Audience Reviews from the Minnesota Fringe

Here's ATL artist Brad McEntire talking about his exerience at the 2018 Minnesota Fringe Festival...

Performing Robert's Eternal Goldfish at the 2018 Minnesota Fringe

So, here's something I did not know. Here at the Minnesota Fringe, ANYONE can leave a review of your show on the festival website. I spotted the first of these reviews the other day and thought, "Huh, the arts journalists around here sure are casual..."

Then, a fellow performer told me that audience members can leave reviews and all the reviews go public on the website, right under the information about your show.

I am of two minds on this. On one side, it scares the crap out of me that just anyone can put up their opinion of the show on my official festival page. I mean, some audience members are more savvy than others. The show is not for everybody. As a performer and playwright, I know I am an acquired taste. So, this just-let-anyone-write-anything approach seems a bit dangerous, even counter-productive for getting people to the show. What if someone doesn't like it, doesn't get it and then shouts from the rooftops for others to avoid it? They probably will and two things happen. I'm out an audience, and my potential audience is out a potentially awesome theatre experience.

On the other hand, in general, I like feedback. I like interaction with my audience not just during the show, but after it as well. And a good write up is a good write up, whether it is from a capable arts journalist or not (and let's not be naive here, a really capable arts journalist reviewing the show is kind of a rarity nowadays).

So, for good or ill, I collected the reviews I recieved for my solo show Robert's Eternal Goldfish during the 2018 Minnesota Fringe. Here's what people had to say...


A ball of light
There's a lot of things I 'hate' in this world, but this is not one of them. Delightful story.
~ Ariel Leaf

Very Enjoyable

A bit of a slow start, but picks up very quickly. Great acting and enjoyable story.

~ Bernadette Hollyday

Deftly told

A personal story that makes you think about how events in our past shape how we approach situations today. Highly professionally told.

~ Beth Wegener

Believable Nightmares!

Nice job!

~ Darla Swanson

Interesting story

A good story. A bit too much anger for me at times with struggle toward resolution. Always kept my attention.

~ Gene bard

Pre-review review, I like ton review before reviews

Here's a refreshing breath of fresh air of a solo show. while it appears on the surface as a conventional memoir-based storytelling show, it cleverly shapeshifts into a fictional character study w/ smatterings of magic, fantasy, and sci-fi leanings. while the misanthropy, sarcasm, and extreme anti-social leanings of "robert" seem abrasive, it's deliciously intentional and only feeds the dark pitch black comedy. i'm recommending this show to everyone, and only wish there was a more..."theatrical" way to convey the goldfish & bowl to match the cleverness of the twisty-turny story, but come on, that's the minorest of criticisms. well done!

~ Jeremy Motz

Nice and angry

Lots of anger in this one, especially in the beginning, but it is a nicely told story, and ends on a nice note.

~ Mark Webb

McEntire takes the audience on a weird journey

Over the course of an hour, Brad McEntire takes us on the journey of a man trapped by his own anger. At times hilarious, frightening and insightful, McEntire balances the easy-going stylings of stand-up comedy with the intensity of an exorcism. Also, there's a cute cardboard goldfish! See it!

~ Phil Gonzales

Good but not stellar

I like misanthropic characters. Especially when their misanthropy is channeled into humorous tirades against the foolish conventions of society, or apoplectic fits over the seemingly trivial. While there is some of that to be seen and heard here, the "magical" aspect of the story and overall character development arc leads down a somewhat different path, which I personally both liked and disliked. When I read a review that the character Robert is like a cross between George Costanza and Lewis Black, I developed certain false expectations about the performance prior to my attendance. My advice: shed any expectations and enjoy the character for who he is rather than for who you might want him to be. Overall, good performance but I did not find myself fully absorbed in the story.

~ R D

The Carp Came Back

Initially, I was put off by the performer. He was a little too loud and too "in your face" for me. But he soon toned it down, the story progressed, and I warmed up to him. He creates a vivid character, initially mired in misanthropy and with a long and funny litany of things he hates. A chance encounter with a persistently friendly lady at a coffee shop leads to a string of strange events which gradually warm his cold, cold heart. This is a show worth seeing.

