“We keep finding new ways to add complexity to parts of the show. Every time we finish a run of shows, thinking that it’s exactly what it needs to be, we then turn around and realize that we could add an entirely new dimension to what we had.”
Responder: James Glasgow, Owner/Composer/Cellist
Name of Company: Strange Fangs Song Factory
Name of Show: Do You See What I Hear?
- Why should people see your show?
We’ve combined music, spoken word, and visuals together in some unconventional ways. It’s all very experimental, and it definitely increases the power of the poetry. If you like music, poetry, writing, language, philosophy, or math, or just unorthodox approaches to art in general, you should come check it out.
- What about festivals intrigues you? Any why the Atlanta Fringe?
Fringe Festivals in general are an amazing place for us to bring this work which probably wouldn’t fit into a more mainstream program. Atlanta Fringe is particularly great because it isn’t limited to solely musical theatre or dance, for example, which some Fringe Festivals are. The fact that this is a festival which can host the stuff we do is fantastic!
- What inspired you to create this?
Mario, the poet in our duo, was inspired by the idea of blurring the boundary between ancient mythology and contemporary messaging. Originally, we had a piece that took its inspiration from the myth of Icarus, and the newest section of our performance is called “Prometheus in Manhattan.” When Mario brings me his poetry in order for me to start composing a new piece, it always strikes me as a fascinating way to look at what I’d consider modern themes and challenges, in the sense that so many of them are actually timeless.
[Above – a sample from Do You See What I Hear?, recorded live]
- This year ain’t normal and there’s no sense pretending it is. How has Covid affected what you’re doing for this festival?
When the pandemic started, we had to cancel all of our shows and tour plans, and that means that Atlanta Fringe is our first festival performance since Covid started! We’re beyond excited to get back at it. Mario was one of those few impressive people who actually used their time in lockdown to create new work, and wrote an entire new book of poetry, some of which is featured in this upcoming show. As for myself, I managed to get out of bed most days.
- What have you learned from working on your show so far?
For myself, I’ve learned to let Mario push me out of my comfort zone creatively, which is what got me to start using techniques from writing math proofs in college as starting points for my compositions. When we first met, I wrote accompanying pieces for the poetry using a string quartet. Compare that to where we are now, for example, I’m writing music based on fractal formulas, using a drum machine attached to my electric cello with Velcro, all running into a 4 track looper and guitar pedal board, which is also generating live video content. It’s nuts. We keep finding new ways to add complexity to parts of the show. Every time we finish a run of shows, thinking that it’s exactly what it needs to be, we then turn around and realize that we could add an entirely new dimension to what we had. Then we take the time to work it in, and it gives a new layer of meaning and engagement to the production.
- There’s a mysterious stranger in the back row of your show, wearing a big ol’ N95 mask and a baseball cap and there’s something weirdly familiar about them, and then they come up afterwards to tell you they loved your show. In your WILDEST DREAMS, who is this mysterious stranger? (Bonus points if your mysterious stranger is an Atlanta celeb.)
Mario’s answer is Philip Glass, as he’s a composer who has done this sort of thing (albeit differently) in the past. I would love that as well, but I’m also really hoping it’s Donald Glover.
[We are now imagining a Childish Gambino track that samples Philip Glass’s Metamorphosis Part IV, or the intro to Les but it’s repeated over and over again with slight variations for like 7 minutes.]
- Fringes are the place to really push the boundaries so we gotta ask: are you inviting your family to this show are “Hey, maybe sit this one out you guys…”
Our families have all been given fair warning as to what to expect! No one’s breathing fire naked onstage this time, but it’s also not the 8th grade orchestra recital.
- We’ve asked this question every year for the past ten years or so but it hits different this year: Will your show change the world?
Probably not in a political sense, no. But Mario points out that there is a lot to be said for looking at the evolution and power of words, and the impact they have on current and future events. We’re trying to step back and look at words and sounds from a different perspective, and I think there’s merit to that mentality in the larger scale of things.
- Zoom meetings: dress up head to toe or Donald Duck it?
I tried the Donald Duck move once, early pandemic. I thought it would be a great secret power play for some important contract negotiations, but apparently I don’t have the nerves for that type of high roller action. I just spent the whole meeting panicki
- We’re making an excellent Fringey Feelings playlist. Describe your show in two or three songs we can add to keep the jams flowing.
These don’t sound anything like our show, but they sound like our vibes coming into this festival:
First festival post-pandemic, woo!: Anthony Kiedis by Remi Wolf
Words are fun: Accordion by Madvillain, Madlib & MF DOOM
let’s go let’s go let’s go let’s go: Tom Tom by Holy F***
Sounds incredible, right? Gonna need to nab those tickets, right? Click here to reserve your seats today!
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