Stage Takes

Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026, day 10

I’m running behind, let me speed through.

The Cure Ate Her at Actor’s Company

First show of the day for me and the funniest tour guide you’ll ever have. Non-stop laughs, comedic freedom, top-tier comedy. Hilarious guide that does everything but get through the tour. Museum tour gone wrong, by her own anxiety. The laughs are relentless, fueled by her comedic fearlessness, quick wit, and boundless energy. What begins as a simple museum tour becomes a masterclass in comedic derailment, as her guide manages to do everything except actually get through the exhibit. Beneath the absurdity lies a surprisingly relatable portrait of anxiety, turning a routine tour into a brilliantly funny meltdown that never stops entertaining.

Strange Things at The Broadwater

Dark and brooding, ominous entrance. I knew nothing coming in. Great set, technical design. Really comes together well. Insightful, thoughtful. Good, but feels like it was written for the screen. A play about avoidant attachment. Made me wonder, think about my own humanity. Second half is stronger, first half lacks intimacy.

Strange Beings opens with a dark, brooding atmosphere and an ominous entrance. Knowing absolutely nothing about the show going in, I was quickly drawn in by its impressive technical design and thoughtfully constructed set. While the premise involves an alien encounter and a malfunctioning translator aboard a courier ship, the real drama unfolds between its two pilots, Mina and Caleb. The play has a surprising emotional intelligence, exploring themes of avoidant attachment, vulnerability, and the ways people protect themselves from pain. As the layers of the characters’ history are peeled back, the audience is invited to reflect on their own relationships and capacity for grace. I found myself thinking not only about Mina and Caleb’s humanity, but my own.

The production truly finds its footing in the second half, where the emotional stakes deepen and the character work becomes more intimate and compelling. Thoughtful, insightful, and emotionally resonant, it’s a science-fiction story that keeps its focus firmly on the human heart.

Country Girl Make A Do at The Stray Theater

Sound effects, karaoke, spontaneous, goofy. Sam G. pushes beyond the limit, her show is wildly entertaining and confident. Clown work to an extreme! Like a Jackson Pollock painting… wild, unpredictable, and impossible to look away from. Loved the use of sound effects and incorporating props and effects in, what appears to be, an improvisational manner. Went too long, missed my next show.

Grief Box at The Broadwater

Went to this show on a whim after missing my other show, and I was pleased! This was so entertaining! Award-winning Kathleen Leary. returns to and commands the stage and gets us laughing till after the show is over. An interesting concept, where Dr. Adeline Graves, a motivational speaker, comes to promote her invention, the Grief Box, to help deal with life’s inescapable strifes. It is wild, heartfelt, and gets funnier as the show goes on! A 10 out of 10 in comedy!

Mark Vigeant: Out There!

Mark is one of my favorite performers and this show proves it yet again. I had seen this show last year, and brought my family in to see it this time (for a midnight show); and they loved it! I have nothing new to say about it other than IT IS ONE OF THE BEST FRINGE EXPERIENCES. Come see Larry live-stream his trip in nature, as he plays around with the whole stage and fools around with the audience. An experience you don’t want to miss. I would put it in my top ten.

June 17, 2026

book-review, books, comedy, reviews, writing
Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026, day 9

Hot Stalker at The Actors Company

Yasi Mousavi has created something truly special with Hot Stalker, a captivating one-woman show that is comedy, psychological thriller, and deeply personal memoir. From the moment the show begins, Mousavi keeps the audience laughing while simultaneously building an unsettling tension that has you gripping your seat.

Drawing from her experiences navigating culture, career, romance, mental health struggles, and substance abuse, Mousavi crafts a story that is both vulnerable and fiercely entertaining. The show goes far beyond stand-up comedy, utilizing audience interaction, multimedia elements, and inventive theatrical storytelling to bring her world to life. Every comedic beat feels purposeful, revealing another layer of the complex reality she is attempting to understand.

Funny, seductive, suspenseful, and emotionally honest, Hot Stalker constantly keeps the audience guessing. By the end, you’ll find yourself asking the same question that lingers throughout the show: what/who/which was the hot stalker?

