Quality and Twists (Louisville Fringe Festival)

Sep 15

2 min read

Shotz! Written and Directed by Various Artists in association with the Louisville Fringe Festival A review by Brian Kennedy

With the pressure that comes from having just a few weeks to put together a show, Shotz! features 10-minute plays that are of varying degrees of success.

Megan Massie Ware and Zac Campbell-Hoogendyk produced Shotz!, which gives participants two weeks to write, two weeks to rehearse, two hours to tech, and one chance to perform completely new works that meet specific requirements. For the Fringe Festival, each of the plays had to include three things: the use of PPE (personal protective equipment), the phrase “look out” had to be used and an explosion sound effect must be heard. All six plays completed this challenge to varying degrees of success.

The first Shotz short was probably the best. How to Be a Good Neighbor, which Brad White wrote and Roy De la Rosa directed, was a 10-minute Mister Rogers-style show featuring Sarah BE’s character talks about how to be a good neighbor. At the same time, clues of her anger against a next door neighbor come to light. A little serious face here, a mixing of chemicals there followed by the delivering of said mixed chemicals to the neighbor’s door. BE’s easy moving between the anger and serendipity emotions led to well-earned laughs, which got bigger as the short continued.

Meanwhile, the 9/11-based play Not Ready to Play Nice, which Katie Pena Van Zile wrote and Bailey Preston directed, featured plenty of depth as the kids and adults talked about their situation while the father and husband was away at war. This was happening during a birthday party and before a surprise twist at the end that stunned everyone in the audience. Kimberly Ding, Nolan Brown, and Meg Caudill played their roles effectively here.

Twists were also found in the Zoe Peterson-written Occupant 3467 and the Michelle Lori-written Every Little Thing which added extra suspense to each. Macedonia Parks and Katie Krutsick did well with Occupant 3467, and Em de Zafra, Caroline Cox, Rachel Meadows, and Ryan Lash were each hilarious in Every Little Thing.

The short timeframe for creating shows does have its drawbacks, however. Sara Sandfort’s The Third of July, about two movers smoking and vaping near fireworks, was too predictable. Meanwhile, Vidalia Unwin’s Divine Blood and Glitter, featuring a moose and an Elvira-looking character, was just too confusing.

Shotz! performs throughout Louisville at various locations throughout the year, including a greatest hits-style Double Shotz! on Sunday night during the Fringe Festival. With the overall quality and unexpected twists, it might be worth a trip to Actors Theatre to see that show.

Shotz! In association with Louisville Fringe Festival Thursday September 12, 2024 @7:30 pm Victor Jory Theater at Actors Theatre

Quality and Twists (Louisville Fringe Festival)

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