FronteraFest: The Short Fringe at Hyde Park Theatre

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Punky Brewster Dyke," by Julianna Fry. This short comedy follows a young girl through the dazzling world of gender identity as she is guided and misguided by her Gay Godmother and a small cadre of confusing friends - all under 25 minutes with minimal props, players, and technical complications.

"Southern gal sings the bluez in the key of E-Flat," by Ebony Stewart and Zell Miller, III (Uprise! Productions). Uprise! Productions presents excerpts from this show performed by Ebony Stewart (Zora of Radio Silence: a word opera). This hip-hop theater choreopoem explores uses the energy of spoken word, the fluid sweetness of modern dance, and the raw energy of hip-hop movement to explore a child who is a survivor of domestic violence, racism, sexism, and her love for the music that saved her. Directed by Zell Miller, III, choreography by Ananda Mayi Moss.

"Rainbow Ballads," written and performed by Alex Garza. In this original performance, Alex Garza portrays a trio of characters who have dare to ride the rainbow and shout out, sing about, get up on the soapbox to come out. And they do it with PRIDE!! Doody Hazelnut is a sweet, country Mama's boy and a wanna-be country singer with a very unusual stage name and an even more unusual life story. Doody uses colorful monologues and heartfelt songs to tell the tale of his life and times, such as the day he was outed at the pride parade and disowned by his father. And then there's Luann the Lesbian, the partnered woman who expresses her world view and tells it like it is! Join these characters and more as they tell their tales about life, love, politics from a more HOMO perspective. Dare to taste the rainbow!!!

"Pop! Process over product," by Jessica Arnold (Rapscallions of the Periphery). A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process under deadlines and duress. Featuring song&dance, Elvis, and of course, the baby Jesus.

Austin Poetry Slam. Austin’s best slam poets take the stage.

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Awaiting Fate," by Danielle Ricci. A dance piece portraying the emotions experienced during the Salem Witch Trials from the view of the accused.

"Really Mature Relationships," by Max Langert (ASW Commission).
Using market research to parse relationship data and work to solve significant relationship issue.

"A Work of Consequence," by Richard Cambier, Hanna Kenah, and Zeb West. An original work of consequence (an ensemble physical theatre creation).

"Muntu," by Natalie Marlena Goodnow. "Muntu" is a Kikongo word that means both "tree" and "person." Natalie Marlena Goodnow\\\'sone-woman show of the same name is a reflection on the relationships that exist between trees and people, between old Austin and its changing cultural landscape, and between the author and her many selves. It is an invitation to reflect.

Look Cookie Improv. Improv featuring Michael Williams, Leah Moss, Bryan Roberts, Jerry Bilbo, and Kerri Lendo.

Thursday, January 15th, 2009 at 8:00pm
Todo Big Time Presents "No comas tomates antes de dormir porque tendrás pesadillas," by Adam Martinez&Isabelle Salazar. Don\\\'t eat tomatoes before bed or you will have nightmares. "Once social change begins, it can not be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore." Cesar Chavez

"She Creatures: Scenes of Mythic Women," by Sarah Saltwick. Selkies and Sirens, music and food, but above all surprises!

"A Cure for Boredom," by Bastion Carboni. A light-hearted buddy comedy. About suicide. A selection from the collection of plays A Matter of Taste.

"Le Sexy," by Jason Laney and Stephanie Russo. A comedic French lounge act using audience participation and awesome musicianship to create a recipe for success. Performed by Jason Laney and Stephanie Russo.

Girltrap. Brent Foshee and Josh Krilov take the stage in their acclaimed two-person show Girltrap. The two performers, both graduates of Cold Towne Theatre, delve into unreal characters, create sublime environments, and always make their audience laugh uproariously. Always! Coached by Tami Nelson of "Lovey and Love" fame, Girltrap is the future of improvised comedy.

Friday, January 16th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Time of Elements," by Mysti Jace Pride and Nisha Brown. This dance was inspired by the four earthly elements.

"Letters of Compliment&Complaint," by Mocha Jean Herrup. Mocha Jean Herrup presents her critical thinking intervention strategies with corporate America, featuring James Dean Jay Byrd. Monologue with musical accompaniment and PowerPoint.

"Strings," by Jeff Hernandez&Brad McEntire. Audacity Theatre Lab presents a hilarious exploration of what happens when a writer's own creation turns on him.

Girls Girls Girls. An all-female troupe performs a fully-improvised musical with the help of a keyboard player. Everything is made up on the spot and inspired by the suggestion from the audience.

"Calm," a short play for six voices and one piano (The Performer’s Workshop). Six high school students struggle to understand themselves and each other through arson and sexual exploration. As performed by the students of the Performance Workshop under the direction of Michael McKelvey. Book by Nigel O'Hearn. Lyrics by Michael McKelvey.

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Patchwork," by Julianna Fry. A brief look into memories after a death through the disjointed words and wisdom that survive when people may not. This piece serves as an intimate look into one family\'s own journey through dying and grieving and the ways the mind navigates nostalgia as it has to continue on.

