Additional reporting by Stephen Tortora-Lee

Mini Fridge was a qualified success this year, with seven shows and seven ways to beat the heat, be dazzled by a variety of entertainers and cross your fingers in the hopes that some of these great shows will be returning bigger, better and badder.  Hopefully you read the Elevenses so you had your pre-show snack  … and even more hopefully you caught some of the ‘fridge.  But if you didn’t, here’s what was in that tiny box (besides beer of course!) —

Bare.  Stripped down and honest, in your face and not making any excuses, Bare. was a riviting collaboration between paired teams of burlesque performers and seriously stimulating storytellers.  The idea was to deliver stories which were uncomfortable for everyone –  audience and performer alike.  But sometimes what gets revealed in the uncomfortable moments is actually more familiar than we’d like to admit, and Bare. offered the unique opportunity to experience something difficult in the universally safe environment of theatre.

It was the juxtaposition of unveiling while weaving – taking away while creating – salty and sweet: the best use of your senses. The result was unconventional and groundbreaking.  Issues included having sex for the first time, initial attraction to girls and one memorable performance which was the reenactment having a hymen broken. This was sensuality and strangeness … all living up to the straightforward title and leaving nothing hiding undercover.

The intention is for Bare. to go on from here; three more performances are in the works: September, November and capping off with a final show in December. For those interested in a REALLY different set of circumstances, the September show will feature a switch up: the burlesque performers will write the stories and the writers will strip down.

Curated and hosted by Peter Aguero this special Mini Fridge volume starred Adam Wade, Sarah Jenness, Diana Spechler, Magdalena Fox, Francine, Amelia Bareparts, and Mary Cyn as The Kraken.

Written by Alexis Roblan and Rachel Kerry, Bible Burlesque is what happens when your FRIGID show, Daughters of Lot, needs to raise money to get to the Edinburgh Fringe.  Whereas Daughters of Lot was the story of the two bible gals told through the eyes of feminist burlesque performers, Bible Burlesque goes behind the scenes to tap into the funnier side of what goes into creating a show  - especially one with a premise that tries to marry Bible with Burlesque.

“The events depicted in this show are real … at least the parts about fundraising” states the program … and so, without pulling any punches, begins the meta telling of this journey.  Equal parts storytelling and burlesque (with maybe a little more storytelling) Roblan and Kerry are portrayed by Marelena Kalm and Victoria Longwell who re-enact the process of how one (or in this case, two) exactly go about creating a unique burlesque show built on biblical themes.    Everything from a Noah’s Arc theme to “What if God F*cked one of us?” crossed thier minds and crossed the stage with often hilarious results.

The good news is that as of the time of the show they raised enough money for Daughters of Lot to get to Edinburgh … just not enough money for any of them to eat during their overseas stay.  Let’s hope when they’re abroad they meet a dude who can work a miracle or two around some loaves and fishes.  Hey, it worked once, right?

Bye Bye Bombay was full of the sights, sounds and personalities of India, all channeled through Gauri – a young woman who makes the trip to follow in her mother’s footsteps.  Cara Yeates – who wrote and performed – channeled many different characters convincingly and used screen projections and a driving soundrack to bring the world of Bombay – and Bollywood – alive.

Most impressive among talents such as puppetry, mimicry and storytelling was the way Yeates  performed a showstopping dance as she lip-synched to a dazzling Bollywood production number, bringing the lavish world of Bollywood to UNDER St. Marks.  Yeates also notably embodied an arguing couple who fought with each other in one of the many languages spoken in India.  When Ms. Yeates says she lived in India for a year, there’s no doubt about it.

By turns both forceful and delicate, Bye Bye Bombay was a true delight.   As a New Yorker I thrilled to the fact that, through this one-woman-show, I was given confirmation that a place exists which appears to be crazier, more crowded, and more chaotic than New York.  However, what India also appears to have is a plethora of spirituality and a means to find your center if only you can break away from the hypnotic Bollywood beat … something else which Ms. Yeates was able to capture and manifest beautifully.  Bye Bye Bombay may be bye bye for now, but I’m hoping we have another chance to meet again soon.

A striking combination of futuristic noir, multimedia and music ranging from lounge to complex ambient initium/finis  is a gripping story that pulls you through many layers of a world that represents – as the title implies – the beginning and the end, melding past with future.