~ Reid Gagle

Original page... HERE

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Dallas Solo Fest Q-and-A: Brad McEntire

Producer of the Dallas Solo Fest Brad McEntire [credit: Robert Heart/ TheaterJones]

Chatting with the man behind the Dallas Solo Fest, which runs through Sunday.

by Mark Lowry
published Thursday, June 7, 2018


Dallas — For the final interview of our Dallas Solo Fest coverage, we chat with Brad McEntire, who runs Audacity Theatre Lab and produces the Dallas Solo Fest. This is the event's fourth year (he skipped 2017 because had recently become a father, and to rethink the festival).

The event runs through Sunday at the Rosewood Center for Family Arts (home of the Dallas Children's Theater).

TheaterJones: This year's festival is different from the first three. Tell me about the changes.

Brad McEntire: Since the beginning, the team behind the Dallas Solo Fest, myself included, really have focused on making the festival a little better year by year. This year, we’ve tightened the whole thing up. There are six performers instead of eight, one week instead of two weekends and no daytime workshops. We have also moved the festival to a new venue. We are now in the studio theatre at the Rosewood Center of the Family Arts instead of where we were previously, at the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park.

While we have made a few changes, we have kept the good parts that have developed over the last three incarnations of the fest.  We have continued to focus on content-diverse shows to give a good cross-section of what solo performance can offer.  We have also continued the tradition of 70% of the ticket sales going directly to the artists, who still don’t pay any form of festival fee to participate. We even arranged housing for visiting artists who were coming in from out-of-town. We want to insure that the performers get a nice dose of Texas hospitality.

What is your submission/acceptance process? Are you looking for fully formed works? Stuff in development? Both?

The application process began last fall. We received dozens of submissions. A selection committee combed through each submission and we whittled it down to the six that audiences will see at this year’s Dallas Solo Fest.

We are not a “fringe” fest, so we don’t do selection by lottery or on a first-come-first-serve basis. We curate the selection very closely because it is such a focused, intimate festival. I call it a “boutique” arts festival. In place of the big, blustery, street fair-like atmosphere audiences can get at other performance festivals around the country, especially fringe festivals, we are aiming for a more personal experience for both the performers and audiences alike. With just six performers, we do our best to fit the programming together so each show is different and offers a unique theatre experience.

To answer your question more directly, we ONLY look for developed works. In order to deepen and grow the quality of the festival, we have made it a mission to seek out shows that have already played at several venues for several different sets of audiences. There are places that cater to shows in development, allowing artists to experiment and workshop, but we aren’t looking to be one of those kinds of fests. I actually host a quarterly workshop event called the Audacity Solo Salon for that kind of thing. No, we are looking for virtuosity, originality and a bit of hard-won experience from the performers we choose for the Dallas Solo Fest.

You've done fringe and solo festivals for years as a performer. Describe how networking with other artists and presenters on these circuits helped you with Solo Fest.

Independent touring fringe festival artists, particularly those that perform solo shows, are a wonderfully tight-knit community. There are Facebook groups and performers really do kind of keep track of who’s doing what and where.

I have noticed two things again and again when meeting solo touring artists around North America. First, solo performers almost always have an overwhelming sense of enthusiasm. They are real champions for their own shows and like to talk about what they do with audiences and fellow artists. They also are amazingly self-sufficient. Solo performers aren’t just the single actor on stage during their shows, but more often than not, the driving force behind the scenes, too. They are interested in their own marketing, ticket sales, technical requirements, and a bunch of off-stage concerns that traditional actors aren’t always that into. I think this is maybe because the production for a solo performer is by its nature a rather personal endeavor.

Since becoming a dad at the end of 2016, I have, of late, had to curtail a lot of my adventuring around performing my own solo shows. Kiddos, it turns out, take up a lot of time, energy and love. I am slowly getting back into it (I’m off to Minneapolis and Canada this summer to perform my solo piece Robert’s Eternal Goldfish). I hope to strike up some new friendships, see some great new shows, talk with other festival organizers and build out my network more and more.

