More pictures from New Orleans Fringe Theater Festival

Tech rehearsal at the Skull Club

We got into our space at Lord David's Skull Club yesterday and set cues and blocking for the space. First show is tonight.

Rehearsing in NOLA

Michael and Perry have been running around buying props, putting up posters and flyers, doing radio interviews, hanging with friends and trying on wigs.

Here's some visual evidence:


Kristen of the New Orleans Fringe Festival and Kathy of Goodchillun SAPC doing an interview on WWOZ.


Randy and Michael in rehearsal.


Randy and Angel on break.


Julie, Perry and Michael take a paddle-boat break on the Bayou St. John.


Julie, Julie, Michael and Claudia after lunch at Café Degas.


Michael goofing with wighat, nose and mustache.


Perry and Michael goofing.

"Seat Yourself" & "Pompa y Circonstancia"

Performed earlier this year in Paris and Washington, DC, théâtre du jour comprises two comic shorts written and directed by Michael Merino. The show, a collaborative effort between Est Paris Theater and the Lower Garden Project Theater In Exile will be performed at the New Orleans Fringe Theater Festival, November 13-16.

Seat Yourself explores the frustrations of fine dining and "the euphemism."

Pompa y Circunstancia concerns a bizarre commencement ceremony, where two brothers miscommunicate about what to wear, life and lunch.

The cast includes Perry Leopard, Randy Maggiore, and Claudia Baumgarten.

Performance times and venue:
Skull Club: 1003 N. Spain Street (corner of N. Rampart) - google map link
November 13 at 8:30 p.m.
November 15 at 7:00 p.m.
November 16 at 5:30 p.m.
Entrance $7 (plus a $3 Fringe bracelet for first entrance, then used for all other performances)

Here's a picture of Robert Bradford and Perry from the Paris performance of Seat Yourself in July 2008:



And a picture of the costumes for the Paris premier of Seat Yourself sported by director Damian Corcoran and actor Perry Leopard:

a bit messed up

I've been fooling with this, so some links are messed up. I'll fix it as soon (later) as I can.
Perry

NOLA, here we come

In a cooperative project with the Lower Garden Project Theater, we've been accepted into the New Orleans Fringe Festival.

"Seat Yourself"

Seat Yourself by Michael Merino.

Est Paris Theater and the Ogresse present the premiere of Seat Yourself, winner of the 2007 Oxford 10-Minute Play competition. A woman and a man attempt to dine in a restaurant, but the man's constant absence from the table spoils the evening. His existence is questioned by an impossible waiter with a silly accent.

“I have been writing pieces that address sociological and scientific moral issues for 20 years,” says Michael. "After the last few years of the farcical war on terror and the politics of absurdity, I have decided that it’s time to stop banging my head against the imperturbable wall and start laughing at my bloodied, bruised skull.”

Directed by Damian Corcoran. Acted by Robert Bradford and Perry Leopard.

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Seat Yourself par Michael Merino.

Est Paris Theater et l'Ogresse présentent le premier d'une courte pièce en américain qui a gagné le premier prix au festival Oxford Minute Play Contest en 2007. Une femme et une homme dinent dans un restaurant aux États-Unis, mais l'absence persistante de l'homme gâche la soirée. L'apparition d'un serveur belge avec une moustache aussi impossible que son accent met en question l'existence même de l'homme.

« J'écris des pièces qui parlent de question sociologiques et scientifiques depuis vingt ans, dit Michael. Avec la farce de la guerre contre le terrorisme et la politique de l'absurde à l'américaine, ajoute-il, j'ai décidé d'arrêter de me cogner la tête contre un mur imperturbable et de commencer à en rire de mon crane meurtri et saignant. »

Mise en scène par Damian Corcoran. Avec Robert Bradford et Perry Leopard.

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9 juillet, 20h : Seat Yourself + THE BZZ + something from Perry...
Houla Houps: 4 rue Basfroi, Paris 11. Métro : Ledru-Rollin, Voltaire
déménagé à l'Ogresse
Gratuit

Nous voulons commencer la pièce à 20h30 au plus tard.
La pièce sera suivie d'un speed-concert (15 chansons en 15 minutes) par THE BZZ.

Après, Perry jouera quelques chansons, ou si vous préférez, un set DJ des tubes et de faces B de la Nouvelle-Orléans des années 60.
on verra...

17 juillet, portes ouvertes à 19h : Seat Yourself + Hootenanny
Ogresse: 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20. Métro : Pte de Bagnolet
Gratuit, mais soutenez l'Ogresse ! Mangez, boire, donner de l'argent si vous pouvez !

Les portes s'ouvrent à 19h, il fait bon y boire un coup. Nous voulons commencer la pièce à 20h30 au plus tard.
La pièce sera suivie d'un « hootenanny » animé par Perry avec Marten Ingle et Ana Bon-Bon.

- - - -


July 9 at 8 p.m.: Seat Yourself + THE BZZ + something from Perry...
Houla Houps: 4 rue Basfroi, Paris 11. Métro : Ledru-Rollin, Voltaire
moved to the Ogresse
Free

We want to start the play at 8:30 p.m. at the latest.
After the play, there will be a speed-concert (15 songs in 15 minutes) by THE BZZ.
After, Perry will sing a few, or maybe, depending on the mood, do a DJ set of singles and B-sides from 1960s New Orleans.
we'll see...

July 17, doors open at 7 p.m.: Seat Yourself + Hootenanny
Ogresse: 4 rue des Prairies, Paris 20. Métro : Pte de Bagnolet
Free to get in, but one objective is to support the Ogresse. Drink up, eat up, drop some paper in the can if you can.

At the Ogresse, the doors open at 7 pm for drinking and socializing. We want to start the play by 8:30 at the latest.
After, we'll have a hootenanny, with Marten Ingle, Ana Bon-Bon and Perry.

- - - -

nice first time

Our first performance of Seat Yourself last Saturday went well. People seemed to really enjoy it, they laughed a lot, and R, D and I were all happy with what we did. I'm sure it will get even better as we add rehearsals/performances.

It was about twice as long as what it's classification as a ten-minute play would imply. I would say it lasted a bit more than 20 minutes.

So now we're looking into doing some bar and café gigs. If you have any ideas or can get us in somewhere, get in touch at perry @ est-paris.com.

"Seat Yourself" - Saturday June 14

It's on, y'all.

L'Ogresse: 4, rue des Prairies, 75020 Paris.
Métro: Porte de Bagnolet, Gambetta.

Saturday, June 14.
Doors open at 7 pm.

We'll put on the play, which lasts about 10 minutes, at around 8:30.
Followed by live music by Perry and others.

Rehearsing a short one

Damian Corcoran, Robert Bradford and I are rehearsing Seat Yourself, a 10-minute play by Michael that we'll be putting on guerilla style in the bars and elsewhere in a couple of weeks.

We'll be beating out the Oxford, Mississippi theater festival to doing it first. The play will be performed there this fall, since it won their 10-minute play competition last year.

Still building up the the goal of doing The Quick, Brown Fox Jumped Over the Lazy Dogs later.