Metropolis fans will find an echo of that world here.  Ellery Royston embodies two clones who are experiencing two sides of a story which involves murder, intrigue and a journey toward self discovery in an alien future.

initium/finis was mezmerizing, with deep themes  that were well executed with a stunning multimedia component which alone was worth the price of admission.   It depicted an overlay of lush city scenes as well as short movies.  These shorts captured Royston’s stunning range —  for while she’s expressive on stage she’s even moreso in the filmed sequences.
Possibly most compelling were scenes executed in shadow play where much of the “real” action happened at times – the intrigue of this heightened version of the characters offered an extra note of theatricality and dimension.

Back after a successful FRIGID run, initium/finis shows that there seems to be no end in the near future for this deeply affecting story.

As usual Killy Mockstar Dwyer and her talented band delivered an inside-out performance  – crowds who know and love KTB should know better than to expect run of the mill when it comes to this bunch!  Kill the Band: Mock Bottom  started off with a dark theatre – extremely so – as we’re all trapped in the darkness with Killy who gropes about and tries to figure out where she is.

Of course it’s a relief when she comes to find she was simply lost in a closet after a night of drunken debauchery right after recording Kill The Band’s new album, Mock Bottom.

Killy then launches into a strong opening performance which got the crowd pumping.  What followed was 60 minutes of pure energy and frenetic joy delivered in typical Kill The Band style as Killy and her loyal (and seriously talented) musicians- Joe Yoga, Mike Milazzo, Blair Frowner and The Human Drum Machie- delivered one song after another that was both funny, thoughtful and catchy.

No simple concert, though, the songs were couched in the centeral theme of Killy at her shrink’s office with each of her band members representing one or more of the stages of grief.   A monologue of the creative process would then seque into a Mock Bottom song.

And if you found yourself loving these catchy songs (which include favorites Ben Kingsley, Girl Balls, Clone U, See Something Say Something and Famous Baby) an album was included with the price of admission.

If you weren’t able make the show that doesn’t mean you have to be empty handed with no Kill The Band songs to sing – never that.

• To order the hard copy CD (with 12 page art/lyrics/liner notes booklet!)  visit www.KILLYTHEKID.com.
• To buy the album on ITunes click here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mock-bottom/id530564603.
• To buy on Amazon http://amzn.com/B0086JZTHQ

Legendary: A Man-tasia was first described to me as a drag show without the drag, but Legendary: A Man-tasia wound up being much, much more.  Sure, there was superb lip-synching with so much sass, attitude and choreography that at times it was impossible to sit still in your seat.  But the story was expertly woven through the showstopping numbers – finely crafted to tug at your heartstrings.  Not simply a backed-into plot to accomodate the songs, this story of two men: Larry (Michael Awusie) and his love Stev (Mark O’Connell) trying to define their relationship as they try to define themselves was heartwarming, bittersweet, loving, sexy, and a triumph.  But oh, let’s talk about those lip-synch numbers!

Larry’s rendition of Sheree Whitfield’s – “Who Gon Check Me Boo?” was absolutely inspired (and I can’t stop YouTubing it.  Not for the original, but in memory of  Michael’s version). The show was filled with moments of pure, joyful production numbers like this. To watch O’Connell and Christopher Burris as Bishop Eddie Long (who has a naughty, nasty hold over Larry) duke it out in a battle with musical fireworks worthy of those spewed forth by Harry Potter and Voldermort as they channeled superdivas Whitney Houston & Aretha Franklin for “It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be” to underline the point that “he aint never, ever, never never, never gonna be your man” gave me goosebumps.  In fact,  it made me wanna go out and steal someone’s man just so I could re-enact this scene on my own.  I mean … seriously boo.

Cap this all off with a stupendous Jennifer Holiday channeled by Kimberlee Walker who had me shaking and, well – could you want more? Oh … wait … a fantastic story. All this lucious lip-synching is draped over the terrific bones of a strong story of one man who is trying to shake off the past (Bishop Eddie Long – who is actually there in spirit, but what a spirit it is) and embrace his present: Stev, a tall drink of water who loves him like Islands In The Stream (aww! Sweet!) but can’t quite come out of the closet far enough to shout it from the mountains. Well, not yet.

And, I did mention Jennifer Holiday, right? This was A Man-tasia in the truest sense of the word -and while I actually don’t KNOW what the truest sense of the word ‘Man-tasia” actually is I will say it’s a  fantasy, told from the heart, set to a driving soundtrack of amazing songs (and a little Babs in there too of course). This was no show – this was an experience. I want it back again, ASAP. Weekly if possible – with surprise guests! Pleeeez???

 

Xmas in July?  You bet your buttons!  Or, in the case of Lord Gregory & Mademoiselle Godin’s miniXMAS Spectacular - you bet your bouton!

