Pic from the Spring 2019 Audacity Solo Salon

Justin Lemieux, Tyler Cochran, Erin Singelton and host Brad McEntire

Erin Singleton performing Diagnose Me

Audacity Solo Salon - Spring 2019

The aim of the Audacity Solo Salon is to support and nurture both established and emerging solo performers in the north Texas area. It is also a way to extend the mission of the Dallas Solo Fest beyond just the annual festival itself.

This quarterly series will be a way for solo artists to present, rehearse, experiement with and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. Come on out and see a new one-person show in progress...

This installment in what has become a semi-quarterly series from Audacity Theatre Lab will feature excerpts from solo shows-in-progress by Justin Lemieux, Erin Singleton and Abel Flores.

Monday, April 1st @ 7:30 pm
At the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, Dallas TX
For directions and parking information visit... HERE

Admission is P-W-Y-C, with any and all donations are welcome (donations go towards the the Dallas Solo Fest).
Also BYOB!

The Excerpts:

Justin Lemieux

Girl Dad - Written and Perfomed by Justin Lemieux
A rollercoaster journey through relationships, Girl Dad is a heart-warming exploration of one man's understanding of masculinity. When Justin becomes father to only daughters his expectations are upended and he must confront his assumptions about what girls experience in the world.

Erin Singleton

Diagnose Me - Written and Performed by Erin Singleton
Erin can spot misalignments. In this rousing show formatted like a TED talk-turned-confessional, Erin explores what happens when a person confronts her crippling need to fix the people in her life, but can't.

Tyler Cochran

Abel Flores, Jr.

AFJ - Written by Abel Flores, Jr. & Tyler Cochran, Performed by Abel Flores, Jr.
AFJ wants to be president and everything is riding on this speech. Will he be able to get your vote or crack under the pressure of his bold promises? This one-man show harkens back to the great political speeches of our past world leaders while still reminding us of the haunting qualities of the current political climate. Co-written by Tyler Cochran, Abel Flores Jr. brings his alter ego, AFJ, to the spotlight with a performance that will allow audiences to witness the absurdity of certain candidates that we know all too well.

Pics from Spring 2018 Audacity Solo Salon

This installment of the Audacity Solo Salon series was held on March 5, 2018 and featured excerpts from solo shows-in-progress by Blake Henri, Shayne Larango and Brad McEntire.

Shayne Larango

Blake Henri

Audacity Solo Salon - Spring 2018

The aim of the Audacity Solo Salon is to support and nurture both established and emerging solo performers in the north Texas area. It is also a way to extend the mission of the Dallas Solo Fest beyond just the annual festival itself. 

This quarterly series will be a way for solo artists to present, rehearse, experiement with and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. Come on out and see a new one-person show in progress...

This installment in what has become a semi-quarterly series from Audacity Theatre Lab will feature excerpts from solo shows-in-progress by Blake Henri, Shayne Larango and Brad McEntire.

Monday, March 5 @ 7:30 pm
At the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, Dallas TX
For directions and parking information visit... HERE

Admission is FREE, but any and all donations are welcome (donations go towards the the Dallas Solo Fest).
Also BYOB!

The Excerpts:
An Illiad - Adapted by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, Perfomed by Blake Henri
“An Iliad” is a modern-day retelling of Homer’s Trojan War epic. The lone figure onstage is a storyteller, possibly Homer, possibly one of the many bards who followed in his footsteps. He is fated to tell this story throughout history, destined to document all of the wars that have happened, and, possibly, all of the wars to come. It uses the tale of Achilles vs. Hector as its vehicle, but it also explores the journey of the storyteller and his struggle with his/her own humanity. With poetry and humor, “An Iliad” grasps the heroism of war, the horrors of war, and mankind’s compulsion towards violence. The play premiered at Seattle Rep, played at Portland Center Stage in 2010 and the Undermain here in Dallas in 2012 (with two performers on stage). Now a young solo performer cuts his teeth with the piece.

