Shakespeare is an idiot

Watch the play

2008-03-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

ROGUE FESTIVAL: THE BLAH-BLAHS

PART 1: WELCOME TO MR. MARLOWE'S ENGLISH CLASS

PART 2: ROMEO AND JULIET

PART 3: HAMLET

PART 4: HAMLET CONCLUSION AND MACBETH

PART 5: OTHELLO

PART 6: JULIUS CAESAR ... ?

BONUS FEATURE: ALTERNATE ENDINGS

We got paid!

2008-03-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

The actors each pocketed $40 per show. Sam worked that out to a dollar a minute of performance time. That's pretty good.

How cool is that? After expenses (Rogue application fee, props, costumes, marketing), there was enough left over to actually get paid for doing art.

I'm blown away at the financial and critical success of the show.

Thank you to all the people who supported us as we put this thing together, and to the audience members who took a chance on us.

Audience member's video found on YouTube

2008-03-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

Check out edluv's video while you wait for the full-length version:

We're honored you took the time to put this together, Ed.

Positive reviews keep coming in

2008-03-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Rogue is done, but people are still commenting on the site:

From Joy:

"I laughed so much I couldn’t catch my breath at points.

The accents, the parody of ‘highbrow’, the idiocy.

Loved the concept, loved the execution. I had a REALLY good time. This, I think was the intent.

So thanks, guys, for a good time!"

And Mia said: "I loved this show, and laughed so much my face hurt. I’m still laughing now - the irreverence, how the actors throw, no - hurl - themselves into the play with wild abandon, verbally and physically. And the four actors make a great ensemble - very well matched."

Rogue operation a success

2008-03-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

The play's run on five performances in eight days has come to an end. With every seat in the house filled and a handful standing on closing night, we felt great with the show we gave them. Not as raucous a crowd as Thursday, we nonetheless gave them two alternate "Scooby Doo" endings, which included a Sumo duel with Hamlet, as well as a happy ending -- of sorts.

Mia gave us a great compliment by suggesting we consider taking this to other fringe festivals. The show may have life yet, with a possible performance at Fresno State and an encore or two during the Rogue Year Round series that the festival organizers are hoping to continue.

Check back for embedded videos if you'd like to see the full show. They should be posted some time this week.

Thursday's show

2008-03-06T23:07:00.000-08:00

I had a really good feeling Wednesday night. It was after our "added" performance at The Starline. The audience was half-full, the venue was four times as large, and (while I felt good about my performance for the first time) Josh felt he and his fellow Shakespeare actors were loose.

With all that going against it, we still had a great reception from the audience. At each turn when I felt we were going to lose the energy into the ether (after all, the bar is built for bands, not an intimate play set it a classroom), our "students" were right there. While Sam says they laughed in "weird places," I think it was a testiment to the amount of overall humor in the play that they were laughing at all.

Which brings us to tonight's show. I predicted it would be our best one yet, and if we couldn't already tell from the coninuous laughter and half-standing ovation, our venue manager Robert Paul confirmed it.

Tonight was the reason I wanted to do a Rogue show. Despite a little cracking up from one of the performers midway through the Scottish sketch, we hit on all the proverbial cylinders and, well, we basically kicked ass.

I hope we have a sellout Saturday at 7. There'll be some surprises, maybe an alternate ending or two.

After all, if you think you've seen "Shakespeare Is an Idiot," you haven't seen it on closing night.

More reviews!

2008-03-06T23:00:00.000-08:00

FROM THE ROGUE FESTIVAL SITE:

Fishstick says: "This show is as Fringe as a Fringe show gets in Fresno. The stupidest idea I’ve seen in a long time and pulled off brilliantly. My first standing ovation of the Rogue. I’ve been with the Rogue for all its years and this show proved the rule that the more outward you look and the less you care about safety and pleasing the audience the better you can do and the happier the audience is. Well done and I look forward to more."

Katie "almost peed."

Watch the show in one minute

2008-03-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

Read the lesson plan, er, play program

2008-03-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

Josh at RogueHop

2008-03-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

Rogue week 2

2008-03-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

What we look like on stage

2008-03-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

Stolen from Victor DeRoches.

We got reviews!

2008-03-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

After starting off the week with an official endorsement from The Fresnan, we actually starting doing performances. Two shows over the weekend, one sold out, the other came close. People laughed multiple times during each, and they clapped at the end. So, we couldn't ask for more right?

Wrong. Then a few people were kind enough to share their thoughts about our show with the WORLD WIDE interWEBs.

So, what are people saying about "Shakespeare Is an Idiot"?

FROM ROGUE FESTIVAL SITE:

Mystical Raisin calls it "brilliantly funny."