Abby Normal: A musical about Epilepsy at The Broadwater

We are lucky that the Hollywood Fringe Festival is hosting the world premiere of Abby Normal, which the team mentioned is currently an abridged version. (Abby Normal. Ab-normal. Get it?) This original musical tackles the experience of living with an invisible disability through inventive storytelling, heartfelt performances, and a remarkable amount of theatrical magic.

The story follows Abby as she navigates life with epilepsy, represented onstage by a shadowy character named Seizure. Abby’s journey is both deeply personal and universally relatable. While the show offers some educational insight into epilepsy, its greatest strength lies in its focus on the emotional reality of living with a condition that others cannot see.

As someone with an invisible disability myself, I found Abby’s story especially moving. The musical beautifully captures the frustration of feeling misunderstood while also celebrating resilience, humor, and the search for the idea of being normal. The production makes exceptional use of the Broadwater Main Stage, transforming the entire space through imaginative direction, clever staging, and genuinely magical effects. The humor is equally effective, blending slapstick comedy with sharp relational humor that keeps the audience laughing without undercutting the emotional stakes. Abby Normal is funny, heartfelt, and deeply human; a powerful reminder that some of the most significant battles are the ones no one else can see.

Maggie at The Stray Theater

Maggie follows the story of a fly, and honestly, that’s all you need to know before diving into this delightfully bizarre adventure. Mandy Keen delivers clown work at its finest—fearless, physical, and completely committed to the absurd. What begins as a hilarious tale of a trash-dwelling fly searching for connection gradually reveals surprising emotional depth beneath the chaos.

Packed with audience interaction, unexpected turns, and impeccable comic timing, the show keeps the crowd engaged from start to finish. Keen has an impressive ability to orchestrate each moment, knowing exactly when to lean into the ridiculous and when to uncover the show’s surprisingly heartfelt core. Wildly funny, wonderfully weird, and genuinely moving, Maggie is the kind of Fringe experience that reminds you why live theater can be so magical: you never know where it’s going, but you’re thrilled to go along for the ride.

Straight Stoic Straightz: An Alpha Male Podcast

This will sell out, it’s a funny and relevant piece and the audience loved it. I couldn’t stop thinking of the Sabrina Carpenter SNL skit where three teen boys are doing a podcast. In this show, the boys break out into musical solos that expose their inner selves. I think it was a fun gag but it lingered on longer than necessary. The boys sit at their ‘studio’ so what unravels is their internal drama. Entertaining, relevant comedy.

Doofus at The Broadwater

Cole Triplett has so much energy and fully embodies what he is going for, a slapstick comedy clown show filled with physical humor and connection to audiences. Doofus picks out an audience member to be his fellow landlord at the landlord’s meeting. Here’s where I think it fell short. His fellow landlord didn’t seem to be as into it. Now, I know I cannot necessarily critique a non-participating performer but I feel many moments were missed. I don’t know, I’ll come back to this.

June 15, 2026
Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026, day 8

Day 7 was the opening night party. There were probably two shows that happened beforehand. But I can’t see everything. Saw four shows today.

Therapist Zero at the Hudson Theaters

I saw this based on Ernest’s review. It’s a good one. It’s a clear, poignant, and focused piece that explores the complexities of parenting, trauma, and personal growth. Brian Leonard takes us on his journey as a father navigating his daughter’s behavioral challenges, recounting a seemingly endless procession of therapists—from therapist number zero to therapist twenty-something—in search of answers. Along the way, he reflects on his own childhood experiences and the conscious effort required to break cycles of generational trauma rather than pass them on. What makes this show so compelling is its humanity. Leonard approaches difficult subjects with honesty, vulnerability, and just the right amount of humor. While therapists and mental health professionals will certainly appreciate its insights, the story speaks to anyone who has struggled, healed, or tried to become a better version of themselves. Thoughtful, relatable, and deeply human, this is a straightforward yet affecting piece.

What Survives at The Broadwater

I got the invite from Rachel Meyers who I view as one of the greatest actors I have seen perform live. TThe show is composed of a series of powerful, tightly crafted vignettes, each offering a different glimpse into the American nightmare many people are living through today. I have seen this style of political theater done before, but I think this raises the ceiling for me, better than I have seen it done before. Every performance is precise and deeply felt, with each actor fully embodying the emotional and environmental pressures weighing on their character.

