NO BETTER MAN Comes To Hollywood Fringe

Central City Productions has announced the world-premiere of Jacob Sidney's no better man at the 2025 Hollywood Fringe Festival. no better man is a sharply amusing examination of Seattle's origins by one of its own, putting David S ("Doc") Maynard to the test of history. In search of a new land in which to plant his own idea of paradise, he found himself at one end of a tension which characterizes the city to this day - moralizing rigidity versus open-minded tolerance.

This solo show seeks to celebrate the spirited resolve of the pioneers, while recognizing the lasting impacts their vision has had on native people, the environment, and Seattle itself. no better man is directed by Jacob Sidney and will run for seven performances at The Broadwater Studio this June.

About the Show

no better man is a theatrical exploration of Doc Maynard and the history of Seattle. Combining an Old West pioneer travelogue with the diverse human stories which reveal America's origins, Cascadia native Jacob Sidney presents an illustrated, interactive essay, peppered with humor and reflection, in the style of Spalding Gray. Born on the Olympic Peninsula and raised among fishermen, loggers, and artists, Sidney has long had a fascination with Seattle and the people who built it. In this one hour world premiere, he sets out to share a more complete and candid story than any he heard growing up. The staggering accomplishments of one determined man are viewed through a lens which includes their impact on indigenous people, women, the area's natural resources, and the American economy. The tensions which define US culture (Consumption vs. Conservation. Free-Thought vs. Tradition. Libertines vs. Moralizers) are nowhere more clearly on display than in the rain-soaked city which gave the world outdoor gear, personal computers, and Kurt Cobain. Doc Maynard's extraordinary life brought him into the heart of this cultural tug of war, and made us both who we are today, and who we might be.

Actor and director Jacob Sidney's Regional credits include: Conference of the Birds (Broad Stage); Holmes and Watson (Holmes); Of Mice and Men (George); Bent; The Normal Heart (Felix); Uncanny Valley ("a tour-de-force" - LA Times); Stuart Little (Stuart); Hamlet (Dir. Jessica Kubzansky), A Chorus Line (Paul); The Grapes of Wrath (Tom); West Side Story (Riff); La bohème (Schaunard); The Duchess of Malfi; Saint Joan (Dir. Dan Savage); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Lysander); Much Ado About Nothing. Los Angeles stage credits include: Hamlet (Guildenstern, Dir. Michael Michetti); The Behavior of Broadus; Hamlet Max (Hamlet); We Are Proud to Present... ; You Can't Take It With You; The Government Inspector; The Treatment; Sparks' The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman (Ford Amphitheater, Dir. Guy Maddin); The Tempest (Caliban); Model Behavior (Jekyll/Hyde, Theatre Movement Bazaar); The Beastly Bombing; Peer Gynt (Peer). Film credits include: Cockroaches, Worm, Killer Bud, The Velocity of Gary. Directing credits include: Waiting for Waiting for Godot, Rose and the Rime, Hamlet Max (Sacred Fools). www.jacobsidney.com

Production Designer Chris Hutchings is an LA-based motion graphics designer with over 20 years of experience. He has contributed motion design to a number of Fringe shows including In For A Penny & Hamlet Max. This is his fourth collaboration with Jacob Sidney.

More on Electric Lodge

Upcoming Shows

The Second Best School Shooting

5/8 - 5/17/2026

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best New Musical - Top 3

1. The Lost Boys

36.4% of votes

2. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

24.3% of votes

3. Schmigadoon!

22.9% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats