I have been having on the Fringe prowl and when you ask, you shall receive. Luke Tudball and Heather Bagnall are the power couple behind Tasty Monster Productions who are presenting their show, Space Pirate Puppy Musical, in the Orlando Fringe. The Orlando Fringe is “longest running Fringe Festival in the United States” celebrating 25 years this year. Heather and Luke share about their partnership and their experience in this month’s festival. 
Malini: How did you two meet and where does Tasty Monster Productions come into the mix?
Heather: I was working overseas with Disney Cruise Line. Luke, who is British was working in the DC metro area. I was scheduled to direct a show for the Hope Operas, an area non-profit fundraising event in DC, but as I was under contract until the start of rehearsal, my playwright, who was also starring in the show, cast the play for me so we could start rehearsal as soon as I was land bound again. The show was set in London. I didn’t even know Luke was British until the second rehearsal. I just thought he was really well prepared. I don’t actually know how we got together. Luke and I were joking around on Facebook and I realized he was actually asking me out so I immediately became as awkward as humanly possible having just ended a rather unfortunate series of bad relationships. But months later, he wouldn’t stop coming around despite my best efforts to resist and dissuade him; he was like a dating ninja! So I thought maybe I should just stop resisting and let myself be happy. Tasty Monster Productions was the brain child of years of longing and the desire to take control of our career paths. There was also a late night and a very large bottle of wine involved. I was already in the process of adapting the SINGLEMARRIEDGIRL blog into a stage show, Luke was working steadily in DC but really wanted to do more directing and transition into producing so we decided to put SINGLEMARRIEDGIRL under the auspices of Tasty Monster Productions. Luke also had a show in mind already; a lesser-known musical ‘Personals’ from the talents behind ‘Friends’ and as we talked about it, we discovered we were quite like-minded in our views and missions for theatre collaboration, new and re-imagined works, and using theatre as a catalyst for social change. It’s been the driving force behind everything we do. Collaborating with seasoned as well as emerging artists and trying to raise the bar and stretch the limits of solo and small ensemble theatre. Thinking creatively to create meaningful theatre with high production values on a small budget and celebrating the transformative nature of theatre.
Malini: What is the lure of producing and performing in a festival? How are they different?
Luke: There’s an immediacy and vibrancy in fringe theatre that is not always apparent in more mainstream productions. As an artist you have to be very adaptable and creative, finding instant solutions and exciting new ways to deliver your shows to a hungry audience. There’s a thrill in the challenges that festivals bring and an amazing exhilaration too.
Heather: Festivals are also a great proving ground for new work. You always have to bring your best work, no matter what the forum but festival audiences are greater risk takers-they are willing to go out on a limb and attempt a show they might not otherwise try. It’s a great way to discover who your audience actually is, before you try and move a piece to a theatre. You get to know exactly what resonates, what lands and doesn’t and you get to discover things you might not or think more creatively than you might in a more conventional venue. When you only have five minutes to create and five minutes to dismantle the world in which your piece takes place, you figure out quickly how best to create that world.
Malini: What’s next for you?
Luke: There’s always something in the pipeline for Tasty Monster and we have lots of projects in development. First and foremost, Heather and I are going to be working with some great young people as part of the Creative Summer Camp in Bethesda, MD during June and July. Later in the year we are presenting our first two original shows, Ferdinand and SINGLEMARRIEDGIRL, in the Catskills, and are also going to be publishing those plays. As well as that we are already working on our next original piece – so watch this space!
Heather: We’ve also been working with New York playwright Melissa Bell on her new show ‘Love, Sex, Anarchy‘ and we’re looking for the right opportunity to mount a full production as well as working on a New York run of Space Pirate Puppy Musical. As there’s just the two of us (though most people don’t realize it’s just us so mum’s the word) it takes a little time for each project. I’ve got a list of writing projects which constantly compete for my attention so I can’t say which will come first but I’ll admit, this election season has been pushing up some deadlines for me.
VISIT:
www.tastymonsterproductions.com
@TastyMonster
www.facebook.com/tastymonster
Orlando Fringe runs from May 18th – 30th. Click HERE for a schedule of shows.