Find Love at the Fringe!

TC Daily Planet calls All's Fair "Sweet...funny and romantic"!

Audiences are falling in love with All's Fair.  "Touching!  Poignant!  Superbly acted!" - just a few of the things people are saying.  Thank you all for coming and sharing this sweet story with us.

"In Gregory Giles' little jewel of a memory-box play, he manages to make you laugh, make you cry and break your heart.  " - audience review

"Love.  I always thought I knew what it looked like, because I was looking at it day after day, every day for 33 years.  Now, I have no idea exactly what I was really looking at." - Carol

Love inspires us, haunts us, thrills us and wounds us; sometimes all in the same moment.  Because of love's power, we search for it's true meaning, and what it means for us as individuals.

"You're sounding like a bad 70's love song" - David  

Join our couple, Carol and David, from the thrill of first sight through the agony of loss, to the peace of understanding.  Discover in yourself what makes love real.

"How did you know?"  - Carol

"How does anyone know?  I just knew..." - David 

No nudity.  No innuendo.  No wacky-wackiness.  Lots of love, laughter and heart.  

Congratulations to our playwright, Greg Giles, whose latest work, "Jack the Wonder Plumber" has been named a finalist in the 2012 New Doors One Act Play Contest at St. Croix Festival Theatre!

Check out our progress and our cast --  visit our Show Page.

Cast + crew

Greg Giles
Role: Playwright
Greg is a playwright, actor and director from St. Paul. His work has been seen at Lakeshore Players, Bryant Lake Bowl, and many other small companies. He is the author of "Picking Up", "Redemption", "What Develops", "The Nepalese Royal Family Murder Play", "Clean Up in Aisle Two", (finalist - 2011 Plays With Food Competition) and "Jack the Wonder Plumber" (finalist - 2012 New Doors One Act Play Contest). Greg is a member of the Playwrights Center Board of Trustees and works at the Science Museum of Minnesota. He is honored to share this world premiere with this amazing artistic team and you, the audience.

Elena Giannetti
Role: Director
Elena is an actress and director from Minneapolis. Credits include assistant directing for Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean at Theater in the Round and I Hate Hamlet at Shadowplay Theater. Her acting credits include the Guthrie Theater, Children's Theater Company, History Theater, MN Jewish Theater Company, Mixed Blood, and MN Shakespeare Project, plus many others. Her upcoming projects include Assistant Directing King Lear at Park Square in Fall 2012 and then playing her dream role of Becca in Rabbit Hole at Theater in the Round in January 2013. This is Elena's second Fringe show.

Karen Jensen
Role: Carol
I am making my Fringe debut with this production and am glad to be back on stage after directing for several years for ShoeString Players of Hopkins. From 1976-77, I was fortunate enough to study with Herbert Berghof and Uta Hagen at HB Studios in New York City. Over the years I have appeared in several Twin Cities productions including some of my favorite roles as Duchess Olga Katrina in You Can't Take It With You, Grace in Bus Stop and M'Lynn in Steel Magnolias. The role of Carol in this production of All's Fair has become my all time favorite role. I will always hold Carol close to my heart.

Richard Brandt
Role: Carni
Richard appeared at last year’s Fringe Festival as Harry Schmulz in The Silent Room, but he has also appeared as Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes:The Final Adventure, Lyric Arts Theatre, Von Helsing, Dracula, River Valley Theatre, Mayor Shinn in The Music Man, and King Sextimus, Once Upon A Mattress, OBMT, Eddie Loomis, Quartermaine’s Terms, Theatre In the Round, and Henry Higgins, My Fair Lady. He holds an MA, Theatre from Michigan State U.

Anya Fetcher
Role: Young Carol
Anya is a Twin Cities native, and is happy to be back after graduating in December from Western Illinois University. She is eager to make her first appearance at the Minnesota Fringe with “All’s Fair.” Some of her favorite roles include Natalie in “All Shook Up,” Christine in “Phantom,” and Elmire in “Tartuffe.” She would like to thank her amazingly supportive friends and family, especially Mom, Dad, and Adam, for their endless love and encouragement.

Richard Weber
Role: Young David
Richard is a newcomer to the Twin Cities and a recent graduate of Avila University in Kansas City, MO. He's worked on everything from children theatre, to musicals to Shakespeare, including his most recent performance as Mark Twain in Flying Pig Production's "Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi". He would like to thank Greg for this opportunity and the wonderful cast and crew for all of their hard work. A special thanks to his Mom and Dad, and sisters, Maureen and Emily, for all of their love and support.

