Cindy Marie Jenkins

One of the most magical moments I've ever had in a theater was seeing "Urinetown," when the father's spirit walked out on stage, stood on a box and other actors sprayed mist around him to show he was a speaking from the beyond. It served to be hilarious, touching and uniquely theatrical. "Obviously Michael" could get there with a lot of script development, and the team pushing their creativity to the max. There were a few imaginative moments that showed where this show could go. The script has... full review

Cleaner than Blood is a real gem in this year's festival. With a tight script full of secrets, the staging or characters could easily get lost. Not a problem here. Every move is deliberate, and every reveal well paced. I agree with people who say CTB is a thriller, but it's also much more. It is drama at its best.... full review

It sort of felt like 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' without the drugs. My mouth was agape in shock and uneven laughter the entire time, and I loved it. A couple of audience members get to really participate while the rest of us slowly watch these men unravel. Or is it just a normal day at the office? Civilization and its conventions are mostly absurd. If you've ever had to laugh off a hefty parking ticket or audit, you'll appreciate MRYL. ... full review

I knew exactly what to expect going into this play, and the team served it up well. There wasn't much deeper thought or real intrigue; some slapstick went well and some went on too long. It didn't add up to much. Not that everything must. UNTITLED is mostly entertaining, and seems to serve as a useful stress relief for artists who just opened their Fringe show.... full review

Fringe is the time when I find new artists to follow the rest of the year. Otherwise I just stay in the same cycle of trusting who I know and rarely taking chances. Right after I had the pleasure to interview this group group on Bitter Lemons*, I reserved my seat. They have a great energy, they know how to describe the work that interests them without bashing all others, and they're game to try anything. That's the impression I got from The Fire Room as well. I don't think they intended fo... full review

Part of the joy of the Fringe is to take risks and invest in stories short term with the hopes they stick with you long term. 25PPH is a perfect microcosm of the Fringe. Presented at a breakneck pace (without sacrificing breathing room where needed), the audience just has to hang tight and enjoy the ride. A couple of serious stories live in the midst of the ridiculous, and TU offers much to ponder within some of the sillier pieces (specifically "The Tweet Poet" by Gregory Crafts, "The Mu... full review

Everyone may know Bill Ratner is a master storyteller. Hearing how he was introduced to Hollywood makes me wonder how he ever stayed. The more I thought about it, the more I realized everyone has these stories:success, loss, destruction, getting screwed and falling back into the soft pillow of addiction. Hearing it through the eyes of a bright-eyed actor new to Hollywood years after he carved a successful niche for himself gives a shiny silver lining to this ultimately sad tale. Someone to... full review

I had no idea what to expect from White Hot based on my interview with some of the team. They also invited me to their final dress rehearsal, so I saw The Vagrancy load into the space and heard some of the last-minute shenanigans that come with 15 minutes of in-space preparation – ah, Fringe! As much as I love a few black chairs and blocks on a Fringe set, I also appreciate companies that solve Fringe limitations creatively. White Hot doesn’t require much more space than the Aslyum Lab offers,... full review

I asked some shows if I could see a dress rehearsal. There’s no time to waste when Fringing. Director Corey Lynn Howe and her talented team bravely took me up on the offer. Heather Lake bounded into rehearsal with all the energy I expect from her past performances. Hugs all around, quite literally! Travis Dixon, playing Hunter, expressed some confusion over Hot Pockets and how to eat them on-stage without getting Hot Pocket mouth. Then they jumped into a run-through. I’d never seen the show... full review

I know Take me to the Poorhouse travels to the 2013 United Solo Festival this fall and has dreams of further touring. The writing already impressed me at their living room reading. especially as I knew there were many solo shows in my near future of Fringe. I was a little scared, honestly, because I loved the script so much and worried that ‘producing’ it might ruin it. Often a solo show would be just as good if it stayed as a story-telling piece rather than a play. Not the case here; Take Me... full review