Minnesota Fringe Festival

He's gay. She's straight. And now they're having a baby. Oops.



John Townsend's Review in the Star Tribune:

"This uproarious farce by Colin Waitt triumphs, not only for laughs, but for its uncanny insights into the ambivalent feelings many parents experience during pregnancy. Not to mention its premise: A straight black woman whose best gay friend gets her pregnant accidentally. Waitt and Jasmine Rush infuse vaudevillean-style zest throughout as Benjy and Janet. They also delight in hilariously inspired sequences where each play the baby making demands in the womb. Tom Lloyd has directed the action with rollicking vitality."

Quinton Skinner's Review in City Pages:

The oft-charming Oops! opens with two best friends (Colin Waitt and Jasmine Rush) waiting for the results of a pregnancy test sometime after the pair indulged in a bit of alcohol-inspired coital recreation. It's bad enough that she gets knocked up right after graduating from college, stickier still that the father of her child is resoundingly gay. Waitt pens the script here, and while at times the proceedings veer too closely to the standard clichés of panicked young expectant parents, he and Rush have a genuine youthful charm and chemistry that makes for an entertaining, at times giddy experience

The cast

Jasmine Rush
Role: Janet
Jasmine Rush is a Milwaukee native and a recent graduate from the U of M. She has been in numerous shows with the Theatre Arts department at the U including Arabian Nights, King Lear, A Bright Room Called Day and has also worked with companies such as Four Humors (Deviled Eggs), Bedlam Theatre (You're No Fun), History Theatre (Peace Crimes) and Open Eye Figure Theatre.

Colin Waitt
Role: Playwright, Benji
Colin is very excited that this is his third time acting in the Fringe and his first time writing a show. Locally, he has performed with Four Humors Theater, The National Theater for Children, and has danced in choreographer's evening at the Walker. Past Fringe credits are Four Humors' Bards and PNT's Baggage. Colin holds a BA in Theater from the U of MN; this fall he will be attending the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

Tom Lloyd
Role: Director
Tom is a Minneapolis native that has recently returned from the far away land called the University of Minnesota with a BA Theatre Arts degree in his suitcase. He has directed work at Bedlam Theatre's 10-Min Play Festival, 24-hour Theatre at the U, and most recently assistant directed the U's production of A Bright Room Called Day. A performer as well, you might have recently seen him in Bedlam's King Lear and 10-Min Play Festival or in The Woyzeck Project at the U. Come see him perform in Comedy of Errors at Bedlam during the Fringe.

Laura Lechner
Role: Stage Manager
Laura recently graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota. She is currently performing in Open Eye Figure Theatre's The Adventures of Katie Tomatie as part of their Driveway Tour. Past fringe productions include Mixed Media and (life seed), both directed by Nic Hager.

Warsh Iut Productions

Oops!

Fri., Jul. 31 @ 7:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 2 @ 8:30 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 5 @ 5:30 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 6 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 8 @ 1:00 p.m.

Warning! Adult language

Venue Minneapolis Theatre Garage
For ages 15+
Created by Jasmine Rush and Colin Waitt
genres Comedy, Drama
subjects Relationships, Queer/GLBT
features Audience participation, Original script/choreography, First-time Minnesota Fringe Festival producer

Overall rating

User reviews

Good times
by Patrick Kozicky Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is a very fun show. Looks like their last performance is in 3 minutes. Hopefully you are there checking it out. These two actors will brighten your day. Also, Jasmine is my new bff. She just doesn't know it yet.

Deserves a Movie Version
by Joshua Humphrey Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Jasmine Rush and Colin Waitt are joys to watch in their frantic rush from the drunken conception to the birth of their offspring. This is tough ground in a normal relationship, but when one of you is gay, the situation takes a turn for the unique.

An enjoyable show all around, the audience really got into the zingers Jasmine and Colin throw at each other. Their energy and enthusiasm draws the entire audience in and refuses to let go. This was a great show and it ended my night on a high note.

Fun
by Waylon Werner Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
These young actors have some talent.

Overall, I enjoyed the show, however there are a few choices that I am not sure I agree with or enjoyed.

Best outrageous lines
by Steve Anderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is a fun, fast show that is loaded with great characters and great lines. I found myself laughing and then saying, did they just say that? They did.

Lovable
by Laine Kyllonen Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
These two actors have an enthusiasm that brings you in and their seamless transitions between characters makes this a quick and high-energy comedy.

Cute!
by Eric Meininger Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A cute show - well acted. Very funny - I found myself identifying with both actors and they were spot on with the humor.

Kind of like...
by Josh Feist Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
a MadTV episode. The acting was pretty good. Sorry guys, it felt annoying and off color at times. Some moments were really funny but as a whole I have to agree with Greg Gonzales' title.

kitties for oops!
by kate gunther Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
the caliber of performance between these two is exhilerating! the energy brought to the stage is inspiring for any performer and supports the direct immediate nature of this fast paced comedy. It's clear that colin and jasmine are having a great time sharing their work, and their passion is addicting. Oops is a fun ride for any fringer, and is especially pertinent to the multitude of young 20 something artists just trying to figure it all out.

Incredible talent lights the stage
by Brigitta Smith Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
These two performers held their own, with quick wit and sharp humor. The transitions were seamless, every moment worth watching. This fast-paced, high-energy comedy will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Hilarious, with touching moments
by Natasha Smith Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Both of these performers are all-around incredible. They portray a variety of characters with humor and aplomb, keeping up a high level of energy throughout the show. The show is hysterically funny, and undercurrents of intense anger, sadness and wonder portray the mixed bag of emotions that babies bring into the world.

Funny in spots
by Nanette Stearns Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Both performers were skilled and talented in playing the variety of roles. Some of it got a bit old and predictable. Entertaining concept.

hilarious and energetic
by Marc Lloyd Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is a playfull, energetic, and creative show that captured the audience from the first few minutes and did not let go. I was really impressed with the skill of the actors and how they moved in and out of several roles in a way that created a seamless and hilarious narrative of what it is like to be on the cusp of the awesome responsibility of parenthood. We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this one.

Tried hard to love it
by Greg Gonzalez Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
Jasmine is the most sympathatic charactor of the two but for some reason it was hard to like her. I had no trouble disliking the Benji charactor. It seemed like a long, and sometimes painful experience to watch these two trying so hard to be funny and serious and getting only about half way to eithor emotion. Not a hugh loss if this show is missed.

Mediocre Sitcom
by phillip andrew bennett low Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
Energetic show (which occasionally comes off as excessively needy) which never really rises above the level of adequate situation comedy. Full review available at the Twin Cities Daily Planet.

So much potential...
by Christopher Kidder Follow this reviewer
Rating 1 kitty
Why didn't this play take on the multitude of potentially brilliant topics that its premise would've allowed?

For more in-depth thoughts: Fringe By Numbers

Very, very funny
by Michael Wade Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is one fast-paced play. So fast paced, in fact, that the performers are covered in sweat by the end. The humor is dark and oddball, and it's punctuated with unforced, emotional moments. Both performers are really strong, and the audience really seemed to be enjoying themselves.

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