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Digital Press Kit
PRESS RELEASE
1 MAN WITH 4 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS TELLING SATIRICAL STORIES
Gather around as The Pale Gypsy shares truly incredible stories from his Book of Tall Tales!
Full of oddball characters and humor, and accompanied by a classic-rock inspired original music score, The Pale Gypsy's Traveling Musical Revue takes the audience on a journey that will bring them on a ride-along with some benevolent buccaneers, explore the mysteries of love, and uncover the secrets of a hidden forest. It's 60 minutes of storytelling in its age-old tradition created for a modern audience, and is (hopefully) the cool glass of water everyone could use right now!
“The Pale Gypsy” is a semi-fictional persona that the show's creator, Chris Murphy, uses to present the wide variety of stories, subjects, and music that comprise his Traveling Revue. Although this is his Fringe debut, Chris is no stranger to writing and performing. A member of SAG/AFTRA for almost twenty years, he found early success in the San Francisco Bay Area getting roles in independent films, and voice acting for both Sony Playstation and Xbox gaming platforms. However, prioritizing parenting above all, Chris stepped away from the demands of auditioning to focus on being a decent father to his incredible son, which still allowed him to express himself creatively while he honed his skills writing and producing everything from original music to sketch comedy.
His son grown and out of state, Chris has recently been living in Northern California where he has continued to write, produce, direct, and perform while working with local arts and educational organizations serving as a member of various boards of directors and committees, all concerned with expanding arts education. Chris is most proud of the work he has done throughout Butte County as a Trauma Informed Teaching Artist working in under-served, rural communities, and with at-risk youth.
However, the impact of COVID has shifted his trajectory once again. Sitting in isolation, watching the world unravel, the creative voice within him spurned Chris to action. His response is the Traveling Musical Revue. With it, he hopes to bring a positive, direct, communal experience to folks through laughter and music. Although it is full of some of the goofiest material he's ever produced, Chris believes it's just what the doctor ordered! Like he tells his students, “What we do on stage gives the audience something important, even if it's through the dumbest slapstick comedy ever made!”
(NOTE: Material is intended for a mature-ish audience. Recommended 16+)
INTERVIEW FOR ARTS BEAT L.A. BY KURT GARDNER
Fringe Performer Chris Murphy Talks About ‘The Pale Gypsy’
A new arrival in Los Angeles, Chris Murphy is making his debut at the Fringe with this solo show.
Making its premiere at the Hollywood Fringe tomorrow is Chris Murphy’s solo show, The Pale Gypsy’s Traveling Musical Revue. He describes it as a balm for the troubled soul after all the shit we’ve been through over the past few years. ArtsBeat LA reached out to him to get some more details about the intriguing Pale Gypsy.
Tell us about the origins of this piece.
The Traveling Musical Revue is the result of my desire as a writer to create a variety show that has a strong musical component, and has humor based on satire and absurdity, combined with my desire to challenge myself to create a “full show” type of experience as a one man act.
What do you hope audiences will get out of seeing the show?
I suppose if I had to boil it down to one thing, I hope that each member of the audience engages with their imagination to the degree that they become part of the storytelling, much like the experience of reading a novel, or listening to a radio show. The power of a good narrative to whisk people away to exciting places as their imaginations fill in what the scene and characters look like, etc, has this incredible affect that leaves us with a refreshed, grounded feeling. That’s what I would like for my audience.
You’ve mentioned that this is a mixture of basic techniques and simple technology. Can you elaborate?
It’s techniques and technology that I’ve observed other solo performers employ, specifically the use of a looper pedal used by the acoustic singer/songwriter type. Then, I saw a guy who was doing that, but he put his guitar down and started singing karaoke style.
So, that sort of gave me permission in my own mind to explore looping live instruments and using pre-recored tracks. So, it’s still really basic stuff, simple looper pedals and an obsolete ipod, just organized in a way that allows me to take on that challenge of creating a full experience for an audience.
What does the Pale Gypsy represent?
The character of the Pale Gypsy represents the spirit of traveling an open road, with all of the freedom and emergent adventure attached, as well as a positive, do-it-yourself attitude.
What’s your background? Are you primarily a musician, a performance artist or a hybrid?
I would definitely have to say a hybrid. As a kid, if anyone had a video camera, we would want to make a video and I was in drama on and off, so the writing and performing came easy enough. The interest and effort in music has always been equal, but my chops have not been! It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to a point where I think my music is stage-worthy.
Press Kit/Traveling Musical Revue: News
Press Kit/Traveling Musical Revue: Pro Gallery
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