Fringe Preview 2015

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[ INTRODUCTION ] BY JAKE CLAPP

R

ochester has embraced its fringe side.

Now in its fourth year, the First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival has grown to be one of the largest multi-arts festivals in New York State, and one of the best-attended fringe festivals in the nation. Debuting in 2012, the festival drew more than 32,000 attendees across 5 days. The initial success prompted the fringe to expand to 10 days the next year, and that festival attracted more than 50,000 people. An estimated 60,000 individuals came out during the 2014 edition for more than 380 shows across 28 venues — and the performances themselves were starting to settle into the fringe concept. Shows taking place in parked cars and camping tents, giant tricycles pulled from a Terry Gilliam fever dream parading around Manhattan Square, Gibbs Street filled with more than 200 ghosts, venues filled for stand-up comedy, dance premieres, gospel choirs, and drag performers; artists have become more comfortable with pushing the traditional boundaries of a performance.

This year, the Rochester Fringe Festival will feature more than 500 performances and events, taking place Thursday, September 17, through Saturday, September 26, across indoor and outdoor venues in and around downtown Rochester.

The festival is put on by a nonprofit corporation spearheaded by some of the area’s key cultural institutions, including Geva Theatre Center, the George Eastman House, Garth Fagan Dance, Eastman School

of Music, and others. What makes Fringe stand out from other arts festivals is that participating venues curate their own shows.

Acts applied earlier this year and the various theaters, galleries, cafes, and other venues picked the shows that fit them best.

Tickets for Fringe Festival shows vary per venue, typically ranging between $5 and $15 (and headlining acts typically have higher ticket prices). Still, there are dozens of completely free spectacles, including Grounded Aerial, one of this year’s headliners, at the annual Friday on the Fringe in Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Tickets for individual shows are available online at rochesterfringe.com, by phone at 957-9837, and in person at each venue starting an hour before show time. There will also be a Spiegeltent box office open at the corner of Main and Gibbs.

Fringe Fanatic Passes, which grant admission to all Fringe Shows (except for a few restrictions on several headliner shows), cost $190 and can be purchased online, by phone, or at the Spiegeltent box office.

For a full schedule of the festival, a list of venues, maps, and other information, see the official Fringe Festival Guide, included in this issue or visit Rochesterfringe.com.

City Newspaper will offer extensive coverage of the 2015 Rochester Fringe Festival. Look for daily blogs during the run of the festival, with photos, reviews, and our critics’ picks for best of the fest.

And make sure to pick up our Fringe Review in print in the September 23 issue.

PHOTOS, PAGES 17-32: COURTESY THE FIRST NIAGARA ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL

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s R e   L d  H GROUNDED AERIAL

To call Grounded Aerial just a dance performance is akin to referring to a Lamborghini as just “a car,” or Mount Everest as “big.” It may certainly be technically accurate, but at the same time, those descriptions barely scratch the surface. Featuring performers formerly of STOMP, Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group, Pilobolus, De La Guarda, and Momix, Grounded Aerial, quite literally, brings dance to new heights. The group’s performances blend precise dance movements with intense contortionist acts and precarious aerial moves, all grounded together by a strong plot line. With more than 30 years of experience, the troupe has performed on NBC’s “I Can Do That” and during Microsoft’s Worldwide Vista and Office Logo launch. For this show, Grounded Aerial will perform on the side of the 21-story HSBC building as well as on the “Tribute to Man” metal framework.

Grounded Aerial will perform on Friday, September 18, as part of Friday on the Fringe at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square. Friday on the Fringe begins at 5 p.m.; Grounded Aerial will perform at 8 p.m.

The show is free for all ages. — BY GINO FANELLI

REMOTE ROCHESTER Created by site-specific theater company Rimini Protokoll, Remote Rochester is a pedestrian-based live-art journey that aims to engender discovery of the city, of the self, and of reality in a completely unique way.

During each “performance,” 50 participants will begin at a specified starting point, put on headphones, and follow the recorded directions along a secret path around Rochester, interacting with the environment as they go. Part of the “Remote X” project, Remote Rochester is Rimini Protokoll’s second installment in the United States — other “Remote X” projects have taken place in Berlin, Milan, Amsterdam, Paris, and New York.

Remote Rochester has various start times each day of the Fringe Festival. For specifics, visit rochesterfringe.com. Groups should gather at the Spiegelgarden 15 minutes prior to the start time. $28. Appropriate for ages 13 and older. — BY NOLAN H. PARKER

JAMIE LISSOW After opening for Patton Oswalt and Jay Pharoah at past Rochester Fringe Festivals, Jamie Lissow is finally getting his own hour-long headliner set at the Fringe. A Rochester native and Brother Wease’s former sidekick, Lissow has appeared on “The Late Show,” and has a half-hour special on Comedy Central. He’s been featured at The Montreal Comedy Festival, The Great American Comedy Festival, appeared on Fox News’s “Redeye” more than 50 times (proudly maintaining “no political opinions” throughout), and recently finished co-writing and starring in an upcoming sitcom, “Real Rob,” with Rob Schneider. Opening for Lissow will be Brian Herberger, the winner of Buffalo’s Funniest Person Contest.

