Frontera Fest - Hyde Park Theater

A few of us went to the sold-out Frontera Fest show on Tuesday night at the Hyde Park Theater. I heard a radio interview w/ one of the organizers last week that said the plays didn’t have to pass any kind of screening process, they just accepted the first X number of applicants. Talk about “Keep Austin Weird”! All we knew was that the last show of the night included the wonderful and Talented Liz Cass (Brown) and this:

Every night we present a new bill of four or five plays no longer than 25 minutes each. Brilliant monologues? Plays in progress? Comedy improv? Cabaret singers? Avant-garde dance? Short films? Multimedia? We’ve seen it all. Every Saturday night is a juried “Best of the Week” performance, and the last week is the juried “Best of the Fest”–with a few wild cards thrown in.

My thoughts on each of the plays after the jump. (Please note, this review is admittedly biased as I’m such good friends w/ the man-hating pirate captain.)

  • La Mexicana Love Life by Jennifer Salazar
    It makes us crazy, happy or miserable. Tales of past and present Mexicanas in love.

    I thought this was beautifully written, the use of prop and imagery were very clever. A little long for my taste, but an interesting look into how a girl’s love life is so strongly influenced by her heritage.


  • This Whirlpool by Alex Barron
    Aaron has been failing tests. Bullies have been targeting him at school. His life at home is a mess. It seems that God might have it in for Aaron. And Aaron is pretty sure he knows why.

    Most definitely a best from the night. A hilarious story about a boy confused about girls, religion and… kittens.


  • The Tale of the Song Bird by Rocky Hopson (RoHo Productions)
    Cowgirl Mary and her old west puppet show tell the story of Thomas Smith and his encounter with a songbird.

    Who would have thought I’d enjoy a puppet show so much?! Clever, funny and dare I say… wholesome?


  • Loaded Gun Theory presents: A Special Live Taping of The Freddy Argyle Show!
    Argyle has been hosting his near-weekly talk show in his home-studio for the past eighteen months and will bring his unique brand of “investigative interviewing” and “charm” to FronteraFest in an intimate and revealing chat with a real-life Austin hero.

    While I think “Freddy Argyle” is a talented actor, the stoned keyboard player off to the side was actually the best part of this show for me. The rest of it was loud, scripted and… sadly, not very funny.


  • Sisters of the Sea: A Pirate Musical by Rain Nox
    Love, loot, laughs, and a life of adventure with a man-hating captain and her fearless crew.

    Now THIS was the staaaaar of the night! Pirates, opera, fishnets, men in drag. It was BURSTING at the seams with talent and very cleverly written (”I long for a man with all four limbs to love me… without a peg or a hook to gouge me.”).