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Kurt Fitzpatrick

Kurt Fitzpatrick


Last Updated: 9/28/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: In a Relationship
Age: 102
Sign: Aries

City: BROOKLYN
State: New York
Country: US
Signup Date: 6/29/2005

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Sunday, October 25, 2009 
A few weeks ago my friend Ray Summer passed away after a long battle with Crohn's disease and cancer. During the last stretch of his life, he called me from a hospice in the Bronx to tell me that I had been a good friend to him and to say good-bye. I told him that he is a good friend to me as well, and he thanked me for keeping it in the present tense. Then we had a conversation like we usually would. I told him about what was going on with me, what band my girlfriend was playing in, etc. We ended the conversation with me saying, "I hope to talk to you again." A few days later he was in critical condition and only a little over a week he passed away. Ray was a big fan of the show Lost, as am I. When he knew that he didn't have much time left, he mentioned to me that he was going to contact a producer of the show to try to find out what happens at the end of the series, which will not be revealed until May of 2010. I decided to take up his cause, and made it my mission to find the info for him, trying about four different avenues of contacts, including getting two letters to J. J. Abrams' office. The last time I spoke to Ray, he asked me if my leads had led to dead ends, and I said, "No! I'm still working on it!" And I was! I was told by J. J. Abrams' agent's office to follow up with them the following week. Ray was excited by the prospect. He said he would sign a nondisclosure document if they needed him to. I never got the chance to make that call to the agent's office. If Ray was still here, I would still be working on it. At first I was disappointed that I didn't get the info for him, but now I am happy that I was able to do something that gave Ray something to get excited about in the last days of his life. If there is something that can get you excited while you are in a hospice for the terminally ill, then there is some value in it, whether it gets accomplished or not. That's what I think, at least. It says a lot about the bravery and spirit that Ray had. That he could still find enjoyment in life, all the way to the end. That he had the strength to make a phone call like that, despite the physical shape he was in. It was important for him to reach out and connect with people. And he kept up his great sense of humor all the way to the end. I miss Ray and I do hope to talk to him again. There is a tree in Central Park that is dedicated to Ray that will serve as his memorial. I will miss the lunches I had with Ray at the Westway Diner, so maybe one of these days I will get a take-out meal from the Westway and eat it by the tree. Sounds like a good idea.
4:11 PM 
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Monday, September 28, 2009 
Yes, the tour blog never really had an ending.  I have been back for a while and I have been putting it off, but here it is!

The 5:30pm Friday show I had went pretty well, except for another tech problem.  I tripped over some of the cords, which yanked the plug out of the machines, thus ending the DVD that plays throughout the show.  I quickly fixed it while audience waited patiently and continued on.  It adds to my disinterest in shows that rely on tech.

I had hoped that my Saturday night 8:30pm show would be a big success, being that it was prime time.  It was not.  Only a few people attended, and they were not into it.  I had gotten a good review in the local Boulder newspaper The Daily Camera, but it didn't matter.  I was frustrated leaving and making my way through the hordes of people showing up to see the next show, the local hit, "Good Girls Don't But I Do."  A show with women in pretty dresses who complain about men.  I suppose that is more accessible in content than a weird multimedia show with a deconstructionist narrative.  

It wasn't until I got home and took a close look at the festival schedule that I realized I had been totally hosed with the schedule I had gotten in Boulder.  Three of my six performances were at 5:30pm on weekdays.  I didn't see any other show in the program that had a schedule like that.  In general, when you do a festival you get all kinds of time slots, and you will inevitable get at least one poor slot.  But even in the venue I was in, it was not balanced well.  I was really given the short end of the stick, and I was also not local and didn't have a following in Boulder.  So how was I going to build up an audience with time slots that lend themselves to small audiences?

There were a lot of elements to the Boulder Fringe that I was unhappy with.  I give them credit for asking for frank and honest feedback, and I did send them a long email with all my comments.  I also realize that they had lost venues that they previously had, and that their financial situation may be dicey.  Boulder is a beautiful city, but I don't think I will be revisiting the Fringe there.

