mikefotis.com

Whew.

Monday, August 11th, 2008 | Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Happy Monday!

1. Well, Fringe is over. A giant party was had and I was more awkward than even I thought I was capable of.  Seriously. Wow. Sorry to anyone who was near me last night. I didn’t mean to suck away your fringe joy with my “being”.  Oh well, onto more successful moments of this Fringe…

2. Thanks first and foremost to Jen Scott, who played bass for all of my shows. She’s amazing. If you saw the show, you know that.

3. This Fringe was a Fringe of firsts.  I have never sold out a Fringe show until this year, and though I’ve been close, I’ve also never gotten the encore slot-until this year. That’s because of all of you who saw my show and spread the word. Thank you very much. You all deserve props. MAD PROPS.

4. And with that, Fringe is over.  I know all the reasons to complain about the Fringe.  Those of us who participate can be pretty insufferable for 10 days while we fall into complete self absorbtion, obsessed with reviews, audience reviews, postcard layouts,  venue assignments all in pursuit of the ever elusive “buzz”. I get it.   But the truth is, Fringe is one of my favorite times of the year, filling me with this awesome mixture of anticipation, humility (let’s face it, even if you’re a Fringe darling, it’s only for 10 days), and awe in relation to the talents of my friends.   I’m able to do my solo material for excited audiences, see people who are very dear to me whom I only see 10 days a year and maybe this is simply because I’ve been thinking about the past a lot lately, Fringe reminds me of my first few years in the Minneapple when Joe and I were working like crazy to establish a name for ourselves. Those were really, really fun years.   Oh well, let’s close this book. “fringebook” can now return to its original name.

Mike

Encore! Tonight! 830pm! Theater Garage!

Sunday, August 10th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

Hi guys!

So I got the encore! Woo hoo! I hope to see you there and I’m incredibly grateful to those of you who helped make it happen.

Mike

Final Show! Today! 230pm! Theater Garage!

Saturday, August 9th, 2008 | Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Let’s make a memory! Together!

It Would Appear That I Spoke Too Soon

Friday, August 8th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

Happy Friday! Hey! I’ve been nominated for a Fringie! That’s pretty cool. Thanks Fringefamous.com

1.  Ladies and Gents, it would appear that my excitement over getting the encore slot was a tad premature. The juggernaut of a fringe show called Bull seems to have that honor all but sewn up.  Rats! But let’s look on the bright side shall we? I still have one more performance left and I couldn’t be more excited! The only thing that would make this whole affair more exciting would be a packed house on Saturday at 230pm at the Theater Garage! It’s been several days since my last show so here are some reviews in case you’re on the fence.

*Pioneer Press listed the show as a MUST SEE and said,

Mike Fotis is funny. Funnier than the parodies with large, flashy casts I saw on opening night. OK, he doesn’t have fancy props; just a woman plucking a bass and a three-ring binder sitting on a table that he flips through. It sounds boring, but the stories he reads —nay, lives — from those pages are hilarious. He doesn’t need his cohorts from Brave New Workshop to make self-deprecating fun of how Tom Petty torpedoed his budding romance. I never knew picking a schoolyard fight, ridding a house of bats or blogging for retribution could be so entertaining.

— Renee Valois

*City Pages said,

Sit-down comic Mike Fotis (literally, he sits in a chair at a table and reads from a notebook, albeit disarmingly) hit his stride about five minutes into his series of comic monologues on opening night, and combined a storyteller’s cadence with sharp, self-deprecating observational humor. With Jen Scott providing groovy backup on stand-up bass (at least she stands), Fotis tackles many of the pressing issues of the day: his intense self-loathing while playing video games, his teenage musk of “death and sexual desperation,” his first (entirely unjustified) fight, his galaxies-wide fandom for Tom Petty, and his multiple run-ins with bats (squeakers, not sluggers). He also achieves a very high laughs-per-minute ratio. Sat 2:30 p.m. Minneapolis Theater Garage. —Quinton Skinner

The Strib/Vitamn said,

Go ahead and object to Mike Fotis if you want: He sits at a table and reads from a script. You’ll have a lot more fun, though, if you let yourself enjoy his writing and acting. He spins stories about regular stuff — junior high, or the bats in his house — while never forgetting to mock himself at every turn. He’s very funny. - Eric Ringham

Anyhoo, I really hope to see you at the last show.

Mike

Non Fringe Blog

Thursday, August 7th, 2008 | Sports | 1 Comment

Happy Thursday! It’s kind of hard to believe Fringe is heading into its final weekend, huh? So much build up. So much prep. Such a short fest. Bummer.

1. Honestly, I ain’t got much to talk about. I am a little burnt out in regards to hyping shows and the what not, so maybe today’s blog will be about…sports. Yes. Because when you’re all not reading about and going to see Fringe shows, you are surely wondering about sports. So here goes…

-Brett Favre is a Jet? I guess. Man, that whole situation was handled really poorly by the organization and Favre.  Would I have liked him to be a Bear? Sure. But I have to look on the bright side, if he were to become a Bear, Kyle Orton’s Hall Of Fame career would have to wait that much longer to begin.

