Minnesota Fringe Festival

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Two years after a gay-bashing scarred the fraternity's reputation, how will the group react when a brother comes out of the closet? Finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. A 2008 St. Paul Pioneer Press must-see.

Structured like a Greek tragedy, Dan Bernitt weaves together the voices of four fraternity brothers as they grapple with the shattered fragments of a gaybashing and their own homophobia. In this haunting portrait of panic, Phi Alpha Gamma focuses a compassionate eye on the complicated threads of brotherhood embedded in Americana.

PREVIOUS REVIEWS FOR PHI ALPHA GAMMA:
Dublin Gay Theatre Festival review - Click for FULL REVIEW!
"This is a complex and engaging piece, gently portrayed by Bernitt. His smooth baritone voice reassures and calms the audience as he plays a variety of roles with simple but clever distinctions between the characters. ... Phi Alpha Gamma is a very good story, well written and presented and a memorable night in the theatre."

Dublin Gay Theatre Festival blog review - Click for FULL REVIEW!
"Dan Bernitt only got his passport last Monday for this, his first visit outside of the states, and the Gay Theatre festival should count themselves lucky that they have him. Bernitt's newest play, Phi Alpha Gamma, is far from what I expected. Set in a fraternity, the basic plot is that two years after one of the brothers has been jailed for bashing a gay man, another brother comes out, but it deals with so much more than that. It's one of those glorious plays where everything spirals off and ultimately returns to the single event that haunts their group consciousness; the gay-bashing that tarnished their name. ... A good playwright can recognise the fragile humanity in his toughest character, and the brimming potential for violence in his nicest. ... Bernitt's play is about men, about straight men, in a way that others aren't. It's about being brothers, and looking for that fraternal love; that love that is so delicate and rested upon so many precarious notions such as masculinity, honour, love, faith, hope and acceptance. And of course being the best men you can be."

LAVENDER MAGAZINE, John Townsend
"Phi Alpha Gamma moved, surprised, and even shocked some Fringegoers. Its harsh portrayal on homophobia and its emotional residue in a college fraternity understands the tragic psychology of homophobia. Hence, it's rendered with anguish, not vindictiveness ... He's an exciting young writer-performer."

MUST SEE SHOW - St. Paul Pioneer Press (Ross Raihala)
"The most remarkable thing about Kentucky native Dan Bernitt's new solo show Phi Alpha Gamma is how even-handedly he treats his characters in a setting less talented writers would populate with broad stereotypes. The fast-paced piece examines masculinity, faith, brotherhood and love in a college fraternity struggling to deal with two brothers, one an imprisoned gay-basher and the other newly emerged from the closet. Bernitt's savvy script offers few easy answers and plenty of twists that toy with the audience's sympathies."

5-STAR REVIEW - Matthew Everett's blog - Click for the FULL REVIEW!
"Funny, vivid, poetic, scary, gorgeous. Yesterday's most emotionally rich and satisfying experience. This is one I really want to see again before it closes."

The cast

Dan Bernitt
Role: Writer-Performer
Dan Bernitt is a writer and solo performer. His solo performances have been featured in venues internationally: from Minneapolis and Cape Cod to New York and Dublin. He is a recipient of grants and fellowships from the Kentucky Center for the Arts, the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Arts Council, the Robert Chesley Foundation, and the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico. Both his books, Dose: Plays & Monologues and Phi Alpha Gamma, were named finalists for the Lambda Literary Award.

He is a summa cum laude graduate of the arts administration program at the University of Kentucky. He has also served as creative writing assistant faculty for the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts, a program of which he is a graduate.

A Kentucky native, he currently lives in New York City, where he is an MFA playwriting candidate at The New School for Drama. An ENFJ Gemini, he enjoys kalamata olives, artichoke aïoli on focaccia, and the lagers from Brooklyn and Boston.

Paul Takacs
Role: Director

Dan Bernitt

Phi Alpha Gamma

Thu., Jul. 30 @ 7:00 p.m.
[S] Sat., Aug. 1 @ 4:00 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 4 @ 7:00 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 6 @ 10:00 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 7 @ 7:00 p.m.

