FRED @ Fringe Update #12
From the Director…
Sometimes, in the few moments of stillness and solitude I have while realising Michael and Phillip Are Getting Married in the Morning for the stage, I become a little reflective.
The new look FRED the ALIEN Productions team in one of our earliest writing sessions together (November 2015).
I can’t speak for Michael R. Lister and Phillip Hunting, but I don’t particularly think they ever envisioned that FRED the ALIEN Productions would be interacting with the creative arts in the way it has been when they created the company several years ago. Brining Bethany Griffiths, Fulya Kantarmaci, and myself on board in late 2015 certainly changed the course of things!
As a multi-platform art collective with assorted interests and diverse backgrounds, anyone who doesn’t quite fit in, has been brushed aside, or naturally sits on the fringe, are the sort of people we like to play with. Then again, we love anyone who is comfortable sitting in the mainstream too. The way we see it, there’s enough room for everybody. Love is love, after all.
Don’t get me wrong, we can also be a bunch of cynics! If I am being honest, we are a beautiful contradiction. We’re too much of an eclectic mix to be anything else.
So, it is nice when people outside of the FRED circle—creatives and audiences alike—find enjoyment with what we do. It is a pat on the back that generally comes from our nearest and dearest… but mostly from Phillip’s mother, Lesley.
In fact, all of Phillip’s family are lovely. Two years in a row now, they have supported FRED’s stage shows (as well as an assortment of other productions in-between). It is this kind of encouragement that keeps us at FRED the ALIEN on our toes. Our audience is small, but incredibly loyal.
It is in this vein that this week’s FRED @ Fringe Update is devoted to our most vocal of supporters. There are a number of people who are always there for FRED without expecting acknowledgement or reward, but for today, I want to give a shout-out to six of them in particular…
Malcolm, Lesley, and Bethany Hunting: The physical and financial support never stops flowing. If Phillip believes in a project, so do you—it’s all you need to know before you support it.
Kerry Turpie: Your enthusiasm for what Michael does is the sort of loving encouragement not experienced enough between siblings. It’s a wonderful thing to see.
Alison Whan: A mentor, friend, and advocate of the arts. Your support for me and the FRED team exceeds that of so many others. No show would be complete without you sitting in the audience and having a post-performance chat about what we did well and what we could have done better.
Ben Campbell (sitting), rehearsing with co-star Ryan Stewart, has and continues to contribute to FRED the ALIEN in multiple ways, including his acting talents.
And finally, Ben Campbell: You came on board to deliver one line in an episode of UNI-Bums and never went away! What more can I say? The energy, eagerness to help out, and light-hearted spirit you bring to every FRED project makes us a better team. And that is only the beginning of how you contribute to our collective.
As tickets have now gone on sale for Michael and Phillip Are Getting Married in the Morning, I know you will all be cheering us on through personal achievements, self-doubt, grand triumphs, and harsh realities. So, let me be the first to say it: Thank you.
If you would like to join these amazing people in helping FRED the ALIEN Productions bring Michael and Phillip Are Getting Married in the Morning to the stage for Melbourne Fringe at Gasworks Arts Park, you can buy a ticket to see the show or add a few coins to our Indigogo fundraising campaign.
In the meantime, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And of course, feel free to explore FREDtheALIENproductions.com for the latest on Michael and Phillip Are Getting Married in the Morning.
Wayne Stellini is an executive member of the FRED the ALIEN Productions team. He has written and directed episodes of UNI-Bums, and produced FRED’s stage debut, The Writer, in 2016.
FRED the ALIEN Productions 