Another thing that surprised me was an online audience comment that criticized me for "trolling for audience" in front of other people's shows.  They were referring to me handing out flyers and talking up the show in the line-ups for shows that had large audiences coming in.  Or I sometimes hand out flyers when audiences come out of shows.  The fact is that I don't have any other way to sell my show.  Yes, there is word-of-mouth, but I need to get people in the door in order for there to be word-of-mouth.  I had never been to Boulder before and didn't have a local audience.  In the Canadian Fringes, flyering and promoting are a way of life.  So I don't know how to take a comment like that, except to say that person has no idea what a performer has to do to make a living or to sell their show.

Was the run of "The Last Straight Man In Theatre" a success?  Well, I am very proud of the show, and the director Alison Williams is also proud of the work, and we would very much like to work together at some point.  It was a case of putting a show out there, as I had not done a new show that I had written since 2006, and seeing what happens.

Critics were divided.  There is no way for me to judge the show from a critical standpoint, because it's 50/50.  In Winnipeg, the Free Press gave it four-and-a-half stars while the CBC gave it one.  The alternative weekly the Uptown dug the show, while Planet S panned it.  The Star Phoenix in Saskatoon ripped it apart, but the 25th Street Mystery Theatre Critic in Saskatoon named it the top production of the festival, "Outstanding Solo Show," and "Outstanding Multimedia," and named me the "Outstanding Male Performer" of the festival.  The Daily Camera in Boulder liked me.  Online Boulder Fringe audience reviews ranged from saying how talented I was, to one person who simply wrote that I am a "tool."  

So I don't know how future critics will take it.  It is a complete crapshoot.  I don't know why that is.  My friend Jayson McDonald told me, "It's because you're weird."  I asked him, "The show is weird or I am weird?"  He answered, "Yes."

I have reached the point where I don't read the bad reviews, for the most part.  I used to save reviews until I got home from the tour, but now I don't even bother with that.  Why should I?  I don't want to sit around and think about it.  And while I'm on the subject, that is one of the things that I truly dislike about touring the Fringe - I am so tired of hearing performers constantly obsess over their reviews.  I know performers who cry a river when they get a three-and-a-half star review after getting praises since the Earth cooled.  Am I supposed to be sympathetic to them?  God help me.

I enjoyed meeting new people and seeing old friends this year, and seeing shows that inspired me.  I enjoyed having Palikitten come to Boulder, where we hiked and swam and had a great road trip back to New York.  Great times!

I plan to tour next year, as much as I can.  I plan to do the festivals and cities where I have had an audience in the past.  It's time I start making some money in addition to doing my art. "The Last Straight Man In Theatre" did not make back it's production costs yet, as it had only a three city run this year.  "Hooray for Speech Therapy" made a small profit, and I am going to take people's advice and look into booking that show in colleges and possibly conventions.  I am procrastinating on that, but it is an idea that has been suggested to me several times, including during this past year's tour.

I find it difficult returning home after a tour, with no clear plans for the future.  Sure, I have ideas.  But this past year it was long haul of hard work and devotion into crafting this show and touring with it.  In my touring, I drove approximately 8,411 miles (13,536 kilometers).  I stayed in 18 different cities, and performed in 10 cities.  I had radio interviews, TV interviews, and print interviews.  In Ottawa I would rehearse, edit the video, run out to perform "Hooray for Speech Therapy," run back, rehearse, and edit the video.

Then, after all is done, I come home to New York and all the work is over.  So what's next?  Well, I wouldn't mind having a piece of cake.  With icing.  I also wish to have continued success in my career, but I am not sure what approach to take.  "The Last Straight Man In Theatre" did have an audience.  There were people who loved the show, but I don't know what the demographic is for my audience.  Maybe I should figure that out.
5:00 PM 
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Monday, August 17, 2009 
Well, I can't complain since I've seen ten shows here in the Boulder Fringe so far and have gotten to see some of the other venues.  My venue is by far the best, so I am very lucky.  Two of the venues here are very difficult to find.  One is tucked away on the bottom floor of a museum amidst a college campus.  There is no parking that I know of (maybe it's somewhere, but good luck finding it) and no signs outside telling you where to go.  Another venue is not at the address listed.  You have to know to go around to the back entrance, where there is another space.

