The New York City Fringe Festival continues to make many of its productions available online, and again I picked a few to review from my sofa across the pond. The festival itself ran from 2-20 Apr and reviews will follow over the next week or so as I can fit them in.
Texas Annie: The Legend of the Moan Ranger is a new musical with a book by Jenn Howd & Roz Mihalko; lyrics by Jenn Howd, Roz Mihalko, and John Woods; music by John Woods, Stephen Goers, Roz Mihalko, and Jenn Howd. Directed by Maggie Perrino.
“Inspired by a real-life law, TEXAS ANNIE: The Legend of the Moan Ranger follows the campy musical adventures of a renegade sex toy dealer in Texas when sex toys are declared illegal (think John Waters meets Rocky Horror). Expect spicy sing-alongs and raucous audience shout-backs. Strap on—er, in—for a bawdy ride! “
The cast features viral musical Butch Wicked co-creator and star, Pearl Emerson, in the title role, as well as Lyd Noll, Royce Louden, Hope Pauly, and others.
Clearly positioning itself as the new cult musical, with songs like “Dildos Are The Devil’s Tools”, “The Power of Pleasure” and, naturally, “The Second Coming”, this takes aim at conservative America, specifically the Texas Obscenity Statute of 1973 and more recent attempts to block sales of sex toys in mainstream retailers.
The 1973 law still being on the books, limiting the number of sex toys you can own to less than six, means that in today’s USA, you can legally own more guns than vibrators. Yet those who push such obscentity legislation state they are only protecting children.
Texas Annie takes careful and pointed aim at those who remain frightened by sexual expression, gender and queer identity, and the progressive 21st century.
Despite the clear sense of spice and bawdiness, this musical has a serious point to make about the repression of sexuality while making audiences laugh.
The Moan Ranger (“hi ho dildo, away!”) is the champion of sexual liberation, taking aim at the rather strait-laced appeal of the Western genre, particularly in the American South.
With visual and verbal jokes a plenty, Texas Annie gets viewers on side very quickly as they are asked to shout out lines and join in the fun.
I enjoyed the sex-positivity and the mischievous tone of Texas Annie, and its catchy songs and performances. It might be a bit too much for some, but the open minded might well enjoy it, and if you are relaxed about sex talk, you’ll have fun.
With a cast playing multiple roles, a talkative puppet, image and vide projection, and frank and innuendo-filled satire as the banned boxes go on a ‘Deliver-ooooooh’ across the state to spread fun and frivolity.
4 stars.
Appalachian Songcatcher is a story by Hannah Sage From about growing up and being queer in rural Appalachia. Her banjo playing, heartfelt original compositions, and the old songs of the mountains weave together to tell a story of self-discovery and coming home.
It’s a one-woman show about identity told through folk music and stories. Sage is an accomplished musician who can play a range of vintage instruments (banjo, guitar, upright bass and ukulele), and showcases a strong and powerful voice. Known for her love of Appalachian traditional music, Sage From is open and friendly with her audience.
For those like me who had to look it up, Appalachia refers to the mountains in the Eastern USA, that includes many states including Georgia, where Sage From grew up. Woodland dwellers, Highlanders, often living a traditional life. For a woman such as Sage From, who recognised she was queer, it must have been challenging.
The show shares traditional music with a lot of love and affection, placing it into a contemporary setting. You may recall the 2001 film Songcatcher with Janet McTeer covering similar ground but from a modern feminist perspective.
In watching Sage From’s show, I felt that having some prior knowledge of the original songs may have been useful, but clearly they impact on how she felt growing up queer in a part of America that was strongly religious and focused on the woman as wife and mother.
It’s a personal story that can resonate much more widely. Capturing or catching a song on the breeze is something we may all be aware of doing; struggling with our identity or against familial expectations is something many can identify with. Appalachian Songcatcher is a loving show, a warm hug of a concert, a celebration of the creative human spirit.
4 stars.