Minnesota Fringe Festival

Old flames! Overbearing friends! Sarcastic reproductive organs! Follow Sarah as her clock ticks down to an inevitable uterine abyss.

Watch our music video at fringeyawards.com! One of 3 finalists!

Check out our other promotional video!

The cast

Samantha Baker
Role: Sarah

Molly O Chamberlain
Role: Mary
Until Sarah, Molly hadn't been on stage since high school. Though this is her Fringe acting debut, she helped GoOogle: the Musical become a success in 2007. She's typically a much more introverted artist, writing music and painting. She also likes sitting in the audience.

In real life, Molly hates her job. She's super stressed but really excited for her wedding in September to one Nathan Eliot Rowan. They have a dog named Phydeaux

Molly Dworsky
Role: Ovary
Despite her perpetual existential angst, Molly has loved creating this show with her best friends. The process has been truly collaborative--a style of working she finds deeply satisfying. She is honored to take part in the birth of this fringe baby.

When not singing as an ovary, Molly can be found playing with her band, Talking Tree, improvising at the Brave New Workshop, lighting cheese on fire table-side and shouting ''Opah!'' at Christos Greek Restaurant, occasionally leading Laughter Yoga sessions around the Twin Cities, or, she can't be found at all. (Seriously. She hides.)

Molly would like to thank Molly, Sam, Sam, Nate, Nate, Alex, and Emily for making this so much fun. She loves you guys.

Nathan Eliot Rowan
Role: Ovary
Nathan Eliot grew up with musical theater, performing in many productions at Child's Play Theatre, now known as Stages Theatre. He starred in a few high school shows as Frederic in Pirates of Penzance an Puck in a Midsummer Night's Dream, but after discovering the guitar at 15 he let music be his main creative outlet. While still maintaining a sporadic relationship with the theater, Nathan has been wholly immersed in music, currently performing in many diverse bands such as Talking Tree, Free Grandma, and Charlie Van Stee Trio.

In addition to creating music, Nathan makes ends meet as a group home coordinator for St. David's, a non-profit company based in Minnetonka. He's been there 6 years, coordinator for almost 1 year.

Nathan is very excited, not only for his Fringe Festival debut, but also for his wedding in September to one Molly O Chamberlain!

Nate Morse
Role: Guy
Nate likes theatre. Sometimes. Usually he performs again after forgetting how painful it was the last time. This is the fourth Fringe show Nate has had the pleasure of co-producing. Other ventures include: Wind Up Toys, Mary Kelley Sunshine Box, and Alex the Boy Scout (And Other Stories). Nate really likes the music in this show.

Emily Schmidt
Role: Director/Writing Consultant
Emily has somehow managed to avoid participating in the Fringe until now, and thus her life has felt very empty. She has done many things to fill this void, including improvising with Stevie Ray's, appearing occasionally at the Brave New Workshop's Six Ring Circus and eating her feelings. Oh yeah, 9 months out of the year, she attends New York University for TV Writing/Producing. While there, she enjoys improvising with Dangerbox and pretending she goes to a real school with homework and exams. She does not. Her homework usually includes watching "Seinfeld." She also is working on several pilots for a "portfolio" so she can get a "job" when she graduates.

While her ovaries may still be rather fresh, she knows what's coming.

Samantha Veldhouse
Role: Jill
Samantha Veldhouse considers theater a hobby and therefore does little theater things like attending shows, working concessions at the Jungle Theater, performing weekly improv at the Brave New Workshop's Six Ring Circus, and every once in a while being part of a Fringe Show. In fact last time she experienced the Fringe, was back in 2007 as part of Streaming Twin Cities.

Samantha did other theater things back when she was in college at Bemidji State University. Those things included being a part of shows like Antigone, The Foreigner, Macbeth, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and All My Sons. She also decided to try her hand at stage managing a show called Greater Tuna. That was interesting.

One thing is clear. Samantha enjoys theater. That is why she is excited to present this Fringe Show to the masses!

Alex Walker
Role: Mark
Alex is making his Fringe debut as Mark, whom some critics are already calling "A heartwarming cross between Quagmire and ALF" (British Theatre Monthly) and "An anatomically obscure version of King Henry VIII" (Theatrical Digest).

As for Alex himself, his work is widespread and well-known by all* beginning with Stevie Ray's Improv Troupe, the Brave New Workshop's Six Ring Circus, local musical improv troupe Behind the Music, the Mystery Cafe, and his own solo improv act, Talk Show, for which Alex's work has been described as "awesome, inspiring, revolutionary" (Improv Artists Quarterly) and "Good show. Now when are you going to clean the cat litter?" (Alex's wife).

Alex is also a pathological liar. But seriously, he is in Stevie Ray's and you should come check him out every Friday and Saturday at 8:00 at the Bloomington Sheraton. Really!

*By "all" Alex is referenceing all of those on his e-mail and Facebook contacts list. And by "his e-mail and Facebook contacts list", he means those who haven't blocked any incoming messages from him, of which he is pretty sure there are at least four.

Crankador Productions

Sarah, Your Ovaries Are Drying Up: The Musical

Sat., Aug. 1 @ 10:00 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 4 @ 5:30 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 5 @ 8:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 8 @ 1:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 9 @ 4:00 p.m.

Warning! Adult language

Venue Augsburg Studio
For ages 17+
Created by Crankador Productions
Web site http://www.crankador.com/
genres Musical theater, Comedy
subjects Relationships
features World premiere, Regional (MSP) premiere, Original script/choreography, Original music, First-time Minnesota Fringe Festival producer

Overall rating

User reviews

Go See? Yes.
by Nick Decker Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Skeptical of anything with the word "musical" in it's title, I cautiously approached this show, and was pleasantly surprised at the excellent quality in the script and the musical performances. Musicians Molly Dworsky and Nate Rowan provide an excellent thematic through-line the show, and the cast has fun with the witty script.