Jamie Lissow will perform on Saturday, September 19, at 9:30 p.m. in the Spiegeltent. $18. Appropriate for ages 16 and older. — BY NOLAN H. PARKER 20 CITY SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2015

open 11am - 6pm tuesday - saturday

THE AURORA SPIEGELTENT After a two-year-run with The Magic Crystal Spiegeltent, the Rochester Fringe Festival is making a little upgrade. This year’s Spiegeltent performances will be hosted in The Aurora, from The Netherlands, making its United States debut at the intersection of East Main Street and Gibbs Street. Adorned with red velvet draped booths, stained glass windows, and a large wooden floor, the Spiegeltent’s regal atmosphere will stand as a great backdrop for some pretty unique performances.

Along with performances of “Cabinet of Wonders” and “Princess Wendy’s Late Nite Tease Room,” and a set from comedian Jamie Lissow, the Spiegeltent will again host the ever-popular Silent Disco. As the name implies, the dance floor of the Aurora, will remain quiet during the Silent Disco, while dancers use headphones to groove to the music. A twochannel system will allow people to pick between competing live DJs. Silent Disco takes place September 18, 19, 25, and 26, at 11 p.m. and is appropriate for ages 18 and older. Tickets are $10. A mid-day iteration of the Silent Disco, the Brown Bag Disco, will be offered on Friday, September 25, complete with a free bagged lunch with the $9 entrance fee.

For more information on all of the events taking place in the Spiegeltent and the adjoining Spiegelgarden, visit rochesterfringe.com. — BY GINO FANELLI

MATT AND HEIDI MORGAN Performers Matt and Heidi Morgan, hosts of the show “Absinthe” at the Las Vegas Spiegelworld, will bring their anarchic style to the Rochester Fringe Festival with a new variety show, “Cabinet of Wonders.” The show will make its world-premiere during this year’s Fringe. It’s difficult to say what to actually expect from “Cabinet of Wonders.” Draped in mystery, the short-list of performances will include comedy, contortionists, acrobatics, aerial performances, feats of strength, and a one-legged tap dancer.

Matt and Heidi Morgan will also host “Princess Wendy’s Late Nite Tease Room,” an adult comedy and burlesque romp about a down-and-out professional birthday party entertainer.

“Cabinet of Wonders” has various show times in the Spiegeltent each day of the festival. For specifics, visit rochesterfringe.com. $33-$36. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.

“Princess Wendy’s Late Nite Tease Room” will take place Thursday, September 24, through Saturday, September 26, in the Spiegeltent. 9:30 p.m. each night. $18. Appropriate for ages 18 and older. — BY GINO FANELLI

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“UPSIDE DOWNTON”

See interview with Luke Kempner on page 22

rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 21

DnT DnSe

A CONVERSATION WITH HEADLINER LUKE KEMPNER [ INTERVIEW ] BY RON NETSKY

W

ith its multitude of characters and intricate plot lines, Downton Abbey can sometimes be difficult to follow. But when Luke Kempner takes the appropriately august Kilbourn Hall stage to perform “Upside Downton,” you will only have to focus on one man.

Of course it’s not quite that simple. Mr. Carson, Lady Mary, Mrs. Hughes, the Dowager, and many others will be there. But they’ll all be played by Kempner, a master impressionist who will channel character after character at a breakneck pace.

In the midst of building his career on London’s West End — the British Broadway — in shows like “Les Misérables,” “Avenue Q,” and “South Pacific,” Kempner took a detour to YouTube. He wrote and starred in his own condensed version of “Downton Abbey” featuring exaggerated caricatures of the series’ major figures. The videos went viral and he soon found himself appearing before sold-out crowds at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Born just south of London, Kempner, who is 28 years old, is the son of a horse-riding instructor mother, who had some brushes with England’s upper crust, and an amateur actor father, who often impersonated Groucho Marx. So, you might say he was born to take down “Downton.”

Kempner emphasizes the fact that you don’t have to be a “Downton Abbey” fanatic to enjoy his show. In fact, in his Downton world, circumstances cause the grand house’s residents to engage with a broad range of outsiders from Russell Brand to the Kardashians.

City Newspaper recently caught up with Kempner (by phone) at his London flat. The following is an edited version of our conversation.

“UPSIDE DOWNTON”

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22 CITY SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2015

City: How did you discover you were an impressionist?