Despite small audiences for the previous festivals, are your artists generally happy with their experience in Dallas?

On the whole, yes, the performers from the past several years have sent us overwhelmingly positive feedback about the festival and about Dallas. This has been important because one of my personal core beliefs is that the theatre should serve the artist first, then—and only then—the artist can serve the audience and the community.

Crowds have been rather uneven. Some shows sell out, sometimes you can hear crickets. It is especially difficult to market out-of-town performers to local audiences who have little name recognition outside of the fringe touring circuit. Plus, there is a lot of other great stuff happening around Dallas this time of year, such as Kitchen Dog’s wonderful New Works Festival. My hope is that audiences don’t chose one over the other, but instead turn out to both.

The team and I have gone out of our way to really push the content of the shows when marketing. We hope people will see what a given show is about, and then, based on that, decide to come see it.

To make it more worthwhile for the artists, we video shows for performers and drum up as much press for their individual shows as we can. We also offer billeting (touring speak for housing) with local theatre artists acting as hosts. We encourage interaction with audience members before and after the show in the lobby and we do our best to make them feel welcome and appreciated.

What would you like to see for DSF 2019? 2025?

Okay, don’t get ahead of yourself, Mark. If the festival goes well this year, I will do at least one more in 2019. I originally intended to do at least five years of the festival when I started. This is the fourth one. We’ll see. This is really contingent on whether audiences show up and support the event.

I’m not producing in a vacuum. If the message is, “Hey, buddy, Dallas doesn’t want or need this in the cultural landscape,” then that will come through loud and clear. If it fills a gap in the theatre community, then, of course, I’ll keep it going.

Personally, I am an advocate for intimate, indie theatre such as these one-person shows, but I’m not aiming to shove it down Dallas’ throat if it is not wanted.

If it does continue, I can promise we will try to make it better and better. I dream of the Dallas Solo Fest, eventually, becoming a multi-week event in several close together venues with panel discussions, workshops, open mics, food trucks and a roster of the best, brightest and most diverse solo shows in the world converging on Dallas. It would still be relatively small and focused, but with a wider range of programming and, perhaps, it would make a slightly deeper dent in the universe. Dallas could potentially become known as a hub for these kinds of shows, bringing in as well as exporting one-person productions. I mean, that’s the dream.

Anything else to add?

Yep, tickets are on sale. The welcome mat is out for audiences. All info one could want is here on TheaterJones and at www.DallasSoloFest.com.

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.

ROBERT'S ETERNAL GOLDFISH at 2015 Scranton Fringe Fest

ATL Artistic Director Brad McEntire's solo show ROBERT'S ETERNAL GOLDFISH will play at the first ever Scranton Fringe Festival October 3 (@ 6:30 PM) and October 4 (@ 2 PM). 

The show concerns a misanthropic man named Robert J. Roberts. He hates the world. He particularly hates people. Pretty much all people. After a series of strange events lead him to become the unlikely custodian of a magical goldfish, Robert's misanthropic views are seriously challenged. Can a person be frustrated into being a better human being? 

PLAYING AT THE FORAGE SPACE, 310 N WASHINGTON AVE, SCRANTON, PA 18503 

Tickets and info ... HERE

The Shows of DSF 2015

Brigham Mosley

Audacity Theatre Lab Announces the Artists and Schedule for the

2015 Dallas Solo Fest

DALLAS, TX – Audacity Theatre Lab is pleased to announce the 2015 Dallas Solo Fest, June 4 -14, 2015 at the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park.  Eight solo shows highlight this inaugural festival with several local performers as well as performers coming in from around the country. 