This french brother and sister act have it all.  Charm, style, talent … and what friends they have!  Greg Levin and Michelle Leona Godin don the outfits of a bygone french era and the personalities of french twins to create a salon in which their charming circle could congregate to celebrate  miniXMAS for our enjoyment.

One after another their talented friends came to the stage to kick up their heels with the crowd.  So many! Joe Yoga was there and you know what a fan I am of his!  Leslie Goshko did the most inspired version of Frosty The Snowman I ever heard … If Frosty was actually that guy whom Alanis Morrisette wrote about in You Oughta Know.  (WHY did no one ever do that mashup before?  No matter … Leslie did – and it’s brilliant).  AND imagining FROSTY is a lot better than imagining that guy from Full House putting it to Alanis, non?

Michael Birch reminded everyone that We Need A Little Christmas … and also reminded us that the whipping sound in Sleigh Ride (1:07 in this beloved Boston Pop version) is actually … you know ... a horse being whipped.  Still, it didn’t keep us from merrily participating whip and all.  After-all, miniXMAS is all about tradition!  Then Beezy Douglas weighed in with an anti-christmas song because it is JULY after all.

But there were skits too!  Lord Gregory himself wound up playing the Santa who got caught in a sting set up for a pedophile … though he digs himself deeper and deeper (But Becky wrote me a letter!  I brought this bag of toys!  Children write their fantasies to me!!!)  Later after Chromatic Stampede sang about wanting nothing more for christmas than consumer debt forgiveness Peter DeGiglio flipped the script on Twas The Night Before Christmas and pulled out an aresenal of voices from his bag of tricks as he told a Mook miniXMAS story — in verse.  C’est Manifique

With a Krampus making an appearance via shadow puppet master Ceili Clemens the whole evening was pretty much complete.

Like any good miniXMAS there were a few other little surprises under the tree, but the real present was the great feeling of joy and good will toward men and … oh forget it.  It’s JULY.

Thanks Lord Gregory and Mademoiselle Godin for sharing your love of miniXMAS – and your love of each other  … and sharing your friends with us!  See you next miniXMAS!  Whenever that may be!

And that’s it for Mini Fridge this year.  Good job everyone.  See you next year, starting with Elevenses.

Related Posts:

• Grab A Snack From The Mini-Fridge
• It’s Time For Mini-Fridge Elevenses With Kill The Band – Mock Bottom Mockumental CD Release Experience!
• Last Looks At The Happiest Medium In 3-D – Pull Your Glasses Out
• It’s Time For Mini-Fridge Elevenses With Bible Burlesque!
• Daughters Of Lot – A Lot Going On (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

 The Mini-Fridge Elevenses*

11 Questions, 11 Answers … ZERO calories, and 100% YUMMY!

 *Elevenses is a snack that is similar to afternoon tea, but eaten in the morning and might consist of some cake or biscuits with a cup of coffee or tea. The name refers to the time of day that it is taken: around 11 am. 

Bible Burlesque

Produced  by: Brain Melt Consortium
Written by: Alexis Roblan + Rachel Kerry
 

To raise money for the Edinburgh production of their biblical feminist burlesque-themed play, Rachel and Ali have decided to put on a night of hot, lurid bible stories – but they’ve got very different ideas about what that means. An hour of comic meta-theatrical sexy-time. In Biblical proportions.

Show Times:

• Saturday, June 30 @ 8:30pm

Answers by:  Alexis Roblan
(Co-writer/Co-producer)

 1. Your tag line is featured above, so we know the PR version of what this play is about. But when you talk to your family and friends, how do you explain the show to them?
Alexis: When Horse Trade offered us a slot in MiniFridge, we (Brain Melt Consortium) decided to put something simple together as a fundraising event for the show we’re taking to Edinburgh Fringe this August (Daughters of Lot, FRIGID 2012). We wanted to throw together some burlesque acts based on Bible stories, but as Rachel (my writing and producing partner) and I got to work, we found ourselves in heated/often hilarious debates about how to pull this off. Pretty soon we realized that letting the audience see what goes on behind the scenes could be some ridiculous fun. So it’s still a burlesque show, but it’s gotten very meta-theatrical and silly, and the story arc comes from our actual artistic relationship — with fantastic actors we know and love playing us, and acting out some of our worst “burlesque” ideas, next to actual burlesque performers doing awesome sexy/creative things.

2. Here’s a scenario: After the show some audience members go have a drink. What’s the part of the show you hope they’re discussing?
Alexis:  I hope they’re discussing their last minute donations to our Edinburgh Indiegogo campaign!
(http://www.indiegogo.com/Daughters-of-lot-at-Edinburgh) The drama of Bible Burlesque really does come from how difficult it is for artists to raise the funds to create their work — we tried to create a show that highlighted that plight while entertaining in its own right. I hope they also leave quoting lines and moments to each other and laughing a lot.