Now, my venue is also in a museum - the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art.  This venue is a bit more central, and, as luck would have it, there are some big selling local shows happening in the venue.  So people going to the Fringe are likely to know about it.  

Yesterday I took part in the Fringe parade, a pitiful event except that it did have a stilt walker and I got to meet the lovely dancers from "Light As Air Heavy As Sound."  The parade seemed to be going into areas where there were no people.  We went into a park, which led to a woodsy back alley.  Not exactly a prime place to get audience.  Then we ended up on Pearl street, which is much more happening.  At that point the parade dispersed, which was not difficult to do.

My show yesterday was at 7pm.  The mad rush to set up is insane.  They had to strike and reassemble the space due to a wedding that happened on Saturday.  So my stuff was scattered about and the sound system had been disconnected.  It's the good thing I've been doing this long enough so that I can release all the stress to do the show.  I don't like being my own stage manager, especially with this quick change.  I did have a few people from the festival to help out.

I had another DVD glitch during the show, but it actually worked well, and became part of the show.  I continued playing Mary the waitress, and just ejected and wiped off the DVD while complaining that this was an extra duty now in the diner and that I needed to keep this going so I could get my tips.  The audience seemed to enjoy it.  In fact, it was a pretty lively audience.  I heard afterwards that a reviewer from the local Boulder paper was there, so hopefully things will go well with that.  I never know.  I had people come up to me after the show, including a twenty-one year old guy and his mom, and they said they loved the show.  This guy told me his name was "Kurdt," which he adapted from his birth name, "Curtis."  Yes, he added a D in addition to changing C to K.  That's wild.

My next show is today at 5:30pm.  First show in the space, so no frantic set-up!  Hooray!  I have also been enjoying flyering and seeing other shows.  I found that in the Canadian festivals, there is so much of a focus on reviews and not as much focus on the work.  Here it seems to be more on the work, and I like that.
5:01 PM 
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Saturday, August 15, 2009 
My 10pm opening in Boulder on Thursday actually went very well.  I thought the only person in the audience would be my brother, being that I really don't know anyone in Boulder and have no audience here that I know of.  But people did come.  More than I expected.  I was also happy that there were some Fringe volunteers on hand to help us set up before the show.  In thirty minutes, the last show has to clear out, and we (myself and my tech) have to get my screen up, hook up the sound system, adjust some lights, test out the sound, and set up/adjust the projector and DVD player.  So I was pleased that I got some help that night.  For three out of six shows, I'm actually the first show in the venue, so I could probably show up a little earlier.  But we will still have to break down quickly for the next show.

My next show is on Sunday.  I went hiking yesterday, which was fun.  I think I'll do some more of that.  No really long hikes.  Hiking is actually just walking, just like fishing is really sitting and doing nothing.  I have no qualms about actually just walking and/or doing nothing, and saving myself the sporting goods.
3:58 PM 
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Thursday, August 13, 2009 
No more Day 1, 2, 3, etc. from me on the blog now that I'm in Boulder.  We're going to take this one chunk at a time.

Left Saskatoon Monday at 1:50pm and drove all the way down to the border.  I got pulled over in Regina for...  nothing.  Wasn't speeding, and all my papers were in order.  Apparently I was "crowding" the pedestrians who were crossing the busy road.  They have cross walks in Regina that have no signs or lights, but you are just expected to stop for people who just walk out in front of your car.  It doesn't work that way in New York.  In New York, if you are foolish enough to walk out into a busy street, you will probably get hit.  So people don't do it.  Well, I DID stop for the family who were walking across the street, but got pulled over because...  What was the word?  "Crowding."  Also, the officer thought I was looking at directions while I was driving.  Yes.  I was also sitting on a cushioned seat while I was driving which could lend itself to napping.  There are many things going on while driving.  No ticket for me, though.  Didn't do anything.

Got through the border into North Dakota.  When I entered the border back in July, I told the guy I was an actor (he asked what I did) and I actually had to do some character voices for him.  That was a bit unnecessary.  This time they casually looked through my stuff, and I asked them what it was they were looking for.  I've always been curious about that, and since I seemed to have a nice rapport with the woman there, I asked her,

"What is it that you are looking for?"

