What I liked
McCready is a complicated and bittersweet story but somehow Jennifer Blake and the ensemble of talented and sharp, electric actors who played the different men in her life pulled it off with amazing clarity, music and a heartbeat of sadness throughout the play/musical. I feel like I got to know Mindy through the stories and then the songs started to make sense when you knew the backstory and my friend and I both teared up in some of the darker scenes.
I think the screen for the backdrop was a good call for a small and dark venue (with a lot of set changes and very quickly ) and the screen images were clear to set the tone and quick backdrop change in a small theatre for a 60 minute play.
The story of McCready the woman herself was a hopeful but then dark ending and it shocked and saddened me when I heard it but hearing Blake sing and the fantastic guitar player, Maku, (and all the other actors were intense, hot and good chemistry) kept the music going with the beat box and raw talent.
It was the perfect length of a play with no intermission and in the old theatre row area of Santa Monica and the Dragonfly venue.
This was my first time to Fringe Fest even though I’m a LA native and my father was a theatre actor, but finally made it out and so glad I did.
If you’re looking for a good place to meet for drinks or dinner nearby the show, we went to a bar called the Bowery right by tender greens and it looks like there are a few cafes, coffeehouse and restaurants nearby further down Santa Monica Blvd/Seward right by the Dragonfly and good parking down that street if you can find it.
What I didn't like
Nothing really, The Dragonfly is a cool venue, but It’s a busy club so we had to get out right after because of a show coming on right after, but totally understand and there was a venue next door to have drinks and the main HQ of fringe fest.
My overall impression
Go see McCready, Y’all…Jennifer Blake was phenomenal, the story was bittersweet and the cast rocked it and glad I finally made it out to Fringe Fest and was really inspired by what I saw and a little jealous because they were all so good and working on their craft.
