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8 SOUTH PHILLY REVIEW I september 9, 2010
News
Artsy amusement ride
A pair of comedic shows starring locals, housewives and Columbian soap stars bring in the laughs at two annual citywide festivals that wrap next week. By Amanda L. Snyder R e v i e w S ta f f W r i t e r
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ith about a week under its belt, the Philadelphia Live Arts and Fringe Festival — in its 14th season — pushes forward with more shows filled with talent from across the world, including many locals. This year, the festival’s Producing Director Nick Stuccio selected 15 shows for the Live Arts Festival. The Fringe Festival will produce 188 shows free of a selection process. After performing sketches of “The Real Housewives of South Philly,” for the past year-and-a-half, The WaitStaff is devoting almost its entire 60-minute show to the spoof and the many varieties of “The Real Housewives” series at the Fringe Festival. “I have to admit I got sucked in watching a marathon on Bravo of ‘The Real Housewives of New York,” Sara Carano, the creator, who also plays Marie, said of her inspiration. While the resident of Ninth and Bainbridge streets originally thought about focusing on Kensington, she decided to go with something she was more familiar with as an Italian from North Jersey herself, she said. “I find South Philly Italians are really close to North Jersey and New York Italians,” she said. “I thought let’s put this down on paper and see what kind of hilarity pursues.” The result brought a following for the housewives and The WaitStaff’s eighth Fringe show, which will feature the original sketch and two others — including the introduction of the househusbands, which includes Eric Singel of 10th and Mifflin streets as The Duke — through Sept. 19 at L’Etage Cabaret, 624 S. Sixth St. “The initial sketches were these three women sitting on their stoops just talking about everyone in their neighborhood and gossiping,” Singel, an Altoona native, who played a housewife’s mother prior to the househusbands’ introduction, said. And while Carano creates the sketches, fellow WaitStaff member Joanne Cunningham, who grew up on the 2400 block of South Lambert Street, keeps her on track if anything she writes doesn’t hold
The WaitStaff featuring Joanne Cunningham, clockwise from left, Gerre Garrett, Christopher McGovern, Eric Singel, Jim Boyle and Sara Carano performs sketches of “The Real Housewives of South Philly through Sept. 19.
Thaddeus Phillips, left, portrays a doorman in an apartment building where he interacts with the Columbian soap stars who reside there via a security video system. “¡El Conquistador!” runs through Sept. 11. true to South Philadelphians’ actual behavior or speech. “She’s kind of our dialect coach. She by far does the best dialect than anyone in the show,” Carano said adding that Cunningham’s parents have even contributed ideas to past shows. This way, with references to local hotspots, typical front window displays and dishing dirt on others, audience mem-
bers will be able to relate to the characters. “You feel like, ‘I know that person. That’s my neighbor or that’s my aunt or that’s my cousin kind of thing,” she said. And Fringe allows The WaitStaff to reach more people and perform more shows, Singel said. “We just found out [Sept. 2] our second continued on page 11
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Other acts
here is a vast array of shows located in the area and/or featuring more area talents including two Live Arts dance shows and five music and theater Fringe performances. Nichole Canuso Dance Co., 913 Federal St., performs “TAKES,” a dance and video installation with a 360-degree view through Sept. 18 in Northern Liberties with Artistic Director/performer/choreographer Nichole Canuso and her husband/sound designer/ composer Mike Kiley, of Ninth and Federal streets, performer Dito Van Reigersberg, of Passyunk Avenue and Dickinson; costume and set designer Maiko Matsushima, of 10th and Wharton streets, and production stage manager Sarah Chandler of Broad and Federal streets. Lars Jan, who took care of media installation, is originally from Los Angeles, but is staying at 13th and McKean streets for the duration of the festival. Theatre Exile’s “Iron” co-stars Eighthand-Montrose-streets resident Kim Carson as Josie, who is trying to reconnect with her mother after a vicious murder, and is directed by Deb Block, of 13th and Reed streets. The 120-minute play will take place at Studio X, 1340 S. 13th St. through Sept. 19. Felon Fiercely boasts two former members of The WaitStaff in John DiFelice, formerly of 21st and South streets, and Joe Quirk. The duo will perform a 60-minute set on the second floor of O’Neal’s Pub, 611 S. Third St. before the world ends through Sept. 18. A 14-foot high and 120-foot wide wall serves as the stage in Brian Sanders’ JUNK presents “Sanctuary” in a 45-minute dance number in Northern Liberties through Sept. 18. Sanders is from 15th and McKean streets. Cory O’Niell Walker, a tenor from 16th and Bainbridge streets, teams up with actress Lauren Hall of 19th and Lombard streets for “L’Heure Exquise: The Exquisite Hour.” The 70-minute performance that showcases a psychotherapy session through song runs through Sept. 18 in Center City. Half of the pop duo “Rainbow Destroyer,” Mo Hayes, of Third and Wharton streets, sings as Rainbeaux Bite along with Foster Longo in a 100-minute set in Northern Liberties through Sept. 11. The Historical Theatre Acting Group revives some of America’s favorites historical figures in “The Play ‘Ben’” running through Sept. 18 at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, 750 S. Broad St. Written by Richard C. Dalton, of Broad Street and Washington Avenue, viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at characters such as John Hancock, played by Broad-and-Wolf-streets resident Rocco A. Amato, and Thomas Paine, played by Brian Patrick Harrington, of Fourth and Reed streets, during the writing of the Declaration of Independence. SPR