You attended Guildford School of Acting. What did you get out of that?

Luke Kempner: When I was 10, 11 years old, I used to do silly voices all the time. It was like imitating computer games for my friends.

When I got older and was at school I used to do the teachers and get in lots of trouble.

When I was at drama school at 18, at the endof-year Christmas Carol Concert, I used to get up and do impressions of all the teachers in a 10-minute comedy set. It was a Nativity play and I’d have each teacher play a different part, but I’d do all the voices.

It was an amazing three years of my life. You’re surrounded by people who want to do the same thing. When you do it professionally, the aim is to make money doing what you love doing, but when you’re at drama school, you don’t have those pressures of paying the bills.

You get to go and act and sing and dance every day and you’re learning to have the chops for when you get into the professional world.

What British comedy tradition do you come out of? Monty Python? Ricky Gervais?

Yes, I have a sort of formula. Some of them come immediately and I can hear them in my voice, like Carson. [In Carson’s voice]: I could hear that Carson was very low and down here.

And: Someone like Daisy [in her voice], I could hear that she was quite high and had a bit of a lisp, so I knew that that wouldn’t take long.

For some of the harder ones, I’ll record little snippets of them talking from the show and listen to them over and over again and try to do an impression. I’ll go to sleep and wake

Python was pretty big but my dad was a Groucho Marx impersonator, so I used to watch Marx Brothers films all the time. I used to know “Room Service” and “Duck Soup” by heart. Also things like “Fawlty Towers.” More recently, I’m into the American version of “The Office” series and I watch a lot of stand-ups, people like Bill Burr and Louis C.K. And I love Ricky Gervais.

Do you have a technique for getting an impression down?

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Luke Kempner will perform his one-man show, "Upside Downton," in Kilbourn Hall on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26.. PHOTO COURTESY FIRST NIAGARA ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL

up the next day and have another go.

Usually it’s a bit better then. It might take two or three days to get something good and then I’ll do it on stage four or five times to really find what’s funny about each character.

always got a new man on the go — things like that. Sometimes you can just invent stuff. I sort of do Mr. Molesley as always trying to volunteer for things which he sort of does in the series.

Are you a fan of “Downton Abbey”?

A huge fan — I love it. Writing a show based on Downton, it means I have to watch so much of it. I’ve seen every episode 10 to 15 times and I never get bored.

It can get complicated. How do you choose what to zero in on?

I try to find the things that everybody’s noticed. If someone seems to die at the end of every series, that’s something that everybody would notice. Or that Mary’s

Do you identify with any of them?

I think I’d probably be downstairs if I was there. I’d be a servant who keeps needling with Lord Grantham.

How do you not only get into the heads but also into the bodies of the characters?

I try and find the mannerisms that can symbolize them. Like for Thomas, I’d always be rubbing my hands, which looks like he’s polishing a shoe. It’s just the thing that signifies Thomas.

For Carson, I always have his hands behind his back. He isn’t always like that but if you picture Carson and I say his hands are behind his back people wouldn’t go, “That’s weird.” You’d think, “That’s about right.” continues on page 24

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There are two separate parts to my career.

I started out in musical theater but I’d always done the impressions so I put some videos on YouTube, and the third video I put on, the “Downton Abbey” one, got re-tweeted by [singer] Tom Jones and [comedian] Stephen Fry and overnight it got tens of thousands of views and that’s really what propelled me into doing it professionally.

It took me in a different direction and a direction I really wanted to go in. I love musical theater but I’d always wanted to write my own stuff and I’d always wanted to make people laugh.

YouTube gave me that chance.

I love the Dowager because she’s just got amazing one-liners. I love Carson because he’s so stuck in his ways, and I love his relationship with Mrs. Hughes because she’s just a little bit more knowledgeable about the world than Carson seems to be, and she just keeps him in check. I can’t believe it looks like they’re going to get together, which is all very exciting.

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Who are your favorite characters?

You kind of created your “Downton” career yourself, through YouTube.

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When you’re on stage and in the “Downton Abbey” zone, do you ever improvise?

A little bit, usually when things happen in Are there any characters you can’t do? the audience. Say the lights come up at the There are some I steer clear of. Some have wrong moment or someone goes to the story lines that are quite hard-hitting and toilet or someone’s coughing too much, I you can’t make something funny out of will be awarded the topwho teams might go, [in Mrs. Patmore’s Prizes voice] “Are that. Theto woman plays Edith is a you all right there, dear.including Do you want 2a tickets to Cirque wonderful actress du but Fringe! there’s not loads glass of water?” Other than that, it’s pretty I can grab from her. I make jokes about scripted just to keep it tight.

Edith but I don’t have her as a character.

What about a cellphone going off, a real anachronism?

