An Inconvenient Squirrel

"MUST SEE!"-Pioneer Press
"I was consistently laughing from beginning to end. The dude's conquered yet another genre, and built yet another sturdy Fringe hit from unlikely materials."
-phillip andrew bennet low, tcdailyplanet.net blog-machine


"...brilliantly squirrelly. Like the great Warner brothers cartoons, the adults are howling with laughter alongside their children.

The message comes through clearly.. But unlike many shows for children it never condescends; it never goes into after-school special territory. This show doesn't play again until Thursday, don't let it get lost on your schedule."
-Wendy Gennaula, tcdailyplanet.net, kids' show blogger


"The confused but heroic squirrel at the center of Joseph Scrimshaw's delightful new fairytale has a problem: He doesn't want to be defined by a simple name. Scrimshaw fractures fairytale motifs in a fun way and presents a number of memorable characters, such as Evil Genius Squirrel and Thinks He's a Pirate Squirrel. By the end, there's a moral that's really not all that simple. That aside, there's also plenty of good physical humor, some deft parody and, above all, four guys dressed up as squirrels. What's not to like?"
-City Pages




In the lost village of the Squirrel People every squirrel is named for their most distinctive trait--there's Clumsy Squirrel, Wise Squirrel, and even Socially Awkward Squirrel. But the village is thrown into chaos when a young squirrel refuses to pick a name--an inconvenient squirrel!



An Inconvenient Squirrel is a live action cartoon for the stage. Designed to engage both children and adults on their own level, this fast-paced morality tale tackles issues of identity and conformity with wit, intelligence...and several grown men dressed as squirrels.



"IF THERE'S ONE GUY YOU CAN COUNT ON FOR AN
ENTERTAINING SHOW AT THE FRINGE IT'S JOSEPH SCRIMSHAW"

--THE ONION


Joseph Scrimshaw ("Fringe Favorite"-Pioneer Press, "King of Comedy"-MN Monthly) has created multiple top-ten best-selling shows in the Minnesota Fringe Festival including last year's #1 best-selling show Macbeth's Awesome Scottish Castle Party. Many of Joseph's past hit shows have included some adult material so a family friendly show might seem like a stretch. However, Joseph has been a member of the acting company at the Old Gem Theater in New Richmond, WI for the last six years. At the Old Gem, Joseph has written and performed over 15 different shows for children as well as taught special workshops on comedy. So Joseph is anxious to bring the family friendly funny to the Fringe!

Squirrel Press!

An article about the whole Scrimshaw Clan from Metro Magazine!
A Fringe retrospective with plenty of squirrel talk from MinnPost!

Plus, a random squirrel
blog mention!

Kind words from City Pages' blogger, Chris Kidder about the preview:

"...anyone who has seen a Scrimshaw show over the years knows that they don't stop with the tried and true. They take it and give it a little extra twist. Look, there's something special about things like The Muppets, Looney Tunes, and so on. They appeal to both adults and kids. The comedy is on two (or more) levels. Joseph and Tim (Uren) offer a performance of that ilk."

The cast

Craig Anderson
Role: The Big Ol' Tree
Craig is a Minneapolis based actor. Craig is very pleased to be performing with Joseph again, after playing the apple-loving Grampa in his production of Johnny Appleseed at Old Gem Theater in New Richmond, WI, and also playing Einstein opposite his James Joyce in last year's Masks of the Illuminati. Craig's experience in children's theater includes performing in last year's production of Honk at Stages theater, the aforementioned Johnny Appleseed and Midsummer Night's Dream at Old Gem Theater, and multiple tours with the National Theater for Children. Locally he has appeared with Hardcover Theater, Four Humors, Illusion Theater, Theater Unbound, and many others. Craig will also be appearing in Walking Shadow's Fringe offering, Shakespeare's Land of the Dead.

Reid Knuttila
Role: Really Important Squirrel
Reid is a Minneapolis based actor and director. His most recent theatrical pursuits include directing What's Done in the Dark, a graphic novel for the stage for No Refunds Theater, and Our Vanya, Ourselves, a mashup of the Golden Girls and Chekhov for the Ministry of Cultural Warfare's production in the 2008 Twin Cities Chekhov Festival. Previous Fringe work includes directing the Ministry of Cultural Warfare's shows In Defense of Sin: My Friends' Best Stories and The Unbearable Lightness of Being American and as an actor in their productions of Industrials and The Tyranny of God's Love. You may also have seen him in Kabuki makeup in several Green T Productions shows in Fringe and beyond.

