Gideon and the Blundersnorp

The talented actor-singers, the genius yet simple production design (including the Blundersnorp itself), and all of the music and meta humor kept me delighted and bemused the entire show!

It’s a rare thing to have a Fringe show that is amusing, family friendly, well-staged and full of great performances. Gideon is that rare thing and it is beautiful to see live.

The show’s staging is fantastic, using just a few set pieces to visually place every scene in it’s proper place. The humor is well executed, with good timing and sharp delivery.

Best of all, however, it’s a musical that uses its music with beautiful ease. The songs flow so so so well inside the narrative and have the exact tone of the show. That’s a hard thing to accomplish and this cast and crew have nailed it.

Most Fringe shows (inherently) are still works in progress. This show feels polished and complete. I enjoyed it immensely.

What I liked. The music and the vocalists. There were moments when I felt this could have been equally successful as a stand alone concert. Aside from all that, I had so much fun experiencing this show. The story had me engaged and the music enchanted.
Michael Shapiro is a prolific composer & writer and I am so glad I went. I’m a fan.

My overall impression
The show, performance and all its moving parts were so on point.

DELIGHTFUL musical that is lighthearted and funny – get tickets early!

I loved the breaking of the 4th wall, I really enjoyed the songs and the acting.

The chase scene on the horses had some very clever stage direction (ala the Spidey Project) that made it fun

The staging of the Blundersnorp was very creative and very visually satisfying. Great job by the cast creating the Blundersnorp and the actors interacting with the Blundersnorp.

The hour breezed by and fun was had by all!

Michael Shapiro once again charms the audience with his songs and scores. I particularly loved Gideon, who was portrayed with the right amount of longing for a character who years for so much more. He brought life to a stable-hand who just wanted to be an assistant of an assistant to an assistant. The songs were catchy and the narrative fun. A colourful romp with colourful characters. And swords. The tale of a stable-hand who yearns to ride to the heady heights of an assistant to an assistant of an assistant of a cavalier. Really, what more do you need?

Gideon and the Blundersnorp is a very enjoyable romp that whipped by in a snap! From the page to the stage, all the elements seemed to coalesce nicely, and the comedic elements were well-planned and well-executed. The cast was solid all the way through, from the leads to the ensemble. The music was fun and fit the theme and era it was aiming for, and the choreography was sharp. The staging was quite effective, as was the use of the narrator in helping guide the story along through exposition and during transitions. I highly recommend this play for patrons of all ages!

“Gideon and the Blundersnorp was terrific! Every element of the production flowed seamlessly together. After a year and a half of not being in a theater, I’m glad that my first musical back was this one. This production featured an ensemble of professionals who deeply cared about the story they were telling. Run, don’t walk to see Gideon and the Blundersnorp!”

I was absolutely enamored by this show. The performers were absolutely incredible, and the staging was above and beyond anything I ever expected. The choreography of the set and props with actors leaves so much to the imagination while also creating a realistic world in a fantastical setting. The character arcs are strong, and the music is well done (and even often, dare I say, adorable at times). I absolutely didn’t want it to end.

Gideon and the Blundersnorp by the super-talented Michael Gordon Shapiro was by far the best written and executed of the 6 Hollywood Fringe shows I've gone to this year. I was so impressed that I went back to see the show a second time. The creative use of limited set and props exemplified the spirit of the Fringe, and the cast were extremely talented and focused. The show felt like a fully polished professional production.

Director Matthew Toronto, producer Elise Dewsberry and the multi-talented Michael Gordon Shapiro are now my Holy Trinity of cheap theatrics!

If there were to be a King of Hollywood Fringe musicals, it would have to be Michael Shapiro. 2019’s THE BULLY PROBLEM was a phenomenal Broadway-class project and his new Call to Adventure, GIDEON ANDTHE BLUNDERSNORP, follows perfectly. Shapiro’s shows always nail all the vitals – perfect casting, great directing and choreography, and (most importantly) laser-precision crafted story. With likable characters, funny dialogue, beautiful character- and story-driven songs, and a vulnerable and sweet heart, his shows always deliver. Direction and choreography by Matthew Toronto are spot-on (timing and delivery for everyone was impeccable) and the whole cast shines. The use of puppetry and Greg Craft’s lighting were wonderful. Incidentally, I saw this as a streaming show and the quality of the additional technical elements was also outstanding. StudioStage was the perfect location for this show. Bravo. I look forward to the next one!

This well-written adventure musical transports us to a medieval countryside through a variety of clever means. The costumes, of course, but also the accompanying instruments. Michael Gordon Shapiro’s arrow-and-bow stratagem is to structure his music to convey the flavor of his time and place. The performers, too, bite off funny speeches and well-wrought lyrics with rustic aplomb. And then there’s the stagecraft, the set of inventive devices that make us believe in horses and monsters and jailbreaks. This is sheer showmanship on a postage stamp stage: both in the writing and the presentation, there are great gobs of good ideas.

Gideon and the Blundersnorp was such a great show! I laughed out loud and also teared up when Gideon had his revelation that there was a chance he could break out of his situation, rise above it, and be... more.

I loved the music, the lyrics to the songs, the distinct personalities, the subtle nods to fantasy pop-culture, and the writing for both the strong female role and the heroic male role. I also loved the production - the horse chase on stage and its dramatic ending had me almost out of my seat! Also, the hour-long running time is really friendly for kids.

I wish I could think of something that could help improve the production, but I'm sorry to say I can't think of anything. The cast had great energy and were a joy to listen to, the house was managed well, the show started on time, it was only an hour - so didn't need an intermission, I was able to find parking, and all of the details for being able to attend the show were clearly communicated. I guess the only way to improve it would be to do a sequel!

