Wednesday, August 24, 2016

IndyFringe16: Tortillo 2. Catalyst Repertory Wants to Take Away Your Crap

The multiplicity of shows offered every year at IndyFringe is simply astounding. From storytelling to drama to musicals to dance to acoustic concerts...and then there's this: the junk food offering. 

IndyFringe poster woman, Casey Ross, has unleashed the long awaited sequel of her 2009 offering Tortillo, to IndyFringe16 in Tortillo 2. If you saw the first installment, you recall that someone had coked the chips at a snack food company. In Tortillo 2, you won't believe it, but someone has done it...again!

Tortillo! is getting a sequel! Hailed by critics as "a series of disjointed dialogues held together by profanity," the sequel to the celebrated fringe comedy, promises to ask the important questions - like, "How is there cocaine in these f@*king chips - again?" Join the returning cast for the sequel of a play that proudly "relies on a lot of crass slapstick and dick jokes." Recommended 16+; it's a bit crass. --(IndyFringe Program guide)

On the particular night we saw it, one half of this duo had completed a triathlon that morning and was exhausted by 10:30 p.m. (The handsome, debonair one, if you're wondering.) We pressed on through the driving rain and flooded sidewalks of Mass Ave and found our seats. As the lights dimmed (and Pete Townsend sang), I hoped we would stay awake.

Staying awake was not a problem. Nuclear reactors don't have the energy of these actors. Equally impressive was the impeccable timing. This was a well rehearsed show that ran like a finely tuned, well, nuclear reactor. 

Watching these foul-mouthed sleuths meddle again in the chip-coking business was a shot of caffeine every 30 seconds from start to finish. I burned as many calories as Larry did completing a triathlon just by watching it. Now that's what I call exercise!


The cast of Tortillo 2, written by Casey Ross and directed by Fedora Dave Matthews, includes Robert Webster Jr., Davey Pelsue, LisaMarie Smith, Ryan Powell, Tristan Ross (not pictured), and Matt Anderson.


We caught up with Ross before the opening, and she shared some thoughts about her show and what it’s like running a small theater group in Indy. (Catalyst Repertory Production, formerly Casey Ross Productions).

“Indy is large enough to live life like a city but small enough where I can't really be out too long without running into a friend. There's something very lovely and unpretentious about that. 

“We run shows year-round, now. We started as a Fringe troupe, and this season we did lots of heavy shows, and we didn't want to lose sight of where we started, how we as a troupe met, and our roots. I want to audience to have fun. I want them to forget something that's eating away at them, or getting them down so they can just laugh at our stupid little show that we're trying to put the best energy into. Long story short, we want to take away a little bit of the crap and leave you with a smile by making fools of ourselves. We did lots of heavy this year, we want to make you laugh and laugh with you this Fringe.
  
"We're pretty new as an official company. This is our eighth Fringe, but only our second year as a company other than just myself, Casey Ross, writing. It's very important to me that we're listed as a repertory group: We're a rep company because we're a family. We know each other deeply, work together often, take care of each other, push each other and that leads us to be able to give you the most honest entertainment we can muster. We're a Repertory company because we believe in the family and team. Also...no one else would put up with us...” 

So remember that, Indy! Her name is Casey Ross, and she wants to take away your crap! Mighty generous of you, Casey!




Indy playwright Casey Ross. Your crap doesn't stand a chance with her.


Tortillo 2 continues its run at TOTS 2:

Fri. Aug 26th @ 9:00 PM
Sat. Aug 27th @ 4:30 PM









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