"The Choices That We Breathe," by Kristie Schuh. A three character, 20 minute play.

"Tower to Tower: The 1 Man Show," by SaulPaul (Adam Neal). "Tower to Tower" is a a one-man show where creator SaulPaul will take the audience on a journey down memory land as he shares his life story through hip hop and spoken word.

"Coloring Outside the Lines," by Alex Garza. Through a colorful and messy array of characters, Alex Garza performs another new batch of monologues. A zookeeper mourning the death of his very "special" friend! A racist, homophobic homosexual!!! A grown man who doesn\'t know the meaning of the word coordination!!!! A fun, absurd, and sometimes tragic performance!!!!!

"The Alcoholic Drama," by Thomas LeVrier. One act, three actresses, directed by Chase Hodgson.

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Reclaiming Mary," by M. Melissa Marlowe.

"Being the Right Size," by Sissy Siero and Gina Faunt-Saez. One woman’s life-long questions, and epiphanies about how she "fits" into the world; told with stories and original music.

"Fenimore and Randall Get Stuck," Aimee Gonzalez (ASW Commission). A 10-15 minute play directed by Jamison Driskill

"Am I Freaking JOB?" by Erin Molson. The debut of Erin Molson's one woman show based on horrible luck in life and attempting to find the humor in it. This collection of monologues will touch on subjects like being mugged in Chicago, surviving an apartment fire, and the suicide of a close friend along with lighter topics like being dumped for a 19 year-old twice in her life, being shaped like a chicken nugget, and her ability to constantly embarrass herself.

"A Brilliant Revolution," by Francisco Rodriguez, Amanda Garfield, and Fred Jones. KOUP RADIO is on the air- we don't just report the news, we attack it.

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 at 8:00pm
Get Up is two master improvisers, Shana Merlin and Shannon McCormick, presenting narrative long form improv at its best. Expect multiple characters, quick edits, and sophisticated comedy as they make up a complete story on the spot scored by an improvised sound track.

"Bloomingdale's Elephants," by P. Paullette MacDougal (Paradox Players). A 10-minute comedy.

"Firth and Arjet," by Kristin Firth&Jessica Arjet. Kristin Firth and Jessica Arjet create strong and delicious characters based on audience suggestions. Then they use these characters to explore relationships throughout the show. This theatrical improv can be both silly and sublime but it is always marvelous.

"Out of Lines," by Christopher Lee and Christopher Michael (Uprise! Productions). Uprise! Productions presents "Out of Line" featuring Christopher Lee and Christopher Michael, two titans in the slam poetry community come together to show glimpses of black masculinity in this hip-hop theatre piece. What do you have left when sanity begins to fail, haunted by visions of war, religion, and childhood trauma and sexuality. These two walk the line of madness holding on to their only connection to sanity, their pen and pad. Written by Christopher Lee and Christopher Michael. Directed by Zell Miller, III

TBD by Eirik Ott. Some kind of Big Poppa E thing. I don’t know what yet, but it will be charming and funny and heart-broken like always.

Friday, January 23rd, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Two Young Ladies from a Small Texas Town," by Belva McKann. Unforgettable slices of sisters Lurlene&Ruby Jean's life in the Dead Center, TX Trailer Park. Find out what Ruby Jean is hiding, what Lurlene does for fun, and what happened to Mama.

"Harold," an excerpt written and performed by Howard Petrick. Harold is the story of a boy whose dream is to be a great concert violinist. But like many people's dreams in 1950s America, it did not turn out as hoped. A Polish immigrant father, communist music teacher, Jesus-loving grandmother, and an accordion make this a humorous look at small town America during the McCarthy era.

"Anarky and the Baby Ruth." by Melissa Jackson. A short comedic piece in which two candy bar creators meet with Anarky as they're making two human candy bars.

"T.A.G.," by Stamp Lab -- Cheryl Coward, Ana-Maurine Lara,&k.t. shorb. T.A.G. explores transgressive acts and their impact on marked bodies.

Murphy. Long form Chicago-style improv from Lisa Jackson, Kyle Sweeney, Josh Krilov, Anthony Norton, Stephanie Russo, and Brent Foshee.

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Nine Hundred Pound Goose," by Walter Miranda. Drama.

"The Park," by Brandon Furst. A short play.

"Open Mic," by Kerri Lendo&John Morton. Play taking place at a performance open mic.

"Play It by Ear," by Leticia Rodriguez. Solo performance regarding life in the "burbs."

"A Work in Progress, by Seth Johnson&Patton Quinn. Originally begun in couples' counseling, the authors were urge to write dramatic scenes of their relationship in order to understand and work through their problems. Though their romance ultimately broke apart, looking back they realized that the individual scenes formed not only something helpful to them, but a work that would speak to anyone who is or has ever been in love.

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Dress-Up," by Emma Holder and Julia Kitchen. A two-woman improv and sketch show exploring the joy and terror of getting ready for the outside world.

"Lascivious Lunches and Decadent Dinners," by Priscilla Sample (ASW Commission). When her husband dies under unusual circumstances, popular cook and author Lynn Matthews is surprised to find herself a suspect in the police investigation.

ratliff+jackson by John Ratliff and Lisa Jackson. Chicago-style improvised comedy.