The second annual Dallas Solo Fest line-up includes:

’33: A Kabarett by Bremner Duthie (New Orleans). ’33 is a 'Kabarett of Ghosts' - recreating the final night in a Berlin cabaret, destroyed by the Security Forces.  In the ruins of a ravaged theatre, the Master of Ceremonies tumbles onto a ruined. His friends and colleagues were beaten and arrested by the authorities.  Only their shattered props and costumes remain.  He intends to give up and vanish into the night. But an audience has slipped through the broken door.  Inspired, the man pays homage to his fallen friends, performing each of their acts.  In these tributes, he gains the strength to carry on. Playing Thursday, June 11 @ 9:00 pm, Saturday, June 13 @ 7:30 pm, Sunday, June 14 @ 3:30 pm

Jeff Swearingen

An American Asshole in France by Jeff Swearingen (Dallas). An American Asshole in France is the story of a socially awkward man just trying to have a decent time abroad. Fate, however, will always take an otherwise magical experience and turn it into a hard knock lesson about one's self. Proving that if you are an unadjusted jerk it will haunt you where ever you go. And even when you're not being one, life will ruin that too. Take delight in one little man's pain, because it will just get worse in this true story that is full of danger, disappointment, and a vast language barrier. Playing Friday, June 5 @ 10:30 pm, Sunday, June 7 @ 8:30 pm, Friday, June 12 @ 10:30 pm

…And Then I Woke Up by Kris Noteboom (Dallas). Kris has known fear ever since he woke up in bed one night screaming, “I don’t want to die.” He was three years old. Through a series of humorous anecdotes, Kris traces his trouble with dreams, both waking and sleeping, real and imagined, as he looks for his “thing” in life. He wrestles with the expectations of family, friends, and society at large. ...And Then I Woke Up is about a guy who makes a decision, hell or high water, to reclaim his dreams and change his life. Playing Thursday, June 4 @ 9:00 pm, Saturday, June 6 @ 10:30 pm,
Sunday, June 7 @ 5:00 pm

Van Quattro

Lord of the Files by Lesley Tsina (New York). Comedian Lesley Tsina (NBC’s Community, HBO’s Funny or Die Presents) worked for a company that made cell phone ringtones. That is, until they announced nine months of layoffs and the entire office descended into savagery. Lord of the Files is a darkly hilarious story about losing your job, losing your mind, and still having to attend an all-company pancake breakfast. Playing Thursday, June 11 @ 7:30 pm, Friday, June 12 @ 9:00 pm, Saturday, June 13 @ 10:30 pm

Mo[u]rnin. After. by Brigham Mosley (Dallas). Mo[u]rnin'. After. is a mythic autobiography for the queer prodigal son - a journey to the ancestors and back to the homeland through magic, musicals, and time travel; dream ballets included. Playing Thursday, June 4 @ 7:30 pm, Thursday, June 11 @ 10:30 pm, Saturday, June 13 @ 9:00 pm

Standing Eight Count by Van Quattro (Dallas). Standing 8 Count is Van Quattro’s hard-knuckled, true account of 1975: the year he spent as a semi-professional boxer. Quattro faces down an opponent more formidable than any he’s faced before: the ghost of his own youth. Standing 8 Count will break your face, your funny bone and your heart. Playing Sunday, June 7 @ 3:30 pm,
Friday, June 12 @ 7:30 pm, Sunday, June 14 @ 5:00 pm

Carla Cackowski

The Seriously Neurotic Dream of Mary Shelley by Carla Cackowski (Los Angeles). Mary Shelley has been challenged to come up with a scary story by a room full of accomplished men. Paralyzed by writer's block, she falls asleep and is confronted by all of her womanly insecurities. History may remember Mary Shelley as an English novelist. But did you also know she was a bossy sister? A bad girlfriend? A so-so mother? And hey - a time traveler! Mary Shelley loves Beyonce! Thursday, June 4 @ 10:30 pm, Friday, June 5 @ 7:30 pm, Saturday, June 6 @ 9:00 pm

Tipped & Tipsy by Jill Vice (San Francisco). Whether you’ve been behind the bar, on a stool, or under a table, this one woman show was written for you. So, join the regulars and order the usual, but tonight… things are gonna change. With her excellent physical performance skills Jill Vice brings to life over a dozen different characters. TIPPED & TIPSY is a hilarious and touching send up of American Bar Culture. Playing Friday, June 5 @ 9:00 pm, Saturday, June 6 @ 7:30 pm, Sunday, June 7 @ 7:00 pm

The 2015 Dallas Solo Fest is a production of Audacity Theatre Lab and will play at the Margo Jones Theatre located at the Magnolia Lounge in Fair Park at 1121 First Avenue, Dallas, TX 75210. Single tickets and Festival Passes for all shows go on sale April 27.  Festival Passes include one admission to each and every festival show and are $55.  Individual ticket prices for each show are $12. Reservations can be made at the Dallas Solo Fest website or by calling (214) 888-6650. Details about the shows, artists’ bios, the full schedule and ticket information at: www.DallasSoloFest.com

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2nd Annual Dallas Solo Fest announced

Bremner Duthie

Second Dallas Solo Fest Announced 
Four locals and four out-of-towners will perform in Audacity Theatre Lab's second annual Dallas Solo Fest in June. 

by Mark Lowry | Thursday, April 16, 2015 

Dallas — The line-up for Audacity Theatre Lab's second 2015 Dallas Solo Fest has been announced. The event happens June 4-14 at the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park. The DSF launched in 2014, and although founder/producer Brad McEntire was uncertain if it would be an annual undertaking, it's great that we can say this year's will be the second annual event. 

This year's crop features eight solo performers, four local and four from out of town. The locals are Jeff Swearingen, Brigham Mosley, Van Quattro and Kris Noteboom—you might recognize the latter as a critic for TheaterJones. Quattro will reprise Standing Eight Count, recently seen at WaterTower Theatre's Out of the Loop Fringe Festival. 

The full list of performers and works (more about the shows is below): 

• Carla Cackowski’s The Seriously Neurotic Dream of Mary Shelley 
• Bremner Duthie’s ’33: A Kabarett 
• Brigham Mosley’s Mo[u]rnin’ After 
• Kris Noteboom’s And Then I Woke Up 
• Van Quattro’s Standing Eight Count 
• Jeff Swearingen’s An American Asshole in France 
• Lesley Tsina’s Lord of the Files
• Jill Vice's Tipped & Tipsy 

Lesley Tsina

For the second year, TheaterJones is the official media sponsor of the event, so look for upcoming events, ticket giveaways and contests. 

The Dallas Solo Fest will be produced by Audacity Theatre Lab and will play at the Margo Jones Theatre. Located at the Magnolia Lounge in Fair Park at 1121 First Ave., Dallas, the Margo Jones Theatre features ample free, well-lit parking, access to the DART Rail, and a handy BYOB policy!

Single tickets and Festival Passes for all shows go on sale April 27. Festival Passes, now on sale, include one admission to each festival show and are $55. Individual ticket prices for each show are $12. Reservations can be made via the Dallas Solo Fest website or by calling 214-888-6650. Details about the shows, artists’ bios, the full schedule and ticket information at: www.DallasSoloFest.com 

Here's a description and performance times for each show: 

 ’33: A Kabarett by Bremner Duthie (New Orleans). ’33 is a 'Kabarett of Ghosts' — recreating the final night in a Berlin cabaret, destroyed by the Security Forces. In the ruins of a ravaged theatre, the Master of Ceremonies tumbles onto a ruined. His friends and colleagues were beaten and arrested by the authorities. Only their shattered props and costumes remain. He intends to give up and vanish into the night. But an audience has slipped through the broken door. Inspired, the man pays homage to his fallen friends, performing each of their acts. In these tributes, he gains the strength to carry on. Playing Thursday, June 11 @ 9:00 p.m., Saturday, June 13 @ 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 14 @ 3:30 p.m. 

 An American Asshole in France by Jeff Swearingen (Dallas). An American Asshole in France is the story of a socially awkward man just trying to have a decent time abroad. Fate, however, will always take an otherwise magical experience and turn it into a hard knock lesson about one's self. Proving that if you are an unadjusted jerk it will haunt you where ever you go. And even when you're not being one, life will ruin that too. Take delight in one little man's pain, because it will just get worse in this true story that is full of danger, disappointment, and a vast language barrier. Playing Friday, June 5 @ 10:30 p.m., Sunday, June 7 @ 8:30 p.m., Friday, June 12 @ 10:30 p.m. 