Dan Rooney
Role: Socially Awkward Squirrel
Dan Rooney is an actor, a writer, and a clown. National tour: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Twin Cities Theatre: Mystery Cafe, 23 productions since 1995; Martini and Olive as Stuart the Security Guard since 1994 at the Bryant Lake Bowl and Hennepin Stages; three Fringe Festival appearances including Brian Kelly's The Temp which was named City Pages Best Musical of 1998. Television: numerous commercials including Toro, Best Buy, United HealthCare, and Honey Baked Ham. Cable Television: Comedy Central: Workforce and Let's Bowl, WGN: The Bozo Show. Dan also writes, directs, produces, and performs in a local corporate traveling children's theatre company. Dan holds a BFA from Miami University and is a graduate of Ringling Brothers Clown College.

Joseph Scrimshaw
Role: Evil Genius Squirrel, Writer, Director
Joseph Scrimshaw is a full-time actor, writer, director and producer. Joseph can be seen around town as a for hire actor; performing with his brother Joshua as the infamous Scrimshaw Brothers; as well as appearances on radio programs such as In The Loop. Joseph has created multiple top ten best-selling Fringe shows including Die, Clowns, Die and 2007's #1 best-selling show Macbeth's Awesome Scottish Castle Party. Joseph's hit romantic comedy, Adventures in Mating, has appeared in New York, Seattle, Indianapolis, the UK, Bulgaria, and every Monday night at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis. During Fringe, Joseph will also be appearing in Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw's show, Dance of the Whisky Faerie. Joseph has a full season of work coming up this fall including an interactive political theater comedy co-written with Tom Poole and produced by Jeffrey Hatcher entitled The Wide Stance at the Playwright's Center in late August; an October remount of his hit knitting based murder mystery comedy, Stitch, Bitch N' Die, at the Bryant Lake Bowl; and a remount of last year's holiday show, Fat Man Crying, at the Theater Garage in December.

Tim Uren
Role: The Inconvenient Squirrel
Tim Uren is a hardworking Minneapolis-based actor and comedian. You may have seen his work in such past Fringe shows as H.P. Lovecraft's The Rats in the Walls, Michigan Disasters, 10,000 Comic Books, or Shut Your Joke Hole. Tim's been performing in the Twin Cities for over ten years, having worked with folks like Stevie Ray's, the Brave New Workshop, and the Scrimshaw Brothers. Every now and again, he performs a solo improvisational performance called 300 Comic Books at Improv-a-Go-Go. He's appeared in Fun With Law's Soulless, Bloodsucking Lawyers and Hardcover Theater's London After Midnight. The nice folks at Circus Minimus Puppetry have been kind enough to work with Tim on occassion. Tim has also taking a liking to doing shows for kids at the Old Gem Theater in New Richmond, WI, where he has played such roles as Johnny Appleseed, Captain Hook, Santa Claus, a bear, a billy goat, a mouse, two pigs, and many others. Tim will be reprising his title role in Joseph's upcoming holiday show, Fat Man Crying this December at the Theater Garage.

Showtimes

Fri., Aug. 1 @ 7:00 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 7 @ 5:30 p.m.
[S] Fri., Aug. 8 @ 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 9 @ 2:30 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 10 @ 4:00 p.m.

KEY:
[S]=ASL interpreted
[A]=Audio described

Show details

Venue: U of M Rarig Center Thrust

Duration: 60 minutes

For ages 5+

Written by Joseph Scrimshaw

Website: http://josephscrimshaw.com

Genres: Kids, Comedy, ASL interpreted

Overall rating

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User reviews

Hilarious!
by Mikael Rudolph Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
What is the secret to good comic delivery?

I laughed for two days after seeing this show.

A really tight script - stupid as all get-out, but appropriately so.

This is a show that works for all ages.

Joe... contact International Performing Arts for Youth (iPAY) and see if you can showcase this coming January in Ohio. It would be a slam dunk fit for touring family-friendly Centers for the Arts nationwide if you want to take it on the road.

I laughed until I stopped.

Then I laughed some more.

I am still laughing - mostly about "Socially Inappropriate Squirrel", but every body had their moments.

Solid cast. Tim Uhren rocks solid - filling the room with that great voice. Perfect foil for Joe and the rest.

Answer?: Timing.