"Oh, we're just looking.  We look if there is a car from out-of-state."

"So there's nothing specific you're looking for?"

She had no real answer to that, which means either:

A. They are not really looking for anything

Or.... No, that's probably the only option for this quiz.  Let's go with A.  But if they were looking for something specific, like a poster for "The Last Straight Man In Theatre," I could assist with finding it.

Drove through North Dakota and stayed at the four eyes Motel, which is named that way because Teddy Roosevelt wore glasses and I was near Teddy Roosevelt National Park.  All the hotels were booked up, but the one I showed up had a reservation cancel.  Stayed in my room and watched the Joan Rivers roast on Comedy Central and thought, "People said MY show is offensive??"  Not that I was offended by anything, but they get away with a lot.

Next day I drove into South Dakota, hitting another time zone change.  I hit one the day before, and now another.  Now I'm in Mountain Time.  I have been driving through pockets of time zone changes.  Stopped for breakfast at the Trapper's Kettle Restaurant, which was recommended to me by the four eyes Motel woman.  There were a lot of animals stuffed there, but the place I ended up at for dinner also had animals stuffed and put on the walls.  If you are an animal in this part of the country, expect to be shot and put on a wall in a restaurant.  Hope you like the atmosphere.

Drove, drove, drove, and hit Wyoming.  Stopped at a hotel near Laramie.  I'm familiar with Laramie because of "The Laramie Project" and Matthew Shepard.  I decided I would not mention to anyone that I am in a biracial relationship or that I dress up as women in Fringe shows.  They may think I am a bit funny, where in actuality I am VERY funny, according to the Winnipeg Free Press.

High-tailed it out of town and drove through Wyoming, where there is no one for miles.  Entered Colorado and reached Boulder.

Wednesday was eventful.  Showed up at the venue where the opening night preview show would be happening, so that I didn't have to go searching around for it in the dark later that night.  I saw Jimmy Hogg there, a very helpful chap.  I know Jimmy from doing the Fringes over the years, and he has made the Boulder Fringe his own.  He hosts the cabaret shows, as well the opening night show, and is doing a workshop in addition to doing his show.  You go, Jimmy!  I asked him how he flyers here.  "Very pessimistically," he answered.

Went to my billet's house.  That's the home of the nice couple who are putting me up.  It was a last minute thing.  I thought I would have to stay at a hostel dorm, but the festival did finally find me a place to stay.

Checked in the Fringe main location and box office, which is a coffee shop.  Signed an enormous waiver (a first for me at a Fringe), and got my artist pass, which I immediately lost.  Now I have to pay for a new one if this thing doesn't turn up.  Had my tech rehearsal.  My tech told me that she does not know how to operate the sound system.  I don't think that English is her first language, so it took a little longer to communicate everything.  As far as the sound system goes, the Fringe should've made sure she knew how everything works.   I have high hopes that she'll come through for me tonight for my opening show at 10pm (She did! And she has been very supportive of the show.)

Pissed that I lost my artist pass and tired from all the driving, I almost went back to my billets' house.  Also, my tech was scheduled from 5-8pm and the opening night preview started at about 7:30pm.  I went to the preview anyway, and saw that I could still perform after the intermission, which was happening when I arrived.  This time I did an odd one-minute monologue as Claude, the eccentric millionaire, who lives alone in his seventy-two room mansion.  I figured if people think this show is weird, then I am going to give in to the weirdness.  People seemed to enjoy it, though, and there was much interest in the show when I talked to people afterwards.  One woman said she had looked up my website and looked at my videos, since we were sharing a venue.  That's nice.  I hadn't even checked out who else was performing here.

Wednesday night was so busy for me that I forgot to eat.  Has that ever happened to me before?  I did find some bagels nearby and ate them.  And then I found some pasta dish at my billets,' and they said I could eat some of that stuff.  So a bizarre nourishment occurred.  There's a good title for a Fringe show: "Bizarre Nourishment."  Start not buying tickets now!

