By Alan Jozwiak
See This Show—Yes anD&D! by Cincy Shirefolk
Improv is like the tofu of performing arts; its texture and flavor can go with anything—including high nerd culture like Dungeons and Dragons. Cincy Shirefolk presents a mashup of the two in their Limited Run show Yes anD&D!
Essentially an improvised one-hour Dungeons and Dragons campaign, Dungeon Master Jeremy Cobb (co-organizer of this show and cofounder of the D&D podcast “3 Black Halflings“—check it out!) leads an intrepid band of players—David F’n Powell, Aiden Sims, Owen Javellana (from San Jose, CA), and Sara Tripp Swartout (the other co-founder of this show)—through an improvised campaign that is determined by the throw of a very large inflatable die. Along the way, the band can encounter anything from descending into Hell, blasting the surface of the moon to mine the cheese contained within, or dealing with moon tigers. Your trip will be completely different, but that is the fun of this show—each campaign will be different based upon audience suggestions.
A main feature of this show is that you really do not need to know much about D&D to enjoy the show, although it helps when they ask for fantastic beasts (unfortunately, knowing the names of fantastic beasts is a deficit in my education, so I could not come up with anything).
One thing that I noticed about this show is the Dungeon Keeper sometimes dominates the action a bit too much and some of the campaign characters don’t have enough opportunity to contribute to the improv. This may be a quirk of the mashup or how D&D is played. I am a D&D newbie, so I am not certain.
Overall, Yes anD&D! is a surprisingly fun and engaging show. One friend who is into improv and another friend who is into nerd culture saw the show with me and both enjoyed themselves. This show will appeal to one’s inner nerd, as well as those who love improv or like to laugh riotously.
Final Performance of Yes anD&D! at First Lutheran Sanctuary:
- Friday June 6 at 8:45 PM
See This Show—Velma & Clarice (a.k.a. the AMAZING Amazing Race Roadtrip) by Patricia Mullins
An homage to the films Thelma and Louise and the Odd Couple, playwright Patricia Mullins adapted her Know Theatre 2024 Serials production of the same name as a Cincy Fringe Festival play. The plot of the play is simple. Two sisters, Velma (Ally Knizner) and Louise (Patricia Mullins) are like the proverbial Odd Couple; Velma has her PhD. and loves Ken Burns documentaries, while Louise is forced to live with Velma as she transitions from teaching to be a deliverer of fast food.
While trying to get herself out her depressive spiral, Louise has a brilliant idea—become a contestant on The Amazing Race and take a road trip which they will video record so as to create an audition video for the contest. The rest of the play chronicles the sisters’ attempt to beat the odds and become contestants.
Director Miranda McGee allows her performers to play upon their strengths. Knizner creates some wonderful character studies of people they encounter along the way (I loved her Parking Enforcement Volunteer) and Mullins is able to convey an air of panic, resoluteness, and resourceful appropriation as she beings to steal things (including horses and a carriage) to make her dream come true. McGee keeps things moving throughout all these escapades so that the action never bogs down or stalls during slower scenes.
I have not heard much buzz about Velma and Clarice, which is a pity because it is a silly wonderful fantasy about how two women take charge of their lives, live out their dreams, and live happily ever after (or at least, until the last major trauma sends them packing for a road trip). Check it out–and chat it up!
Upcoming Performances of Velma and Clarice at Coffee Emporium:
- June 7 – 6:45 PM
- June 10 – 6:45 PM
- June 11 – 8:30 PM
- June 12 – 8:30 PM
Tickets and More Fringe Information
You can still get tickets and passes to the Cincinnati Fringe Festival! Get more information and ticketing HERE. Keep checking back for more reviews–I am seeing Fringe shows every night!
One more note: I have seen roughly 300 fringe shows over the years attending Fringe Festivals in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Cleveland. I would be more than willing to discuss with any performer their shows in detail. There is often more to say than space allows in a review. Just reach out–I love talking about theatre with people who are equally passionate. Email me at jozwiakalanplays@gmail.com or look for me at the Know Underground.