Have you had any real-life contact with the actors?

I could hear Carson saying, “We don’t have the kind of thing at Downton; please turn it off.”

Elizabeth McGovern [Cora] came to see the show with her family. Jim Carter [Carson] sent me a nice message saying he’d seen my videos. Elizabeth said all the cast had seen my videos and thought they were all good fun. Thomas Howes who played William in the first two series came to see my show and sent me a nice email. It’s been really positive. My show is an homage to “Downton.”

How do you switch characters so fast?

It’s the toughest thing on the voice. [In a Billy Connelly voice] Billy Connolly’s very, very loud and rough on the voice.”

But because I trained as a singer, I’ve got those muscles in my vocal chords that can take a lot. I enjoy doing characters from high to low: Daisy [high voice]: “Can I have a conversation with Mr. Carson?

Is that right Mr. Carson?” Carson [low voice]: “Yes you can, Daisy.” I love doing 24 CITY SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2015

those because they’re the most impressive to watch on stage.

Who are some of the outside guests who might make an appearance in your show?

The Brits travel to America so I’ve got people like Russell Brand and

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Luke Kempner started riffing on "Downton Abbey" with a series of videos on YouTube.

PHOTO COURTESY FIRST NIAGARA ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL

Ricky Gervais and Chef Ramsay. It’s because Downton’s in financial ruin and they have to go on TV shows to save Downton. They go on shows like “Jeopardy,” and Mr. Molesley goes on “Dancing With The Stars,” so we meet Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman. Kim Kardashian’s in there at some point and so is Ian McKellen.

Are there many remnants of a “Downton”like upper and lower class in England today?

It’s different. I’ve always thought there are two different types of rich people: people who are genuinely rich, and people who are rich but are always trying to prove how rich they are, which obviously means they’re not as rich as the people who are genuinely rich.

I’ve done my show in some really wealthy people’s houses and it’s a whole different world that I really don’t know.

But I’ve also done it in Gentleman’s Clubs in London where there might not be people as wealthy as that but they’re pretty wealthy.

How far do you want to take “Upside Downton”?

My dream would be to play Off-Broadway in a 200-300 seater in New York City. I’d love to live in the East Village.

What is the most euphoric moment you’ve experienced on the stage?

The great thing about the American version of the show is the material is different than the British version, so the material is new to me. I really enjoy hearing jokes go down. It’s just those moments when you find a way of doing something that suddenly really works and, “Oh, my God, that’s it!”

But the best moment for me was when I was doing “Les Miz” and it was the first time I was on as Marius. I was doing it at a 3,000-seat theater up in Scotland, there was a massive 18-piece orchestra, [producer] Cameron Mackintosh sat in the audience, [composer] Claude-Michel Schönberg was there as well. At the end of “One Day More” you pump your fist, and that moment was electric. I’ll never forget that moment. rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 25

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 k   P   I It CIt ADAM LUBITOW 2015 RIT STUDENT HONORS SHOW

Don’t be intimidated by the five-hour chunk of time the 2015 RIT Student Honors Show takes up on the Fringe schedule. Presenting outstanding short films from both graduate and undergraduate students of the RIT Film and Animation program, it’s a long show, but absolutely worth it. Plus, since the films being screened are all shorts, you’re not required to stay for the entire duration. I was only able to stay for the first half of last year’s show, and I still managed to see some great films — one even made the shortlist for Oscar nominations. (Saturday, September 19, 11:30 a.m. The Little Theatre 1. Free.

All ages.)

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“Unleashed! IMPROV Presents: Other Peoples’ Shows” has one of the simplest — yet brilliant — ideas for an improv show I’ve heard. Flipping through the Fringe guide book, the group will perform their interpretations of the shows they find, based only on their titles and descriptions.

Ingenious. (Saturday, September 19, 7 p.m.

TheatreROCS Stage. $10. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

"SHAKESBLOOD"

“SHAKESBLOOD”

Shakespeare’s plays are notoriously brutal, bloodthirsty affairs, but generally it takes some time to get to the good stuff. If you’re on a tight schedule, but have a taste for the macabre, “ShakesBLOOD” will present the Bard’s most gruesome scenes, squishing them all together into an orgy of blood, guts, and iambic pentameter. Even the audience isn’t safe: the front rows have a designated splash zone for anyone unafraid to get a little dirty.

(Saturday, September 19, 8 p.m.; Saturday,

September 26, 8 p.m. Abilene. $10. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

“QUATERNION DRIFTERS, RIFF RAFT, AND A POD CALYPSO” I’m going to be honest, I’m mostly interested in “Quaternion Drifters, Riff Raft, and a Pod Calypso: A Comedic Jazz Tribute to Kurt Vonnegut” because the description left me baffled, and I respect that in any type of art.

