Missed Connections: An Exploration Into The Online Postings Of Desperate Romantics (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

The Happiest Medium — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:43:03 +0000

The Happiest Medium Review by guest contributor Linnea Covington

Whether you’re M4W, W4M, M4M, or W4W, there is something for everyone in Missed Connections: An Exploration Into The Online Postings Of Desperate Romantics. The play consists of five actors—Jennifer Jean Anderson, Ricky Dunlop, Lauren Roth, Jake McKenna, and Julia Mattison—five Kindles, a handful of accents, and a whole lot of sass. The premise proved simple: scour Craigslist for the best and the worst missed connections postings. For those of you who don’t know what a ‘missed connection’ is, it’s an electronic posting on a website that people do when they see someone and 1) didn’t manage to talk to them, or 2) lost contact with them. It also has become the sort of place where people send long, steamy rants as a sort of digital therapy.

Most of the show is improv, each actor takes turns reading headlines and then another player dramatizes the situation. McKenna, who just returned from the 12th national tour of the musical CATS, did one scenario where a man watches a girl go to town on a Snickers bar. Only, he did it in a flawless Jamaican accent. Laughter ensued, a reaction that continued throughout the skit. Anderson also mastered the art of comedic voices and many of the characters she played were from the South or lived in a trailer park. Not that you know they are hicks, but it’s the clever persona she gives them that makes you believe they are. In the same vein, guest actress Mattison (who is making her Broadway debut in Godspell) perfected the neurotic female-male voice, an excellent choice when reading the part of the creepy man watching his neighbor undress. Yes, people really post things like that.

Save for Mattison, the show was created by the performers and presented for the first time last April. Other guests have included Suellen Vance and another Godspell actor, George Salazar. The best thing about the show is its improv nature and getting to hear the outlandish things these people say. I mean, how many M4M, “I want your balls on my face” posts can there be? Based on this play, a lot. Lucky for the team behind the show, they will always have fresh material as long as Craigslist continues on and people use public forums to express themselves. Thank goodness.

~~~

Missed Connections: An Exploration Into The Online Postings Of Desperate Romantics

Company: Royanth Productions

Directed by: Ricky Dunlop

Mar 01, 10:30PM

Mar 04, 1:00PM

$14.00

The Kraine Theater

~~~

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.

Missed Connections: 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

The Happiest Medium — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:10:07 +0000

Five Questions. Five Answers. And One Big Decision: Rock, Paper, Or Scissors?

Missed Connections – An Exploration into the Online Postings of Desperate Romantics

Company: Royanth Productions
Directed by: Ricky Dunlop

Drawing from the sometimes touching, oftentimes torrid (and almost always grammatically incorrect) postings on craigslist’s most notorious section, Missed Connections is a collection of the best and brightest.

Show Times:

Wed 2/22 @ 7:30 pm
Sat 2/25 @7:00 pm
Mon 2/27 @ 6:00 pm
Thu 3/1 @ 10:30 pm
Sun 3/4 @ 1:00 pm

Answers by Ricky Dunlop

(Writer, Director, Performer)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
That’s some title. How did you come up with it – and what does it mean?
Ricky: Missed Connections – An Exploration into the Online Postings of Desperate Romantics is directly inspired by the source of the material in our show. Check out Missed Connections on Craigslist.com if you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite five people, anyone from past and present, to see your FRIGID show – who would you invite and why?
Ricky: Let’s go with Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Kevin Spacey, Jackie Kennedy and JFK. Just think about all of the tension, scandals, rumors and star power in the room! Missed Connections is the perfect playground for that.

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve ever made for your Art and was it worth it?
Ricky: This cast has all dropped more comfortable lives elsewhere to move to New York City and work survival jobs to stay alive. This cast has been developing this show for the last 9 months without making any money off of it. Is it worth it? Oh, it will be.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and, if so, can you share it?
Ricky: I think we discovered that the Amazon Kindle is a cute little piece of technology and that some of the funniest people in the world are closet cases who workout at 24 hour gyms in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Ricky: I hope they receive a big old belly ache from laughing their faces off and walk away with a greater appreciation for the world wide web.

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament of DEAAAAATH

THM Bonus Question – We’re serious this year!
In the THM virtual Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament of DEAAAAATH which FRIGID Show do you take on? And what do you throw?
Ricky: We would take on The Stranger to Kindness because we LOVE strangers at Missed Connections. We would be throwing the scissors because we’re all about being sharp with comedy. And let’s be honest…who throws paper? I mean, like, a paperboy does but not for a Tournament of DEAAAAATH, right?
Scissors. Final answer. Yes. Scissors…

Wonderful! Good choice! Although Paper would have won you the match … because you were challenged by Love in the Time of Chlamydia (who threw a rock at everyone). But there are more chances! Let’s see if anyone else takes on the show with the longest title in the festival (ahem – you guys). And if they do, hopefully they’ll throw paper. Then … you WIN!

Thanks Missed Connections – An Exploration into the Online Postings of Desperate Romantics for participating in The Happiest Medium’s FRIGID New York Festival 2012 Q&A. And for playing our game! You’re officially SCISSORS in any and all challenges. You may win, you may not – who knows! This is how it works in the crazy world of the Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament of DEAAAAATH!

For the rest of you don’t forget to check out Missed Connections – An Exploration into the Online Postings of Desperate Romantics!

~~~

Missed Connections: An Exploration into the Online Postings of Desperate Romantics
Company: Royanth Productions
Directed by: Ricky Dunlop

Feb 22, 7:30PM
Feb 25, 7:00PM
Feb 27, 6:00PM
Mar 01, 10:30PM
Mar 04, 1:00PM
$14.00