Last Friday, November 2, Artistic Director Dr. Annette Lust welcomed us to the 30th anniversary season of the Fringe of Marin. Program One introduced six new plays and one solo performance.
Shirley King’s Hollywood Confidential opened the program. Stylishly directed by Robin Schild, who directed her earlier play, Scramble Time, starred the same actress, Gigi Benson. In this play, Gigi Benson plays Gloria who works for Mission Control and is hoping to save Hollywood from extinction. Gloria’s assignment is to thwart the evil Frost Gang. Ralph Duckman is the only volunteer. He is a Super Hero always up for a new adventure. The actors move well and Gigi Benson is beautiful in her sexy red dress. Each character tries to outsmart the other.
Mysterious Ways, a solo performance written and performed by George Dykstra was next on the program. George Dykstra is a talented playwright and director. This is his debut performance as an actor. He is dressed in a tuxedo and starts out as a singing waiter with a beautiful voice about to celebrate a special occasion. Next he reflects on memories in a family album. As he does this, the piece takes a different turn with a serious look at the human condition becoming a bit melodramatic.
Minerva and Melrose written and directed by Martin A. David was next. Lauren Arrow as Minerva gives an outstanding performance as a young wife concentrating on her career while she keeps her older husband imprisoned in the bathroom. Jon Zax is Melrose and gives a subdued performance as her supportive husband. This is a delightfully clever comedy!
Rounding out the first half of the program is The Game by Don Samson and directed by Carol Eggers. In The Game, Tom (Rick Roitinger) and Marion (Emily Soleil) have been invited to a sex party. Tom wants to go and Marion does not. She uses her wifely knowledge and weapons to get her way. Here we have a top notch playwright, director, actor, Rick Roitinger and a charming newcomer Emily Soleil.
Dr. Annette Lust’s delightful pantry tale, How Salt and Pepper Got Put Into Shakers, opened the second half of the program. The piece was imaginatively staged by Pamela Rand with a darling set by Ruth Grant. Charles Grant, with a wonderful French accent, is the Cook who is also the narrator. Salt (Cynthia Sims) and Pepper (Terri Barker) are constantly quarreling. Their costumes are so clever! The Cook pulls them apart and puts them into their shakers and give us the following moral – “When sisters or brothers fight over which is more appreciated, little do they realize they are creating their own shaker prisons that could separate them for years to come.”
Next up was Sharp Edges written and directed by Michael Ferguson. In this play, Daniel (David Louis Klein) and Melanie (Jennifer Cedar-Kraft) run into each other during the intermission of a performance. Daniel is a good looking middle aged man and Melanie a younger woman. Daniel seems to be a sexual predator and Melanie an innocent girl. This is well acted and directed although the story is melodramatic.
Program One concludes with Sunday Sundays written and directed by Peter Hsieh. This is an avant garde play about the game of croquet starring Jason Hurtado, Michael Lee Lund, Everado Leon and Elizabeth Curtis.
Program One continues Friday November 9 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday November 10 at 2 p.m. and November 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Meadowlands Assembly Hall, Dominican University, 50 Acacia Avenue at Grand, San Rafael. For reservations and information, call 415-673-3131 or go online at www.fringeofmarin.com.
Founded in 1990 by Dr. Annette Lust, these Fringe of Marin Festivals set a precedent for other Fringe Festivals both locally and beyond, creating a sense of excitement regarding new discoveries and community artists combined with spectator participation.
Flora Lynn Isaacson
