Audiences love "Knit One/Purl the Other"!

"A very sweet exploration of alternate realities, could-have-beens, and what-ifs -- playing with the musings we've all had of paths not taken, as we knit the strands of our choices together into a life."

"Knit One" is a quiet little theatrical gem; the type of show that continues to make me choose to love the Fringe!"

"Terrific play, replete with humor, poignancy and some great acting...definitely should be on your list."

"Rework your schedule to include this play...you will not be disappointed"

Click the "Reviews" tab above to read all our audience reviews!


And in the news..."Knit One/Purl the Other" Press....

Named one of City Pages Best Bets for the 2011 Fringe
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Interviewed for Metro Magazine blog:
Visit Metro Magazine

Nice mention in Minnesota Playlist (that even includes a recipe!)
John Middleton's post

A feature article in examiner.com:
Visit examiner.com

Here's a somewhat, er, interesting mention in the Star Tribune...
James Lilek's column

And our video (see below) featured in MPR's State of the Arts blog
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We are thrilled to show you our newest video by Sugo Media called, "Scary Movie".
(Be sure to watch it to the very end...)

PS - it's not a scary show...



While "Knit One/Purl The Other" has the distinct advantage of being the only Fringe show about knitting, the play is ultimately about choice.

Aviva made a significant decision 19 years ago when she was just 16 and has not made any choices since. It took her 12 years to get through college; she can't hold on to a full-time job. The one stable part of her life is her weekly knitting group. She never misses it, except for now, when the play opens and Aviva is in line to buy a theater ticket. Or is she? Because when we go to where the group meets, there's Aviva...in both places?

And this is our other video called "Twos". We could also call it "Aviva in Saint Paul"

Rachel Flynn
Role: Eve
Rachel is so delighted to get a chance to work/play once again in the Minnesota Fringe Festival. Recently she played Mave in Table 12: A Play at a Wedding in the 2010 Minnesota Fringe Festival, a production that was be remounted by Freshwater Theatre (FWT) last November. She is a company member with FWT and this spring she served as a co-producer of A Festival of Awkward Moments. Rachel is also a member of the Artistic Company of Swandive Theatre with whom she has performed in Almost, Maine, Full Frontal Improv (MN Fringe Festival '09), Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, and BLISS: Three One-Acts (MN Fringe Festival '05) as well as the Vegetable Stock Theater staged readings. She has also performed with 20% Theatre, Lake Harriet Players, LaVie Theatre, Bloomington Civic Theatre, and Sky’s The Limit Productions. During the 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival Rachel will also be performing in another production: The Rambler Family Ramblers' Christmas Spectacular at Augsburg Mainstage.

Ann Gallagher
Role: Lil
Ann considers herself lucky to have parents who schlepped she and her sister to plays starting at age four- even in the dead of winter! The love started there and never stopped. She got her first onstage part at age 11 ('The Music Man', still one of my favorites), sang at the State Capitol for Governor Rudy Perpich's inauguration with the Bel Canto Voices, played the part of 'daughter' in a Target commercial and was an extra in the movie 'Mallrats'. It's an odd array of experiences but she takes every opportunity she can get. Other memorable shows include roles in 'Carousel', 'Annie', 'Gypsy' and 'The Crucible'. Ann is also a tap dance and pilates fan, she loves trying 'As Seen on TV' products (with so-so success) and is chipping away at her first knitting project. The scarf will be ready by winter.

Carin Leonard-Gorrill
Role: Aviva 2
Carin enjoys midnight treats of cookie dough and early morning giggles with her kids. She'll be playing Lady Montague on her daughter's 5th birthday, Aviva 2 on her 8th wedding anniversary, and marking the 10th anniversary (that word sounds too happy for such an occasion) of 9/11 in "A Short Play about 9/11". Hopefully the kids will still recognize her come October...

Mike Postle
Role: Reinier
Mike is excited to be returning to the Minnesota Fringe Festival, after previously appearing in “Swing Time Radio,” “Industrials,” and “Art of War.” In the Twin Cities, Mike has worked with Fifty-Foot Penguin, Pig’s Eye Theater, Theater in the Round, Bloomington Civic Theater, Troupe America, Park Square, Illusion Theater, Theater Arlo, Ministry of Cultural Warfare, No Refunds, Lyric Arts, and the locally produced historical documentary “Gangsterland”. Mike doesn’t knit, but he is an exceptional hot-glue gunner.

Shannon Troy Jones
Role: Otto
Shannon Troy Jones is pleased to be working with Unfold the Sky Productions. His recent work includes the workshop for The King Is Dead (full show coming in 2012!) for Jon Ferguson Theater, Oy for Theatre Or, River of Passion and 515 for The Flower Shop Project, and The Spanish Tragedy and Traveling Light for Theatre Pro Rata. Next up, Shannon resumes his role in 515 for their fall tour of local universities, generously sponsored by General Mills. To learn more about the organization that inspired this important show, please visit www.project515.org.

Natalie Rae Wass
Role: Aviva 1
Natalie Rae Wass loves this festival and her heart feels super happy to be performing in a fringe show once again. Previous fringe shows include 'A Nice Guy's Guide to Awkward Sex' with Ben San Del, 'Love in a Time of Rinderpest' with Bedlam and shows with the Ministry of Cultural Warfare, Chopping Block and others. She works in entertainment at the MOA by day and night and you can book her to do a singing telegram or kids party entertainment through Partycrashers. Next up she'll be Hecuba in 'Trojan Women' with Green T Productions this October at the Old Arizona (a return to the company that cast her in her first fringe show in the year 2000; she's only skipped one year since and she did 2 a different year to make up for that!).

Nicole Mellas
Role: Director
Nicole Wilder Mellas received her MA in Theatre with an emphasis in Directing and Women's Studies from Miami University in August 2008. After settling in Minneapolis, she directed a few short pieces for 20% Theatre Company, including "Doctor" in The Naked I: Monologues From Beyond the Binary and "Artichoke Hearts" as part of The Fresh Five, which was 20% Theatre's showcase of up and coming area directors. In addition to her theatrical pursuits, she also perfomrs with local band Spencer McGillicutty. She would like to thank Mike for his love and support and for putting up with her schedule.

Sharon DeMark
Role: Playwright
Except for being in the audience in past years, this is Sharon's first time in the Fringe. It's also her first play (not counting the angst-ridden monologues written in playwriting class in college - most from the viewpoint of teenage girls who had committed suicide...). This whole Fringe experience has been a blast. Thanks to everyone for coming to the show.

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Engaging
by Dixie Treichel Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
An engaging look at choices made and their consequences. Done creatively. Strong performances from Natalie Rae Wass and Mike Postle.

Knit Two
by August Berkshire Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
An interesting premise, but I was expecting a bigger choice than what the play was about. I expected a comparison between two options, with one Aviva making one choice and the other Aviva making the other choice. But they both ended up making the same choice. Even so, it was a very enjoyable play to watch.

Dealing With Life
by Bill McTeer Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This tight drama is about dealing with the pain of life's broken connections. Lots of humor but no self-pity as the fragmented self is bravely explored in the context of a weekly knitting group. The cast owns their roles to perfection.

another straw
by Leif Wallin Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Many times I have added and subtracted straws from my camel's back. This play added a straw to the affirmative side about undertaking a search as depicted in the play. hmmm

Solid show
by Elise Heise Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
The dust has sadly settled on this performance as of yesterday afternoon, but for the record, but well done. Plus, I've yet to see a Natalie Rae Wass acting performance that does less than delight.

Provocative drama
by Rita Levin Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Great script, fantastic staging and generally fine acting. An intriguing show that just keeps having an impact with multiple levels of insight. Would love to see more plays by this author.

Enjoyable
by Kevin McIntyre Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This is a warm fuzzy scarf of a show; interesting characters spiced with some modern dance, and a pleasantly ambiguous final scene.

Unraveling the past
by Scott Johansen Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
In 60 minutes I laughed, cried, remembered, and pondered, then laughed again. A simple premise well executed, pull a thread or two and see what unravels. Thanks for the yarn.

Pearl of a show
by Laura Schauben Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
"Knit One Purl the Other" is a rich, innovative story with lots of laugh out loud moments, as well as truly touching ones. What a great yarn!

To damn with skeined praise
by Rick Treece Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Probably deserves 4 kitties, but I gave them a one-kitty demerit because their show left me feeling so weary that I drove home for a nap rather than staying in town for the other 3 shows I had planned to see tonight. Good performances by the cast, and (mostly) engaging characters, but the whole knitting leitmotif (which is not what the play is about, as has been observed) kept the (lack of) action too dramatically static, despite the director's efforts to insert interpretive dance in a (yarn, natch) circus ring for visual variety. It's too bad that Hörspiele (radio plays) never caught on in the U.S., as this work (and "MN Middle Finger", which I attended in the same venue just before this) might both be more effective in that medium.

Slow burn, gets you in the end.
by Mark LaCroix Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This play takes a while to get going, and starts out a little heavy on characters telling cute stories to each other (as is common in theatre), but the performances are so strong that it keeps you interested until the mid-point, where a plotline forms and really hooks you, keeping you engaged and invested in the outcome.

The show is funny without straining for jokes, and has a depth that is rare at the Fringe. See it.

