Oh boy

I am terribly excited to announce that I will be attending the world premiere of The Monster of Phantom Lake, Leigha's first feature film.

Did you know that now this can likely get on the IMDB?

Lottery

Oh joy! Oh rapture! The Ministry of Cultural Warfare has a slot in the 2006 Fringe Festival!

You know what that means: Leigha.

Sigh...

Fringe is half over, and we haven't seen a single show.

We have, however, managed to listen to Fringe podcasts, featuring the lovely Leigha Horton as the Voice of the Fringe.

Comedy for Choice

We're sad to see that Leigha will not be performing at this year's NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota fundraiser, Comedy for Choice.

Fringe 2005

We aren't feeling very optimistic about the Fringe this year, sadly. Let's tick off the points:

1. Fringe applications were done by lottery this year. Though we understand the logic behind it, we think it's a bad idea.

2. Thanks to said lottery, many of the reliable regulars and a few excellent newcomers are stuck on the waiting list...below some of far lesser...quality. We're not just talking Fringe insider gossip here (we're certainly not insiders), we're talking tried-and-true theatre talent of the Twin Cities. Yes, Fringe is about diversity and everyone getting a crack at it, but if it's all mediocre and nobody goes to it, Fringe will be even more in the hole than it already is. And the constant pledge drive at every show is already more than a little irritating (much like turning on MPR during one of their monthly drives). So, what to expect? Hard to say (10 Foot 5 Productions and Ferrari McSpeedy are on the waiting list, as are Ari Hoptman and Amy Salloway, yet someone is doing An Actor's Nightmare as a Fringe show, and Look Ma, I Wrote A Play got in. And where are all of the Illusion Theatre's plays? No justice.).

3. Look Ma No Pants is over. What will replace it? Will there be another late-night show? We can't stand the thought of Fringe ending at 11 p.m. every night. Plus, it's doubtful there are any other shows out there that allow us to remove our pants (which is probably a good thing...great job cornering the market on that one, Scrimshaws).

4. The Ministry of Cultural Warfare didn't even apply this year. No Leigha. This is a bigger tragedy than anything...we hope she appears in some other show.

Add to all that the fact that ticket prices will undoubtedly go up, and those insufferable buttons will remain required, and, well, it's not looking like a lovely August.

But, luckily, there is some good to counteract the bad:

1. We can rely on some excellent productions: Tim Uren & Jen Scott have a show (and a house! How cute is that?), Joe Scrimshaw is doing another one-man show, and Kevin Kling is, of course, there. The Tenth Muse Theatre Company is in, as well.

2. Fringe will be eleven days long rather than the standard ten. We saw over fifty plays last year...what's an extra day going to do?

3. New venue - Mixed Blood Theatre. Lovely space, though out of the way as compared to the other venues. Perhaps a Mixed Blood Day of Fringe will be necessary.

4. We did not show up on the Fringe website's audience shots slideshow (though we were quite close a number of times). We are leery of having our photos on the internet, which is why you've yet to see the lovely photo of us and Leigha taken at the final Look Ma No Pants performance (and not in a Say Anything way, either).

Fringe may be a wash. We shall see.

Hooray!

The latest and greatest news about Leigha is, of course, that she has a boyfriend. We hope he knows how lucky he is.

See Leigha!

Hardcover Theater presents:
BEHIND A MASK
a tale of suspense by Louisa May Alcott

The new governess seemed so humble and submissive. How did she become so powerful? Is it too late to stop her? Love, deceit, betrayal, violence – don’t miss this fast-paced, surprising story, never before seen onstage!

Adapted and directed by Steve Schroer

Featuring Leigha Horton as Jean Muir (!)

Music by Hiram Titus

For more info about the show, visit this website.

WHEN: Nov. 19 – Dec. 12, 2004

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

WHERE: The Playwrights' Center, 2301 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis

TICKETS: $15; $12 students/seniors. Call 612-581-2229.

Squeeeee!! This is in our neighborhood!