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Welcome to the Rogue Report! I'm your roving correspondent,
Jaguar Bennett. This is going to be one man's extremely idiosyncratic and
personal account of events at the 2005 Rogue Performance Festival. This
year's Rogue Festival is so big that no one person can give you the full
story, so I'm just going to tell you what I saw, what I thought, and what
people I've spoken to have said. If you would like to add your experiences of
the Rogue Festival to the Rogue Report, email me your contributions at jagbennett@sbcglobal.net
THURSDAY, MARCH 3 -- Tonight is ArtHop, and the official start of the 2005
Rogue Performance Festival. Performers were making promotional appearances at
ArtHop galleries, and everyone involved in the Rogue has been busy with
last-minute preparations. Here's what I did tonight:
5:45 PM: I'm at Salon 637 doing a
teaser of the play I'm appearing in, Jade Ed Gypsy's production of Opposites
Attract. For performers, one of the great things about the Rogue is the
chance to meet other performing artists. My scene partners and I perform our
teaser for the cast of Maybe This, Maybe That, another show in the Rogue
Festival. We admire each others' show -- the actors' equivalent of dogs sniffing
each other. Seriously, Maybe This, Maybe That is well worth seeing, and it
gets my recommendation.
6:15 PM: Javawava Cafe is the
Rogue Film Venue, where we'll be showing independent films throughout the
Rogue Festival. Tonight two gallery artists are presenting their work. I talk
to Gretchen Allen, who's showing a series of watercolors and acrylics in
interpretive pastels, anchored with a strong sense of line and form. Gretchen
says her work reflects her response to nature -- I say go check it out.
6:30 PM: Final dress rehearsal for
Opposites Attract. This show opens tomorrow night at 10
PM, and all the last minutes before any Rogue production are a
frenzy of last-minute preparations, fixes and crises. The fact that people do
this insanity at all is a tribute to their commitment to bringing quality art
to the community. Rehearsal goes well -- we think we're fabulous -- and we're
determined to put on an awesome show tomorrow night.
9:00 PM: Drinks at Veni Vidi Vici,
a final chance to relax with the Rogue Core staff before the madness really
starts. When you see anyone with a Rogue Staff badge during the festival, be
respectful. These people have busted their hump to make this happen, and Fresno
owes them all a debt of gratitude.
It's also a chance to meet some of the out-of-town performers who have come
to Fresno for the Rogue Festival.
D. Kien Lim from London, Baba
Brinkman from Canada,
Steven Kaworski from San Francisco
and Christopher Yates from New Zealand.
Steven Kaworski's show is "Adventures of a Substitute Teacher," and
discussions of his show led to a three-way shop talk between Steven, Rogue
volunteer coordinator and algebra teacher Devon Bailey, and Rogue Cafe
manager, musician and band teacher Blake Jones.
Rogue on the Street -- Voices and Comment
Marcel Nunis, Rogue managing director: "I hope we pull it off!"
Roxanne Arce, Rogue Core: "The festival is going to be brilliant, and
we're going to kick some royal ass."
Baba Brinkman: "The Rogue Festival came to me out of nowhere -- just an
email someone sent me. One thing I've noticed about Fringe Festivals, the
deader the town, the better the Fringe, so I have a good feeling about Fresno."
Christopher Yates: "My show is a vaudeville variety, comic juggling,
magic, family friendly. The Rogue is an adventure, I have no idea what's
going to happen."
I couldn't have said it better, Chris. The Rogue is starting, and the real
madness is about to begin.
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