Come see the show that was given an “A+” by the Cincinnati CityBeat ! Les meets Mike and they become a couple. When Mike brings Les home to Bakersfield to meet his very right wings conservative family he realizes that he forgot to tell his parents one very importatnt detail. That Les is Black !
Here are some reviews of the show….
Christmas in Bakersfield
Were I to choose one Fringe performer whose work I consistently enjoy, it would have to be Les Kurkendaal, whose latest piece, “Christmas in Bakersfield,” is a treasure. Solo gay artist Kurkendaal, takes the audience, in an enjoyable, intelligent piece to Bakersfield, “the arm pit of California” where his lover, Mike’s family, lives in a gated community. It’s the hometown of Buck Owens and the headquarters for the California branch of the KKK. Having been invited for Christmas, Les finds his holiday rule, “no family drama,” continually broken until he meets the matriarch of the family. Les Kurkendaal loves the Minnesota Fringe and we need to love him back! This is a marvelous show!—— Steven Lavigne —On The Purple Circut august 2007
Christmas In Bakersfield – Traveling Kurkendaal Productions – Interact Center
Man, have I been missing something by not catching this guy’s Fringe shows in the past. Les Kurkendaal is a damn good storyteller. He loves our Fringe and I can see now why our Fringe loves him. It’s just him, and a chair, and that’s it, for a little under an hour. Having passed the 30 show mark a while back and with Fringe Fatigue beginning to creep in around the edges, I feared attending a one person show at Interact, sittting in the dark, that I would drift off. Not to worry. Les held my attention with no difficulty at all. It was a pleasure to listen to his tales of Christmas among the white folk of Bakersfield. And also a pleasant surprise that the show didn’t conclude with, “And that’s why my boyfriend and I broke up.” A happy ending to a story like this is as wonderful as it is unexpected. Means there’s a little hope for the rest of us. If, like me, you’ve missed his act before, get your butt on over to Interact if you want to have a lot of fun. If, unlike me, you already know how great Les is, and how raucously you will laugh, bring a friend or two and introduce them. This is the kind of stuff that gives the Fringe a good name.
Highly Recommended.
- Matthew Everett – Minneapolis 2008