Paul Schoenack
Role: David
Since returning to the twin cities Paul has acted in and directed several shows. Most recently, he appeared as Ralph in "The Last Romance" at the Lowry Lab Theater and as the Architect in "Babel" at the Nimbus Theater. This is Paul's second Fringe Festival show.

Nathan Gebhard
Role: Peter, ensemble
Nathan is pleased to make his Minnesota Fringe debut this year with All's Fair. As a student at Hamline University, he has recently performed in "Twelfth Night", "God's Country", and "Go," the Hamline Dance Ensemble concert. He's also performed at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts with the Hamline Dance Ensemble in the National College Dance Festival. Some of his professional credits include "The Foreigner" at Long Lake Theater in Hubbard, MN and "Tartuffe: The Southern Version" at the Pioneer Playhouse in Danville, KY.

Laura Delventhal
Role: Helen, ensemble
Laura is thrilled to make her Fringe Festival debut in All's Fair. Laura most recently appeared in Theatre Unbound's Julius Ceasar, and currently works around town as a theatre teaching artist for Children's Theatre Company and SteppingStone Theatre. She would like to thank her incredibly talented and dedicated fellow artists, and as always her wonderful husband Zac.

Laura D. Thaisen
Role: Production Stage Manager
Laura is a freelance stage manager and actress in the Twin Cities. She recently served as the Apprentice at Williamston Theatre in Williamston, Michigan where she assistant stage managed The Dead Guy, This Wonderful Life, and Dead Man's Shoes. She graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato where she was the Stage Manager for shows such as On The Razzle, Harvey and The Producers. Laura is currently the General Manager of the Plymouth Playhouse. All's Fair is her Fringe Festival debut.

Forest Godfrey
Role: Sound Design

A. Emily Heaney
Role: Costume Designer

Write a review

You will be able to write a review for this show during the festival.

User reviews

Much better than fair!
by Bradley Johnson
Rating 5 stars
I was touched by the tradition of remembering that special meeting, the sadness of losing that special someone and the memories to hold onto. This was a very well written and acted show. So glad I was able to see it!

Great Performance
by T. Garcia
Rating 5 stars
The actor's performances saved the day with this one act! To be in a black box with practically no props, basic staging, and at times confusing playwriting, I can't believe how moved I was with the actor's 100% committed performances. Karen Jensen (Carol-Lead) especially struck me. Her committment, stamina, strength, and abilitlty to tap into her emotions blew me away-what an amazing gem to find in a 45 minute one act at a fringe festival. Class act all the way. Give this cast the recognition it deserves!

All's Fair
by Dolores Amiri
Rating 5 stars
When a show, makes you feel something REAL then you know that both the writing and the acting are great. This show did that for me. I felt the sadness of loss, the happiness of younger years and the hope that the future would again bring love. I was pulled into the lives and perceptions of both the younger and older couple. I wanted to listen and I wanted to understand them. Many shows are lacking in this, but with little in the way of props this story came alive. This is a hard thing to do. I hope many of you will see the show and enjoy it as I did!

ALL's FAIR is poignant and sweet.
by Christine Brandt
Rating 5 stars
ALL's FAIR is a sweet memory piece that takes a woman back into her past as she reviews her romance with her husband that she met at a fair. This is a clever concept for a short play. The play shares the memory via two pairs of artists, one set the older pair remembering their past and another, younger set experiencing their meeting and budding romance. The writing is superb and touching. Greg Gilies is a fine playwright and has skill in finding the depth of his characters. Elena Gianetti debuts as a director in this piece and has created a marvelously poignant exploration. The playwright and director have woven a story that flows in and out of the memory in an enchanting way. The talented cast works extremely well as an ensemble.

Pre-fair, post-spouse
by Jon Skaalen
Rating 4 stars
I felt this was a worthy effort to describe what a person goes through on the anniversary of meeting the love of her life at the fair -- after he's died and she searches for how to go on. Simple, effective staging of the carnie atmosphere and the young couple portraying scenes the now-old couple recall (she alive, he in the spirit world). I left wanting even more from the script, but the characters were indeed real and evocative.

303
by Roy Close
Rating 2 stars
Playwriting 101. Directing 101. Acting 101.

