One-Man Shows

Theater pieces which add an overall story, props and/or multimedia to the songs.

Are Rom Coms evil? What if you try to live one? What if you add dinosaurs?

“…packed with wit…” – Jay Harvey Upstage
“…never lets up on the clever wordplay.” – NUVO

– Audience Choice Award 2016 Elgin Fringe Festival
– Best Portable Set Award 2017 Pittsburgh Fringe Festival

After musically skewering comic books, musicians, science fiction, corporations, fantasy, and denial, satirical songwriting superhero Captain Ambivalent returns to take on a genre he is infinitely less familiar with. Come celebrate romantic density and whisper those three little words, propellor beanie chicken. Mostly funny songs, a couple of stories, and dinosaurs!

VIRTUAL

Do you find sometimes real life’s too hard to face? Escape to the fantasy world of Captain Ambivalent as he shares his comedy songs, his imaginary friends’ comedy songs, his toys, and his denial.

“…amazingly funny songs, wild costumes, and wonderfully cheesy props.” – Plays with John and Wendy

This show was created under “stay at home orders” for the 2020 Elgin Fringe Festival to be an essentially live solo performance experience with some very special effects.

Captain Ambivalent went to sleep back in 2016 and woke up in this underground complex full of secret mutants and traitors controlled by an insane computer with no idea how we got there! And now, he’s been assigned to explain it all in song to you, the heroic survivors of the amnesia gas incident on level 12. Report to your re-education pods for a sidesplitting musical history of the future, the eighties, student debt, unintended consequences, and being replaced by a robot.

“The Captain returns taking on mutants, corporations, aliens, and student loans. … Captain Ambivalent’s catchy songs and clever insights will have you saying to yourself ‘oh yeah, that’s right’ before he moves on to the next part of his nerdy tale. A crowd-pleaser with an accordion, this show is definitely worth seeing…” – Elgin Walkabout

“… a rollicking, entertaining hour full of lots of great music and lots of family-friendly fun.” – Plays With John and Wendy Blog

“The show is a tongue-in-cheek, satirical look at the American Landscape since we all fell asleep one night in 2016 and awakened in disbelief, confusion, and despair…The Show isn’t about the costume, the accordion (very well-played), vocals, or accompanying sound track and visuals. It’s about the lyrics. And that’s why you should go and listen to this show.” – IndyFringe Talks Blog

Available in 30 min, 50 min, and 75 min (two act) versions.
(previously titled “Happy Fun Time At The Complex” and “The Dark Nut Rises: The Grim And Gritty Reboot of Captain Ambivalent”; ACT II previously titled “Replaced By A Robot.”)

From the Dawn of his Downy youth, Dan struggled to get the songs inside his head outside. But when he gave up seeing “normal” as a Win and Dashed Briskly to Gain a More Bold Biz Method, he Surfed a Tide of Joy!

– Audience Choice Award 2016 Elgin Fringe Festival
– Best Portable Set Award 2017 Pittsburgh Fringe Festival

“…a real-life saga punctuated by recurring scenes of unrequited love, noisy neighbors, and a relentless flow of song ideas. Career biography, yes — but this show is all about the music!…You’ll dance, you’ll cry, you’ll laugh and wonder why.” – Elgin Review

Available in 30 min and 55 min versions.

A Mysterious Codger from a future dimension tells the tale of Captain Ambivalent’s lifelong quest to become a hero of some kind, until on a night like tonight many years ago he played an accordion solo so awesome it shattered the space-time continuum and he was eaten by a dinosaur. Journey through romantic, corporate, and cultural ambivalence with original witty songs from the albums “Fear The Accordion” and “Pirate Ninja Zombie.” Also, my sister’s Barbies. And a mad scientist. And a dinosaur!

“…packed with wit…” – Jay Harvey Upstage
“…never lets up on the clever wordplay.” – NUVO
“…amazingly funny songs, wild costumes, and wonderfully cheesy props.” – Plays with John and Wendy

Available in 30 min, 55 min, and 75 min (two act) versions.