For this year's Philadelphia Fringe Festival, we're giving you the chance to walk through a nightmarish world inspired by the work of filmmaker David Lynch with Red Lodge, Montana - running September 7-15, 2019, at Bok. But we need your help to make it happen.
Why are we making Red Lodge, Montana?
Red Lodge, Montana began after lead artist/director Michael Osinski finished watching David Lynch's Twin Peaks: The Return. He wanted to create something that made him feel the same way he felt at the end of the series - perplexed, intrigued, and emotionally gutted. He also wanted to pay homage to the bold choices, haunting visuals, and circuitous storytelling of Lynch's work. So he assembled a group of local theatre artists (and fellow Lynch enthusiasts) to craft a theatrical puzzle based around William Inge's classic play Bus Stop and Lynch's film and television work.
What's unique about Red Lodge, Montana?
We're changing things up to make sure Red Lodge, Montana isn't your ordinary theatrical experience:
- We're releasing short weekly films in August - much like a serial television series - to introduce you to the story.
- We're staging the performance in a creepy old locker room at the former Bok Technical School in South Philadelphia.
- We're creating a show you can walk through, rather than just one you sit and watch. We'll be immersing you in a world of danger, desire, and doppelgangers.
Who are we?
The Antidote is an ever-changing collective of artists led by Philadelphia-based director and theatre artist Michael Osinski (former co-founder and Producing Artistic Director of Flashpoint Theatre Company). At The Antidote we believe live performance succeeds most when it entertains audiences and gives them a puzzle to solve. We blend contemporary pop culture with classic plots to craft a new way of telling stories. Past productions have combined classic text with daytime TV talk shows (The Hamlet Project at DePaul University), self-help seminars (Homo Andronicus at A Red Orchid Theatre), and 50's sitcoms and dance crazes (Great Again).
The cast and co-creators for Red Lodge, Montana are Terrill Braswell, Anthony Crosby, Megan Edelman, Josh Hitchens, Kelly McCaughan, Michael Osinski, Amanda Schoonover, and Geremy Webne-Berhman. The production team includes Dylan Fitzsimons (scenic/props), Daniel Ison (sound/video), Sydney Norris (lighting), and Eleanor Safer (stage management).
What will the funds pay for?
- 45% will cover ARTISTS' FEES for our Philadelphia-based artists: 7 actors, 3 designers, 1 stage manager, 1 director, and 2 house managers.
- 20% will cover SPACE RENTAL for our rehearsal and performance spaces.
- 15% will cover PRODUCTION MATERIALS, so we can afford the filming equipment, as well as the necessary speakers, lighting, and scenic elements to build a Lynch-inspired world.
- 15% will cover ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES, like Fringe Festival registration and insurance.
- 5% will cover MARKETING, like graphic design and promotional materials.
We've had a blast creating a weird and wonderful Lynch-inspired world. Now we need your help to turn our nightmare into a reality.