A psych ward veteran attempts suicide and fails in No Change of Address, the true, often funny, yet touching story of a man trying desperately to figure out the future’s answers while reminiscing about the past. The play is making its premiere at the 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival.
The dramedy by St. Paul resident Mike Price is actually a second suicide note, but presented in the form of a one-act play. By the end of the show, the viewer should be able to give some sort of odds as to whether or not this suicide message will ultimately be delivered. Will he try again? Is he leaning toward life or death? Does he care enough to live or enough to try again?
Produced by Serpentine Productions, No Change of Address is the brain-child of writer Mike Price. Price is a not-so-recent graduate of the University of Minnesota Theatre Department and the author of many short stories. He has studied professionally with Lawrence Parke and Richard Goldstone, appeared in many local television advertisements, and has worked as a photographic fitness model dating back almost 20 years. His first novel, Serpentine, is due out … well, any day now.
Additional creative and technical energy is supplied by Pamela R. Veeder. She has worked extensively in academic and community theatre including running the daily operations of a small business, teaching, and designing sets and costumes. With her master’s degree in hand, she treads the boards at every opportunity in roles ranging from mature Norwegian-American women to heroic Kabuki Samurai, exhibits her photography at a variety of venues, writes haiku for the discipline of the form, and helps nurture their garden plots in the neighborhood community garden.
The play will be presented during the Fringe Festival, at the HUGE Theater, 3037 Lyndale Avenue (one block south of Lake Street), Minneapolis. Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday, August 4; 8:30 p.m. Saturday, August 6; 10 p.m. Monday, August 8; 5:30 p.m. Thursday, August 11 and 7 p.m. Sunday, August 14. Preview performances of No Change of Address can be seen at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 at Kieran’s Irish Pub, Block E, Minneapolis (showcase); 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 18 at Fringe for All, Mixed Blood Theatre, Minneapolis (tentative/showcase); 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 28 at Lyric Lab, Lyric Lofts, Corner of University Ave and Hampden, St. Paul. (full production) and 7 p.m. Monday, August 1 at Lyric Lab (full production).
For additional information about No Change of Address and Serpentine Productions, contact Mike Price at 651-917-3667, or pricicle32@yahoo.com or Pamela R. Veeder at 651-917-3667, or prveeder@yahoo.com.
The Minnesota Fringe Festival is the largest, non-juried theatre festival in the nation. Celebrating its 18th year, the annual 11-day festival presents 168 different production companies producing five performances each at 14 different venues throughout St. Paul and Minneapolis. More than 50,000 tickets are expected to be issued this year. The Minnesota Fringe Festival schedule and sales of tickets and passes went live at fringe festival.org on July 1.
There will be 27 audio described shows and 16 ASL-interpreted shows will among 865 performances by 168 companies at 18 accessible venues in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Shows last 60 minutes or less, with a new show starting every 90 minutes. Find the Fringe schedule with show descriptions online or download in PDF format. Print programs will be available after July 18. For a daily recording of AD or ASL shows, call VSA Minnesota, 612-332-3888.
A $4 Fringe button is required of all attendees. Each show is $12 ($10 senior/student), or 5-show punch pass (may be used by multiple people who have buttons) $50, 10-show punch pass $100, Ultra Pass for unlimited shows $225. The $2 advance reservation fee is waived for people using access services, with the code “+access.” Buy tickets online at www.fringefestival.org or Phone: Ovation Tix at 866-811-4111.