Listed in the comedy section, the show — from jazz duo The Quaternion Drifters — is an

interactive musical revue depicting the group’s time aboard a show boat constructed from plastic refuse and debris, where they travel to the mysterious “Caribbean Trapezoid,” and encounter a “tropical troupe of inquisitive dolphins.” Huh. (Saturday, September 19, 8:30 p.m. The Little Theatre 1. Free. All ages.)

“CINDERELLA - JUST WHAT I NEEDED”

There have been innumerable retellings of the story of Cinderella, but I can’t immediately recall any 1980’s-style musical adaptations performed by a singing mime. “Cinderella - Just What I Needed” — from the mind of Jimyn the Singing Mime — promises exactly that. I’m not entirely sure what a singing mime is exactly, but I’m willing to find out. (Thursday, September 24, 5 p.m.; Friday, September 25, 5 p.m. Java’s Cafe.

Free. All ages.)

CASEY CARLSEN BIODANCE

Missy Pfohl Smith’s Rochester-based company BIODANCE returns for its fourth season at Fringe with “BIO/ DANCE & Social Justice,” a program that examines a diversity of inequality and justice in today’s world. Three of the pieces are from national guest artists; one is from Smith. Her piece is part of a program she has been executing in Rochester since the spring, aiming to initiate conversations with the community through free dance classes at a variety of venues including Monroe Community Hospital, the senior center at Community Place of Greater Rochester, Kinections, and Nu Movement.

The pieces in this program will address racism, homelessness, sexual orientation, religious freedom, and sexism. Each of the four shows will differ slightly.

“We’re looking at differences in general and how we don’t value being different,” she says. “The beauty of difference is so important in the world. Do we ever stop and just listen to each other? My piece is about being indifferent to all this injustice.”

(Thursday, September 17, 6 p.m.; Tuesday, September 22, 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday, September 23, 7 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 7 p.m. Geva Theatre Center. $12. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

BIODANCE

from which springs Hyde, the evil alter-ego which is capable of despicable things. The part is played by several performers. “What makes the material challenging,” co-founder Darren Stevenson says, “is that Jekyll is not innocent. He creates Hyde so he can get away with his worst impulses.”

Part of PUSH’s expertise on stage lies in digging out the underlying motivations of any drama. They stunned audiences with their in-depth characterization in “Dracula” several years ago. I’m confident they’ll do the same with “Jekyll & Hyde.”

(Saturday, September 19, 12 p.m.; Friday, September 25, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 5 p.m. RAPA at the School of the Arts: Allen Main Stage. $18. All ages.)

“IT’S A SPACESHIP NOW”

Sounding something along the lines of a live theater version of the quirky indie film “Safety Not Guaranteed,” (only with a spaceship in place of a time machine), “It’s a Spaceship Now” is a one man show created and performed by Stuart Wilson, about a man who hopes to turn his life around by building a spaceship out of a discarded nuclear missile. Teleport me to Mars, Rochester Fringe. (Thursday, September 24, 9 p.m.; Friday, September 25, 9 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 4:30 p.m. TheatreROCS Stage. $10. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

“ROCHESTER REWRITTEN”

Performed as a series of dramatic story readings, “Rochester Rewritten” takes a look at what our city might look like had its history veered from its known course. The show offers audiences a glimpse into the “alternative pasts, presents, and futures of the Flower City we know and love.” Is that like Rochester fan fiction? Because I could totally get on board with that. (Thursday, September 17, 8 p.m. MuCCC. $10.

Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

New York City’s KineticArchitecture Dance Theatre performs three times during Fringe, and it’s a show I don’t want to miss. “No Safe Word” is choreographed by former Dominatrix Arrie Davidson and is billed as a chance for viewers to ponder fantasy free of judgement. For mature audiences only, this performance includes bondage, spanking, and flogging. Last year, the group presented “Diaghilesque,” a collection of Ballet Russe gems reimagined and presented as a combination of burlesque carnival and modern dance. This is a dance company that flaunts the status quo, and satisfyingly so. (Thursday, September 17, Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19, 9 p.m. Geva Theatre Center. $12. Appropriate for mature audiences only.)

PUSH PHYSICAL THEATRE

The local dance-theater company PUSH Physical Theatre wins over audiences time and time again with its combination of physical humor, astounding mime, and near faultless acrobatic feats. At Fringe, PUSH will present both tried and true pieces from its repertory plus a sneak peak of a new work-in-progress, “Jekyll & Hyde.” Based on the well-known Robert Louis Stevenson story, PUSH’s physical rendering of the tale delves deep into the psyche of Jekyll

“MERGED III”

Local choreographer Heather Roffe was one of 10 emerging choreographers from across the United States chosen to participate in a one-week intensive workshop with the prestigious choreographer Doug Varone in his CHIN program. The piece she developed in that program, “Twice Removed,” premiered at the 92nd Street Y in New York City earlier this month.

