Back in early 2021, longtime Fringe favorite Chase Padgett was living in Vancouver, recovering from pre-vaccine COVID, and working a pandemic job as a theatrical videographer, which makes for a triple feature of suck. In the midst of all that he faced a family health crisis, and was then invited to appear on a FOX’s
Alter Ego reality competition (think
The Masked Singer with motion capture), upending his life for three entire seasons.
Between caring for his Trump-entranced mother, and getting ready for his broadcast television closeup, Padgett appears poised on the verge of either stardom, or disaster. The disconnect between the cynical thought-crimes FOX News committed against his mother’s psyche, and the opportunity its sibling network afforded him becomes a recipe for a musical mental meltdown. His original guitar score ranges from bluesy rock and ballads, to a recurring
Hamilton-sque patter rap, and is a pleasure to listen to in every musical mode.
Threading together the three timelines of his tale as effortlessly as he strums his guitar strings, Padgett can make you double over with laughter, by setting to song his screen debut’s most vitriolic review; or with tears, as he struggles to repair his maternal relationship and subdue his own impostor syndrome. Chase’s on-air appearance may not have paid off in fame or fortune, but he made his mama bear proud, and gathered material for this first-rate solo show, so it wasn’t a total loss. Thank god live theater is back, so the Fringe circuit doesn’t have to lose legends like him to Hollywood.
Tickets and show info: Lucky Break
