Benjamin Schwartz

My overall impression? I had a blast. A freakin' blast at this show. Spencer has fully embraced his artistic choices and the limitations of the festival. It is all encompassing: A stage manager that calls him out before, during, and after the 45 minutes spent in the theater. Actors that completely let loose during the show, challenging the concept of the play itself during performance. A concept and plot so grand, as two frenetic, haphazard actors twirl between roles with absolute misdirected... full review

So far my favorite show at the fringe this year. This is a story that is actually worth a damn to create and present. Not only because of the themes. But because a show like this helps secure an artist like Chris Burden into history. Helps him live on far beyond his life. Ben Hethcoat's portrayal of Burden was just so captivating. There's subtlety and madness surrounding his choices--which never go over the top. This is a very controlled performance. As an artist, I really connected, wh... full review

Art with awareness. Othello & Otis carries a strong sociological message with challenging themes, songs, and monologues. It would be lucrative to walk out of this theater and not feel something. If you don't, then you are part of the problem and dismissing the very nature of this piece. There are some chilling moments during stomp-n'-clap driven musical numbers accompanied by the haunting, vibrato laden pipes of the featured singer (I don't have my program to reference her name.) The sho... full review

If you don't know who Christian Levatino is... well this is your first mistake. Discovering his work is like being given a secret address to the coolest pop-up dinner in Los Angeles; and something extremely special. This script is so well-researched, dense, and colorful. The story, with no concern for brevity, is a ticker; taking all the time it needs to explore philosophy, vintage hardware, and each character's backstory. Acting, across the entire production, is beyond stellar; with easily... full review

Killer cast. Great singers. Catchy tunes. Self-aware. Plus, the instrumental accompaniment was at the perfect volume level so that you could discern and laugh at the cleverly crafted and witty lyrics. I imagine that knowledge of the source material would only escalate the comedic intensity, but I’ve never seen an episode of Sex and the City and I didn’t miss one punchline. Filled with laugh out loud moments driven by many of the character’s utter foolishness. Hooray for ‘Fair Use’ laws — th... full review

Each person will take away something completely different from this conversation over coffee (or tea, hot cocoa—your pick) with Annie. You could walk out of this with tears streaming down your face; it might be dry. You might find solace or reaffirmation. You could be expecting more. You might expect less. Quite truthfully, this will be a polarizing performance for many. Personally... it’s sort of sent my mind down a rabbit hole and I’ve caught myself pondering the themes several times afte... full review

This is a badass, raw, and rare show. If you have an appetite for absurd dark humor then this will satiate your desire. I love the way this play looks from the audience's perspective. Composition is balanced, like a Wes Anderson flick. The story felt like a cross between early Durang and Lynch; bold, suspenseful, allegorical, and sometimes flat out nutty. This is a viscous, slow churning piece like blood butter. I really, really dig this show. ... full review

The talent on this stage is unreal. Every single person on that damn penny-sized apron, and there are a lot of them, is giving a stellar performance. Whether it is dancing, singing, line delivery and hitting every mark the right time... it is there. Voluptuously inspired by 1950’s sci-fi, horror, and B-Movies, Dr. Nympho Vs. the Sex Zombies is a sultry rock musical filled with ribaldry, catchy riffs, and has all the makings to be a huge crowd pleaser at fringe. ... full review

I love watching a talented artist with excellent intuition, skills, and dedication to their art. Luckily, you get three of those in one show. From scene to scene, over and over, the audience is gifted beautiful imagery, surprises, and strong performances at every moment. This is a true character study piece about someone who has a very twisted definition of the word love. This contemporary appropriation of classically conflicted characters brings new context when discussing the manipulativ... full review

A very, very sexy comedy constructed from iconic 90’s music, costumes and tropes. Considering that I have never seen ‘The Craft’, I was quickly relieved to know within minutes that knowledge of the source material would not hinder my experience of this show; a trap that many parodies make. The jokes land. The cast is exceptionally versed in regards to timing, crowd control, and being able to turn a mishap into a bit. It’s hard not to have a great time at this show.... full review