First they took over the internet. Next it was film. Then networks television. Now: the Fringe. There have always been theatre dorks, musical theatre queens and brecht’s bitches, but now, mainstream nerdness has taken center stage center. Apparently thespian nerds have something to say as proven by the abundance of nerd themed plays at The Hollywood Fringe Festival.
For many the fringe is a place for self-expression and exploration. But to tell their stories many artists must include the fantasy worlds that have molded them. Their desire to be Gandalf may have had a greater impact on their lives than any father/mother figure ever could. What if “dysfunctional family” and the solo works examining personal abuse are re-framed by “Daddy as Donkey Kong” or “The Princess Elf in a Dwarf Kingdom?”
Perhaps they are looking for a simpler world where good people are good and bad people are really bad. In our ever growing-global society we are all learning that the gray areas are what trul
