Southwest High Students in Fringe Festival Productions

Two productions in this year's Minnesota Fringe Festival are chock-full of Southwest High School alumni, according to parents affiliated with the school's music program.

The musical "No Catharsis" is not only directed by Matilde Mouw, class of 2008, but it also stars Mouw's classmates Sarah Parker and Sean Phillips. The musical's Fringe page describes the show as "a tale of video blogging despite well-meaning roommates" full of original music and "warped humor." Audience reviews posted on the page praise for the show.

"Two days later I am wandering my house, rocking out to songs from this show that are delightfully stuck in my head," wrote one. "This show will make you think about a lot of things; our relationships with the internet, feminism, old greek people, why you were chosen to represent the trash bin, but most of all it will charm you to your toes."

Ben Tracy, Southwest High School class of 2012, is performing in "Teenage Misery: a Horror Musical." The dark comedy is described as a collision of classic horror movies, celebrity culture, and teenage angst.

"Its a vibrant and refreshing twist on teenage obsession of fame and the extreme lengths (however horrible) our youth will go to meet their current idle," one audience reviewer wrote, describing the show.

Both productions opened last weekend, and run through next weekend at various venues around Minneapolis and St. Paul.

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