HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT “PORTRAITS”
We want to thank Mother of Invention Productions for giving us this little peek a loo into what Joseph Conrad called, “the who I was, how it happened, what it did to me and why I’m still kicking, dark journey through the mind”
Go write a show about yourself , play yourself, direct yourself and do it with speed and “were not stopping for nobody” kinda pace. This was epic and sadly we were late and missed the first two parts with Renei S.. and Maggie Gallant.
Laurie Coker and Tish Brandt shared the stage for a segment that revealed the hearts of west texas artists with beauty and grace. They both told wonderful stories from thier youthful days when they planned to escape into this neck of the woods. Laurie painted a picture of life in Sherman Texas and bared some old wounds…explaining the long awaited trip to art school in the northeast which became a whirl wind round trip ticket for the sake of a fathers love. Tish Brandt was a hoot! Hell, she even pulled off her pants and danced around in tights. Tish took us to Sweetwater Texas and forced piano lessons by bored small towners with high standards for the sisters till one gets pg…. then only the sound of symbals and the national anthem. Lots of honesty coming out like what ya might hear at a funeral.
Jodi Jinks followed with just a tingle bell, feel good, move along, this was me, this was what it boiled down to, ”...just give me the baby carrage. you ass wipe!” All while on tour with the musical Titanic. This peice stood out as more polished than the rest or not as raw and new but it was honest and real none the less. I got to hear about places I’ll never see or do plus an audition gone bad that churns out the funny.
Levi Packer followed in what proved to be a most shocking tale of a young man from Brownwood Texas and his brutal but quite warranted condamnation of those dumbass people who try to perpetrate themselves as our friends. Levi does a costume change mid way that breaks all the rules of…I dont want to ruin the suprise. ( its a skin tight one piece to die for). Again I heard brutal honesty of the calibur you might only find in a NA meeting but with talent its just not so depressing.
Kathryn West brought forth an english alter ego who was perfect and haughty, greedy, careless, she showed the kind of love royalty must have for thier subjects and servants. When Kathryn returns she tells the chilling experience of her artstic stint in New York and what it was like to be outside, a mile from the towers, on that day. No slick memorized lines but a purging dramatic improv telling of these and other horrific events which formed the parameters her faithful spirit.
Go see it. You’ll get a return on part of your soul lost to endless hours of low level hums.
Japhy Fernandes….The Velvet Rut Theatre

Hey, thanks for all the nice comments everybody! We feel so loved.