Friday, August 11, 2017

Fringe Festival 2017: "RomCom-Con: A Meet-Cute Musical"

Day: 8

Show: 33

Category: Musical

By: August Moon Productions

Created by: Kyle DeGoey

Location: Ritz Theater Mainstage

Summary: After bad break ups, two people meet-cute at a convention for fans of romantic comedies.

Highlights: This meet-cute musical is super cute. Book writers Nathan Kelly and Kerri O'Halloran have filled the show with rom com references old and new. The show pays homage to the genre that is loved by so many, including our meet-cute couple Will (Aaron Cook) and Samantha (Erin Kennedy), while turning some of the tired tropes on their head. When Will jumps in to defend Sam to her ex Brock (Edd Jones), who comes to the rom com dressed as his favorite rom com character Severus Snape, she protests that they've only just met and she doesn't need him to defend her. And then goes on to explain that true love doesn't happen in an instant, but builds with time and hard work. The super charming and appealing cast also includes Hannah Parish as a rom com guru/fairy godmother, and Nimene Sierra Wureh and Drew Tennenbaum as the best friends who have a meet-cute of their own, even though we're told "true love is for main characters only." Kyle DeGoey (music and lyrics) has once again written a clever, fun, and genre-specific Fringe musical (see also Oregon Trail and Gilligan).

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.