I wonder why the director chose to have actors seated on the side of the stage as a scene went on. I could see some tune into the show, others preparing to get into character. But it also felt poetic, in that the general population watches as people go through their struggles, sometimes without a care.

Jimi Darkness: Alcoholic Superhero at Three Clubs

Someone on Facebook said, “I just got out of the best show I’ve ever seen, Jimi Darkness” and that was all I knew going into this show. In the theater, I asked fellow audience members how they heard about this show, and they all say they know James. By the end of the performance, I understood why they had shown up and cheered on every song.

Jimi Darkness is unlike anything I’ve seen before: a darkly funny, emotionally devastating musical that blends rock, gospel, and traditional musical theater into something wholly original. The story follows Jimi, a struggling musician and vigilante superhero whose powers are fueled by alcohol. As he begins attending AA meetings and confronting his addiction, he finds himself trapped between the fantasy of saving the world and the reality that he can no longer save himself.

It is a musical with more soul and pain than I have ever seen in a musical! The story follows Jimi, who is new to the world of Alcoholics Anonymous and continues to try to live his double life as a vigilante superhero. It is brilliant, one of a kind, a blend of rock, gospel, and musical theater. These actors really did their research and fully portray the struggle of addiction.

The music is powerful, the concept is brilliant, and the execution is fearless. Equal parts rock opera, superhero story, recovery narrative, and dark comedy, Jimi Darkness is truly one of a kind. It’s the rare Fringe show that feels both wildly entertaining and deeply meaningful, leaving you humming the songs while reflecting on the cost of the battles we fight within ourselves.

So I don’t lose momentum – this is going in Top Ten

The Lord of the Rings: The Council of Elrond: Part 4

I saw this show twice because I enjoy it so much. That should be descriptive enough for you to go see it yourself.

June 12, 2026

movies, music, reviews, theatre, writing
Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026, day 6

My Brother’s Room at The Broadwater

Wow. This was a show I happened to have time for on a whim, and it completely blew me away. Dare I say it’s the Good Will Hunting of Fringe this year.

The play follows an older brother returning home after years on the run; and that’s really all you need to know going in. What unfolds is a deeply human story brought to life by a young company with an exceptional script and richly developed characters. It took me a few minutes to settle into the world of the play, but once I did, these characters absolutely won me over.

The performances felt intimate, genuine, and lived-in. Every relationship carried a sense of history, and the actors navigated the emotional complexity of the material with impressive authenticity. The set was thoughtfully designed and transformed throughout the production in creative and effective ways, making the most of the space. I would love to hear more about the process behind creating this show.

If I had one note, it’s that some of the visual casting and character presentation occasionally worked against the story being told. While the actress portraying the mother delivered a stellar performance, she appeared younger than the role suggested, which sometimes made it difficult to fully buy into the family dynamic. Similarly, the men described as living on the streets looked noticeably well-kept, creating a small disconnect between the script and what was seen onstage.

Reservoir Dolls at The Broadwater

Lani Harms returns to Fringe with a sharp, hilarious, and cleverly constructed exploration of Quentin Tarantino’s iconic female characters. Blending live performance with multimedia elements, Harms creates a world where women from across the Tarantino multiverse collide, reflect, and fight for agency within stories that have historically been shaped by men.

What makes the show particularly compelling is its balance of comedy and commentary. The audience is treated to laugh-out-loud moments and loving parodies to Tarantino’s filmography,. The result is both entertaining and surprisingly thoughtful.

Without giving away any of the surprises, this is a show best experienced firsthand. It sold out its entire run last year, and after seeing how much stronger it has become, it’s easy to understand why. Don’t wait too long to get a ticket.

Show Me Your Dick at The Broadwater, Second Stage

Genuine, unhinged, and completely unforgettable. Cara Meyers delivers a one-woman show that is raw, hilarious, brutally honest. And yes, filled with an astonishing number of dick pics.

Through a deeply personal exploration of dating, relationships, and life in a larger body, Meyers examines the ways society and men have treated her differently because of her size. What could easily become a heavy or purely educational piece instead strikes a remarkable balance between comedy and insight. Meyers is a natural storyteller, finding humor in even the most absurd and frustrating experiences while never losing sight of the larger message at the heart of the show.

