'Real Housewives of South Philly' at Ursinus Fringe

The 12^th annual Ursinus Fringe Festival took place from Sept. 21-24. This much-loved event, held at , featured faculty, students, and professional theater companies that had recently appeared in the Philly Fringe Festival. All performances were free and open to the public. Most took place at the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center on campus.

This year’s lineup included Neill Hartley’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the Tongue & Groove Spontaneous Theater, and the Perform Fringe Cabaret (featuring students, faculty, and staff). I had the pleasure of attending the Friday night performance of the Real Housewives of South Philly Jump the Shark. This was performed by the Philadelphia’s Waitstaff Sketch Comedy Troupe and took place in the Kaleidoscope’s Black Box Studio Theater.

Directed by Ursinus theater professor, Domenick Scudera, this production included just five cast members (including Scudera himself). Scudera came out to introduce the show, explaining how the concept of “Jump the Shark” originated with Fonzie on Happy Days.  A “Real Housewives” sketch began the show, which included three women sitting on the street, gossiping and yelling at their neighbors in their stereotypical South Philly accents. Sara Carano, Sharon Geller, and Gerre Garrett (the “Duchess”) played the parts to a “T.”  The show comes full circle when it ends with this setting as well.

In between, Carano, Geller and Garrett, as well as Scudera and Chris McGovern, had the audience in stitches. Some sketches came off better than others, but all were creative. Of course, this being a sketch comedy show, Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin were bound to make an appearance.

The Philadelphia sports fan was also made fun of quite a bit with the sketches “Phillies Thrill Pills,” “Fantasy Baseball,” and “Perfect World.”  The funniest was the latter, when Scudera and McGovern got one wish from a magic lamp. They, of course, wished that the Eagles would finally win a Super Bowl. When they did, they were not happy with the “way” it was won. Waitstaff, are you trying to say that Philly sports fans always find something to complain about?

In “Duchess’ Dream”, Garrett had a Twilight Zone fantasy involving McGovern. The Duchess found herself in a nightmare TV Land world, where she became some of the most famous “real housewives,” from June Cleaver to Edith Bunker to Lucy. 

The Waitstaff Comedy Troupe is perfect for a Fringe Festival as they are not for everyone.  Most people were laughing around me, but some were not.  Fringe acts are usually not your “typical” theater.  To me, I would rather watch Carano, Garrett, Geller, McGovern, and Scudera than the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills anyday.