This piece will be part of “Merged III.” Contemporary choreography James Hansen will also premiere a work in the show.

“Merged I” and “II” were entertaining and accomplished shows which won favor with past Fringe audiences. Here’s looking to “Merged III.” (Thursday, September 17, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 19, 4 p.m.; Sunday, September 20, 6:30 p.m. Geva Theatre Center. $12. All ages.)

“NO SAFE WORD” "IT'S A SPACESHIP NOW"

September 24, 7 p.m.; Friday, September 25, 7 p.m. Garth Fagan Dance Studio. $18. All ages.)

BUSH MANGO

GARTH FAGAN DANCE

GARTH FAGAN DANCE

Garth Fagan Dance performed to excellent reviews at Lincoln Center Out of Doors in New York City this month. Next month, the group will perform in its rehearsal studio on Chestnut Street as part of Fringe.

If you are a devotee of Fagan — an icon in the contemporary dance world — and his incredibly talented and disciplined company, don’t miss this opportunity to see them in “Up Close and Personal.”

Although the program is not yet finalized, Fagan’s newest piece “Dance For/With Geoffrey” (performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors) will most likely be shown along with perennial audience favorites “Prelude (Discipline is Freedom),” “Oatka Trail,” “Thanks Forty(Five)-Fete/Joys,” and “Passion Distanced.” (Thursday, September 17, 7 p.m.; Friday, September 18, 9 p.m.; Saturday, September 19, 7 p.m.; Thursday,

Bush Mango, led by Colleen Hendrick, is a local African dance and drumming ensemble that features master drummer Mohamed Diaby from Guinea, West Africa, and dancer-acrobat Eric Borketay Ansuade from Ghana. This will be a high-powered show that will energize and entertain. Take the whole family. (Saturday, September 26, 5 p.m. Bernunzio Uptown Music. $10. All ages.)

“BILL EVANS DANCER/75!”

If you are a fan of tap, catch “Bill Evans Dancer/75! with Don Halquist” at Geva Theatre. The show should probably read “75?!” because Evans remains on top of his game. Named one of three favorite tap artists in a Dance Magazine readers’ poll, Evans can be counted on to present an outstanding and exacting performance.

The show will include two iconic classic tap dance works, a duet with his partner Halquist and a humorous new performance art piece by award-winning choreographer Claire Porter. Another show that is perfect for all ages. (Saturday, September 26, 2 p.m.

Geva Theatre Center. $12. All ages.) continues on page 26 rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 27

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DANIEL J. KUSHNER MATT WITTEN, PERCUSSION — “HIMMELS-TÜR”

Twentieth-century composer Karlheinz Stockhausen was a titan of the avant-garde, and his willingness to unabashedly explore sounds while pushing the boundaries of concert music is what makes his iconic compositions endure. Now Rochester music lovers will be able to hear his piece “Himmels-Tür” — “Heaven’s Door” — for the first time when percussionist Matt Witten performs the work on a 7-foot door. (Sunday, September 20, 8 p.m.; Thursday, September 24, 7 p.m. Lyric Theater: Main Stage. $10. All ages.)

MAYBIRD

Ever since brothers Josh (vocals and guitar) and Adam Netsky (drums) moved to New York City, local audiences have had far fewer opportunities to hear the Rochesterborn rock quintet perform. With music tinged in indie Americana and smothered in the sound of high-octane guitars, Maybird’s set is sure to be among the most danceable concerts of the Fringe Festival.

(Sunday, September 20, 6:15 p.m. Gibbs Street Main Stage. Free. All ages.)

MAYBIRD

STICKS, STRINGS, AND PAINT

There are few events that say “fringe festival” more than multidisciplinary art performances. For the second consecutive year, Eastman School of Music alumni will team up with artist Lorraine Staunch to present contemporary classical music alongside live painting. The concept may be simple, but the results are sure to be engaging.

(Thursday, September 17, 6 p.m.; Saturday, September 19, 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, September 20, 4:30 p.m. TheatreROCS Stage. $15. All ages.)

CAMMY ENAHARO

You need to hear Rochester singersongwriter Cammy Enaharo. Equipped with a smoky, sweet voice brimming with soul and thoughtful yet straightforward baritone ukulele instrumentation, Enaharo is a mesmerizing musical presence you’ll remember. (Saturday, September 26, 5:45 p.m.

Gibbs Street Main Stage. Free. All ages.)

