J. Cooper Robb is on Live Arts and Philly Fringe Festival beat for Philadelphia Weekly, picking 10 don't-miss shows, including, among others, CHICKEN, TAKES, and Festival editor emeritus Josh McIlvain's show Boat Hole. On Josh, Robb writes:

"When Josh McIlvain isn't editing the official Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe guide (a Herculean task), he's a frequently produced playwright; and 15 of his funniest short plays (each runs between one and 10 minutes) are rounded up in Boat Hole (Sept. 15-18). The briefly met characters involve a pair of ordinary guys who see a career opportunity in terrorism and orcas who bicker over performing tricks for tourists."

Yay, go Josh! We miss you, buddy!

--Nicholas Gilewicz

Image by Lisa Modica

You're today's big winner! You might not think so because we skipped The Weekender, but you seriously need to rest up for next week:

>>>Today, and through August 29: New York Fringe, if you're New York way. The New York Times gives an overview of their festival. After checking it out, come home into our loving arms and tell us how great we are, and how you won't leave us ever again. We'll forgive you.

>>>Sunday: In high school, I skipped the New York Math League finals to go to my prom. Looking back, it was the wrong decision. Anyway, need a date for Sunday night? Let's go to Brat Productions' music video shoot. In October, they're doing a comedic adaptation of Carrie—yes, that Carrie—and upstairs at RUBA is going to be all 1979-styled prom night. We'll be extras, and yes, the bar will be open. Erik Ransom (pictured), the star, has written a theme song for the show, and the Scott Johnston-shot video will get out into the world next month. Like Ol' Dirty Bastard, you wanna see some blood, right? RSVP on Facebook, or by email to rsvp@bratproductions.org. 9:00 pm, RUBA Hall, 414 Green Street, Northern Liberties.

>>>Monday: Boom, Philly Fringe preview night is back at Plays and Players on Monday, and each Monday until the Festivals start. This week's lineup:
Mindless Drivel from Reap Productions
Hear Again Radio Project
The Play "Ben" from the Historical Theatre Acting Group
Sephro from Quinn Compositions
Between Trains from Gas & Electric Arts
The preview takes place at Plays and Players, 1714 Delancey Place, Rittenhouse Square. $12.

You think that's it? Friend, you're sadly mistaken. Click "more" and Josh McIlvain will pitch you on his FUNdraiser, find out about the next free film in the Dance series, and, um, more!

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Our individual giving manager here at Live Arts/Fringe, Meg Clifton Mitchell, has a "secret life." When she's not making sure we have the funds to keep the Festival going, she's crooning jazz tunes around the city. Tonight she's performing at the Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent's event Sounds of Philadelphia: Conversations on Jazz with Bob Perkins. The night of performance and talk will be hosted by legendary jazz DJ Bob "BP with the GM" Perkins and will explore the history of Philly jazz.

"It's exciting to be celebrating Philly jazz because I've been singing in this city for a long time," says Meg.

Meg got her Master of Music in Jazz Studies at UArts, and her style has been described as "swinging with a fresh and sexy quality" and "rich with the knowledge of jazz vocal history." Listen to her sing modern and classic jazz standards with bassist Lee Clark tonight at 6 PM at Conversation Hall (room 201) at City Hall. Can't make it tonight? Meg also performs regularly at Chris's Jazz Cafe.

--Ellen Freeman

It's hot. It's damn hot. Fool, you think I was born on the sun??? This weather bores and irritates me. Distractions, cometh!

Friday:
>>>Awww, Josh McIlvain, who's streamlined the production of the Festival Guide (soon to be in your hands!) is leaving us, again. Jerk. So we're taking him out for drinks. He'll be back for Philly Fringe, though—his SmokeyScout Productions will present Boat Hole, an evening of Josh's comedic short plays, at the Performance Garage September 15 through 18.

Saturday:
>>>Here's something to do outside! Because when the heat index says the world will feel like 108 degrees, outside is the jam! So: Sun Ra Arkestra with Scorch at "the green space behind the Walnut Street Free Library." You know Sun Ra Arkestra. You should know Philadelphia Fire Arts, who produced SimpLaFire last year at the Piazza (and came by the bar once in a while for impromptu shows in the parking lot that were awesome). They return to 2010 Philly Fringe with their show Scorch, which is also what will happen to you on Saturday. 6:00 pm.

>>>If space is not the place for you, then hit up the First Person Arts BBQ and Grand Story Slam at the Painted Bride. Oops! BBQ side is sold out. Move fast if you want slam tix.

Sunday:
>>>Punk Rock Flea Market (we'll be there with a table come say hi!). From this week's R5 newsletter: "Someone once told us that some crazy weird men magazine like Details listed it as a top place to meet women. So if you cant find anything to buy, maybe shop for a girlfriend." 461 North 9th Street, weird unnamed post-/quasi-industrial/concert venue neighborhood (Callowhill?), Philadelphia. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, $3 suggested donation.

--Nicholas Gilewicz

Photo stolen without permission from Josh McIlvain's Facebook page, and poorly doctored by Nicholas Gilewicz

Well, these days, communicating about Cuba via her blog, half-wired. Ellery used to be the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe communication manager, but then she left us to pursue a master's degree in Latin American Studies at the University of Chicago. (A choice endorsed by me as a fellow alumnus GO MAROONS!)

half-wired is an outgrowth of her research into the Cuban online media landscape, and hopes to pull together thoughts and perspectives on the relationship of Cuban media to Cubans, and on how online media is starting to help bridge the knowledge gaps created by state-controlled media in the country.

Wish Ellery congrats—she's also working this summer at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard, which is a pretty big deal—and check out half-wired.

--Nicholas Gilewicz

Did you ever wish you could re-draw the Peanuts cartoon so that Charlie Brown finally kicked the football? Were you ever tempted to pencil in a thought-bubble above the Mona Lisa's head and fill in what she's really thinking? Well cartoonist and puppeteer Beth Nixon's new Make-Your-Own Cankerblossom Comic Book isn't Mona Lisa, but it's way more fun.

Pig Iron Theatre Company has teamed up with Beth to create their new show Cankerblossom. To kindle your imagination until the show premieres at the Live Arts Festival, they've created a do-it-yourself comic book complete with whimsical drawings to color in and empty speech bubbles so that you can invent the action.

Click more to see some of the coolest drawings from the new book and to find out how to get one:

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Are you an artist considering a show for the Philly Fringe this year, but are new to the Festival and unsure if you can?

Come meet the Fringe staff and have all your questions answered at the New Artist Workshop. We positioned this workshop before the participation deadline, giving you three whole weeks to decide!

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 @ 6:00 PM
The Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe Administrative Offices
919 N 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Pizza & refreshments served.
Please RSVP to John: john@livearts-fringe.org