FAST*Fest 2020
Saturday, August 22, 2020

Bad Mystery Suspense/Science Fiction Theater (NKBProductions)
Stephen Greenhalgh as Pemberton the Butler

On Saturday, August 22, the Minnesota Association of Community Theatres (MACT) will offer energizing workshops, ten short plays in a virtual setting with live guided discussion after each performance, and an evening social hour.

Due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus, FAST*Fest had to be reinvented for a “live online” experience in just a few short weeks. Players who never dreamed of filming their work for a festival learned how and did it successfully. The back of the house this year is entirely virtual and is being accomplished with aplomb on a shoestring budget.

You can participate in this amazing effort of your fellow community theatre artists by attending the virtual workshops and watching the plays in a new way for just $25 for the entire day. Individual workshop and play session pricing is also available.

Tickets can be found online at https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/purchase.php?date_id=35011.

The entire FAST*Fest schedule is listed below:


MACT FAST*Fest 2020 – Program
Saturday, August 22, 2020   
 

Workshops

“Virtual FAST*Fest 2020” participants & attendees will convene using Zoom.  Details for connectivity testing and joining the festival will be provided to all prior to the event.

Festival Staff:

Co-chairs: Amy Hunter and Jon Terrill
Technician: Darren Beecher
MACT Board of Directors
Discussion Moderators: Mary Beth King and Julianna Skluzacek

 
9:00 a.m. – Welcome and Introduction

9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. – Hannah Holman, Director of MN Theater Alliance – “Ensemble Based Creative Process”

10:25 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. – Joanna Schnedler, Executive Director MN Music Coalition – “Front of the House/Box Office Management”

11:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. – Greg Abbott, Director of the Minnesota Shorts Festival, Mankato, MN – “Writing a One Minute Play”

Schedule:

Afternoon Session of Short Plays

1:30-1:40 – Welcome and Introduction

1:40 – Intro to first play

1:42 A Minnesotan Soap Opera

(or The Cold and the Uff-da-ful)

County Seat Theater Company

Written and Directed by Greg Anderson

Cast:
Matt: Sean Biskey
Amanda: Mimi Effinger
Mom: Sam Lorenz
Trevor: Jason Vandervort
Mysterious Stranger: Josh Effinger
Support Staff: Ruthie Breur, Joel Soukkala
 
Setting: Someplace in Minnesota You’ve Probably Been.
Time: Oh, Round Suppertime I S’pose.
Performing at the Encore Performing Arts Center in Cloquet, MN

 
1:52 – Discussion of first play

2:00 – Intro to second play

2:02 Will(ful)(ly)

Ole Olson Onstage

Written and Directed by Jon Skaalen
 
Cast:
Narrator: Kip Shane
Miltie: Dan Reiva
Mourner: Don Cosgrove
 
Setting: A murder was, or may have been, or will be, committed. Was it, or will it be, willful? Will the resolution be willfully accepted by the victim, the perpetrator and we, the virtual jurors? Find out on OOPS, 2020 on your radio dial or online at OOPS. argh.
 
Theatre Info:
Based in Stillwater, Ole Olson Onstage explores stories, issues and opportunities facing people of all abilities in their communities.

 
2:22 – Discussion of second play

2:32 – Intro to third play

2:34 Bonnie and Clod

Marshall Area Stage Company

Directors: Bob Schwoch and Maureen Keimig
Camera and Video editing: Cory Klamper
 
Cast:
Bonnie: Maureen Keimig
Clod: Bob Schwoch
 
Time and Place: Suppertime in a low rent apartment, 1930’s.

 
2:40 – Discussion of third play

2:50 – Ten minute break

3:00 – Intro to fourth play

3:02 The Wild

Merlin Players, Faribault, MN

The Wild is an adaptation from Jack London’s novel White Fang.
Adapted by Caleb Wagner
Directed by Caleb Wagner
Videographer: Caleb Wagner

Cast:
Henry: Grant Fitzgerald
Bill: Tristen Sima

 
3:22 – Discussion of fourth play

3:32 – Intro to fifth play

3:34 The Aunt and the Sluggard

Little Theatre of Owatonna

The Aunt and the Sluggard is a dramatic interpretation of a P.G. Wodehouse short story.