“MYSTERIOUS LANDSCAPE”

For “Mysterious Landscape,” Eastman School of Music professor and composer Robert Morris merges electronic composition via laptop computer and recorded sounds from nature in a surreal 28 CITY SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2015

STICKS, STRINGS, AND PAINT

soundscape. Add some improvisation, and you’ve got an immersive listening experience that brings alternative timbres to the concert hall. (Sunday, September 20, 7:30 p.m. Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music. Free. All ages.)

SON OF SUDDHODANA

Can’t get enough of the music-live painting combination? You’ll want to see

CAMMY ENAHARO

Ryan Barclay and Karsten Brooks’s “Son of Suddhodana,” a kind of Buddhism origin story set to music. Think of it as a musical biopic about Buddha. Complete with world music influences and spoken word, the performance is one of the more distinctive in the entire festival.

(Friday, September 18, 10 p.m. MuCCC. $10. All ages.)

SON OF SUDDHODANA

INSTITUTE FOR CREATIVE MUSIC

If you’re like me, you’re constantly looking for ensembles that add something different to the classical music paradigm. Rochester’s Institute for Creative Music Collective is one such group, which will bring original compositions, experimental techniques, and engaging instrumentation to the Fringe Festival. (Sunday, September 20, 4:05 p.m.

Gibbs Street Main Stage. Free. All ages.)

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AL BILES

FRANK DE BLASE 1916

Like its Rochester brethren, The Sisters of Murphy and the much-missed Flour City Knuckleheads,1916 proudly celebrates its Irish with a raised fist and a raised pint. The band’s songs are exuberant punk rock-fueled bits of sonic shrapnel, as they deliver the goods fast and loose. It’s raunchy, loud fun soaked in sweat and beer and assorted tavern liquors. Cheers. (Friday, September 18, 6:30 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Free. All ages)

AL BILES AND GENJAM

If you pray for danger in your music, why not invite an intelligent computer to the affair and jam with it as it reads and interprets the human component.

That’s what brave human trumpeter Al Biles has done with a computer called GenJam. He and his electronic counterpart play around with the notes found in music from bebop to swing to Latin pop. Someday computers will rule the earth, they might as well sing to

us, too. (Friday, September 18, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, September 20, 12 p.m.; Friday, September 25, 5:30 p.m. The Little Café.

Free. All ages.)

AUTOMATIC JAMES

Automatic James is a wide-spectrum musical antibiotic for whatever ails your dancing feet. From Jack Johnson, to the Dead, to Incubus, to its own stuff, there’s something in there for practically everyone. (Friday, September 25, 7:30

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p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 7:30 p.m.

The Strong. $10. All ages.)

“BEAUTIFUL DREAMER”

Actor Richard Barry intones on the work of Stephen Foster while The Dady Brothers and a lady Dady, Mara (niece to one, daughter to another) sings liltingly and beautifully throughout. Beautiful, effortless, and a future classic today. (Friday, September 25, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 8:30 p.m. Geva Theatre Center. $16. All ages) continues on page 30

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CHRISTINA CUSTODE

The quirk and structure in Christine Custode’s music is percussive and melodic and not unlike Ben Folds (Custode is waaay prettier). The music lopes gently and purposefully around deliberate and catchy hooks. Her voice is powerful but never crowds the music, even in its fragile spots. It’s no wonder Artvoice awarded her Buffalo’s Best Female Vocalist three times. (Friday, September 18, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 19, 3 p.m. $12. RAPA at School of the Arts: Ensemble Theatre. $12. All ages.)

"DYSTOPIA: EXPLOSION HIGHWAY"

“DYSTOPIA: EXPLOSION HIGHWAY” If you didn’t recognize me as I strolled about last year’s Fringe Fest, that’s because I had no head. I laughed it off at Geva Comedy Improv. These cats are pure genius as they take direction from the audience making for hairpin turns in plot and hilarity. Last year it was film noir, this year it’s “Mad Max” and “Blade Runner” inspired. Bring a date. Bring your head.

Has anyone seen mine? (Friday, September

18, Saturday, September 19, Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26, 10:30 p.m.

Geva Theatre Center. $10. Appropriate for ages 18 and older.)

EXTREME GUITAR

Whether rendering a gentle arpeggio, or recreating a dive-bomber laced with feedback, the guitar is mondo-versatile.

It is both percussive and melodic.

Eastman School of Music professor Nicholas Goluses has assembled a crack team of six-string slingers to wallow in the instrument’s infinity. (Monday, September 21, 7 p.m. Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music. $10. All ages.)

