Wrapping up The Fringe and looking towards what's up next

Sadly, Hurricane Irene cut this year's Fringe Festival a bit short, canceling this weekend's performances with the MTA shutdown here in the city. I do, however, want to send out congratulations to all the shows, many of which received great reviews and mentions throughout the last 2 weeks. Also, many were highlighted with The Fringe's Overall Excellence Awards, which are listed here. [EDIT: Looks like a spoke a little soon -- The Fringe Encore Series has just been announced. If there was a show you missed, see if it made the list here.]

Just as one festival ends, though, another begins as tickets to NYMF shows will go on sale to the general public later this week (the festival will run from 9/26-10/16). Check out some of the great offerings on their website, and get ready for even more awesome new musical goodness at the end of September.

In speaking of things to come, Shaina Taub's EP, What Otters Do, is now available online (and in hardcopy through her website). If you're in New York, also check out her show tonight at Rockwood Music Hall at 8:30.

Speaking of Shaina Taub, the songstress will be a guest at Eli Bolin's upcoming show at the Laurie Beechman at 8:00 on September 18. They will be joined by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne Harada, Sam Forman, Allison Posner, Greg Hildreth, Anthony Rapp, and Olli Haaskivi -- and with a line-up like that, you gotta get a reservation!

Also, bringing everything full circle, later that week at the Beechman will be a concert version of Bed Bugs!!!! The Musical, which I saw and loved at NYMF 2008. This hilarious show, which was written by Fred Sauter and Paul Leschen, will be performing on 9/20 and 9/21.

So save your pennies and get ready for a month of great new music. In the meantime, I leave you with this great tune from Nick Blaemire's concert at Ars Nova a couple of months ago:

A Kind of Epidemic

Almost two years ago, one of my friends casually asked me if I wanted to see this show that someone she knew was working on for NYMF. She told me what it was called, but the title completely slipped my mind, and I showed up at the theater with no idea what exactly it was I was about to see. So I met up with my friend, we waited for the ligths to dim, and the next thing I knew, I was along for the ride that was Bedbugs!!! a musical by Paul Leschen and Fred Sauter.

So let me set the scene: the lights go dim and the next thing we know, we are treated to the vision of a young girl, sitting in her room listening to a performance of her favorite pop diva, Dionne Salone. And then, in true diva glory, Brian Charles Rooney emerged in a rather lovely 80s ensemble, giving a performance that would bring any ballad belting star to her knees.

Bedbugs!!! was an operatic, glam rock funhouse about a bedbug epidemic and one determined exterminator named Carly who ends up concocting a pesticide that turns tiny pests into mutant terrors. When the metal rock king of the bedbugs wants to make Carly his queen, Carly and her friends must put a stop to the madness. This all happens with an army of horny, androgenous insects, inappropriately mesmerizing dance numbers, and even a take home environmental message (complete with an appearance from Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring). Be sure to check out some music clips here.

Despite the fact that this type of musical is not normally my cup of tea, it's a show I think of every once in a while. I don't think I've seen anything quite so delightfully off the wall since then, or at least nothing that has made me smile as wide as this show did. I wish this show could have some kind of life beyond its NYMF production, but I haven't heard anything in particular since the festival.

I also have to say, though, that Paul Leschen's music in general is very addictive, a guilty pleasure for soaring 80s-esque numbers. I've been enjoying listening to the music on his myspace and letting myself sink into a silly stupor. While I know Paul has also had his hand in a Scissor Sisters album, I think his musical theatre writing skills are also apparent. He's also worked on Twist: May I Have Some More, a naughty, wicked version of Dickens' Oliver classic. And still, while completely campy and hysterically wild, Bedbugs!!! is an example of camp done hilariously right.