I do plan to have a successful show tonight at 10pm.  If it makes me sweat and I am still standing upright by the end of the show, I will consider it a success.  Stay tuned for more fun in Boulder.
4:26 PM 
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Monday, August 10, 2009 
The last weekend of the festival!  Actually the festival is over now.  For some odd reason, the Saskatoon Fringe Theatre Festival's last day is on a Saturday instead of a Sunday.  Too bad because today was a beautiful day in Saskatoon and people would have been out and about.

On Friday and Saturday I had 8:45pm shows, prime time!  I went around and flyered line-ups and saw shows.  In fact, on Saturday I scheduled myself out so that I could see a show from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, another show from 7:30pm - 8:30pm, and then do my show at 8:45pm!  All at different venues.  I actually managed to pull this off.

My audiences got a bit small by the final stretch, but I was very pleased with how the run went.  I even had more fun with the show.  During one part where I go into the audience, I just started running laps around the audience.  On Friday I did about three laps, but Saturday I probably did six.  People seemed to really enjoy that.  It's just me having fun. 
 
I do think the StarPhoenix review affected my box office intake.  But without it, I never would have gotten the support that I got from people here.  Many people told me they didn't agree with the review, and one woman actually called the newspaper to complain!

As I've said, it's luck, really.  It also allows your audience to be people who are really interested in seeing you and seeing your work.  They are also people who may have been flyered and made a personal connection with you, the performer.  If you have a show that received four or five stars, you will get people who exclusively seek out those highly rated shows, but aren't necessarily going to be your fans. 

I'm proud of the work, and very proud that performers whose work I respect very much enjoyed and appreciated the show.  And also that other people went out of their way to tell me how much they appreciated it.  I don't think it's for everyone, but what's the point in creating something that will appeal to everyone?  That's the fun of a festival - to have a vast range of work that can appeal to different kinds of tastes.

It's still a process for me to find out how marketable the show is and who the audience is.  This is still a new show, so it is interesting.  I like the idea that it can be a cult show.  I would like to play it New York, and I'm thinking of what approach to take.  Possibly a low-budget midnight show approach.  I'm thinking about it, and will continue to think about this as I go to my next city.

Last night there was karoake and farewells, and this morning, Sunday, there were some more farewells and I watched many of my fellow performers take off in packed vans and cars and headed to Edmonton, the next Fringe Festival.  My two passengers who rode with me from Winnipeg have to take the bus to Edmonton, since I'm not going there.

I was wait listed for Edmonton and got into the Boulder Fringe Festival, so I dropped off the wait list and I'm going to Boulder!  I'm a little sad that I am veering off the trail that my friends are taking, but I'm also excited to be getting a fresh perspective with the show.  I've never been to Boulder, but I would imagine it's different from the Canadian Fringe.  Now I can continue to see who the audience is for this show, and see how it plays in its first US run.

Also, back in the USA, I can use my credit cards again (without fees), use my cell phone again, get paid in American money, etc.  Plus I hear Boulder is beautiful.  It's got to be nicer than Edmonton.

I leave Monday (tomorrow) and plan to arrive on Wednesday, when I will be doing my tech and a cabaret opening night show.  Check back and I'll let you know my adventures from here to Boulder.

3:09 AM 
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Friday, August 07, 2009 
Day 6 was Tuesday, and it was a day that I did not have a show.  Instead I went to see shows - four all together.  Doing a Fringe is like getting a theatre education, seeing a vast range of stuff.

Day 7 was my Wednesday 5:15pm show - my worst time at the Saskatoon Fringe, so my smallest house.  Plus my StarPhoenix review came out in print today, which doesn't help.  All it meant to me was that I had to pound the pavement and sell the show to people lined up to see other shows before mine, which I did.  I pretty much do a little performance in describing the show to people, and get them laughing and seemingly intrigued by my animated presentation.  When someone says they are still trying to figure out what they want to see, I say, "Keep in mind which performers are out there selling their shows."  I'm not the only performer doing it, of course.  It's part of the game of doing a Fringe.  