3. What drives your show – character, theme or plot?
 Alexis: Much of the action is an attempt to find something brilliant that fits the theme — a fantastic Biblical Burlesque act — but it’s also about the competing artistic visions of two characters, and those differences of worldview are what really drive the comedy.

4. What’s the one thing someone said about the show so far that made you the most proud?
Alexis: At our first table read, one of the actresses stopped and said: “How is this so much fun???” I hope the audience has the same feeling.

 5. Let’s fantasize for a moment. Let’s take the “off-off” off. Imagine this show is on Broadway. What would that change about the production itself?
Alexis:  It would just get way bigger. And longer, of course. We’d have awesomely expensive costumes and ridiculous lighting. Which would be tons of fun to play with. But at it’s core, it wouldn’t change.

6. Taking that one step further – after paying everyone what they’re worth of course, what is the most lavish, luxurious, frivolous thing you would spend money on if there was no constraints? (Think of the helicopter in Miss Saigon).
Alexis: Hmm… a giant Bible for people to walk out of… Rigging to allow the actors to descend from the “sky”… Yeah. LOTS of flying. Stripping in mid-air would be cool.

7. Is there a scene, a moment, anything that gets a completely different reaction depending on the audience that night?
Alexis: We haven’t actually performed this show before an audience yet, but I anticipate the “Cain & Abel” bit will have some mixed reactions… And personally, those are my favorite theatrical moments — when humor crosses a line into possible discomfort and half the audience goes there and the other half balks at them for going there.

8. What’s your favorite line from the show?
Alexis:  “And then the Virgin Mary is like, ‘Gee Mary Magdalene, I really like you a lot, but I think we should just be friends. I’m just so damaged from my son being crucified that now is a really bad time for me to become close to someone.’”

9. Is the world of this play sustainable outside a theatre? In other words … do you think people live the way the characters do? Would you want a world where they do?
Alexis:  In one sense, the main characters are based on my producing partner and I, and are actually pretty representative of reality — but to get sappy for a minute, I think the world of the play is one in which people really take art seriously and are trying to find ways to both create and honor it. That’s real in our lives, but it’s also something the world could use more of. I suppose the world could use more of people taking their clothes off while pretending to be Biblical characters, too.

10. You scan the audience and you see a face that stops you dead in your tracks – who is it? And why are you shocked?
Alexis:  I just imagined Jesus in the audience, giving me a thumbs up. I don’t think I really need to explain the shock — I didn’t think he’d be back for at least another 1000 years.

11. Time for Elevenses! Go to the mini-fridge of your fantasy hotel. What’s your dream 11:00am snack?
Alexis:  Mmm cold pizza. Is that too mundane? Should this tie in with the show? Is it weird to say communion wafers? Cold mini-communion wafer pizzas… Matzo crackers?

Thanks, Alexis, for having your Elevenses with us here at THM!  We can’t wait to see Bible Burlesque!

If you’d like to catch Bible Burlesque at The Mini-Fridge Festival find out more by clicking this link.

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HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP IN ASSOCIATION WITH FRIGID NEW YORK PRESENT THE 2012 MINI-FRIDGE

JUNE 28 – JULY 4 @ UNDER ST. MARKS The mini-festival will play at UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A) June 28-July 4. Tickets ($15/$12 students & seniors) are available online  or by calling 212-868-4444. 

Related Posts:

• Grab A Snack From The Mini-Fridge
• 2nd Season Mini Fridge – Tasty, Filling And Leaving Audience Wanting More! (Jun 28, 2012 – Jul 04, 2012 )
• It’s Time For Mini-Fridge Elevenses With Kill The Band – Mock Bottom Mockumental CD Release Experience!
• It’s Time For Mini-Fridge Elevenses With Lord Gregory & Mademoiselle Godin’s miniXMAS Spectacular!
• Daughters Of Lot – A Lot Going On (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

“This is not your father’s burlesque show,” intones host Atlanta Georgia (Marlena Kalm) to the assemblage who stare at the three preening women who are outfitted in sky-high heels, racy bodices and flirty skirts of the schoolgirl-gone-bad-kilt and tutu variety.  With glittery winks and flicking hips these three women ooze dangerous sex appeal and edgy one-liners (I’m like a happy meal … I come with toys).  They are daring and flirty and dirty and in control – demanding that the squeamish leave the building so that they can get on with the show. “We know how you like it …” they taunt, “And we know why you keep it a secret from Wifey.”