What makes the show so effective is that it never feels preachy. Meyers presents her experiences with confidence, and self-awareness, allowing the audience to arrive at the show’s conclusions alongside her. Beneath the outrageous stories and visual gags is a thoughtful examination of desirability, body image, and the ways people are judged before they even have the chance to introduce themselves.

One of the most important shows of this year’s Fringe. Come for the laughs, stay for the perspective shift. And yes, as promised, you will see a lot of dicks.

June 10, 2026
Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026, day 5

Animal Instinct by Olivia Atwood @ The Broadwater, Studio

I have seen Olivia perform last year at Fringe and she is an excellent storyteller, not to be missed! Her show is hilarious, insightful, and witty; it follows the gut instinct inside each of us to tell us whether something is right/wrong, good/bad. We are on a journey with Olivia and her boyfriend, from on side of Texas to another, but get lost inside her mind to, let’s say, process some things. Overall Olivia’s personality carries the show, keeping us engaged throughout, and has themes of human nature that leave us introspective after the end of the show. If your gut is telling you to see this show, I’d recommend listening to it.

2026 Salem Witch Trails

Had no idea what I was walking into but I left with my jaw dropping on the floor. A true story about religious trauma, something we see horror films about and are able to listen to an actual account of through Gretchen Wylder’s own experience. I don’t want to say anything about the plot of the show, but Wylder writes, “Based on the true story of a tarot-reading lesbian forced from her home by Christian neighbors likely in a cult” and the things you will learn in this production are mind blowing. It is an exciting and thrilling show, will have you at the edge of your seat wondering what comes next. Wylder intertwines the power of sound and finds comedy in her use of multimedia. An unforgettable show!

June 9, 2026
Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026, day 4

Aidan Flynn: FameMaxxing at The Actor’s Company

Trust the title of the show, Aidan Flynn spends the show trying to convince us why he should be famous. The show is filled with gags and bits, some that include audience participation. What makes the show work is the commitment to the character. Having met Flynn outside of the performance, it’s clear that the exaggerated ego on display is a carefully crafted creation. And yes, you leave with a signed headshot.

https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/14047

NILBOG! The Troll 2 Musical at Cat’s Crawl

A musical based on what is ranked one of the best worst films of all time. The intro jokes around about how bad it is and then we are transported to a town of 20 people, Nilbog! The cast fills the stage with larger-than-life characters, ridiculous plot twists, and a constant stream of laughs. It began as an immersive experience and the actors managed to utilize the stage as well as the entire space around, infecting the audience with fun energy. An outrageously fun night of theater that fully commits to the madness. I had an absolute blast. (I will say here that it felt too long, at 90 minutes).

https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/13950

The Man Who Drew The Universe at The Broadwater

A play that follows the relationship between comic book writers/artists Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and how ego gets in the way; a battle of ownership, historical fiction at its finest. An immensely interesting story that intertwines history through the environment and behavior of characters, looping in and out of different time periods. Excellent performances from Lief Gantvort (Stan Lee), Reid Emmons (Steve Ditko), and Bryan McKinley (Jack Kirby) who play the titular characters, with nuance and intelligence. Each character is so complex, humanely written, and integral to the story. Incredible acting, expert writing, detailing two different perspectives in one timeline. A simple set that has detail. A rare find at the Hollywood Fringe Festival; nearly ready for a professional run.

https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/13406

Them’s The Shakes: Life, Love, and Parkinson’s at Actor’s Company

Had no idea what I was about to see but am incredibly grateful to have witnessed Jeremy Moody’s story. A hidden gem of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, a rare experience of truth on stage. I could not tell if it is dark comedy, or light-hearted, because Moody manages to have us feel it all with him. Moody makes us laugh, makes us cry, and offers us a different and unique perspective. Moody was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his thirties, but the show, I feel, has little to do with his medical diagnosis. It is a show about love, about caring so deeply. Moody reminds us what really matters in the end, and I would write it here but you have to see the show. Highly recommend!

Dinasours by Mandy Rubeli at The Broadwater

The show, Dinosaurs by Mandy Rubeli, returns following its 2024 award-winning Fringe run. A delightful mix of fantasy, science fiction, healing deep childhood wounds, and even comedy. The show is so fast-paced and enjoyable, that I felt like I had been warped into a different time period myself! Wonderful performances and a thought provoking script. Fun experience! The cast seems like they had so much fun creating it while still staying true to the tense themes of the show!

