The Hollywood Fringe Festival this June features multiple productions with CalArtians, including the world premiere of the immersive and interactive sci-fi play Signals. Directed by Alexander Whitover, the show from the Last Call Theatre company features a cast of 16, including recent CalArts graduate Jason Pollak (Theater BFA 22) playing the Plague Doctor.
Signals tells the story of Site 00013, a place where the covert organization The Foundation keeps anomalous artifacts and beings from other dimensions—items that may threaten humanity itself. As part of the immersive experience, each audience member is treated as if they are on a job interview as an agent, encountering “eclectic scientists, soulless bureaucrats, and psychopathic monsters.” The show takes on a “choose your own adventure” style with multiple pathways, all determining whether the creatures will be freed or the old guard will remain in charge.
Alongside Pollak, the cast of the show includes Mikey Takla, Evan Wank, Riley Cole, Haven Schneider, Liviera Lim, Ashley Busenlener, Michael DiNardo, Naomi Melville, Philip Saguil, Kale Hinthorn, Alexander Panagos, Michaela Skaribas, Byron Monterroso, Olivia Crews, and Ian Melamed.
“Our goal with the show, like all of our shows, is to make the audience feel important,” said creative lead Jacob Zorehkey. “Our show revolves around the decisions that the audience makes. Whether they choose to play the hero or the villain or something in between, it is only through their actions that the stories of this world resolve.”
The show will have 12 shows between Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 26 at the Asylum @ Thymele Arts (Shirley Dawn Dance Studio) in Los Angeles.
Tickets are available for purchase, ranging from $30 to $35. More information can be found at the company’s Instagram @lastcalltheatre or in the BroadwayWorld article.
—by Ishika Muchhal
Running from Thursday, June 9 through Sunday, June 26, Hollywood Festival Fringe has a long history of being a site for CalArtian students and alums to perform their original works. This summer, the festival features multiple CalArtian shows, including Something in the Air, Apocalypse at the Rainforest Cafe,Yellow/Blue, Terrible Lizard, and others.