I've also been lucky enough to have a super fan here named Marlene, who is also a Fringe volunteer.  She has been running around telling everyone to come see my show.  Some of my Saskatoon fans from over the years have been spreading the good word as well, and commenting on the online review. From what I have heard, there has been vastly different word-of-mouth on the street about "The Last Straight Man In Theatre."  Some people hate it, and some love it.  I'm glad it causes such a reaction.  I knew when I decided to tour how difficult it is - being away from home, being away from family & friends, living on the road, etc.  I did not want to go on the road with a safe vanilla show.  I didn't see the point in doing that.  There is certainly a place for shows like that, but it would be a waste of my time right now.

I have been encouraged by people who tell me on the street how much they enjoy the show.  I am also encouraged as an actor/writer by the fact that a few other experimental/challenging shows are on the Fringe.  I'm proud to have taken the route that I have.  And I think and ponder the idea of doing another show, and wonder...  Should I streamline/mainstream myself or just get weirder and weirder?  Will becoming a more bizarre Canadian touring performer ever lead to the mainstream career in TV and film that I've always wanted?  Or should I move to LA, get botox, and hang out in coffee shops all day?  Ah, many options.

No show on Day 8, Thursday.  Today, and today as in Friday, it is dark, cold, and rainy.  It's kind of strange.  This doesn't feel like summer at all.  I learned that John Hughes died today. This was very sad news for me because "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is one of my all-time favorite movies, and I love a lot of his other work as well.  Really, "The Breakfast Club" is a defining movie for my generation.  I often wondered what had happened to John Hughes.  Here was someone who was very prolific at one point and created some wonderful work that still sustains, but then disappeared.  One article I read compared him to J. D. Salinger in that respect.  I also read he took that time to spend more time with his family and work on his farm.  I wonder how he was able to pull himself away from the money, but he probably had more than enough at that point. 

Thursday night was Spoof Night, which I have participated in every time I've come to Saskatoon.  Performers write down the name of their show, put it in a hat, and then pull out another piece of paper with another show's title on it.  Then they prepare a 3-5 minute spoof that is done later in the week, giving them a chance to actually see the show they are spoofing.  It's all in fun.  My show was spoofed by Christel Bartelse of the show "Chaotica."  She happened to attend the one show where I had technical difficulties, so that became part of her spoof.  As for me, I played a nurse in an old age home of puppets in Lana Schwarz's show "Grandpa Sol and Grandma Rosie."  I was the only male performer to do drag this year (not full drag - I was wearing scrubs).  A few years ago tons of guys did drag.  The show went on from midnight to...  I don't even know.  3am, I think.  I ended up going to bed after 5am, so it was my Night Out In Saskatoon.  There are a few more chances for additional nights in the Green Room.