-The Cubs are really getting ready to break my heart. Actually, they are pretty good this year. Not flukey good, but legitimately good. They actually have a chance of making it to the event that shall not be named…

-The Twins are so goddamn plucky! It’s a little hard to believe that a year after trading away their ace for nothing even approaching value, that they’re still right in the A.L. Central race. It’s hard not to love em’ just a little.

-Dance, dance, theater, theater. There. Feel a little better?

Mike

I Sold Out Last Night’s Show!

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 | Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Happy Wednesday!

1. I sold out last night’s performance. Yip-fucking-ee. Unless I’m mistaken, in all of my years doing fringe either as a solo act or as part of Ferrari,  I(we) have never sold out a show. Anyway, it was a wonderful feeling to see so many people in the audience ready to have a good time. I’ve been very lucky this year. Not only have I had large crowds, but more importantly, I’ve had really responsive crowds which is so much more important.  Anyhoo, I have one* more show on Saturday at 230pm at the Theater Garage. If you** could come that would be awesome.

2. Here’s a brief interview I did with City Pages!

Mike Fotis
AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH FOTIS: PART TWO

City Pages: Describe your show in 10 words or less.

Mike Fotis: Awesome. Funny. Lazy. Not Memorized. Not my attempt at therapy.

CP: You’re going to tell stories. Share one of them now.

Fotis: OK! I grew up on a yogurt farm (did he?). It was awesome (was it?) until our entire field of yogurt plants (yum) went bad. After that, I was sent (mailed) to the Army (Navy) and invented (discovered) apples.

CP: You’re going to sit. Aren’t we worth having you stand? Really?

Fotis: Yes, but here’s the thing that I’ve never understood. You’re sitting watching me. Why can’t I sit too? It just seems unfair. Tell you what. If the audience stands during my show, I’ll stand, too. I guess, in the end, I’m making a statement about how there’s too much blocking in Twin Cities Theater.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Mike

*It’s possible I might get the encore slot on Sunday. Actually, I have no idea if that’s possible since I don’t know how the other shows in my venues have been selling. Whatever.

** By “you”, I am referring to Sara Richardson, who has talked a big game, but has yet to commit to a performance.  You know, typical clown like stuff.

Mike Babbles! Also Show at 10pm! Tonight! Theater Garage!

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 | Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Happy Tuesday!

1. Big show tonight! 10pm! Theater Garage! Woot! Hope to see you there.

2. Saw Musical The Musical last night. It was a hoot and a half. Go check it out if you get a chance.

3. Are any other performers who aren’t performing at Rarig kind of feeling that your shows are located at some outpost at the far edges of the world? I ain’t complaining in any way.  I love The Theater Garage and hope that I am there for every Fringe I ever do, but there is certainly an electricity at Rarig, due to all the shows located there, that seems to be missing elsewhere.  Just an observation.  I actually kind of like the low key atmosphere that the Theater Garage seems to have this year. Whatever, I’m just babbling.

4. My blackberry has started buzzing. Nice.

Mike

What A Weekend!

Monday, August 4th, 2008 | Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Happy Monday!

1. What a weekend, huh? So…much…theater. I’m three shows into my Fringe run and I’m happy to report that the show is looking like a success. I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from some wonderful crowds and frankly, so far, the whole experience couldn’t be better. I have a show tomorrow night at 10pm. Theater Garage.

Seriously, thanks to everyone who’s come to see the show so far. I really appreciate it.

2. iphone news! Last night after seeing Mortem Capiendum (Go see it! Those turkeys sure are funny!) me and my blackberry were caught in a torrential downpour, which appeared to kill it. I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty excited. For a moment it appeared I was going to have an actual excuse to break contract and buy the sweet, sweet phone of the future. Sadly my bberry started working this morning. Boo? Yeah, I’m not sure how to feel either.

Talk to you tomorrow,

Mike

Well, That’s a Weight Lifted…

Friday, August 1st, 2008 | Plugs, Solo Show Stuff | 1 Comment

Happy Friday!

1. First off, big thanks to everyone who came to see my Fringe Opening last night, that was really cool of you. Also thanks to everyone who has left me some really kind messages and comments. They are truly appreciated by yours truly. As for the show itself, I felt like it went pretty well. I was way, way too ramped up at the beginning of the show. Seriously, I was on pace to finish a 20 minute story in under 2 minutes. After that however, things settled down and I hit a nice note.  There are some timing issues I need to work on and some small editing stuff, but overall the thing is in good shape.  My next one is Saturday at the Theater Garage at 230pm. Come see some afternoon shenanigans!

2. Hey!  The BNW is changing the way the do improv after the mainstage shows. Now, there will be one rocking improv, video and sketch extravaganza every Friday night at 10pm! Each week, there will be new written work, sketches that were to bizarre to be in the Mainstage show, videos (think you’ve been on a bad first date? Think again), and some of the best improv in the city! Hope to see you there!

Mike