Welcome to Daughters of Lot (written by Alexis Roblan and directed by Rachel Kerry) where the Bible Belt meets the Garter Belt, where Feminism has as many meanings as Eskimos have words for snow and where women run the gamut from young and innocent to young and jaded.  If you’re looking for a man here you’ll find him only when he’s being channelled by one of the women, when he’s being serviced (unseen) by one of his daughters backstage, or when you look to your left at the guy sitting next to you.

Daughters of Lot (L-R: Naomi Bland, Rebecca Gray Davis, Marelena Kalm | Photo credit: Nicholas Grant)

As Atlanta plays ringmaster to One (Stav Meishar) and Two (Caitlin Mehner) the three women proudly bring forth a daring exhibit: the real daughters of Lot who arrive like relics, wrapped in artifacts, inside big dresses but they are nonetheless excited to be there once they get over the rift in the fabric of time.

There’s a lot going on here so let me boil it down to the most important take-aways.  Three narratives are presented and intertwined but they all deal with one theme and all weigh the same issues to see how the scales balance: is Woman a victim or is she the victor? (It should be noted that “Atlanta” means “balance”.)

Story one is the very constructs of the play: burlesque and all its forms – from the theatrical to the modest and reserved.  Regardless of attire a woman teases and beguiles — offers up her most private moves and rituals for an audience.  By doing so has she conquered them?  Or is she theirs to use up and toss aside?  Second story:  The actual story of Lot’s daughters.  There has always been some debate as to who did what to whom after they fled Sodom & Gomorrah.  Mother, turned to salt, could no longer service their father.  Did the daughters take it upon themselves to “know” their father … to save the human race?  Or did the father simply continue a practice he’d started long before they fled?  Then there’s the third story of Atalanta (or Atlanta – there are 2 versions which are told to the daughters of Lot).  The story is basically one of a young maiden who is not interested in marriage and plays at being a boy to get away from her suitors.  A race is held – the winner will get her hand.  She enters the race herself hoping to claim herself at the end, only to get distracted by some apples (maaaaagic apples).  Long story short, in the end she marries the guy who won the race.  Happy ending?  That’s a matter of perspective.  In fact – it’s all a matter of perspective.  Which is the one big theme: victim or victor?

Two (Caitlin Mehner) holds down Atlanta (Marelena Kalm) as One (Stav Meishar) jeers | Photo credit: Nicholas Grant

Throughout the hour Daughter 1 (Naomi Bland) and Daughter 2 (Rebecca Gray Davis) play the straight man, as it were, and allow Atlanta and crew to zip them (and us) through a cliff notes version of what it feels like for a girl, always driving home the point of balance.   Bland and Davis do a wonderful job at convincingly portraying newly-hatched women who are window shopping in the Mall of  Female Stereotypes where each conceivable brand of woman is, in turn, either celebrated or bashed.  However, no matter what lessons Atlanta and her One and Two can provide for the Daughters the story of Lot must play out as it should.  While the idea of who the aggressor is  - at least from this tale’s context – seems fixed,  the question of their perspective having been polluted becomes a weightier question thanks to the new stories that have been interwoven with theirs.

This play was originally longer and cut to fit FRIGID’s 1 hour time-frame, which I knew going in.  I’m not sure that Daughters of Lot works best as a one hour show; possibly making it even a bit shorter might have worked, though when taking out important moments it’s difficult to know which will resonate with the audience and which won’t – and ultimately you want to leave the audience with a thoughtful piece of theatre, not a hacked-up poetry reading, so it’s impossible for me to say what- other than the original format -would best serve this play.  I would very much enjoy seeing the full, uncut version in order to experience the original pacing and impact.

When these women announce at the top of the show that this is not your father’s burlesque show – and not for the squeamish – they’re correct.  I doubt there was a man in the audience who expected to be challenged so directly by women wearing so little.  I could tell it made some of them uncomfortable.  Frankly, this story should have made people uncomfortable starting a long time ago.  Go back and read the original if you need a refresher and then go see Daughters of Lot for a new perspective.

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The 2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL will run February 22-March 4 at The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Ave and Ave A). Tickets to all shows may be purchased online at www.FRIGIDnewyork.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

Related Posts:

• 2nd Season Mini Fridge – Tasty, Filling And Leaving Audience Wanting More! (Jun 28, 2012 – Jul 04, 2012 )
• Daughters Of Lot: 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• It’s Time For Mini-Fridge Elevenses With Bible Burlesque!
• Scratch & Pitz Burlesque and Variety Hour – Seven Act Scratch (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• Acute…Girl: 10 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2016 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)