We’re 6 days into the Fringe Festival at this point, so I feel a little awkward still titling these profile pieces as “previews”. At this point, I’ve already seen quite a few shows (you’ll have to wait for the capsule reviews to find out which, though). I had issues getting online from a few rinky dink towns out in rural Ontario this weekend, in order to get this post, and the fourth and final preview, finished and posted. But better late than never, right?

So, then; this post is all about the Musical and Dance shows in this year’s Fringe. Arguably, this is the category that’s had the most success is developing shows that have a life beyond Fringe; the most famous example, of course, would be the Broadway show “The Drowsy Chaperone“, which had its first full production at the Toronto Fringe in 1998, and went on to eventually win 5 Tonys in 2006.

Also included in this category are the Dance Initiative shows. There are technically 8 shows being presented at the Fringe with the participation of the Dance Ontario Umbrella, but I’ve snuck a few more in that aren’t official dance selections.

- “The Williamson Playboys in… Brother, Can You Spare Some Pants?“: The Playboys are pretty distinguished already; anyone who’s lived as long as this “father and son Cajun music duo” say they have would pretty much have to be by simple dint of their advanced age. But the “younger” of the Williamsons, Cecil Jr.  - AKA as Doug Morency - has another Fringe claim to fame; he was in the first production of “The Drowsy Chaperone”. For this revue, the Playboys are once again interviewed between their famous and not so famous musical selections by Sandy Jobin Bevans (who’s also appearing in “Because I Can“).

- “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish-Wiccan Wedding“: Singer / songwriter / composer David Hein is a festival veteran - of folk and rock festivals, anyway. He’s stepping out onto the Fringe stage with this musical “based on the true story of how my mom came out to me, met her partner and got married”. It’s already been selected for the Best of the Fringe Festival (based on advance sales), and boasts a cast of 7 musical vets, including Bread and Circus co-owner Jackie English (”The Christian Republican Fundraiser in Dayton, Tennessee”).

- “Things Base and Weill… Love Can Transpose“: a cast of “versatile actors-singers-dancers-musicians and sword fighters” takes part in this variety assemblage from Theatre Counterpoise, based on the works of Shakespeare and Kurt Weill. Several of the participants were involved in past Fringe shows like 2007’s “Duel of Ages”; this time around, in addition to all the staged violence, they get to do a little singin’ and hoofin’.

- “Just East of Broadway“: This show boasts “12 original tunes composed by members of indie pop band Hooded Fang and a cast that includes a West-End veteran, a Canadian Comedy Award winner, and stars of past Fringe hits “Giant Killer Shark: The Musical,” “Funny Business: The Musical”, and “LOTR: The Musical: The Musical!”. So this one might be the one to beat for the odds-on favourite as the hit musical of this summer’s Fringe. I should also confess that I’m a huge fan of Hooded Fang, so this one’s pretty high on my own personal list.

- “Dancing In My Unbirthday Suit“: The Winners of the 2008 Spirit of the Fringe Award, Inertia Productions’ new show promises an “unbirthday party for absolutely everyone; frilly dresses, outspoken balloons, twisted stripteases, monster gifts, and an inconceivable backwards romance, and best of all, kitsh dances!” Who doesn’t like outspoken balloons?

- The Silver Stage: “Once More, With Feeling“: A joint venture between the Toronto Fringe and The Bloor Cinema, four different collectives perform Shadowplay live shows in accompaniment to Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park”, David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet“, and recent cult flick “Repo: The Genetic Opera!“. But the show I’m most excited for is “Once More With Feeling“, the brilliant musical episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer“, written and composed by series creator Joss Whedon. Fun Fact: Anthony Stewart Head sings and co-stars in both “OMWF” AND “Repo”!!

These look intriguing too:

“Nebraska” (director Adam Brazier, who starred most recently in Toronto in “We Will Rock You”, and writer Kevin McGarry join forces to present this story of a pair of lovers on a murderous rampage across the titular state in the late 50s), “How to Make a Mixtape” ( Alias Productions “combines house, hip-hop and contemporary dance from five choreographers”, and if their show is anything like this winter’s “Take It Back” at the Next Stage Festival, the Fringe could have another dance hit on their hands), “Peeler” (actress and stripercise enthusiast Kiran Friesen incorporates her hobby into her craft in this show about working the pole; the show has expanded to a cast of three since her write up in the Fringe program), “It’s Just a Phase” (Last year’s musical about “hetero-flexibility” and gender identity returns for a second year in a row, revamped and rewritten; busy actress Nicole Stamp, also appearing in “36 Little Plays About Hopeless Girls“, takes over the breakout role that Lauren Ash made so memorable last year), “Hipcheck: The Musical” (There’s pretty much always a Fringe show about Hockey in the Fringe, and this year, it’s a musical, boasting cast members from the Mirvish productions of “The Lion King” and”Miss Saigon”), and “Heartsurge” (Artists Play, the company behind last year’s T.O. Fringe show “The Reservation”, returns with this dance piece inspired by the fluctuations of the heartbeat, due to murmurs, and even heart surgery).

Remember, you can check out descriptions of, and the full schedule, for all these shows at the Fringe’s website.

Next preview: the “Miscellaneous”, a grab all category, has bouffon clown, improv, performance art, clown musicals, poetry, vaudeville, bingo, and more…

Filed under: Comedy, Dance, Music, Theatre by Steve