Off Broadway shows on fringe of Fringe

Even Fringes have a fringe, and that will be the case this year at Off Broadway Dinner Theatre.

The former official venue will be hosting four shows outside the Fringe: Wings of Desire, The Rosebud Burlesque Club, The Flying Fish Fun Factory and Transitory. All are locally produced. They run from Friday to Aug. 11.

Groups set their own ticket prices and collect the cash. See www.offbroadway.ca for showtimes.

"I'll see how it goes this year. It would have been nice to get six but you have to start somewhere," says owner Peter Kooy.

Wings of Desire, directed by Adam Kirk, is by Scottish writer Daniel O'Brien, who will attend the premiere. It's a musical, modern take on Romeo & Juliet in which the characters are insects. Looking in at a rehearsal, Kooy was suitably amazed.

"As far as a Fringe play goes, it makes perfect sense."

Flying Fish is the long-running improv troupe. Transitory is a play about high school students trapped in their class after an earthquake.

"I think it gives them a good opportunity to search their souls and swear a lot," says Kooy.

There's already buzz for Under the Fringe. It's a traditional burlesque show featuring a strongman, reverse strip-tease (the clothes go on), live music by Paschal and Dahl and bawdy humour.

What it definitely is not is a sex show, says Head Mistress Cheripop Purr.

"We're trying to keep it classic and classy. There's a lot of strip tease in it but there's more tease than strip."

The Head Mistress trained in Toronto and came back to Saskatoon to teach classes, which are so popular that students come from Regina and Moose Jaw for the six-week course.

The cast is made up of graduates who go by names like Helen Bedde and Naughty Nurse Helline. There's also real-life twins Candy Apple and Cotton Candy -- the Sugar Twins.

A recent show at the Refinery sold out in 10 minutes and the clapping and stomping could be heard a block away. The audience is informed up-front that "if you don't clap and cheer, there's nothing coming off these girls."

Future plans for the troupe include a fundraising car wash with 1950s music and bathing suits and a new winter show.

Only two shows are planned at Off Broadway: midnight on Saturday and Aug. 11. Tickets are $10 and are available only at the venue. They go on sale an hour in advance of showtime.