Fun for 9-year-old, fun for adults
by Gregory Abbott Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The problem with taking my child to "children's fringe" plays is usually that I have to put up with an hour of moral tales being slammed over my head like a frying pan. So I was more than happy to see a children's play that was funny for both kids AND adults. Scrimshaw is an Evil Genius to pull this off. Great acting and wonderful writing.

five creepy kitties
by BN DR Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Absolutely incredible.

Everybody should see this; everybody
by jorn knuttila Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Five guys who make sure they get a good breakfast slip into their perfect costumes and keep the entire audience laughing from the very first line. This should be mandatory viewing for anybody ages 3 to 103.

Deliciously nutty and a bit acorny
by Eric Johnston Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
In an hour they tell a complete morality tale while employing nearly every clean form of humor known, from breaking the fourth wall through slapstick. If I wasn't 2000 miles from home for the weekend, I'd definitely bring my family to see it.

"Too much cellulose."
by Dave Romm Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Silly and unpretentious. The squirrels are what they are... except for one ugly duckling who says "I think I can!" So when Blofeld comes on with his plan to... hmm... I better not say any more. The show is consistently funny and well-paced for kids and the inner kid in most of us. Four and a half stars rounded up because it was the last of 39 Fringe shows I saw and I'm thankful to end on a strong note. A Shockwave Radio Theater Review.

Longer reviews with pictures at Baron Dave's LiveJournal.

Outstanding
by Matthew Dornquast Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Well worth your time - take the time to see this before it's gone! Great for kids too.

See it!
by James Kosluchar Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Funny!

Fun show, very well done
by Chandy John Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
There's lots here for kids and adults to like. Some of the jokes are obvious, some of the humor broad, but it's all so well done and the actors are having such a good time that they pull you in. I'd go again if I had time - to see the latest ad libs.

Guffaws Galore!
by Fringivitis Vulgaris Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Grown men dressed as squirrels in suits? YES! Funny voices, frantic racing around, and stage combat? YES! This is a show for kids of any age. The pop-culture references will keep parents amused too.

Where Are All The Stars?
by Ben Thietje Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
How are people giving this show anything less than 4 stars? I thought it was worthy of 5 stars and I hate children!

great show!
by patric rooney Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
i thought it was a hilarious show great for adults and kids. l. if u r thinking about seeing u should see it! it is hilarious!

Fun
by Richard Stryker Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I liked it. Alot.

Perfect for Kids and Adults
by Kara Greshwalk Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This show was packed with laughs and plenty of well-executed physical comedy to keep the kids engaged. The only thing better than watching the brilliant and funny performances in 'Squirrel' was listening to all the fantastic reactions from the kids in the audience. And the moral of the story relates to everyone, no matter how old you are. What a delight--go see this one before its gone--and bring a kid. This was the best show I've seen at the Fringe, hands down.

Juvinielle
by Bert Fennstermaker Follow this reviewer
Rating 1 kitty
Maybe I don't get it, but i thought this play was a might childish.

Funny and Cute
by Jake Scott Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This was a fun show. I laughed a lot. There were a lot of jokes for the grown-ups in the audience, but they weren't crass or inappropriate, just a little over the kids' heads. I am a teacher and I think my students would love this show.

Nutty fun
by EJ WJ Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Good laughs for all, kept the kids giggling and made us want to follow scrimshaw as regular twittery, chattering groupies. Nice production with Socially Awkward Squirrel playing the greek chorus of truth.

Good tail
by Keith Prusak Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Well done! Inventive, fun, nicely paced.

Middle ground
by re gurgitate Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I thought the show was ok, but it seemed like it was a kids show that tried to appeal to adults too, to the detriment of both.

yo
by Tasie Mae Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Five kitties is not enough to describe this show. I rate it 8 billion!

I am also 10 years old.

Fantastic!
by Cid Starwind Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Hilarious and well written, I was laughing all the way through the play.

The squirrel costumes were fantastic!

Solid, funny
by Kara Garbe Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I didn't go with kids but still enjoyed this show! Very entertaining and a great message. I wish I had seen this show when I was 12 years old...I could have used the message!

Fun and fluffy
by Raka Mitra Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This was our first Fringe show this year, and was a good start. Joseph Scrimshaw is always hilarious, and his lines were the highlight of this production. However, this show lacked the edginess of prior Scrimshaw productions we have seen (like Die, Clowns, Die!). I expect this play would be more fun for kids than adults.

A Delight!
by Susan Hein Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
An enjoyable show for kids and adults! Witty with great physical comedy, this is an excellent addition to the Scrimshaw repertoire.

