Review: FRIDAY NIGHT HARRISBURG FRINGE FESTIVAL at Various Harrisburg Venues

Harrisburg's inaugural Fringe Festival is off to a fantastic start! Even in the rain that came pouring down Friday night, audiences flocked to see tremendous artists doing what they love.

I had the opportunity to take in four completely different and equally compelling performances. Here are some thoughts and impressions!

Curse of the Werewolf--a Choose Your Own Play is an absolute delight! It's a fun way to get involved in the action from the safety of your own seat. You'll get caught up in the action as this cast of talented and creative actors play out the choices you make for them (via text). Will you make the right choices to get the best outcome for your sister who is cursed to become a Werewolf? You do not want to miss this performance! It's the perfect mix of comedy and action, and it's sure to have you cheering, clapping, and laughing. Created and directed by David Ramón Zayas and Phillip Mann and featuring Seth Winnick, Julia Toyer, Evvy Adams, Tara Herweg Mann, Erin Shellenberger, Matthew Golden, Brennen Dickerson, Francesca Amendolia, Jennie Adams, and Toby Bradbury with Jeff Luttermoser, Jerry Stevens III, Charles Hooker, and Joshua Rhoads.

One: An Opera Scene for Two Sopranos, Vibraphone, and Piano by Nicholas Werner (Directed by Stacey D. Werner) is astonishing. Featuring vocalists Kayla Capone Kasper and Sarah Anne Hughes, this twenty minute performance packs an emotional punch. The music takes the audience on an unexpected journey as a young woman confronts her own experience of abuse. As voices soar to the piano and vibraphone accompaniment by Nicholas Werner and George Michael Clements, the gorgeous harmonies and visceral connection between the performers pulls the audience in and leaves them breathless. If you've been intimidated by the idea of opera, don't let that stop you-- this is a beautiful, intimate, and accessible piece.

Core Memory/Align with Harrison and McKinley Foster and Alyssa Resh is one of the most unique performances I've experienced, and I loved every moment of it. In the intimate setting of Open Stage's Studio Theatre, the audience is completely immersed in the sounds and images of this multimedia piece. The images and instrumentals are woven together so beautifully that it feels like the images are coming directly from the instruments. The images flow from realistic to abstract to actual images of the performers in real-time. The narration serves to set the scene for the audience, encouraging them to consider their core memories as the music and images take over. This is a performance that will mean something different to everyone who experiences it.

The Masque of the Red Death is the perfect production for anyone who loves Edgar Allan Poe. With instrumentals by Anthony "Tony Wayne" Pieruccini and Jeremy Blouch, video by Brianna Dow, and recorded narration by Jake Urry, the audience is taken deep into the suspense of the story. The music, composed by Pieruccini and masterfully performed by Pieruccini and Blouch, conveys not only the storyline of Poe's work but also the emotions it evokes. This performance gets the heart racing as it brings Poe's story to life.

There are so many unique and incredible performances to see at Harrisburg Fringe Festival running through July 9th. Check back for more highlights from my own time at Fringe and take some time out of your schedule to explore a few (or more) performances, check out the Kids' Fringe Tent, and enjoy the Visual Fringe pieces! (Buttons and tickets may be purchased at www.hbgfringe.com or at the Fringe box offices. Button sales go to support the Festival, and ticket sales go directly to the artists!)

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