 …And Then I Woke Up by Kris Noteboom (Dallas). Kris has known fear ever since he woke up in bed one night screaming, “I don’t want to die.” He was three years old. Through a series of humorous anecdotes, Kris traces his trouble with dreams, both waking and sleeping, real and imagined, as he looks for his “thing” in life. He wrestles with the expectations of family, friends, and society at large. ...And Then I Woke Up is about a guy who makes a decision, hell or high water, to reclaim his dreams and change his life. Playing Thursday, June 4 @ 9:00 p.m., Saturday, June 6 @ 10:30 p.m., Sunday, June 7 @ 5:00 p.m. 

 Lord of the Files by Lesley Tsina (New York). Comedian Lesley Tsina (NBC’s Community, HBO’s Funny or Die Presents) worked for a company that made cell phone ringtones. That is, until they announced nine months of layoffs and the entire office descended into savagery. Lord of the Files is a darkly hilarious story about losing your job, losing your mind, and still having to attend an all-company pancake breakfast. Playing Thursday, June 11 @ 7:30 p.m., Friday, June 12 @ 9:00 p.m., Saturday, June 13 @ 10:30 p.m. 

 Mo[u]rnin. After. by Brigham Mosley (Dallas). Mo[u]rnin'. After. is a mythic autobiography for the queer prodigal son - a journey to the ancestors and back to the homeland through magic, musicals, and time travel; dream ballets included. Playing Thursday, June 4 @ 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 11 @ 10:30 p.m., Saturday, June 13 @ 9:00 p.m. 

 Standing Eight Count by Van Quattro (Dallas). Standing 8 Count is Van Quattro’s hard-knuckled, true account of 1975: the year he spent as a semi-professional boxer. Quattro faces down an opponent more formidable than any he’s faced before: the ghost of his own youth. Standing 8 Count will break your face, your funny bone and your heart. Playing Sunday, June 7 @ 3:30 p.m., Friday, June 12 @ 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 14 @ 5:00 p.m. 

 The Seriously Neurotic Dream of Mary Shelley by Carla Cackowski (Los Angeles). Mary Shelley has been challenged to come up with a scary story by a room full of accomplished men. Paralyzed by writer's block, she falls asleep and is confronted by all of her womanly insecurities. History may remember Mary Shelley as an English novelist. But did you also know she was a bossy sister? A bad girlfriend? A so-so mother? And hey - a time traveler! Mary Shelley loves Beyonce! Thursday, June 4 @ 10:30 p.m., Friday, June 5 @ 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 6 @ 9:00 p.m. 

 Tipped &Tipsy by Jill Vice (San Francisco). Whether you’ve been behind the bar, on a stool, or under a table, this one woman show was written for you. So, join the regulars and order the usual, but tonight… things are gonna change. With her excellent physical performance skills Jill Vice brings to life over a dozen different characters. TIPPED & TIPSY is a hilarious and touching send up of American Bar Culture. Playing Friday, June 5 @ 9:00 p.m., Saturday, June 6 @ 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 7 @ 7:00 p.m. 

Pics from SEX DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES

Brandon Potter wrapped up his solo show SEX, DEATH NAD LIGHT SWITCHES this past Sunday at the Margo Jones Theatre in Dallas' historic Fair Park. Here's some pics...

SEX, DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES

Brandon Potter's new solo show about his coming-of-age despite hilarious and horrible early childhood tramas is playing November 12-16, 2014 at the Margo Jones Theatre. Brandon is being hosted by Audacity Theatre Lab.

Info... HERE.

Brandon Potter performing SEX, DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES

Q-and-A with Brandon Potter

Brandon Potter

Nov. 12-16, 2014 Brandon Potter will present his one-man show SEX, DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES at the Margo Jones Theatre in Fair Park, Dallas TX. Audacity is hosting his first foray into original solo performance, so we decided to sit down for a quick Q-and-A. Here's what Brandon had to say... 