Well, I was lucky to get the schedule I did, although the weather sucks today.  I have two more shows, both in prime time slots: 8:45pm Friday and Saturday.
4:54 PM 
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Tuesday, August 04, 2009 
"The Last Straight Man In Theatre" is a bit of a risky show because it heavily relies on tech. There is a DVD that plays throughout almost the entire show that is roughly fifty-three minutes long. In the past, I didn't think I would want to do a tech-heavy show, because what if something goes horribly wrong? But I took the risk with this show. Besides lighting cues throughout, there is only one cue on the DVD player. I, in character, turn on the projector and DVD player and the video plays to the end. Thus, one cue! Sooner or later, I was going to be tested on the "what if something goes wrong" factor, and after ten smooth sailing performances this summer (not including the previews, which also went off without a hitch), I finally had that situation during Sunday's 1:45pm. If it was going to happen, this wasn't a bad show for it to happen in, being that reviewers had already came and the audience was smaller than it would have been during a prime time show. Halfway through the play, the DVD started skipping around. I stayed in character, as best I could, and forwarded the DVD to the next scene, but it kept skipping. I went over, ejected the DVD, wiped it off, and put it back in and cued it up. While this was going on, the talented Anne Wyman cheered me on. There is something about seeing a performer struggling that makes for real genuine drama. I remember being in Michael Beckett's scene study class some years ago at HB Studios and watching a scene done by two actors. At one point, they forgot their lines or where they were in the scene, and briefly and silently got each other back on track. I remember Beckett saying that that was the most interesting part of their scene. And it's true - it was watching a real moment on stage. The disruption didn't last long, and the play continued successfully. And though it caused a brief inner panic for me, I don't think it made much of a difference for anyone else. There was enough going on in the play after that that people possibly wouldn't even remember that moment. I didn't remind them of it. That's something I've learned from seeing past performers - it is a mistake to remind the audience of an earlier mistake. I've seen people do that, and they don't realize that the audience has already moved on. Bob, who is the festival producer, saw that show and loved it! Jonno Katz, who is here with his show "The Accident," congratulated me on having the most "out there show in the Fringe." I was actually somwhat bummed after the show, asking myself, "Why am I doing a show that relies on tech?" But it's good that I had that experience so that I now know how to handle it. Now I have a spare DVD player and extra disk nearby. I had that stuff with me during Monday's show, but it wasn't on stage. Now it will be. During one part of the show, I play a waitress and go into the audience and serve (make-believe) coffee. Two people actually refused my invisible coffee! That was a first. Sunday night was the Fringe Improv Catch Match, which I performed in. My group consisted of people I never met before, or had met a few days before. It was fun. We ended up doing a dance-off against the other team because the audience applause barometer (which was how the winner was decided) was even between us. The dance-off eliminated us. But was this an improv show or a dance show? Thus a controversy has begun and people have told me that my group was "robbed." The controversy has died down, due to the fact that no one, including myself, really cares. Next time I would like to be on the team with Jayson McDonald, and we'll see what we come up with together. Monday's 5:20pm show was my best yet in Saskatoon. Sunday night I stayed out late at the Performer's Green Room, which turned into a dance party, but Monday I was up, went to the gym, took a nap, and did my show without doing any flyering ahead of time. Still, I had a great crowd! Monday was a holiday in Canada, so a lot of people had a long weekend. No tech issues for this show, and people laughed and had a grand ol' time. I find that in Saskatoon I have a real supportive audience. There are people here who really enjoy my work, and go around and spread the word. That's why I keep coming back! I haven't spent any time at the Roastery this year, where I usually get coffee in a glass. I don't get that anywhere else. I have fond memories of the Roastery. I'll have to get myself over there today or later this week. A few things I have noticed: - I have spent a lot of time in Canada, but only this year did I notice "mm-hmm." Canadians say that in the certain way that is difficult to describe in print. It's like the "hmm" is elongated and it sounds almost sarcastic or as if what you just said constitutes an element of surprise. But it's actually just a normal response. - Saskatoon is dry. Hang up a sweaty shirt, and it's dry in no time. I was talking to someone about how my voice has gotten deeper. My throat has been dried out due to a lack of humidity. So I keep a water bottle on hand and keep my throat wet. I probably shouldn't be drinking coffee, but I am right now. Mm-hmm.
3:13 PM 
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Sunday, August 02, 2009 
Saturday I had no shows, but was out and about flyering and watching shows. I saw four shows yesterday! The StarPhoenix reviews went online yesterday. That’s the only newspaper here in Saskatoon. The reviewer did not like the show at all, but did provide me with some fun pull-quotes. Here is what she said:

“Fitzpatrick is actually the cult hero of the Saskatoon Fringe Festival.”

Actually, she said that in the context that the play may have gone over her head and, if so, I am indeed the cult hero of the Saskatoon Fringe Festival. So I am going to take that title!

“Fitzpatrick is a cowboy in the Wild West of Fringe theatre.”

What does that mean? Who cares? It’s sounds cool, and I’ll be using it. Meanwhile, a reviewer who reviews for the Fringe blog (and used to be associated with the CBC Saskatchewan) gave me an unofficial five star review. He said they eliminated the star system, but he would have given me five stars. Here is that review:

*****

The other fabulous one man show I saw on Friday was Kurt Fitzpatrick’s The Last Straight Man in Theatre.

This is an ambitious performance that puts Fitzpatrick both on stage and on film acting with himself. Fitzpatrick creates several characters presumably in the same town. By using some blinds as a projection screen and A/V equipment, Fitzpatrick is able to act off himself (and even three versions of himself in one sequence).