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

Warning! Adult language

Venue Mixed Blood Theatre
For ages 16+
Created by Dan Bernitt
From New York, NY
Web site http://www.danbernitt.com
genres Solo, Drama
subjects Queer/GLBT, Political
features Original script/choreography

Overall rating

User reviews

Stunning
by Heather Meyer Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Delicate, aggressive, moving and fragile.

Intense and involving
by Swizzy Wizzlecheeks Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Phi Alpha Gamma takes a very serious topic, and deals with it very honestly. There is no cheap sloganeering or broad stereotyping here, instead several thoughtful characters wrestling with the meaning of brotherhood, and unfortunately, being held back by their own prejudices. Playing several characters (and crafting a distinct identity for each), Dan deserves a lot for his performance (and his writing)! One of my favorite performances this year.

Gives voice to many
by David Trudeau Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Bernitt creates characters that bash gays, preach the holy bible at gays, get the ultimate punishment for gay hate crime, come out as gay and are rejected by even their best friends, and who are beaten for being gay. All are given voice and believability, and while his acting and characterizations do not create crisp persona, his writing does. I get the feeling that he is playwrighting out loud and that he will make something more out of this - a play that will expand and be done by five or six actors.

Powerful - my pick of the Fringe
by Fringe Lover Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Dan really inhabits these characters, so that you feel the tension and the anger and the fear. The play is very well crafted, and I stayed locked in Dan's world for the full hour. There are flaws, yes - the Bible quoting character seems out of place in this particular fraternity - but it is still a brilliant show, and superbly acted. Absolutely must see. I wish I could see it again.

Strong and powerful
by Val Rigsbee Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This is not a light show by any stretch of the imagination. A fascinating look at the different sides of a gay bashing incident. I wish there had been a more articulate pro-gay character to talk back to a couple of the guys - there was one point where I actually had to stop myself from yelling a retort to one of the characters. Fantastic script executed very well by a talented actor. Glad I caught this one.

Well acted
by Eric Meininger Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A well acted story where Dan plays all of the roles. He uses a few props and an accent and a change in stage lighting to differentiate the characters. I enjoyed the story, but he should have used a prop instead of the accent - I got a little list at the end when the accent slipped. Overall time well spent.

Powerful
by Michael Wade Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Dan's script tackles a hot button issue with such intelligence and understanding that we end up loving and hating most of the characters at various times. Really well done.

Gripping
by Erica Mauter Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I think people are overly generous with kitties, so I do not hand out 5-kitty rating lightly. Especially considering I saw this show last year.

I experienced quite the range of emotions during this show. It was gripping, even though I already knew what was going to happen. Definitely one of my most moving Fringe experiences ever.

This is your show
by Matthew Jones Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
When I read the show’s description of a fraternity and homophobia, my first thought was “tired”. However, I am glad that I saw the show. The show is broader than the sound-bite would give it credit. It addresses some of the ways in which we respond when confronted by the unexpected. The writer has a voice to which I can relate.

If you are looking for a gripping drama, this is it. I squirmed, shook my fist, laughed and bit my lip more than once.

Intense
by Kristi Lawless Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Nice job. Very gripping--especially scenes from prison.

An artist to watch in the future
by Florence Brammer Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Dan Bernitt's play is ambitious in its scope and complexity, and his performance is earnest and effectively understated. The too-large stage at Mixed Blood sapped the piece of some intimacy that would have enhanced the production, but that can't be helped. Something that might be tweaked by the artist, though, are some of the transitions among some of the characters -- all of whom are played with real commitment by Mr. Bernitt. Some of those transitions lack clarity and cause some distraction for the viewer as one struggles to figure out who is speaking before focusing on the text again. (Perhaps some subtle use of or reference to a prop or accessory might help with this?) A really admirable piece though, and well worth a slot in your Fringe schedule.

Intense and thoughtful
by Erika Klein Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
A thoughtful examination of homophobia, community, and brotherhood. Bernitt gives an amazing performance and successfully portrays multiple characters in this intense drama.

Impressive
by Angie Urtel Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Incredible show: Blown away by the monologues. Wanted to punch him one minute and strangle him the next. What a great performance! I would highly recommend it.