A Well-Spun Yarn
by Heather Baldwin Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I was blown away by this show about alternate realities and making choices and (to a lesser extent) knitting. I've always been fascinated by the concept of fate vs. choice, and why our lives play out the way they do. This play explores two different scenarios that a woman named Aviva encounters (played by two different actresses in two separate scenes), based on her choice between going to her usual Thursday night knitting club, or going to a theatre to see a play. As the story progresses, we delve deeper into why this is such a significant choice for her. This show features a strong ensemble cast, most notably the quirky and adorable Natalie Wass. I highly recommend this one.

Knit One Purl the Other
by Cynthia France Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I loved this show. If you've ever made a decision in your life, this play with give you something to think about. The play was written from the heart and directed in a unique style which suited the play. Acting was good too. I laughed and I cried. Bring your knitting!

An Interesting Observation
by Kale Ganann Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
My wife - a knitter - made an interesting observation about the actors in this play after the fact that is most relevant to the bifurcated lead. "They're all just knitting," she said, "None of them are actually purling. Which makes sense, seeing as how they keep making the same decision over and over." It makes for interesting discussion - can we ever stop being ourselves, if the superficial choices we make change but the real deep decisions stay the same? It's a great discussion to be had, and more than worth the time to have it. Well recommended.

Enchanting
by Patty Rajala Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Entertainment = to laugh, to cry, to think. All of those apply to this play. It was wonderfully written and performed. Thought-provoking yet with abundant laughter.

Lotta Heart and Not Just About Knittin'
by Foster Johns Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. First off, there were women knitting in the audience, not plants, but actual ladies who brought their knit-work. I love that. The cast is very engaging and uses the space very thoughtfully. Particularly enjoyed performances by Shannon Troy Jones and the delightfully neurotic NAtalie Rae Wass. Not to be missed!

Very nice
by Fringe Guy Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I was not really sure what was happening and why when the show started but I was laughing and wanted to know more. As the show moved along you are taken on a great ride with a wonderful cast.

no Yawn in this Yarn
by Evelyn Blum Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I found this show to be solid and endearing. I had some issues with a few acting scenes, but over all like the word Aviva I give it a wow.

By Turns Funny and Serious
by Michael Merriam Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Well-written and acted, with an entertaining premise. The two actresses playing the same role handled that role skillfully. The script, which could have turned maudlin, avoided that trap and stayed tight.

An Interesting Yarn
by David Dworkin Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Sorry about that. This is the kind of show that puts the “fringe” in the Fringe Festival. The script is a bit wordy, but nonetheless clever. And it all “tied” together at the end. There were “string” (oops, make that strong) performances by Natalie Rae Wass and Mike Postle. A couple of the supporting actors were thread-bare, but I won’t name names for fear of getting jabbed with a knitting needle at the wrap party. So while the direction was well knit, I’d question the cast-on (oops, I meant casting.) Knitting puns aside, the story was able to mix abandonment issues with humor. Not an easy task. I wish there was a 3 ½ Kitty rating, but as there is not and as I know someone who knows someone in the crew, I fudged a half a kitty. Sew what?

Good, Not Great
by Jeanne Burns Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I found Natalie Wass and Mike Postle to be completely wonderful in this good play about a woman who can't seem to make a choice, one way or the other, knit or purl, purple or green, metal or bamboo.

Most of the audience laughed at the wit and cried on cue, but I found the play to be a bit predictable, if told in an unusual way in this theater-in-the-round. Good writing, though. And overall good performances from everyone.

Wishing for more
by Dan Wozney Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Overall, this is a very good show. The dynamics between Natalie Rae Wass and Mike Postle are strongest, and provide the core of the story. But I was left wishing that there was more to connect the other actors more strongly to the whole play. There is another angle of the story with the PGs that would help drive home the message of the play more strongly and perhaps help explore the conflict within Aviva in an even stronger manner. It is eluded to, but not developed enough. With that, this could easily be a script that could have a life after the Fringe. Like knitting, it takes a little time for the work to develop. Stick with it, as the result is worth every single minute. Get there early, as the theater will likely be full.

Great script, medium acting
by Philip Mykland Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Some good performances, some not so good. Interesting story pulls together nicely.

Sweet little show
by jj meymey Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Sharon Demark's play is an journey of regret-not to heavy or dark, but with some nice bite to it and consistent wit. The script gets a little distracted sometimes, and it's a little hard to bring a lot of action to some segments of people sitting, knitting and talking, but it has a central sweetness to it that ends up being quite lovely. If you are a knitter, you may love the construct. Natalie Rae Wass delivers an utterly charming performance as Aviva.

Good Show with Shaky Ending
by Sarah Anderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Thank God for Natalie Wass. Every time she’s speaking, the show just comes to life. I do have to say, though, when the main character has an extended argument with herself near the end, the show sort of lost me, and even the good performances couldn’t keep me fully engaged in the midst of that dialogue. The knitting group conversations were fun. Everything about the dialogue between Natalie and Mike Postle was excellent.