True love can survive
by luann monahan
Rating 4 stars
A very touching and sweet story. The acting was genuine and energetic. The props & costumes were minimal but worked well to tell the story & define the characters.

Stole my heart
by David Trudeau
Rating 5 stars
This play does love - the greatest of virtues - justice. It is well written, well directed, and well acted and it got my wife and I all gushy and mushy and nostalgic for our first date. A feel good classic on a heart tug par with "The Four Poster."

Sweet
by Will Weisert
Rating 4 stars
Two or three minutes in, I thought 'saccharine' but soon realized I was watching a well constructed play being performed by a very talented cast. An touching, sometimes amusing, way to explore a story of love and loss.

I laughed, I cried
by Roger Rosvold
Rating 4 stars
Good script grapples with "love" and tries to understand. Strong character performances from Anya and Rich, excellent ensemble interaction between 4 major players.

Playwright Giles debuts with this script, and this is a strong effort and indicates a bright future ahead. Director Giannetti also debuts, and we look eagerly ahead to her next effort.

Some pacing issues but largely an enjoyable and emotional show.

How do you know you love someone
by Chris Anderson
Rating 5 stars
This show really grabbed me, from the delightful book to the very effective connection between young and old. The actors ALL of them portrayed their roles perfectly, very seasoned it seems by all of them. Especially cute the two young guys, 'Young David really nailed the awkwardness of the age and 'Peter' is just perfect in that role.

Tender and Insightful
by Scherrie Foster
Rating 4 stars
Appreciated the ability of playwright to capture both genders' perspectives keenly and honestly.
Really enjoyed the complementary dynamic, in both visual performance and script, between the young and old couple.
MIght be biased, but thought the weight of the performance rested on young Carol and David and really thought the scene under the umbrella was riveting and believable.
Personally wanted the older Carol to be less plaintive, but others felt her character intensity appropriate.
Minimalist set allowed for one's own imagination to experience and reflect.
Worth seeing!

Poignant
by Kathy Kater
Rating 5 stars
I liked this show a lot. It is a love story that made me both laugh out loud and cry real tears. The script is nuanced, and flows with a sensitivity to the female perspective that seemed surprising coming from male writer (sorry if that smacks of sexism). The actors are believable, likeable, and very accomplished.

The interplay of the couples is tender and real. I would say this play is poignant. If you like a love story that goes beneath the surface, you will be glad you saw this show.

Poignant & powerful!
by Vicki Mueller
Rating 5 stars
Anyone that has been in love will find something that resonates within from All's Fair, as it shares laughter and tears, hopes and fears. And in the end, we are reminded that behind the memories of it all, there is love.

A Thoughtful, Delicate Piece
by Jonna Kosalko
Rating 4 stars
The Xperimental stage is the perfect venue for this intimate story that explores the question "What is Love?"

Greg Giles' script finds the right bits of humor to balance this sad and poignant story, which will both tug at the audience's heartstrings and engage them in laughter.

Karen Jensen gives a thoughtful performance as widow Carol, and the audience was charmed by Richard Weber, who plays the teenage version of her deceased husband.

It's a story-rich, delicate play that is a great addition to the mix of the Fringe Festival.

Delightful and charming!
by David Brooks
Rating 4 stars
In Gregory Giles' little jewel of a memory-box play, he manages to make you laugh, make you cry and break your heart. Aptly set in an abandoned carnival, this play takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions in a very short time and leaves the rider feeling like they've experienced a lifetime of love and loss. First-time director (really?!) Elena Giannetti coaxes lovely performances out of an ensemble with varying levels of experience.

Very engaging & poignant!
by Lincoln Fetcher
Rating 5 stars
Funny and touching, thought-provoking and memory-inducing, good acting and well balanced, Nicely paced with creative juxtipositioning. This production is GREAT and left me happy and sad and thinking of questions about love in new ways. I highly recommend it!

What is love?
by Rebecca Thaisen
Rating 5 stars
Gregory Giles explores the meaning of love through the eyes of Carol and David. We experience their love as young lovers, meeting and falling in love at age 16 at the carnival, and in later life when Carol misses and converses with her deceased beloved David. The two stories intertwine with a mix of laughter, tears and hearfelt, genuine conversation. A captivating story of love and loss. The cast performances were excellent. Director, Elena Giannetti, and stage manager, Laura Thaisen, along with the rest of the crew, did a top notch job with this production.

I highly recommend All's Fair.

Rebecca