Steph says it "just needs a very good editor."

Jaguar remarks: "Certainly not a must-see, but an enjoyable hour."

Acoustic Highway reported that it "got some great laughs."

Blake Jones thought it was "nice."

Walrus Gumbo says "It’s a one joke idea beaten to death!"

FROM THE UNDERCURRENT:

Jessi writes: "It's clear that those who performed and contributed to the show actually know their Shakespeare quite well, and it's also clear that they're having a great time as they parody those who take Shakespeare too seriously (or not seriously enough)."

FROM THE BEEHIVE:

A reader named Chango writes, "It’s the type of show that you thank Rogue for: irreverent, homespun, fun even when not as funny."

(Note: The Beehive itself can't review the show because a colleague is in it, so feel free to email Donald Munro, or comment on Chango's post.)

We got a fifth show, yo

2008-02-29T17:04:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday night (March 5) at 8:30 p.m. at THE STARLINE (not Dianna's South).

So, our updated sked:

10 p.m. Saturday 3/1
2:30 p.m. Sunday 3/2
8:30 p.m. Wednesday 3/5
8:30 p.m. Thursday 3/6
7 p.m. Saturday 3/8

tell your friends :)

Roguehoppin' to-nite!

2008-02-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

6:00 at Veni Vidi Vici

9:40 at Full Circle Brewery

come by to see our cast members in various states of undress.

Sharyn just sent me this t-shirt design

2008-02-26T11:21:00.001-08:00

Yeah, it's freakin' hilarious

2008-02-25T11:05:00.000-08:00

New video: action figure

2008-02-22T22:03:00.000-08:00

Rogue math

2008-02-21T14:14:00.001-08:00

We recorded a song

2008-02-15T16:18:00.000-08:00

You can hear it by pressing play.

Working cover for the program

2008-02-15T14:24:00.001-08:00

Cast bios

2008-02-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

Samuel Frank (Sam, Romeo, Claudius, Othello, epiloguer) appeared in Fresno State's 2005 production of "Henry IV, Part 1" and Good Company Players' 2007 production of "Shakespeare in Hollywood." In 1997, Sam created a skit called "A Guy and his Dog," which he based on "The Taming of the Shrew."

Will Albritton (prologuer, Mr. Marlowe) appeared in the University of South Florida's 1998 production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." In Spring 1999, he studied and workshopped Shakespeare's tragedies at Middlesex University in London, and he wrote a paper titled "Hamlet Is a Pussy; Macbeth Is Pussy-Whipped." Will received a C for the course.

Renee Newlove (Renee, Juliet, Ghost, Lady Macbeth, Desdemona, epiloguer) started reading the unabridged Complete Works of William Shakespeare in the ninth grade and finished by the time she was a junior. She studied at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's summer seminar and has returned at least six times to see productions. Renee has also seen Shakespearean productions in Santa Cruz, San Diego, Glendale, San Francisco and, of course, Fresno. Three years ago, she appeared in the Woodward Shakespeare Festival's inaugural-season productions of "Romeo and Juliet" and "Much Ado About Nothing." She has also participated in numerous readings for WSF, as well as assisted with costumes for 2007's "Othello." Also last year, Renee appeared in Theatre Ventoux's "This Flattering Glass," an adaptation of "Richard II."

Joshua Tehee (Josh, Hamlet, Macbeth, Iago, epiloguer) thinks Shakespeare is an idiot.

Teaser promos

2008-01-24T11:41:00.001-08:00

Cast photos

2007-12-11T18:07:00.001-08:00

That's Sam, from left, Renee, Josh and Will.

Sam couldn't be in this one.

We have dates

2007-12-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

According to the Rogue Web site, the 2008 Rogue Performance Festival will take place Feb. 28-March 8, 2008.

Our show can be seen at these times:

Saturday, March 1, 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 2, 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 6, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 8, 7:00 p.m.

All these performances will be at Dianna's Studio of Dance (South Venue), 726 North Fulton, Fresno, CA.

We're angling for a possible fifth date, which could be at another venue. (Check back for details.)

Also, Mainstage shows have a maximum ticket price of $7. Our show's price is $5. (Feel free to donate a dollar or two to the Rogue's beg bucket ... or keep it for yourself. We don't care -- we're not gonna see it; we just want you to see our show.)

Teaser trailer

2007-05-18T11:39:00.001-07:00

Coming Rogue 2008

2007-05-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

"Shakespeare Is an Idiot" is an original play for the 2008 Rogue Festival in Fresno, Calif.

The cast is Josh Tehee, Renee Newlove, Sam Frank and Will Albritton.