Bill is out working on a top secret project, so today’s hurried post comes to you from myself while lost in a see of Fringe Madness.

I have 3 shows I’m involved with, keeping me very busy. I’d like to take a moment to share them with you before I get to the meat of the blog post.

First up is a show that both myself and Bill are performing in… “Stop Talking: The Game of Talking”.

Thursday, August 9th: Host: Tim Wick. Timekeeper: Patricia Wick… Players: Bill Stiteler, Chrys Vanderkamp, Bill Young, Aric McKewn, Eric Knight and Dawn Krosnowski

Friday, August 10th: Host: Tim Wick. Timekeeper: Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw… Players: Joseph Scrimshaw, Jena Young, Kelvin Hatle, Jen Scott, Jerry Belich, Windy Bowlsby and Mike Fotis

Sunday, August 12th: Host: Joseph Scrimshaw. Timekeeper: Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw… Players: Bill Stiteler, Tim Wick, Matt Allex, Courtney McLean, Bill Young and Windy Bowlsby

We’ve done this show before, and though I’m sad that I won’t get to play with Bill on stage (giggity), I *am* exited to share a stage with the above listed.

The second show I’m involved with is “On the Differences Between Two Ladies and the Resolution Thereof”. It’s about the first emancipated duel between two women. Much of it is true to the actual event. I’m the fight choreographer/fight director for this show, and though the performance style isn’t what I typically go for, I am pleased with the end result. The show is getting mixed reviews, and I think much of it is that many people have expectations of what kind of style and pacing a show in the Fringe should have, and it doesn’t match. But the people that love it LOVE it, and the people that hate it HATE it. It’s my favorite kind of response to get for a show.

The third and final show I’m doing is “Fringe Orphans”. It’s a clump of vignettes tied together by nothing. Seriously. We keep getting people looking for a theme, or a tie in, or something, but really kids, we don’t pretend it’s going to be anything like that. Just an assortment of skits. I think all of them are fantastic, though I’m biased toward my own. I “wrote”, directed, and partially choreographed our scene, with other choreography done by Chris Olsen and Mike Lubke.

Now that I’ve done my duty in pimping my fringe shows, here’s a thing that’s been bothering me about Fringe this year… WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO WOBBLES?!?!?!

The beloved Fringe Mascot Wobbles of the past many forever years is missing, and those masterminds at MN Fringe aren’t talking. Typically, if you lose someone dear to you, you launch a search, or at least talk to everyone you know about how your child is missing. Instead, Wobbles has been replaced by an XKCD character. You didn’t think we’d notice, MN Fringe? You thought you could just dress up some stick figure and put him in Wobbles place, walking by, whistling, with your hands in your pockets?? He doesn’t even have whiskers!

But they’re not talking. It’s got me suspicious. Especially since the rating system has also changed. Stars? Who the hell uses stars as a rating system?

I had hope earlier that we may be able to still save Wobbles, as I would once in a while see a very bad review of my a show with a 1 kitty rating. Sadly, it looks like those kitties are all gone now. I heard the last mewlings of Wobbles, too late to save him.

So here’s to our beloved Wobbles. May he rest in peace in that big thrust stage in the sky.

And MN Fringe Heads… I’m watching you.