Q: What gave you the idea to do this show? 
A: Monologue work has always been of interest to me. It is a fundamental building block of drama. It's everywhere from the first Greeks, to the most famous Shakespearean speeches, to stand-up comics, and of course to the monologue greats that we know today like Spalding Gray and Mike Daisy. So I've had a hankering to do solo work for years. I've done several written solo pieces by Eno, Beckett, and Rivera. It was only a matter of time before I started to write my own. This particular piece came as a result of a solo class I took with Rhonda Blair at SMU. 

The process was exploratory. Mainly, we free wrote for hours at a time and looked for themes that presented themselves. Sex, Death, and Light Switches surfaced from those hours of writing and presenting what we had written. I first performed it at grad school to friends and colleagues. I can't help but have the feeling that the gaps in my writing were filled in by an audience who knows me and wanted me to succeed. The goal of this performance is to get a feel for how people who don't know me may receive the work, and heck, how I perform for an audience that isn't full of folks I know on a first name basis. It is my hope that the fear and excitement of a new audience doesn't prevent me from being honest. 

Q: What special challenges do you see doing a solo show that are different than ensemble work? 
A: I think on the surface there a ton of differences between doing solo work and ensemble work. A short solo show demands as much or more, from a text perspective, than someone playing a lead in an ensemble show. For example, St. Nicholas by Conor McPherson has a the performer memorizing far more lines than the leads in Richard III and Julius Caesar combined. There are also very few breaks in a solo show. Aside from the mechanical demands of line memorization, this can become taxing psychologically. These kinds of differences are pretty clear, even to folks who aren't practitioners. If you look a little closer though, you see there are a ton of similarities. 

 For example, in ensemble work given circumstances, objective, and action set up a framework, and listening to your partner guides you. The same is true for solo work. If we look any deeper however things start to get real hairy for a performer. Who is your partner in a solo piece is the prime question in my opinion. Your answer can change everything. Is your partner really the audience in front of you, or is it some imagined audience of judges, talk show hosts or best friends? What are the given circumstances? Are you in a theater, or by the Syringa tree? Both? These things consume me. It can be frustrating or enlightening; but it's almost always thrilling. It thrills me as a performer, and as an audience member. Something else that occurs to me: In ensemble work there is a common language learned in the rehearsal process that builds trust, so you can let go in performance and truly exist in the moment knowing that your partner will too. In solo work, you embody the story and build the trust at the same time, which is Herculean if you ask me. 

Q: Any particular influences on you as an artist? 
A: I'm influenced by whatever I see around me. All of the folks I mentioned in the above answers, but also Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, and Lord Buckley. Oh, and Shakespeare Shakespeare Shakespeare. I know that's a cliched theater person answer, but dang he's good. I'm influenced by my friends, my wife, my family. Whatever makes them laugh I try to take to a stage. I pilfer my personal life. 

For information about the show head... HERE.

SEX DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES by Brandon Potter

Brandon Potter

Hosted by Audacity Theatre Lab, Dallas actor Brandon Potter presents his one-person show SEX, DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES November 12-16, 2014 at the Margo Jones Theatre at the Magnolia Lounge (Margo Jones Building), Fair Park, 1121 First Ave., Dallas, TX 75210.

In SEX, DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES Brandon traces his own coming-of-age through a series of life changing moments starting with seeing himself as a young boy dead in a walk-in mortuary freezer. Things just get weirder from there. This will be the World Premiere of this darkly comic piece of storytelling and Mr. Potter’s debut in a solo performance of his own devising.

Brandon Potter has been heard internationally in cartoons, video games, and commercials. After graduating from Southern Methodist University with a Masters degree in Acting (also where he began developing SEX, DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES), he was recently named the newest member of the Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company at Dallas Theater Center. He will appear in several shows this 2014-2015 season.

SEX, DEATH AND LIGHT SWITCHES plays at the Margo Jones Theatre November 12-16, 2014. Playing November 12 at 8:00 PM, November 13 at 9:00 PM, November 14 at 8 PM, November 15 at 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM and November 16 at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $12 and will be available at the door. The Margo Jones Theatre is located within the Magnolia Lounge, Fair Park, 1121 First Ave., Dallas, TX 75210. For more information visit: www.AudacityTheatreLab.com or call (214) 888-6650.