Miss Something - Written and Performed by Shayne Larango
Shayne Larango has a charming affect that seduces you into submission and then bites you on the ass. “Miss Something” is one of her Ten Gallon Texas Tales about a young woman finally stepping into the spotlight created by her own hand. Come bask in the pageantry, conflict, and humor that life in Texas has to offer.

​Robert's Eternal Goldfish - Written and Performed by Brad McEntire
Robert J. Roberts has a huge problem with the world. In particular he really dislikes people. All people. One day he becomes the unlikely custodian of a magical goldfish and Mr. Roberts' misanthropic view of the world is seriously challenged. Can a person be frustrated into being a better human being? The play premiered at the Out of the Loop Festival in 2014. McEntire continues to develop and tour the piece.

Pics from the Audacity Solo Salon - Spring 2017

Shelby-Allison Hibbs, Chris Sykes and Shayne Larango all presented solo works-in-progress on May 7 at the Spring 2017 Audacity Soilo Salon. Good vibes, solid work and a receptive audience made it a great evening. Hosted by Brad McEntire.

Audacity Solo Salon - Spring 2017

Shelby-Allison Hibbs, Chris Sykes and Shayne Larango.

The aim of the Audacity Solo Salon is to support and nurture both established and emerging solo performers in the north Texas area. It is also a way to extend the mission of the Dallas Solo Fest beyond just the annual festival itself. 

This quarterly series will be a way for solo artists to present, rehearse, experiement with and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. Come on out and see a new one-person show in progress...

This installment in what has become a semi-quarterly series from Audacity Theatre Lab will feature excerpts from solo shows-in-progress by Shelby-Allison Hibbs, Chris Sykes and Shayne Larango.

Sunday, May 7 @ 8:00 pm
[re-scheduled from the original March 26 date]
At the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, Dallas TX
For directions and parking information visit... HERE

Admission is FREE, but any and all donations are welcome (donations go towards the the Dallas Solo Fest).
Also BYOB!

The Excerpts:
DemiRepubliCan't - Written and Performed by Shelby-Allison Hibbs
In the second installment of Shelby-Allison Hibbs' solo piece on politics and memory, the election results are in! Shelby-Allison has to move from juice boxes to hard liquor as she presses forward in 45's possession of her country. Maybe she'll move to Canada. Maybe she'll sell plasma. Maybe she'll continue to have a codependent relationship with her chihuahuas. Time will tell. 
​
Same Difference - Written and Performed by Chris Sykes
An experimental one-person piece about the casually extreme and nuanced contradictions that exist all around us.

Smell the Roux - Written and Performed by Shayne Larango
A legacy member of the Way to a Man’s Heart, Three Squares, and Clean Your Plate Club resists. An irreverent look at how food culture shapes our lives and our bodies.

Audacity Solo Salon - Autumn 2016

Mikey Abrams, Stefany Cambra and Issac Young

The aim of the Audacity Solo Salon is to support and nurture both established and emerging solo performers in the north Texas area. It is also a way to extend the mission of the annual Dallas Solo Fest beyond just the festival itself. 

This quarterly series will be a way for solo artists to rehearse, experiement and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. Come on out and see a new one-person show in progress...

This most recent installment in what has become a semi-quarterly series from Audacity Theatre Lab will featured excerpts from solo pieces in development by Mikey Abrams, Stefany Cambra and Isaac Young.

It was held Sunday, November 20 @ 7:30 pm at the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, Dallas TX

Admission to all Audacity Solo Salons is P-W-Y-C (donations go towards the the Dallas Solo Fest). Also BYOB!

The Excerpts:T
he Joy of Publik Skool - Written and Performed by Mikey Abrams
After years of teaching drama in the inner city near Dallas, a gay Jewish high school teacher, exhausted and frustrated, swears this year will be his last in the classroom. He will finally get to live his dream of acting in a lead role. Or will he? In his one-man comedy, writer-performer Mikey Abrams doesn’t filter the reality.  Just makes it funnier. 