June 8, 2026

interview, marvel-comics, movies, theatre, writing
Hollywood Fringe Festival, day 3

I must say, I haven’t laughed this hard in so long. Frank Sirracha, Club Clown, and Lord of the Rings really did great.

Disco Therapy by Liza Dealey-Thomason at The Brodwater, Second Stage

Disco Therapy by Liza Dealey-Thomason is a magical and unforgettable experience at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. The production describes itself as “a high-energy immersive cabaret blending live disco covers, comedy, storytelling, and audience participation into one unforgettable group therapy session,” and it absolutely delivers on that promise.

As a longtime admirer of Liza’s work, I couldn’t help but see Disco Therapy as a spiritual successor to her award-winning show Supernova. The piece beautifully demonstrates something I have long believed in art’s capacity to heal. In fact, the healing power of art was the focus of my master’s thesis, and witnessing an artist not just talk about healing but actively create it in real time felt genuinely moving.

Liza is a captivating performer, bringing warmth, authenticity, and remarkable presence to every moment. Even during preview-performance technical hiccups, she remained fully engaged with the audience, transforming potential disruptions into opportunities for connection. Her ability to invite audience members into the experience while carefully managing the show’s rhythm and pacing is impressive.

Part cabaret, part communal celebration, and part emotional release, Disco Therapy creates a space where joy, vulnerability, and play coexist. It’s a memorable, uplifting, and surprisingly healing theatrical experience that lingers long after the music ends. Highly recommended.

Meet the Robinsons at The Broadwater, Main Stage:

Annika Hoseth’s Meet the Robinsons: The Unoffical Musical Parody has everything you could want in a great musical. While adapted from the beloved 2007 film Meet the Robinsons, the production confidently establishes its own identity, bringing fresh ideas and original creative touches to the material. Though billed as a “musical parody,” it transcends that label, becoming a fully realized work that stands on its own merits.

The show is impressively well-structured, filled with heart, memorable music, and dynamic choreography that keeps the energy high throughout. One of its greatest strengths is its characterization. The cast manages to capture the exaggerated, cartoon-like spirit of the original film while creating characters who feel relatable, emotionally grounded, and genuinely developed. Each character is given room to grow, resulting in satisfying arcs that resonate with the audience.

Funny, heartfelt, imaginative, and bursting with creativity, Meet the Robinsons is a memorable ensemble piece that demonstrates the best of what the Hollywood Fringe Festival has to offer.

The Delulu Diaries at The Stephanie Feury Theater

Lucy Isaula stretches a fantasy premise into what becomes a raw, honest, comedic, and ultimately heartbreaking experience. The Delulu Diaries follows an unnamed woman whose apartment is broken into in the middle of the night, forcing her to confront not only a faceless intruder but also the stories and delusions she has built around herself. Through humor and vulnerability, Isaula explores struggles familiar to many young adults who find themselves carrying burdens they are not quite ready to face.

Isaula delivers a committed and engaging performance, balancing comedy and pain with sincerity. The Delulu Diaries is an ambitious piece that invites audiences into the messy, nonlinear process of confronting loss, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. While the structure occasionally feels fragmented, and several blackouts toward the end interrupt the momentum, those choices also reinforce the protagonist’s fractured state of mind.

Frank Sriracha: Home Is Where The Stage Is at The Broadwater, Black Box

I think I just saw the funniest show in all of Fringe. Myself and the audience could not stop laughing for one moment. I’m laughing even reading the show description online. Max Charbonneau fully commits to the character’s ego, desperation, and unpredictability, taking theatrical risks that feel genuinely surprising. Hilarious satire of celebrity, self-importance, and the desperate need to be loved by an audience.

If you’re looking for a show that will leave your face hurting from laughter, Frank Sriracha’s Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony is an easy recommendation. One of the standout comedy experiences of the Fringe, it’s fearless, ridiculous, and unforgettable.