30 CITY SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2015

"KINDERTOTENLIEDER"

REBECCA RAFFERTY

mortality rates, Table Top Opera will present “Kindertotenlieder” (songs on the death of children), a song cycle by Gustav Mahler based on 425 poems

by Friedrich Rückert, penned in the supreme despair of having lost two of his young children in rapid succession to illness. A new version of the work will be performed at Kilbourn Hall by members of Eastman School of Music, “accompanied by historical photographs of children who have succumbed to lack of proper care in Rochester.” (Tuesday,

“CONSCIENCE”

When Rochester activist Emily Good earned international attention after her 2011 arrest (for filming a cop during a traffic stop), not many Rochesterians realized that Good comes from deep socially-conscious stock. During the Vietnam War, her father, Bob Good, was charged with raiding a Camden, New Jersey, draft board as a member of the Camden 28. His mother, Elizabeth, a middle class American farm mother of 10, volunteered to testify on behalf of Bob at his 1973 trail. Her testimony is recreated in “Conscience,” with Caroline Yeager appearing as Elizabeth, and Bob Good as himself. I’m rocking out to John Lennon’s “Free the People” while I make plans to see this 45-minute, Challenge-The-Man show, the day before International Day of Peace.

(Sunday, September 20, 3 p.m. MuCCC. $5.

Appropriate for ages 18 and older.)

September 22, 7 p.m. Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music. $10. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

IT'S A "CONSCIENCE" SPACESHIP NOW

“KINDERTOTENLIEDER”

By now you’ve probably heard that Rochester has more than its share of issues with poverty and just about every problem that spirals from it.

And our children are suffering some of the worst pains. To specifically highlight child poverty and child

“MYSTIC CASTLE”

Did you know drawings by the Genesee River Strangler, Arthur Shawcross, were sold online? There’s a market for everything. I mean, Dubya’s dumb doodles got all that press, in part because banality coming from killers is so fascinating. But back to Shawcross — his life is the subject of “Mystic Castle,” a play by Lori Marra, which

"MARX IN SOHO"

comes to Fringe after its 2010 reading at Geva. The story introduces journalist John Ehrlich, who asks the serial killer, “If you could paint one picture, what would it be?” As Ehrlich chats with the detained, disturbed man, he begins to ponder the demons in his own life. The two-hour play includes adult language and content, and is recommended for mature audiences. (Saturday, September 19, 9 p.m.;

ancient Scandinavian stories to the flesh.

In “Erik and the Wolf,” a young soldier learns of love and change at the hands of a mysterious young woman and a wood of ancient spirits. The 40-minute performance will include spoken word, prose, and song. (Thursday, September 24, 9 p.m.; Friday, September 25, 10 p.m. Writers & Books. $7. All ages.)

Sunday, September 20, 7 p.m. MuCCC. $12.

Appropriate for mature audiences.)

“MARX IN SOHO”

Historical counter-revisionist Howard Zinn is known for his books on American and world history from the people’s perspective, but he also wrote a whimsical, one-man play, “Marx in Soho: A Play on History.” Zinn envisions a resurrected Marx, returned to clear his name. But due to a bureaucratic mix-up, he lands in modern-day New York City instead of London. See what Marx might think of the world of today, and how his ideas are still relevant and applicable. Veteran local actor and MuCCC Artist-in-Residence Jack Simel plays the man-before-the-ism in this hour-long work. (Thursday, September 24, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 5:30 p.m. MuCCC. $10. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

“ERIK AND THE WOLF”

Hnossa is a New York City-based project of solo and collaborative work by Didrik Söderström, which brings the magic of

"ERIKIT'S AND A THE WOLF" SPACESHIP NOW

success for adults to seriously consider the teenage experience. “Percentage” is a play conceived and written by students from School of the Arts, which through a series of raw and hopeful vignettes takes a realistic look at tragedies cause by bullying.

(Saturday, September 19, 4 p.m. RAPA at School of the Arts: Black Box Theatre. $10.

Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

IT'S A "PERCENTAGE" SPACESHIP NOW

“PERCENTAGE”

The social environment in schools has always been a crucible, but for so long, the response from adults has been little more than a shrugging “kids will be kids.”

Most — but not all — adolescents used to at least have a break from the pressure cooker while at home with families, but the relentless nature of social media creates a sort of paranoid hyper-vigilance in kids; they’re tormented even in their sanctuaries. It’s taken school shootings, elevated suicide rates, and lower rates of

“BRIDGE CLUB OF DEATH”

“Bridge Club of Death” blends gallows humor and death-with-dignity activism to make the funniest show about euthanasia you’ll probably ever see. This new dramatic comedy by local playwright Mark Jabaut centers on four residents of a nursing home who challenge the law and their own divided consciences by providing the reaper’s sweet kiss of relief.

I humbly suggest a title for the club’s continued adventures: “Shuffleboard off This Mortal Coil.” The show is directed by Devin Goodman, and no elders were hurt in the making of the production. (Saturday, September 19, 8 p.m.; Sunday, September 20, 5 p.m.; Saturday, September 26, 2 p.m.

Writers & Books. $10. Appropriate for ages 13 and older.)

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