Hahah!
by Donovan Walker Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
That's all I've got.

Sarah's ovaries
by Josef Buchel Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
A fantastic show. Hilarious music and a group of wacky characters that contribute to gut busting comedy.

cute but predictable
by Meli Kalikimaka Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Will Sarah settle for the loser and give up on the idea that somebody better might be waiting in the wings? Will the speed dates be terrible? Will the perfect couple prove to be less happy than they appear? Will Sarah decide that it's OK not to have kids and she can wait to decide? I wonder... Let's watch!

She was accurate.
by re gurgitate Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
As I left the show, a woman turned to me with a smile on her face and said" Wasn't that a cute show?" I agree.

Even if Molly wasn't my daughter...
by betsy sansby Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
We've been to three performances already and plan to be there again on Saturday. Seriously... this is the best show I've seen in years. Not only was it obvious that the cast was having a blast, the audience was having one with them. It's so clear that this group of mostly improv actors from Dudley Riggs and Stevie Ray's is a group to watch. I only wish they had a bigger venue for this delightfully wicked show about the perils of dating and aging, and the secret lives of marriage couples. Bravo, you guys!

Spectacular!
by Erin Boe Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Pleasantly surprised! The show had some solid laugh-out-loud moments and kept me completely entertained throughout. Very well-paced and leaves you smiling and wanting more. Beautiful and talented cast.

I laughed so Hard I ovulated
by Becky Yurick Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
OMG! That was by far the funniest musical I have ever seen. The singing ovaries, "Mark & Mary", the overly seductive slutty friend, obnoxious speed dating, HILARIOUS! I would see it again and again! Kudos to Sarah's character and everyone who performed. It was so worth while and the creativity for the lyrics to the music was phenomenal! Awesome work!!!!

Over-rated
by Jon Seismic Follow this reviewer
Rating 1 kitty
I'm glad so many people liked this but as all things, it's not for everyone. I wasn't a fan of the comedy and the songs seemed all the same after a while. Don't get me wrong, the good reviews do give the show justice, it just wasn't for me.

Must See
by Dan Simon Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I was thoroughly entertained. The writing, the music, and the entire cast were all great. The funny stuff was hilarious and the "message" was right on without being sappy. Highly recommended.

Pleasant Surprise
by Aiden Hodges Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Once again, a show I thought I wouldn't like, but the girlfriend made me attend. I'm not sorry I did. It was great. Funny and talented cast! Go see this show!

Funny Funny Funny
by victor avis Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The only draw back on this show is the small venue. It is great for the viewer but guarentees that less people will see this show then should. It is well written and extremely funny. The cast is wonderful and the acting spot on. Definately a must see. The best use of boxes I have ever seen.

2 snaps and a slap
by Jamie Fuhrman Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
One word: Phenomenal!



If you could only go see one show at the Fringe this year, you would not want to miss this one! The writing by Samantha Baker, Nate Morse and Samantha Veldhouse was out right genius! This musical has everything to keep you entertained and leaving you wanting more and more! The main character, Sarah, was played with such realism that you sometimes got lost in Samantha Baker's character. You felt her frustration and at times knew exactly what she was going through.


Sarah's coworker, Jill; played by Samantha Veldhouse was intriguing in every way. She is the co worker that seems to have everything you want but deep down has more issues than you could ever imagine! It was a riot to see this in action! Ova, played by Molly Dworsky and Ries, played by Nathan Eliot was off the scale hilarious! They did an amazing job with keeping the audience intrigued and always on the edge of their seats with the lyrics being sung.


Mary and Mark, Sarah's friends, are played by Molly O Chamberlain and Alex Walker. They protray that annoying couple that seems so perfect you would want to puke. These two were amazing in their roles! Guy, played by Nate Morse, was the example of every guy you left and wondered "has he changed?". He had a perfectly drunken scene that had to have brought back memories of others who had received such drunken calls late at night.


One scene in particular that dealt with speed dating had the audience rolling in a fury of laughter until their eyes were swollen with tears! I don't want to give anything away as this is a show that needs to be seen for yourself!


Opening night sold out and I anticipate that the other nights will too. Hurry and get your tickets because this is one show that you don't want to miss! In fact, this show is such a hit that you may end up crying for weeks if you miss it.


So get your tickets at www.fringefestival.org and head to Augsburg Studio at 2211 Riverside Ave. in Minneapolis Minnesota. Hurry you only have a few more times to see this amazing show!

Dry (ovary) humor is good humor!
by Lara Friedman-Shedlov Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Too bad the venue for this one is so small. Highly entertaining. Well-written, funny. The music was memorable and catchy enough that some songs are still going through my head two days later.

Feel Free To Put All Your Eggs in...
by Bruce Rowan Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Opened at 10PM Saturday night to a full house. For once,the title isn't misleading, solid through line, hilarious individual performances surround the title character(s). Audience was in a constant state of chuckle, punctuated by consistent outbursts of guffaws. Music highly inventive and performed by (ovarian) creators Talking Tree. If you haven't viewed the teaser trailer, do so, then make a reservation. You may be disappointed if you try to rush. However you manage it, don't miss this one.

I need oxygen!
by M lopez Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Seriously. I laughed so hard I hyperventilated. A well written, well performed and well sung show. And my ovary-less companions enjoyed it as much as I did.

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