"Folding House," by Sheila Gordon. A real estate auction, a stroke victim and 911 Truth seekers converge in this solo performance.

Stephen Pruitt - TBA.

Thursday, January 29th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Five ‘Til," by Aimee Gonzalez (Loaded Gun Theory).

"Cash Smear," by David Garcia. A socio-economic struggle with religious connotative/symbolic elements of a hyper-real world of sex.

"Lovey&Lovey," by Michael Jastroch&Tami Nelson (ColdTowne Theatre). Sketch soaked in gin - two hopeless boozers banter between scenes ranging from funeral heckling to awkward first dates.

"Las Vegas Girl," by Tomothy Braun (Jeanne Harris). A short play about two men recalling the death of women under an Austin "moon" tower.

"Midlife Narrative with a Mandolin," by Nettie Hartsock. Swallowing the Big Pill and looking for the "Big Chill."

Friday, January 30th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"Duty to Warn," by Teresa Stankiewicz. A short play about a young woman with bipolar disorder who has attempted suicide. Her dysfunctional family fights to help her as seen through phone conversations while she spirals out of control.

"Snow in the Heat of Summer," by Consuelo Samarripa. A story or medley of stories, legends, myths.

"Stories From The Block," by Tim Curry. A one-man show about being a prison guard.

"Reunion Musical II," by Charley&Carolyn Devany. A short comedy musical about recovering from high school angst 20 years later.

"A Reluctant Tragic Hero" by Anton Chekhov (humdrum collective). A comic sketch performed by Noel Gaulin&Andrew Varenhorst.

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 at 8:00pm
"McSki," by Bill Johnson. A one-person show.

"Edges," by Amy McAndrew&Cindy Vining. Reflections on female identity.

"(Dys)Connected," by Collin Bjork. An original piece, this short play tells the story of a mother whose search for her missing child is characterized by failed communication.

"My Darkness, My Inheritance," by Marcella Garcia. A monologue on the effects of death of mother at an early age coupled with turning 30.

"Dada Space Clown," by David Jewell. A monologue.

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"After School Special: The Musical," by Rain Nox (Austin New Music Workshop). All the drama, angst, and heavy-handedness of the after school specials you know and love distilled into one head-spinning musical extravaganza.

"Pyretown," by John Belluso (Andrew Varenhorst). Excerpts from John Belluso's play "Pyretown." "The veins that branch through every frame of life, making man what he is, creature divine."

"The Bitter Poet," by Kevin Draine. The Bitter Poet performs his guitar-driven poems for the masses! High energy and hilarious, The Bitter Poet rants his poems of Looking for Love In All the Wrong Coffee Shops, Strip Clubs and Black Box Performance Spaces! Video and audio at: http://www.myspace.com/thebitterpoet

"One AM" (ColdTowne Theatre). Improv featuring Chris Trew and Tami Nelson of ColdTowne.

"Almost Entirely Unlike Comedy," by Hank Schwemmer (ASW Commission). Is it stand-up or a deconstruction of stand-up? And why is there a 12 drink minimum?

Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"The Walls Are Alive (with the sound of)," by Jennifer Margulies. An interior decorator in her mid-thirties goes home in the midst of a family crisis to take care of her mother and redecorate the house where she grew up. The house has two spirits living in its walls: an unborn baby and an unwritten play. This is a tragicomic take on the mortality of mothers and other creative forces; art in the context of commercial and other realities; and the uncanny nature of human potential. There will be singing.

"Damned Avalanche," by Patrick Knisely and Jenny Carlson. A two-person improvised comedy show featuring a montage of related scenes and characters.

"Oh, Daddy!" by Rhonda Kulhanek. A new, original one-woman show from the creator of "The Mommy Confessions."

"Lulu's Charms in the Dark," by Candyce Rusk. Set in Chicago's Riverview Ballroom in the mid 1940's, the piece focuses on three women whose fortunes lie with dancing the night away in good shoes...hard to come by and harder to keep.

Katherine Catmull - TBA

Friday, February 6th, 2009 at 8:00pm
"by a quiet sea," by Wura-Natasha Ogunji. Spoken in six languages, "by a quiet sea" tells the story of 8 women whose paths cross on their way to market. They must navigate both Death and The Road on their journey through the place where Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nigeria and Brazil meet.

"57 Boyfriends," by Stephanie Denson, Kirk German&Heather Huggins (DA! Theatre Collective). An original semi-autobiographical one-woman show.

"You're Killing Me Here," by Sheila Rinear. A one-woman show written by Sheila Rinear, acted by Magda Porter, and directed by David Rinear. Trudy has somehow sneaked into auditions for a Shakespearean company. Since she\'s been out of circulation taking care of her dying mother, Trudy gives outrageous examples of the kind of acting she\'s trained in/capable of and tries to explain how important it is to her to get back to life in the theatre.

"Travel Mugs are following Me," by Natalie George. Dance performance piece with 8-12 performers.

"Whoom," by Emily&Donna (Emily Fordyce).