Funny Squirrel
by Melissa Semrad Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I liked the squirrels' names. I liked how "Thinks he's a Pirate" fought. Try to sit in the center for a better view.

Lives Up to Expectations
by phillip low Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
One of the most solidly and consistently entertaining entries in this year's Festival. I had a few issues, but for the most part this lives up to the expectation of a "Scrimshaw kids' show." Full review available at the Twin Cities Daily Planet.

Good but more for kids than adults
by Ruth Alkons Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Good acting, funny characters, but not quite that much of a story for me to give it a 5/5.

A CGI show minus the CGI
by Nick Decker Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Four grown men pose as sharply-dressed squirrels on an epic quest to save the village. Is it kiddie fare? Certainly, but Scrimshaw & Co. have a Pixar-esque sense of humor that cracks parents up a bit more than the kids.

Must see
by Renee Ladd Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
As they say, I'd pay to see Joe Scrimshaw read the phone book, so it's probably no surprise that I loved this show. What is surprising, is that I also found it not only funny, but completely charming. This is a family show and the kids in the audience I saw it with loved it. I thought Joe and Tim Uren were solid and funny as always. Dan Rooney also gives a fantastic performance as Socially Awkward Squirrel. Bring the kids to this show, you'll all enjoy it!

Joyful Wisdom!
by Tim Voss Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Joseph and his pals have come up with another wonderful romp. There's even some wisdom tucked under the usual zany and antic Scrimshaw humor. Perfect for everybody. A job well done by all. And worth it to see Craig Johnson portray a tree!

Great Entertainment for All
by Red Hot Fan Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This was a much anticipated show on my list and Joseph Scrimshaw came through with another awesome show! The stories were funny, the acting hilarious and the audience loved it! Children were laughing and adults found themselves bursting forth with more spontaneous applause and approval than they thought they'd find at show about squirrels. Everyone was entertained by the clever writing and outrageous antics of the cast. A great time was had by all at this show! Go see this!

Clever
by Erica Mauter Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I knew Joseph Scrimshaw (and crew) would put up a great kids show and he absolutely did. It was clever, it had a good message, the kids clearly enjoyed it, it was visually interesting, there were a few lines in there for the enjoyment of the adults in the audience. It really was fantastically done.

Reviewer Squirrel
by Bill Stiteler Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A delightful, energetic tale about finding yourself, told with humor for both kids and adults. Frankly I'm not sure which group enjoyed it more: it's family entertainment where--hey hey!--the whole family is entertained.

Squirrels-R-Us
by Florence Brammer Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
A very cute production. I loved watching how much the kids in the audience were enjoying it. The script and performances deftly walked the tricky tightrope of an all-ages show. Earnest and accessible for the kids, yet with enough of that Scrimshaw edge to keep his adult fans happy as well.

Talent Takes A New Direction
by Richard Shields Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I have seen a number of productions associated with Joseph Scrimshaw and I had thought I knew what type of things to expect. So I was surprised that a production with would appeared a child-center theme was being mounted. Still, the title and the people associated with it pulled me into a seat. And I am very glad I got pulled into this cute, amusing production!

The cast was fun and left you wanting to see more of them - especially Socially Awkward Squirrel. I paid attention to the children in the audience and they loved it as did their parents. While family-friendly, there is enough range in the material and action to hold the interest of an older, child-free audience member as well.

Of course this work offered a morale but for me that morale turned out to be that a Scrimshaw production can always manage to give you a pleasant surprise.

Squirrels are awesome
by Laurie Stern Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
We laughed and laughed (there were two of us.) The ten-year-old and I enjoyed it equally. Loved the wisdom on a shtick.

Squirrels!
by Stephanie Gottschalk Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This show is a must see for sheer ridiculous squirreliness. The costumes are so adorable! The show struck a good balance between having a nice moral for kids and the fact that they are gronw men bouncing around in squirrel outfits. And for the Tanner crowd, it's about SUBVERTING THE NARRATIVE.

Yes! You should go!
by Patrick Pfundstein Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Adults should not be put off by the fact that this is a kid show. Parents should not be put off by the fact this is a Scrimshaw show. The great script has something for everyone, and I doubt there is a cast more adept at physical comedy in all of this year's Fringe. Kids of all ages were heard and seen screaming with laughter! (Dan Rooney's Socially Awkward Squirrel is my new hero!)

Loved it!
by Kristi Lawless Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This was a treat for all ages. Very funny!

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