Today’s shows were all about what happens when pressure reveals who you really are. Sometimes that’s heroic. Sometimes it’s not. And sometimes maybe it’s both.
I started the day with “BOMB! An FBI Memoir.” This is one of the strangest musicals you will ever see. It’s based on the autobiography of real-life FBI bomb detective Kirk Yeager — who happens to be playwright Liz Coley’s brother-in-law — and it is simultaneously very silly and very serious. There are songs that will make you laugh out loud sitting right next to moments that will make you hold your breath. That tonal balance is deftly handled by director Gina Kleesattel; I never felt pulled out of the story despite the unusual structure of the script.
The story centers on the tension between career and family — what it costs to be the person who wades into carnage and chaos for a living, and what it costs the people waiting at home. The ensemble (a trio of FBI agents played by Zak Kelly, Maya Norman, Jordan Whittaker, plus Kimberly Borst as “Annie”) is strong across the board, but Sean Miller-Jones (“Doc”) delivers a performance that anchors the entire production. There’s a groundedness and emotional depth to his work that makes you forget you’re watching an actor. You’re just watching a man trying to hold his life together. Sean is always very good, but he’s miraculous in this piece.
Next up: “Quiet Coyotes” by Green Fuse Productions.
Three summer camp counselors are left in charge during a wildfire emergency when their boss disappears into the chaos. The stress of it all affects each of them differently: Logan keeps joking, Blair comes apart, and it's Sam who steps up. In this case, the fire reveals who they were all along.
It’s a charming, well-constructed piece of theatre with performances that transcend the storefront theatre space. The easy rapport among the three actors — Ellyn Broderick (Blair), Cary Davenport (Logan), and Monica Tenhover (Sam) — gives the show a warmth that makes you invest in these characters immediately. Broderick’s comedic timing elevates every scene she’s in, and the romantic chemistry between Davenport and Tenhover is undeniable.
The show also weaves in lessons about plants and environmentalism, which in lesser hands could have felt like a lecture or a children’s show. It doesn’t. Tenhover handles what could have been a preachy monologue with skill that ensures it feels as organic as playwright/director/producer Robyn Novak intended. (That pun was also intended.)
I also caught “Modern Butchood” by Molly Gloeckner — a smart, funny, surprisingly dark solo show. I liked it a lot; I’ll have much more to say about it in my review over at the League of Cincinnati Theatres. For now: the pressure faced by the main character, played by Gloeckner, reveals things I never saw coming.
And then we ended the night with The Channel Fringe Hard Hitting Action News, followed by Fringe-a-oke.
My new novel, Rope Burn, sponsored this year’s karaoke night, and I’m happy to report that I sold a few copies. The official release date is June 16th, but I’ll have some with me — so if you see me at the festival and want one early, just ask.
For the record, I did not sing. The hosts and other special guests did read some random excerpts from the book between songs. I promise Rope Burn reads better in context.
Today, a bomb detective had to choose between duty and family. Three counselors faced wildfires and more. And the woman at the center of Modern Butchood — well, you’ll have to see it to learn what pressures reveal about her.
For me, though, I’m feeling the pressure of heavy eyes and another full day of Fringing tomorrow. See you there?
“BOMB! An FBI Memoir” runs at Know Theatre. “Quiet Coyotes” runs at Miami University Space. “Modern Butchood” runs at Miami University Space. Cincinnati Fringe Festival, May 29 – June 13. Tickets and passes at cincyfringe.com.
Kirk Sheppard is a proud member of the American Theatre Critic/Journalists Association. He writes about Cincinnati theatre—but mostly about being human. Check out kirksheppard.com for more information.