Big Enough: The Adventures and Musings of a Bumblefuck - Written and Performed by Stefany Cambra
A one-person show that focuses on interactions of love and blending in until being ready to stand out.

BLINK - Written and Performed by Isaac Young
A one-man play about the angel Gabriel, who has returned to earth with a crisis of faith.

Audacity Solo Salon - Autumn 2015

Maggie Gallant, Kris Noteboom and Danielle Martin

The aim of the Audacity Solo Salon is to support and nurture both established and emerging solo performers in the north Texas area. It is also a way to extend the mission of the annual Dallas Solo Fest beyond just the festival itself.
This quarterly series will be a way for solo artists to rehearse, experiement and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. Come on out and see a new one-person show in progress...

This fifth event in a quarterly series from Audacity Theatre Lab will feature excerpts from pieces in development by Maggie Gallant, Kris Noteboom and Dani Martin.

Tuesday, November 17 @ 7 pm
At the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, Dallas TX
For directions and parking information visit... HERE

Admission is P-W-Y-C (donations go towards the the 2016 Dallas Solo Fest).
Also BYOB!

Audacity Solo Salon - Summer 2015

Jeff Hernandez, Erin Singleton and Jeffrey Colangelo

The aim of the Audacity Solo Salon is to support and nurture both established and emerging solo performers in the north Texas area. It is also a way to extend the mission of the annual Dallas Solo Fest beyond just the festival itself. 

This quarterly series will be a way for solo artists to rehearse, experiement and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. Come on out and see a new one-person show in progress...

This second in a quarterly series from Audacity Theatre Lab will feature excerpts from pieces in development by Erin Singleton ("Super MortaL"), Jeffrey Colangelo ("Fight Night") and Jeff Hernandez ("Jon Goes To Mars").

August 2, 2015 at 7:30 pm
At the Margo Jones Theatre, 
1121 First Avenue in Fair Park, Dallas TX 75210
Admission is P-W-Y-C (donations go towards the the 2016 Dallas Solo Fest).

Also BYOB!

Audacity Solo Salon - Spring 2015

Lindsay Hayward, Kevin Fuld and John S. Davies

The aim of the Audacity Solo Salon is to support and nurture both established and emerging solo performers in the north Texas area. It is also a way to extend the mission of the annual Dallas Solo Fest beyond just the festival itself. 
 
This quarterly series will be a way for solo artists to rehearse, experiement and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. Come on out and see a new one-person show in progress...

This third in a quarterly series from Audacity Theatre Lab will feature excerpts from pieces in development by John Davies, Lindsay Hayward, and Kevin Fuld.

Curated by Brad McEntire.

Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 7:30 pm
At the Margo Jones Theatre, 
1121 First Avenue in Fair Park, Dallas TX 75210
[map and info here]

FREE! (though a P-W-Y-C donation is suggested)

Pics from the Audacity Solo Salon

Nice turnout of about a dozen audience members. The performers read some excerpts with real potential. Next Solo Salon on December 8, 2014.

Steven Young, Beth Bontley and Van Quattro

Steve Young reading his piece The Ratboy of Soulard

Beth Bontley reading her piece One Woman Speaks for the Women Who Carried the Word

Van Quattro reads Standing Eight Count

Dallas Observer covers Audacity Solo Salon

Audacity Solo Salon Offers Early Glimpses
at Three Solo Stage Works 
Dallas Observer | By Danielle Georgiou | August 25 2014

Van Quartto, Steven Young and Beth Bontley will present works-in-progress
at the Audacity Solo Salon

In May, Brad McEntire and Audacity Theatre Lab brought eight artists and eight solo shows to town and stacked them all together inside the Margo Jones Theatre. For the first festival of its kind here, Dallas Solo Fest went well. So well, in fact, that McEntire has devised a quarterly workshop event, the Audacity Solo Salon, to foster an environment that provides ongoing support for Dallas solo performers. 

With the Solo Salon, audiences and artists are given a chance to see solo acts present their works-in-progress, providing a front-row seat to the development of the pieces. Things could go terribly wrong, actors could fall flat on their asses or things could go terribly right and you have the chance to catch a beautiful moment in creative history. 

"This will be a way for solo artists to rehearse, experiment and develop their work in front of supportive audiences. The Audacity Solo Salon artists have the opportunity to perform and try out new work in a safe and informal setting," McEntire says. "It is my hope that it will serve as a gathering place so solo artists and their audiences can meet and inspire each other, maybe cultivating a collaborative network of solo performers, playwrights, directors and so on." 

The first performers featured are Van Quattro, Steve Young and ElizaBeth Bontley. 

Van Quattro's Standing Eight Count finds a young broken-hearted man sorting out how to salvage his life. 

Quattro was born and raised in Los Angeles, and during his time there he appeared in over 20 stage productions and television shows including Millennium, Chicago Hope, Pickett Fences and General Hospital, and films Fight Club and End of Days. But Texas has him now. He has worked at Casa Mañana, the Dallas Theater Center (as Boo in To Kill A Mockingbird), Theatre Three (as Arthur in Superior Donuts), and he was recently in Second Thought Theater's A Behanding in Spokane, Water Tower Theater's Grapes of Wrath and Theater Arlington's Of Mice and Men. 

In The Rat Boy of Soulard by Steven Young, we are taken back to the 1960s as 6-year-old, sun burnt, bald headed, short-trousered, Mickey-Mouse-ear-wearing Stevie Verbal and his mother struggle to handle her alcoholism. ("Soulard" is the French word for a drunkard). 

Young is a playwright, actor, director and theatre educator, who has worked all over the United States and England, and was an alternate for the New York Drama League director's fellowship. He has appeared in over 40 Shakespearian roles and won the Shakespeare Quarterly's Justin Shaltz Award for best supporting actor for his portrayal of Falstaff in Henry IV part 2 at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Locally, he recently appeared in the one-man show The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs at Amphibian. He is a drama faculty member at Texas Woman's University. 

One Woman Speaks for the Women Who Carried the Word, finds ElizaBeth Bontley taking on Charlotte Delbo's Who Will Carry the Word. Delbo was a member of the French Resistance who survived a concentration camp in WWII. The women with her chose to help each other survive as long as they could, so that one of them could return and carry the words and stories of all of them imprisoned there. Who Will Carry the Word is the result of those efforts, and Bontley's take puts those words into action. 

Bontley is an actress, director, and coach. She has produced and staged many of her original works, and in 2013, her work Acet-o-philous or Vinegar Love was part of New York's United Solo Festival. She has taught at Texas Christian University, Tarrant County Community College, Kids Who Dare and Dallas Children's Theater. Currently, she teaches at S.T.A.G.E. and with the Dallas Summer Musicals Academy. 

"If the need is there, my aim is to present these salons throughout the year, perhaps on a quarterly basis, as a fun way to create a community, share work, promote future shows, learn from one another and make new friends," McEntire says. 

The salon takes place at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Margo Jones Theatre, 1121 First Ave. It's free (though a pay-what-you-can donation is suggested). The Margo Jones Theatre is inside the Magnolia Lounge at Fair Park.

Original article... HERE

Audacity Solo Salon - August 25th

Audacity Theatre Lab is pleased to present what we hope will be a quarterly workshop event... the Audacity Solo Salon.

In an effort to make the Dallas Solo Fest an ongoing resource of support for the Dallas solo performance community, the ASS is a chance to see solo performers present works-in-progress as they go about developing a new piece.

This first one featuring Van Quattro, Steve Young and Beth Bontley.

Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, 1121 First Avenue, Dallas TX.
Monday, August 25th. Starting at 7:30 pm
Free! (suggested donation encouraged)