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)

Dallas Solo Fest press list

There was entirely too much press from the Dallas Solo Fest to post all articles, reviews, profiles and such here on the ATL blog... Instead, finf below a comprohensive list of hyperlinks to all the press associated with the 2014 Dallas Solo Fest. It seems to have made an impact.

A Solo Debriefing [ TheaterJones.com | by Brad McEntire | June 6, 2014 ]
Review: A Different Woman [ TheaterJones.com | by Amy Martin | May 24, 2014 ]
Review: Innocent When You Dream [ TheaterJones.com | by Kris Noteboom | May 24, 2014]
Review: Butt Kapinski [ TheaterJones.com | by Kris Noteboom | May 23, 2014 ]
Dallas Solo Fest Profile: Vernica Russell [ TheaterJones.com | May 21, 2014 ]
John Michael's Crossing Your I's is a Quirky Study in Dementia [ TheExaminer.com | by Christopher Soden | May 21, 2014]
Dallas Solo Fest Profile: Deanna Fleysher [ TheaterJones.com | May 16 ]
Dallas Solo Fest Profile: Zeb L. West [ TheaterJones.com | May 15 ]
Review: Beast of Festive Skin [ TheaterJones.com | by Kris Noteboom | May 18, 2014 ]
Review: Eating My Garbage [TheaterJones.com | by Amy Martin | May 18, 2014]
Review: Crossing Your I's [TheaterJones.com | by Kris Noteboom | May 18, 2014]
Review: Bouncing Ugly  [TheaterJones.com | by Amy Martin | May 17, 2014] 
Review: Sweater Curse [TheaterJones.com | by Amy Martin | May 17, 2014 ]
Dallas Solo Fest Opening Night Overflows with Heartfelt Stories and Poop Jokes [Dallas Observer | by Lauren Smart | May 16, 2014]
Promising and Provoking Fare From Local Artists at Solo Fest [DallasNews.com | by Nancy Churnin | May 16, 2014]
Dallas Solo Fest Profile: Alexandra Tatarsky [TheaterJones.com | May 15, 2014]
Number One, Baby [TheaterJones.com | May 15, 2014]
Inaugural Dallas Solo Fest Offers Laughs with Eight Shows [Dallas Observer | by Danielle Georgiou | May 14, 2014]
Dallas Solo Fest Profile: David Mogolov [TheaterJones.com | May 14, 2014]
Dallas Solo Fest Offers Diverse Workshops [TheaterJones.com | May 14, 2014]
First Ever Dallas Solo Fest [thatdavidhopkins.com | by David Hopkins | May 10, 2014]
Zeb L. West at the Dallas Solo Fest: An Interview with Lauren Moore [Stage Directions Blog | by Lauren Moore | May 9, 2014]
Oh, Grow Up: At 25, Monologuist John Michael Discovered Himself by Serving Old Folks [Dallas Voice | by Arnold Wayne Jones | May 9, 2014]
One At a Time: 2014 Dallas Solo Fest in Fair Park [DallasNews.com | by Nancy Churnin | May 8, 2014]
Dallas Solo Fest Brings Home the Talent: Danny O'Connor [Stage Directions Blog | by Jeff Hernandez | May 1, 2014]
Q-and-A with Alexandra Tatarsky [TheSoloPerformer.com | April 16, 2014]
Q-and-A with David Mogolov [TheSoloPerformer.com | April 7, 2014]
All For One: Dallas Solo Fest 2014 Will Feature 8 Solo Shows [DallasNews.com | by Nancy Churnin | April 1, 2014]
Dallas Solo Fest Lineup Announced [TheaterJones.com | by Mark Lowry | March 30, 2014]
Q-and-A with Elaine Liner [TheSoloPerformer.com | March 19, 2014]
First Ever Dallas Solo Fest Coming Soon  [Art and Seek | By Danielle Georgiou | March 18, 2014]
Q-and-A with Danny O'Connor [TheSoloPerformer.com | March 17, 2014]
Q-and-A with Deanna Fleysher [The SoloPerformer.com | February 21, 2014]