Club Clown at The Broadwater, Mainstage

The hottest, most exclusive nightclub in all of Fringe. A masterclass of clown work with top tier performers that will remind you how thrilling live comedy can be. This late-night showcase gathers an impressive lineup of clown performers, each bringing a uniquely bizarre, inventive, and unforgettable character to the stage. The show has an edge to it, embracing the weird, the unexpected, and the delightfully uncomfortable in ways that make live comedy feel exciting and unpredictable. Hosted by the endlessly charismatic William Thomas McFadden, the evening never loses momentum. Based on the schedule, the cast is rotating, but I can trust that each performer knows what they are doing.

The Council of Elrond: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Extended Editon: Part 4 at The Broadwater, Black Box

A masterclass of directing film. No, a masterclass of comedy. Come revisit the making of The Lord of the Rings, with Peter Jackson and his cinematographer, with the onset conflicts that you will witness. As absurd as it sounds, yes. An excellent late night show Nonstop laughs, top tier comedy. These actors are all hilarious in how much they commit into their roles. A perfect comedy complete with majestic set props and technical effects.

June 7, 2026

film, movies, review, reviews, theatre
Hollywood Fringe Festival, day 2

Emotional Alpha by Andrew Knox

A masterfully structured show that somehow gets funnier with every passing minute. Andrew Knox stars as Eleos Richard, a Licensed Male Emotions Specialist, and welcomes the audience to an Alpha Male Bootcamp for heterosexual men. As absurd as that premise sounds, the show evolves into something surprisingly heartfelt and moving.

Knox expertly blends therapeutic concepts with laugh-out-loud comedy, maintaining a sharp satirical edge throughout. The result is a unique theatrical experience that manages to parody masculinity while also exploring it with genuine compassion and insight.

This is unlike anything else you’ll see at Fringe. It is boldly original, highly conceptual, and consistently entertaining. It may be too early to make predictions, but I have a strong feeling this will end up in my Top Ten of the festival. I already plan to see it again, and I genuinely believe it deserves to sell out every night.

Sperm Assassination by Pam Levin

In Sperm Assassination, Pam Levin’s one-woman show, she recounts her journey toward accepting motherhood with honesty, vulnerability, and humor. Levin is an award-winning performer and a charismatic storyteller, and her authenticity shines throughout the production. She presents her experiences with remarkable candor, allowing the audience to engage directly with her perspective rather than leaving room for excessive interpretation.

While deeply personal, the story touches on universal themes of anxiety, uncertainty, and life-changing decisions. Even as someone who has not experienced motherhood, I found myself connecting to the fears and questions surrounding parenthood. Levin explores a path traveled by many and finds meaningful ways to share its lessons, transforming personal experience into something both therapeutic and relatable.

One aspect that left me puzzled was the title. “Sperm Assassination” refers to only a small chapter of the larger story, making it feel somewhat disconnected from the overall narrative. Additionally, the show’s 75-minute runtime, felt a bit stretched, especially as it ran slightly over schedule.

Despite these minor criticisms, Sperm Assassination is a raw, sincere, and meaningful piece of theater. Levin’s warmth and skill as a performer make her story engaging from start to finish, offering an intimate reflection on fear, choice, and the unexpected ways we find meaning in life’s biggest transitions.

Fucking Famous by Molly Sharpe

Award-winning performer Molly Sharpe returns to the Hollywood Fringe Festival with yet another memorable comedic triumph. Fucking Famous is, simply put, fucking funny. Sharpe takes the stage bruised, battered, and sporting a bloody nose, but as any performer knows, the show must go on. What follows is a delightfully uncomfortable concert/comedy experience that invites us to laugh and sing along. Molly invites the audience to participate, sometimes hilariously demands. Her over the top set needs become a joy for the audience to participate in. A bold, hilarious, and joyfully unpredictable show that reminds us why she remains one of the festival’s most distinctive performers. If the audience does not participate the show is doomed. Just a fair warning (or invitation), though we had a great crowd. I became a bit embarrassed as I screwed up a cue near the end of the show.

Welcome to Hell by Mark Vigeant

Mark is one of my all time favorite performs. Great show, but, I’ll get to this tomorrow. I need to sleep.

