bandied about in dark back rooms and whispered in men's room stalls at Awards ceremonies, but this was next level. Was it that the characters, dialogue, and acting was so believable, that the use of light and music was subtle genius, or that the eight men onstage used the words as a greasy surfboard to ride a potent dark wave of 70's paranoia? Probably all of it. Regardless, call me a n... full review

A stirring performance, a great script, a great message! Kearney brings to life a man and a message needed throughout time, but certainly in our current climate. Sure, the message appeals to my ideologies, but it’s great from a historical and personal standpoint to see someone preaching fire I agree with! ... full review

Wow! The Cherries strike again! The music this time is original, the book a new story by the amazing Michael Shaw Fisher, but the energy, dancing, and costuming are unmistakeable! Mix “Reefer Madness” with a sprinkle of “Rocky Horror” and a dash of drive-in B-movie and you’ve got DR. NYMPHO, a high-energy romp about the turmoil of family life, work life, and afterlife! Sandy and band continue to impress with precision and director Sarah Haworth knows how to use a room - and pack it!! Join the und... full review

CRAFTLESQUE was everything I'd hoped for and more: beautiful ladies with KILLER dance and vocal chops effortlessly gliding through a tight, laugh-out-loud rip on a movie I've never even seen. It totally didn't matter. The choice of an all-female cast was brilliant and.... Alli Miller.... jeez... she's being amazing all over Fringe, but her multi-character performances in this one... whoo... just.... the shower alone. I can say no more. The choice of 90's soundtrack ("How Soon Is Now" oh my god..... full review

See this goddamn show. See it. Pick up your things, walk to the bar, get a drink, and see it.... full review

Two fantastic short plays connected by the theme of "love of the unseen." I don't want to ruin the surprises of the shows, but the twists in the sweet "The Porch Swing" and the bittersweet "This Almost Joy" hit you right in the feels and in all the ways good theatre can. Check out these great winners from 2 Cents Theatre Group's annual InkFest!... full review

OMG this was so fun! Definitely one of the best musicals at Fringe! Well constructed, fun music, expert direction, and fantastic performances! An across-the-board winner. Zachary Bernstein's lighthearted end of the world musical has a ton of heart, upbeat numbers, relatable characters, and some great twists! The choreography was very fun and some of the staging choices were straight up inspired. While the entire cast nails it, Matthew Bohrer's seamless onstage change from self-important yacht en... full review

Caveat: I know many of these amazing humans and am reviewing as an audience member, and not officially for GIA ON THE MOVE. Wiley and crew are back! Yay! A fun parody of the show I like to refer to as "yeah, I think I saw a few episodes of that once." But lets pretend you've never seen it before - you'll still love this! The songs are once again fantastic and the performances are spot-on. Everyone had a shining moment. (Extra shout-out to Reagan Osbourne's angelic voice in this one - no matter... full review

A caveat: I was the playwright’s Mentor this year (with no hand in script or production) and Im reviewing as an audience member, not for Gia on the Move. It’s early days yet for Fringe, but I’ll be shocked if I see more emotionally true moment-to-moment work from an entire ensemble as I did in BABA, JEE. Ayesha Siddiqui’s script is not only incredibly personal, but incredibly honest. The performances by Siddiqui, Chris Tedrow, and Ayman Samman were arguably flawless. Real people were inhabiti... full review

CAVEAT: I’m a friend and collaborator with this group and am reviewing as such, not in an official capacity with Gia On The Move. One of my favorite shows from last year's Fringe was QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT by Lucid Dramatics. It was thought-provoking, heady, but with desperately real emotions and performances. Lucid Dramatics brings a new show to the same room for HFF18 and while its story is wildly different, the quality is just as high, just as personal, and even more dramatic. It's modern-... full review