Cast:
Characters: Bertie Wooster, Rocky, Ms. Rockmetteller, and Jeeves
All characters performed by Jon Terrill
 
Camera Technician: Zackery Knapton

 
3:52 – Discussion of fifth play

4:02 – Afternoon session wrap-up

Meal Break on your own

Evening Session of Short Plays

6:30-6:40 p.m. – Welcome and Introduction

6:40 – Intro to sixth play

6:42 Match Dot Bomb

Taken For Granite Players, Richmond, MN

Written and co-directed by James H. Leinen
Co-directed by Amy L. Hunter
Camera operator: Andrew Libbesmeier
Continuity: Anissa Wilke
Sound Effects, Editing, Graphics: Brad Busse

Cast:
Veronica: Karla Reichel
Barista: Jennifer Wirz
William (Bill): Brad Busse

Time and Place: 2019 in a suburban coffee shop.

6:57 – Discussion of sixth play

7:07 – Intro to seventh play
 
7:09 In A Time of Masks

Pargeter Players

Written and directed by Greg Bastien
 
Cast:
Corey Allred, Greg Bastien, Coral Bastien, Connor Burell, Helen Collins, Selma Petterson
(Cast members play multiple roles)
 
Theater Info:
Pargeter Players theater group is based in Minneapolis and they also have performed in St. Paul, St. Cloud, and Cloquet.

 
7:21 – Discussion of seventh play

7:31 – 10-minute break

7:41 – Intro to eighth play

7:43 Slimm, Jim, And The VI…

Mindless Mirth Productions

Written and Co-Directed by Lawrence Ripp
Co-Directed by John Gottskalkson
Filming: Hamil Cassidy
 
Cast:
Slimm: Lawrence Ripp
Jim: John Gottskalkson
 
Setting: In the conversational style of Mamet, two friends cope with the pandemic of this time.
 
Theatre info:
Both John and Larry are Twin City acting veterans who have many years of acting and many shows under their collective belts. They have also produced and directed shows here and elsewhere and have done a number of shows for the Minnesota Fringe Festival.

8:00 – Discussion of eighth play

8:10 – Intro to ninth play

8:12 Scenes from Twelfth Night

Classics Lost N Found Theater
 

Director: Greg Bastien
Camera Person: Katie Holmes
 
A performance of two scenes (back-to-back) from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
 
First scene cast:
Viola (disguised as Cesario): Helen Collins
Olivia: Selma Petterson
 
Second Scene cast:
Malvolio: Corey Allred
Feste: Don Larsson
 
Theater Info:
Classics Lost N Found Theater’s performance space is Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis.

 
8:30 – Discussion of ninth play

8:40 – Intro to tenth play

8:42 Bad Mystery Suspense/Science Fiction

Theater

NKBProductions

Director: Noreen K. Brandt
Camera Person: Katie Holmes
 
Cast:
Bad Mystery Suspense:
Narrator / Pemberton, the Butler: Stephen Greenhalgh*
Inspector Gidget: Daniel L. Dyke 
Mrs. Oodlesbottom / Percival / Hastings: Candy Dyke*
Fifi / Miss Stenophono / Lola: Selma Petterson*
 
(*plays multiple roles)
 
Bad Science Fiction Theater:
Sci-Fi  Narrator: Don Larsson
The Evil Emperor: Corey Allred 
Space Princess Zena: Katie Holmes
Space Princess Zooma: Matt Amenda  
Space Inspector Terry: Helen Collins
 
Theater Info:
NKBProductions is an offshoot of our old theater company, Corcoran Park Players, and is based in South Minneapolis.

 
9:01 – Discussion of tenth play

9:11 – Wrap up, Thank Yous

9:15-10:00 p.m. – Guided community theater social networking