Not really about knitting
by Stuart Holland Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I am not a knitter, but I wanted to go to this because I know people involved in it. It was WONDERFUL. It was well written, well directed, well acted (Natalie Wass is an amazing actress and this really gives her a role to work with). This is as much about knitting as Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is about life in Rome.

Choose to Go!
by Patrick Pfundstein Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Knit One/Purl the Other is all about choices. The ones that turn out good, or bad, or haunting, or are just too much. I chose to interpret the play as quirky fun, quirky sad, very well acted, and nicely paced by the director (the show also seemed to work very well in the Round). I also chose to love the way the show ended leaving this viewer satisfied while confidently failing to resolve most of the questions raised by the play. Knit One is a quiet little theatrical gem; the type of show that continues to make me choose to love the Fringe!

Charming, wistful, provocative
by Ben Krywosz Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A very sweet exploration of alternate realities, could-have-beens, and what-ifs -- playing with the musings we've all had of paths not taken, as we knit the strands of our choices together into a life. Good performances, with some amusing lines from a new playwright not afraid to take us to a satisfying ending of an emotional journey that begins with apparent indifference, moves to overt angst, and ends with a strong sense of possibility. Nicely done!

Wherever you go, there you are
by Suzanne Forsyth Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Terrific play, replete with humor, poignancy and some great acting. It asks the question where you really are, especially when you are engaged in an inner dialogue. Definitely should be on your list.

Really Cool. Kind of Eerie
by Pat Sukhum Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I'll admit, when it first got going I didnt think it was clicking for me, but at some point I realized I felt charmed, moved and totally sucked in. Thought the premise, script and performances were fantastic. Always love watching Natalie Rae Wass on stage and was thrilled again. Thanks for putting on a great show!

Wow!
by Sarah Schaleger Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I was unprepared for the power of the performance, the richness and depth of the writing, directing and acting. The young Aviva was a standout! I was moved from delight to powerful empathy. I highly recommend this beautiful gem.

Worth seeing
by Chet Taylor Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I enjoyed the piece, but somehow felt it didn't quite hit the mark. I think when the characters stepped into the "inner circle" for their introspective moments, they lost me. Natalie Rae Wass gives an outstanding performance, and there is very real chemistry between her Aviva and Mike Postle's Reinier. Maybe I need to see it again to see if I can "get" those "inner circle" moments.

Exceptional!
by Andy Thompson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Wonderfully written and a great performance! Rework your schedule to include this play - you will not be disappointed. Funny, introspective, and sweet. Very unique path to the inner thoughts of the main character and the on-going struggles of past decisions.

Smooth
by Bob Flynn Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
A great script with subtle, insighful direction and a very talented cast create a pearl. An innovative approach which makes it all very real for us, thinking about decisions made.... and not made.

Fiber Fun and More!
by Tristine Miller Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
You don't need to be into knitting to appreciate this performance! The acting is spot on, the story is solid and sweet, and the scene transitions very smooth. I was very much pulled into the story and glad I DID bring my knitting too!

Knit one, Purl the Other
by Patricia Postle Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
A well crafted, well acted and thoughtful play. Resonates with the insecurities in all of us about the wisdom of earlier decisions and the fears invoked by second guessing them. The interaction of the cast mirrors the friendships we see around us every day. It makes you laugh and in the end, cry a little bit.

Heartfelt drama
by Vicki Joan Keck Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I went in expecting a comedy about knitting, but was pleasantly surprised by the depth and heart in this little gem of a play. Because of some personal experience with adoption, this play really hit home with me. the dreamlike movement sequences were lovley, and the cast was stellar, especially Natlie Wass who exudes a wonderful vulnerabilty as the angst ridden Aviva 1.

Smart and thought-provoking
by Robert Garfinkle Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Very well written, well acted show about the psychic price we pay when we can't live with the decisions we've made. I loved the script; even the little jokes fed the bigger themes of the piece. Thoughtful piece that had my friends and I talking about it a long time after we left the theater. Bravo!

Deeply Touching - A Winner
by Zannah Martin Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
A difficult concept to pull off -- our inner and outer lives - this talented troupe pulled it off. It is funny and poignant, but most of all real. Who supports us on a day to day basis? Who know all of our secrets? -- those things we regret we did as teens? Of the 9 plays seen thus far, this is my Number One. Don't miss it.

Warm hearted and provocative
by Marcia Avner Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This is a tender story, and the performances were good. Anyone who has every felt loss and lost (each of us, I suspect) may identify with this story in some way.

Nice show from a new playwright
by Christine Bremer Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Mixes drama and humor in a story about loss and inner conflict. Well done.