Oedipus Sex! A Fundraiser for LCC

Today’s my birthday, and as an early present, I got a sneak behind-the-scenes peek last night at LCC’s fundraiser Oedipus Sex!, which opens tomorrow in the lab theatre there. The show is part burlesque, part drama, part comedy, part madness, part beauty, part sexy, part improv, part inappropriate, part you get the idea. Definitely for mature audiences, all the parts put together should equal a night of guilty fun.

The first act is the burlesque portion of the evening, though maybe not your “typical” burlesque show, if there is such a thing, since this one includes a handful of guys who certainly aren’t showing any skin. Host Jonathan Reyn leads the dude crew, which provides a loose storyline and some comedy between the dance numbers. I liked the range of performances—no two alike. One of my favorite dance pieces involved balloons, a box, Salem Sipes, Meghan Ormita, and Melissa Kenigton, and showcased playful yet serious beauty. Sipes captivates as the doll becomes dancer becomes doll. Ormita has another favorite, which also involves a transformation, this one more on the literal side and very fun in a girl/geek power kind of way.

There are three very talented singers in the show: Analiese Dallago, Marcela Fernandez, and Melissa Fernandez. They have a number together, which features in one of the silly plot-points of the act—a whacky love story. The girls are great together and also powerful on their own, providing the dancers—along with the band—beautiful music and vocals for their numbers. The act also features Joshua Auld performing aerial elegance on long swaths of white silk. Not to mention a few other surprises…

The second act comprises two short plays, and one improvised set. The improvisers are members of In Yo Face Improv (IYFI), whose tendency toward the taboo should fit right in with the rest of the evening. The plays are interesting and both VERY different. One more serious, one more (violent) comedy. These are student/alumni written, new pieces, experimental—just what a lab theatre’s made for. The first, How to Make Mud, written and directed by Michael Donato, features Melissa Feliciano, Ryan Okinaka, and Raymond Rivera. The structure is innovative and playful, with committed performances.

The second play, Ready, Set, GTFO, written and directed by Harold Wong has two different casts, a “male” and a “female” (though there is one female in the male). I got to see both. This may just be my feminist nature, but I have to admit that overall I preferred the femmes (sorry boys!). More subtlety, less loud, disturbing violence. I imagine some people will like the guys better, and both had their strengths.

This event is for a great cause: to raise money for the fall mainstage production of Oedipus the King, directed by Betty Burdick, sure to be outstanding. So even if all the above craziness doesn’t sound like your cup o’ tea, Go Anyway ;) Just don’t sue anyone over inappropriate content—remember, it’s for a good cause!

For more info, see the Facebook Event Page. Show runs this weekend only.

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