What a great show! It's perfectly crafted for its target audience -- the length, the cast size, the message, the compelling music and the humor are spot on. Guideon and the Blundersnorp should be a regular in schools and children's theater companies across the country -- not to mention other, more adventurous companies as well. It's just a flawless little package, a gift, really.

This well-written adventure musical transports us to a medieval countryside through a variety of clever means. The costumes, of course, but also the accompanying instruments. Michael Gordon Shapiro’s arrow-and-bow stratagem is to structure his music to convey the flavor of his time and place. The performers, too, bite off funny speeches and well-wrought lyrics with rustic aplomb. And then there’s the stagecraft, the set of inventive devices that make us believe in horses and monsters and jailbreaks. This is sheer showmanship on a postage stamp stage: both in the writing and the presentation, there are great gobs of good ideas.

Shapiro has his tongue planted firmly in cheek as he spins his fun tale. His music is varied and his songs buzz along. Ek and Everett have really strong voices and do very well with the material. Matthew Toronto did a splendid job with his direction; well-paced and very inventive, especially in the scenes with the Blundersnorp. The hour flies by so quickly and enjoyably you want to stay and see more.

Much like the rags to riches story of The Princess Bride, this hour-long musical tells the tale of a young farm hand who dreams of more, longing to serve as a King's Cavalier who is aided in that quest by the almost-royal Viscountess Alanna (7 cousins would have to die first for her to become Queen).  Narrated by a Troubadour whose cleverly constructed musical musings provide the story exposition in the beginning as well as scene breaks while the cast sets up the next location from the various set pieces on the stage, this enchanting tale of reaching for your dreams during the Age of Adventure (ie" Fantasy) is greatly enhanced by the talents of Dan Amerman as the farm hand Gideon, the incredibly magnificent stage presence and voice of Maggie Ek as Alanna, Viscountess of Cembria, and the ever-present and ready-for-commentary Ember Everett as the Troubadour who reminds us at the end to "dare to be more" than we think we can be and that living your life with valor should always be more important than whatever status into which you were born.

And let's not forget the glorious Blundersnorp whose appearance near the end engulfs the stage in a light show guaranteed to hold the rapt attention of even the most-jaded audience member!

Catchy tunes by Michael Gordon Shapiro and a clean-cut dialogue create a musical appropriate for all fantasy lovers regardless of age. Inventive staging on the small playing area, brilliantly lit and creatively directed to allow for multiple settings from near and far, as well as artistically created horse head puppets used to perfection by cast members which allow us to forget we are inside a theater and imagine the story playing out across the wilds of our imagination.

I originally saw this musical when it was done virtually with all the actors in their own homes. And I can tell you, there is quite an extraordinary difference seeing it done live onstage, especially since the audience has a chance to interact with the actors, encouraging them to even greater feats of creatively.

While I found the entire production very entertaining, early in the show the Troubadour released bits of multicolored paper into the air, which landed on the stage and remained there through the entire show. I kept wondering if someone, ie: the farm hand, simply forgot to sweep them up (since he just had a broom in his hands) and worried that a cast might might trip on them and slide down to an injury during the show. I watched during the next scene break and there was time to sweep everything up, and I encourage the director to consider that addition to the choreography so as not to distract other viewers from focusing on the story rather than the scattered pieces of colorful paper resting on the stage floor.

Much like the rags to riches story of The Princess Bride, this hour-long musical tells the tale of a young farm hand who dreams of more, longing to serve as a King's Cavalier who is aided in that quest by the almost-royal Viscountess Alanna (7 cousins would have to die first for her to become Queen).Narrated by a Troubadour whose cleverly constructed musical musings provide the story exposition in the beginning as well as scene breaks while the cast sets up the next location from the various set pieces on the stage, this enchanting tale of reaching for your dreams during the Age of Adventure (ie" Fantasy) is greatly enhanced by the talents of Dan Amerman as the farm hand Gideon, the incredibly magnificent stage presence and voice of Maggie Ek as Alanna, Viscountess of Cembria, and the ever-present and ready-for-commentary Ember Everett as the Troubadour who reminds us at the end to "dare to be more" than we think we can be and that living your life with valor should always be more important than whatever status into which you were born.

I originally saw this musical when it was done virtually with all the actors in their own homes. And I can tell you, there is quite an extraordinary difference seeing it done live onstage, especially since the audience has a chance to interact with the actors, encouraging them to even greater feats of creatively.

This is one of the best, most professionally done Hollywood Fringe shows I’ve seen. The production design is so visually creative, that it rivals what you’d see Off-Broadway. The acting is topnotch and engaging; the direction makes elegant use of the small space to give a sense of expanse terrain; and the writing is quick-witted, with clever double entendres that both entertain adults and amuse children. Like a Pixar movie this show’s story is family-friendly without talking down to the audience. And it has a great overall message.

What I particularly like about this show is that each aspect of the show (story, writing, direction, acting, production design) uses out-of-the-box ideas to bring the story to life. But I think my favorite thing is when the monster (the Blundersnorp) finally makes its appearance. That was an unexpected delight. Along those same lines, I like the interesting use of props to stage different aspects of the story that might have initially seemed undoable in live theatre.

Honestly, I can’t think of anything that needs improvement. The show could possibly benefit from a larger stage, but really, they did a great job with what they had.

Traditionally live theatre is a wonderful (and important) place for social commentary and to bring injustice and pain to light. But sometimes it's just nice to indulge in a fun, comedic fantasy. If you're ready to be thoroughly entertained, go see "Gideon and the Blundersnorp."