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Assistant Directing this ensemble created piece was been great fun. Encouraging young actors to take risks and actively discovering ways to support them in the process is always a challenging JOY! I get to do this stuff!

"Lovely" by Lilly Bart: I heart this play

"Kill the Robots...Cheer the Young Artists" by Christopher Gabriel: When I attend theatre, I want to be entertained, moved and engaged. It matters not whether the playwright is Shakespeare, a barber from the Smokey Mountains or, in this case, a group of high school students collaborating together. In the final analysis, it either works or it doesn't. It delights or it disappoints. That said, what a treat it was to watch a group of young actors giving all they had to give in a compelling, charming, quirky and altogether engaging piece of theatre. Their energy, passion and vulnerability were a joy to watch from beginning to end. I have attended numerous professional productions paying significantly more money to be utterly underwhelmed, grumbling quietly to myself as I slipped out the nearest exit. Bravo to these young actors; they made a little bit of magic worth far more than my ticket price.

"A jewel." by Jennifer Kirkeby: Kill the Robot takes us on a journey of teenagers who are on a quest for their future selves. With fantastic live music and whimsical wonder, these actors make discoveries about themselves, each other, and their limitations. Ultimately we are given hope in a world of fear.

"An Entertaining Evening" by Michael Gromsky: What a joy to watch a group of teens create and perform a piece that is from the heart, thoughtful, and acted with grace. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon or evening.

"Committed and theatrical" by Adam Hegg: I really loved this piece. The committment of the actors, the risks taken in name of theatricality and the precision used by all and sundry was refreshing to see. I appreciated the piece for all of its fun, nuance and concept. A total package.

"Give a man a fish..." by Megan Odell: ...and he eats for a day. You know the second part of that saying, and it fits about the teens in this ensemble-created show from Stages Theatre Company. Usually kids are taught to perform by learning to deliver monologues and scenes in an Intensely Important Way. This usually results in stilted performances that replace breath and life with over-rehearsed gesture and heightened emotion. In Kill the Robot, though, you can see that teaching the teens to create an entire show from their own imaginations gave them each a sense of ownership over the characters and content. You can see this reflected in the freedom and sense of play that they bring to their characters and overall presentation of the story. I am very very impressed by these young actors... if they continue on this path, they will go far. A second kudos needs to go out to the rockin' band that backed up the teens... excellent use of music and sound in the show. Overall, an inspiring and fun show! Stages is to be commended for introducing lively theatre to these young artists and audiences.

"One up, for youth of Fringe!" by Jevon Sacarelos: Nothing is more satisfying (recently graduated from highschool, myself) than to attend a piece performed by adults, and to be bored, annoyed, or discusted, and then to attend "Kill the Robot" and enjoy every minute of it. It takes no time at all to feel an instant connection with the characters. The storyline is great. The live music is amazing. And the show, altogether, is just plain fun. Go and see it...!

"2nd best "teen" show in the Fringe" by Callie Sacarelos: ... the first would be "Eating Next To a Rubik's Cube". But this one is awesome as well. It's very very funny and all of the characters are fun and loveable. It's set in the future, the character's go in to the future, realize they ARE the future, and then try to change the future. GO SEE IT.

"They Programmed This Robot Right!" by Anders Nerhim: This show has an excellent balance of witty humor and emotional strain. The characters are well developed and you feel attached to each and every one of them. From the moment the character "Blahvin" takes the stage you are compelled to keep your eyes open, not even wanting to blink. It is a great show.

"Creative and energetic" by Tyson _: The group pulled off an engaging performance carried in part by abundant teen exuberance and charm. While the future that the teens anticipate and fear is not particularly well developed, there are enough insightful moments along the way that I barely noticed. The show also featured creative use of light and music to evoke wonder, mirth, and thoughtfulness -- all at the appropriate moments.

"achingly earnest" by sara logan: This is teenage drama at its best. This is the kind of production I dreamed of being in as a young person, full of raw emotion, fears about the future, hormonally induced insanity, and robots. Thre were a few moments of real talent, and a message that we cannot save others by reminding them of their true selves while forgetting our own beauty, we can only be honest and share our own self, despite futility.

"Tugging delightfully at the absurd and heartfelt" by Diane Anderson: Funny, tender, absurd, and quite demented, but only in the best sense of the word. Hilarious nuances, some winks to sexuality, orientation, and The teens in the show pulled this off with polish and good timing, sometimes with a certain dryness that you weren't sure if they were trying to be funny or not. Comedy is not easy but the got it down pat and I loved the live band -- it added a little edge to the storyline. Graydon, (Strib reviewer), what show did you go see? This was anything but dull and perhaps some pacing and timing was a little slow, but I laughed the entire way through. Highly recommend!

"Kill the Plot, not the Robot" by TheatreDude28 Theatregoer: I didn't have a problem with the directing or the performances of these talented actors, but I felt the plot was a little muddy. I liked how the play began, but as things moved along, I had no clue what was going on. Perhaps if I watch it a couple more times I'll understand the full meaning. But it was worth it, as they were some lovable characters and a great band.

"Are You Sure the Future is Coming?" by Thomas Cassidy: This entertaining, goodhearted sci-fi comedy opens with the troupe robot-dancing to a live glam-punk theme (Pablo!?), wormholes ahead to a future these fresh H.S. grads may face if our collective cocooning keeps up, and wraps with an obvious but refreshingly hopeful alternative. But that they end with the obvious only underscores the fact that bigger truisms are commonly anchored and often, thankfully, good. Even this cranky guy prefers the happy ending. Some clever dialog, jagged bits of character riffs, and 100% actual time travel (you'll warp an hour ahead) make this a show to see. And, by the way, send your kids or your neighbor's kids to Stages Conservatory Program - otherwise the future will be bleaker.

"11 Actors pull off an Absurd Play" by john Stevens: First off, let me just say I don't give much credit to Absurd plays anything to do with Absurdness. I find it... well, you know the word. I found this play to be very entertaining. Not so much for the confusing Absurd plot, but for the music and the young actors energy. All eleven actors brought their unique style to the show. I especially like the characters of Blahvin, Digit, and Scout. The actor who played Scout, Elle Richards to be the most talented actor they have there, and I hope to see her in other productions elsewhere in the future. I'd recommend this show mostly for the brillant performances these young actors do, it's a joy to watch all of them.

"Don't kill this robot!" by Mickey Foley: This is a great ensemble piece featuring a talented cast. The music and sound create a wonderfully evocative aural landscape of robotic sterility juxtaposed with sincere emotion. The few props used were technically impressive and enhanced the futuristic setting. "Props" should also go to the costumes and makeup, which achieved a not-too-distant future look by way of Adam Ant. Ferguson has done it again!

Actor

http://www.fringefestival.org 

Director
Acting/Performance History
Actor's Mask Training Program
Acting Classes in Maple Grove
Acting Conservatory Instructor
Pinoke: Through a Man's Eyes
Seussical
Waking Virginia: Life is a Dream
Kill The Robot
Bootleg Minneapolis
Guthrie Instructing Artist
Acting/Performance History