"The Show" by E/D at Red Eye Theater

The uniquely special theater partnership known as E/D, comprised of Emily Michaels King and Debra Berger, is remounting their glorious pink explosion of a show entitled simply The Show. Originally scheduled for March 2020, The Show finally premiered in the fall of 2022. And now, two and a half years later, they're bringing it back. As they mention in the intro, a lot has happened in the last two and a half years. They're different, and we're different. The Show may be a little different, but it's pretty close to what I remember of the original, which is and "emotionally raw, thoughtfully executed, and completely engrossing show by two uniquely talented artists, who combine to form a whole greater than the sum of its parts." Read on for my review of the 2022 production (with some slight modifications), and then click here for all of the details and to purchase $20 tickets through April 5 only. I guarantee you will not see a more original Show this year.

E/D Presents "The Show" at the Crane Theater

#TCTheater artists Emily Michaels King and Debra Berger officially joined forces in 2018 under the company name E/D, debuting with the "uniquely beautiful and chillingly disturbing" mixed media piece Animus. They were scheduled to open their second original piece, entitled simply The Show, on the unlucky date of March 13, 2020. We know how that story goes; it was cancelled due to a global pandemic. They rescheduled it for sometime during the 2021-2022 season, again cancelling due to delta or omicron or whatever variant was raging at the time. But now, finally, this glorious pink explosion of a show is fully alive and running, but only for two more nights! The short two-week run closes on Saturday, so get yourself to the Crane Theater quickly to see this emotionally raw, thoughtfully executed, and completely engrossing show by two uniquely talented artists, who combine to form a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Click here for all of the details and to purchase pay-what-you-can tickets.

"Animus" by E/D at the Southern Theater

Animus is a theater piece that incorporates film (both pre-recorded as well as projected live) better than any I've seen before. In fact everything about the piece is thoughtfully created and exquisitely executed. Produced by a new company (called E/D), but not a new collaboration (Emily Michaels King and Debra Berger), it's inspired by the 1966 Ingmar Bergman film Persona and is in fact part of the Swedish filmmaker's jubilee celebration. I've not seen this film (or I think any of Bergman's work), but if it's as hauntingly beautiful and downright trippy as Animus, I now want to. Presented as part of last year's Twin Cities Horror Festival (as reported on by my friends at Minnesota Theater Love), it's been expanded to 90 fully engrossing minutes. Animus continues through December 22 only and should not be overlooked in this busy season both on and off stage.

Fringe Festival 2016: "Lewis/Clark"

Day: 3

Show: 10

Title: Lewis/Clark

Category: Something Different

By: Rhymes with Montana

Created by: Debra Berger, Emily King, and Tyler Mills (narrative playwright)

Location: Phoenix Theater

Summary: An original story of discovery, adventure, and friendship, inspired by the real-life adventures of Lewis and Clark but taking it into the territory of imagination.

Highlights: Everything that this group does (performer/creators Debra Berger and Emily King, collaborators Tyler Mills and Tyler Michaels) is indescribably lovely, funny and whimsical yet strangely moving and somehow profound. In this story, the fictional female adventurers Lewis and Clark reunite after many years apart for one more grand adventure. Lewis has found something new, and wants Clark to go with her so they can discover it together, as they have so many places before. Past hurts are revisited but their friendship endures. The story is fantastical, but incorporates actual writings as varied as "How to Skin a Rabbit"and transcripts from the moon landing. Musician Derek Trost provides a soundtrack for the story using various percussion instruments, and Debra sings an original song (with lyrics by Tyler Mills and composition by the company) about a female explorer that sounds like it was written 100 years ago. The two women also sing Stan Rogers' "Northwest Passage," with harmonies so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. Lewis/Clark combines movement, music, historical writings, storytelling, and LaCroix sparkling water in a completely unique and innovative way. (Watch for more from the Tylers when they launch their new theater company next spring with The Gest of Robin Hood, which was part of Illusion Theater's "Fresh Ink" new works festival this year.)