The plot, or lack of a plot, reminded me of what David Lynch would do if he ever created a comedy. Some scenes are just plain bizarre, but one wants to go on the journey with Fitzpatrick because it is so original, and he is such an engaging actor.

There are too many memorable characters to discuss in a short review, but my favourite sequences involved a scene with a gigolo and a shy woman who is doing her master’s degree in human sexuality. I also loved the absurdity of a scene with a young man who is wanting to visit his ex-girlfriend, but it stopped by her father who spends all his time on the roof spying on the neighbors. The description of what the next door neighbors are up to makes this truly a Fringe play (not for children, for sure). I will also give a special mention to one of Fitzpatrick’s more bizarre characters, a creepy lonely rich man who, with a Dr. Evil voice, gives a five minute long monologue in an attempt to order rice pudding.

I admire this production greatly. I especially love the risk Fitzpatrick takes in relying on A/V equipment and the film they shot of him to act off for most of the show. The timing and choreography to make this work is impeccable, and would have required a great deal of rehearsal.

I’ll also give you a hint: do not try to figure out the meaning of the title. At one point, a character in the play mentions watching the Terry Gilliam film Brazil, and being disappointed that the title had nothing to do with the movie. This was a hint that, as an audience, we shouldn’t be too literal when viewing The Last Straight Man in Theatre.

This is one of the most original and funny productions at this year’s Fringe; it is also one of the best.

*****

This review was written by Jason Dubray and can be found at http://www.25thstreettheatre.org/category/blog
4:08 PM 
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Saturday, August 01, 2009 
My opening at 8:15pm in the Off-Broadway Arts Center went very well!  The venue can seat one-hundred and fifty, and the place had a really good chunk of people there, who had a great time!  I saw one guy in the audience who I recognized from over the years.  He came up to me after the preview show a few nights back and told me how much he enjoyed "Hooray for Speech Therapy" and "Rebel Without a Niche."  I was pleased that someone remembers "Rebel."  Anyway, on opening night, there he was, seeing me again. That's very gratifying to know that there are people following my work and welcoming me back.  Saskatoon is one city where I always feel welcomed.

I was very pleased to talk to some performers who I respect and admire who enjoyed my show.  My friend Jayson McDonald has seen all my shows, and really enjoyed and liked the direction I've gone in my work.  So that was very encouraging, and makes me want to keep going forward.

Yesterday afternoon I had a radio interview with CFCR 90.5 FM.  It has not aired yet, but it will sometime next week.  It was a very good interview, and I talked a lot about the technical aspects of the show and how the writing and producing of it evolved.  I have a mp3 of the entire interview and will put it up on my website at some point.  I also now have a DVD of my CTV interview where I said "ass," so I will be putting that up at some point as well.

I have a full slate of performances coming up.  In addition to my remaining five shows in the Fringe, I signed up to take part in a Fringe Improv Match on Sunday night, as well as the famous Spoof Night, which will be on Thursday night.  On Spoof Night, anyone who wants to participate puts the name of their show in a hat, and everyone picks out of it, and the show you get is the one you do a five minute spoof of.  I've always had fun with it, and I got one this year that once again suits my needs well.  I have not seen the show yet, but I already have some ideas.

I saw a Fringe show yesterday called "The Lavender Lady" that I really admired, mainly because it was such a mind fuck of a show.  I rarely mention shows I see on this blog, but I just enjoyed the pure out-there balls-out nature of this show.  It begins with a man whose life consists of watching soap operas who has a woman working for him who crawls around on her knees all the time.  Then he meets The Lavender Lady, kind of like an Avon lady, who then moves in and has a man working for her, who also crawls around on his knees.  It degenerates into slapping, stabbing, blood, filthy language, and much more.  Oh, this show is a keeper!  It was fun seeing some of the people in the audience somewhat horrified.  To me, it was like a David Lynch film.  I'm glad I saw it, and I'm glad it's playing the circuit.  It was a little uncomfortable to watch at times, but it's great that there is a Fringe show that is doing that!  I'm happy that there is something weird and challenging playing the Fringe.  I could just imagine someone in Winnipeg doing a double feature of "Alter Boyz" and "The Lavender Lady."

3:42 PM 
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