June 6, 2026

art, books, comedy, writing
Hollywood Fringe Festival, day 1

I am excited to jump back into reviewing shows for the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Let me use this site to offer a more personal take and detail more of my experience. Today I drove over to The Broadwater after work, and I would say today started out slow. The vibes weren’t there yet, but I ran into artists I had met before as well as new people whom I expect to see their shows. I managed to see four shows and get a good bit of socializing in. By my third show I was drained. Pleased to see Bryan doing security at the door for Plunge, as well as Trevor, doing a podcast on the sidewalk. Anyways, on with the reviews.

Party Boy by Adam Smith

I had seen Adam Smith’s previous work, so I came in expecting to be entertained and he did not disappoint. Party Boy follows a man seemingly searching for connection amid the chaos of his own party, at least as I interpreted it. The show is an immersive experience driven by a character whose awkward, unpredictable energy evokes the spirit of Andy Kaufman and Zach Galifianakis. Much of the humor comes from watching him navigate his own discomfort, creating moments that are both cringeworthy and hilarious.

Smith demonstrates a remarkable ability to work a live audience, skillfully reading, shaping, and amplifying the energy in the room. His audience interactions feel spontaneous yet controlled, drawing viewers deeper into the experience. The comedic timing throughout is impeccable, with each moment landing exactly when it should. I thoroughly enjoyed Party Boy and found it to be a funny, engaging, and memorable performance.

Wet Hot AMUSICAL Summer

A musical parody of campy theater about a movie that is a revival of a cult classic, one of the most fun experiences in all of Fringe! If you’re looking for smart, strange, high-energy comedy and a night of pure entertainment, this is a must-see. It’s a celebration of over-the-top theatricality that embraces its ridiculousness with infectious enthusiasm. Award-winning Cherry Poppins Theater Company does it again, with another smash hit at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Expect to be entertained and not care too much about the plot. Sitting here, I cannot think of major themes, yet I hum through the music from the show. Direction, choreography, singing, and comedy all at a 10! I see that the program lists all characters as “Wet Hottie” so I don’t want to spoil any surprises here. It is bizarre, absurd, bold, boundary-pushing comedy.

DWNYC

This production is an adaptation of Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter, relocated to 1970s New York. I am a fan of Harold Pinter’s work and I appreciated the opportunity to see this classic brought to life on stage. The play’s tension, ambiguity, and dark humor remain intact. The performances are solid, and that feels to be the main focus of the production. Two actors produced this project and that is respectable, I am loving the emergence of classical works at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. For those who enjoy watching revivals and/or classic works, this provides an enjoyable evening of theater.

Banana Man Live

What an imaginative and deeply moving piece of theater. The best way I can describe it is as “live theater animation”. Banana Man Live production that feels as though a cartoon has come to life on stage through creativity, movement, and sheer theatrical ingenuity. If you allow yourself to step into Ari Fromm’s imaginative world, you’ll be richly rewarded. The story follows a banana on a journey of self-discovery. Beneath its playful premise lies a thoughtful and surprisingly profound exploration of identity, belonging, and possibility.

I especially loved the inventive set pieces and props, which are woven seamlessly into the storytelling. Every visual element feels purposeful and enhances the whimsical nature of the production. Fromm’s performance is equally impressive as they effortlessly shifts between multiple fruit characters, giving each one a distinct personality and comic voice.

This is the kind of Fringe show that reminds you how limitless theater can be: imaginative, heartfelt, hilarious, and unlike anything else you’ll see.

June 5, 2026

comedy, movies, reviews, theatre, writing
For The Love of the Game

Hello all, just writing this post to remind ya’ll that I do this for the love of the game. It brings me intrinsic happiness to watch a show and think about it later. Sometimes it’s harder to think about some shows than others (i.e, too many thoughts in my head, too much in between, didn’t bring my journal) but I do what I can, for myself. I don’t do this for my reputation, or for any kind of success; it is a calling of some sort. I don’t belong to any company other than myself. This also has nothing to do with any other thing that I do in my life. I realize that some of my opinions may be a bit extreme, or I could walk out of a show REALLY LIKING IT or REALLY NOT LIKING IT. Maybe I need to work on walking the middle path more, but it is only my opinion. With all my reviews I try to include a bit of positivity. I appreciate all of the shows I get invited to and I’m sorry for the one’s I can’t make. Inviting me is a gamble. I like to listen to what other audience members say too, but generally there is some kind of consensus. Anyway, these are just my thoughts today and will probably add to this post as time goes on.

March 7, 2026