Minnesota Fringe Festival 2018: "Rejection"

Day: 10

Show: 34

Title: Rejection

Category: Comedy / Drama / LGBTQ+ Content

By: Theatre Corrobora

Written by: Hailey Colwell

Location: Augsburg Mainstage

Summary: A relationship dramedy about a group of friends whose relationships change when they take part in a study about relationships.

Highlights: Based on the title of the play you know someone's going to get rejected. But it's a story well told by the strong cast in this entertaining , if not particularly revelatory play. After discussing her relationship with the researcher, Sadie begins to doubt it, and confesses her fears to girlfriend Jade, who doesn't share her same fears. Their (seemingly) happily married friends Penny and Steven also talk to the researcher, revealing some cracks in their relationship as well. Single friend Margo is happy being solo (especially observing her friends' relationship troubles) but tries dating anyway. In the end everyone's life is changed by the study, which really just made clear the issues that were already festering (moral of the story: talk about your feelings). Perhaps a little predictable, but still enjoyable, and bonus points for the thoughtfully chosen instrumental soundtrack of love songs.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

Fringe Festival 2015: "One in Two Million"

Day: 8

Show: 36

Title: One in Two Million

Category: Drama

By: Seasons of Dreams

Written by: Nicole M. Lewis

Location: U of M Rarig Center Xperimental

Summary: The life and relationship of a young couple in love takes a turn when one of them is diagnosed with a rare and fatal disease.

Highlights: People use the phrase "one in a million" all the time to describe the uniqueness of someone they love, but in Lexi's case, she is literally one in two million when she's diagnosed with a disease that only affects one in two million people. As she struggles with the painful and debilitating effects of FOP, which causes her body to grow bone, Henry never leaves her side. They're determined to go through this together. As the young lovers, Cage Sebastian Pierre and Emily Rose Duea are both strong and appealing actors (and might I say, it's refreshing to see an inter-racial couple in which race is not an issue), and Eric Arthur Dreier provides strong support as the doctor who's equal parts fascinated by the rare disease and horrified by how it's affecting Lexi. This show was another last minute replacement for a sold out show, and I'm glad I got to witness this rare, beautiful, and heart-breaking love story.