Solo Performance Festival Announces Last Shows for 2009 Fest; Ends March 21

SPF is Seattle's annual solo performance theatre festival, and is dedicated to presenting fearless, cutting-edge, diverse performances by solo theatre artists. SPF (Solo Performance Festival) strives to create a resonance in the community by illuminating the compelling nature of solo performance that exists between just one performer on stage and an entire audience.

The Solo Performance Festival was founded in 2007 by a group of theatre artists who wanted to support each other in producing their solo shows. The nature of solo shows is so lonely--why not band together. The history of solo performance has exploded over the last 20 years. It seems as though everyone has a solo show and why not? It is the most frightening thing an actor/creator can do: standing alone and speaking their truth (both real and imagined) and then suffer the consequences of owning it. When the bad reviews come out there is no one to blame and when the good reviews come out there is no one there to celebrate. The dressing room is empty and there is no one to laugh with about the lines that got flubbed. There is no way out. There is also a bigger risk for the audience. Generally the actor is looking right at you. The audience is the scene partner. The actor must listen to the audience and include them while not letting the audience and their yawns, clapping, laughing, cell phones and candy wrappers derail the show. At its best it is one person's voice, body and imagination taking flight and bringing the audience along for the ride. This festival was co-founded and curated by Keira McDonald.

Since being created SPF has produced the work of 31 artists from Washington, California, Alberta and Ontario (Canada.) The stories that have been shared have been about weddings, zombies, suicide, Boobs, camping trips, gloomy head masters, prodigal sons, the ethics of cat surgery, bombs, the seven deadly sins, condos, yoga retreats, horse obsession, shop lifting, maggots in your shoe and one Giant Invisible Robot among other things.

Fall Fair by J. McDonald

From the creator who brought you SPF:2's "Boat Load" and SPF:1's "Giant Invisible Robot," the most destructive solo theatre piece in history.

Writer/Performer J. McDonald has been exploring theatre for over ten years. He is the A.D. of three black ring, The Natural Broadcasting Company and Stars And Hearts, and is a founding member of alt-comedy group Fully Insured. He is the creator and writer of the long-running radio noir parody The Boneyard Man, seen across Ontario on Rogers Television. He's been the recipient of a Special Merit award from The Theatre BC National Playwriting Competition, and winner of four Brickenden Awards for theatre in his home town of London, Ontario. He's been involved in over eighty stage productions.

Recent written works include Trashcan Duet (Black Sheep Theatre), Unitard (Theatre Soup), Push Me (Original Kids), Go To Hell (three black ring), Giant Invisible Robot (Stars And Hearts), Jigsaw (Theatre Soup/Stars And Hearts), Roadmap (The Grand Theatre Playwrights' Cabaret Dramaturgy Program), Eclipse County Limits (Streaky Bacon), The Deluxe Illustrated Body (three black ring/Spiral Inc.) and Mercury (Theatre Soup).

Recent stage appearances include Giant Invisible Robot (Stars And Hearts), Blow This Popsicle Stand (Black Hand Theatre), Can't Get Started (Black Sheep Theatre), Go To Hell (three black ring), Vacations With You (Fully Insured) and The Cherry Orchard

Otter Pop by Keri Healey featuring Keira McDonald

Keri Healey is a playwright, director, and actor living in Seattle. Her plays include DON'T YOU DARE LOVE ME, ONE TWELVE, THE IKEA CYCLE: TINY DOMESTIC DRAMAS (co-written with Bret Fetzer), PARROT FEVER (OR, LIES I'VE TOLD IN CHAT ROOMS), CHERRY CHERRY LEMON, and PENETRALIA. She is a company member of Printer's Devil Theater.

Keira McDonald (Creator/Performer) is a self-producing theatre artist who lives in Seattle. Her first one woman show "Showerhead" was seen at Mae West Fest, Odd Duck Studio, Re-BAR (Seattle, WA), Frontera Fest (Best of fest, Austin, TX) UNO SOLO festival (Victoria, BC) and Manhattan Theatre Source's EstroGenius Festival (NY, NY). Her second one woman show "The Bridesmaid" premiered at The Comedy Tree (London, UK) and was featured at Theatre Off Jackson, CHAC (Seattle, WA), Bryant Lake Bowl (Minneapolis, MN), and SPF1. Her third one woman show 'BLAsT!' premiered at The Regina International Theatre Festival and toured to Winnipeg and Saskatoon. She is the Founder/Producer/Curator of SPF.

xxplicit by Waxie Moon

Miss(ter)Waxie Moon is a gender bending queer lady "boylesque"performance art solo stripping sensation. He has performed at various venues throughout Seattle including The Seattle Repertory Theater, The Triple Door, On The Boards, The Heavens, ReBar, The Rendezvous, Club Havana, The Can Can, The Century Ballroom, The Bedroom Club, The Noc Noc, Balagan Theater (The Stay Up Late Show) and Columbia City Cabaret.

For more information, visit http://www.theatreoffjackson.org/