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News stories

Tekbug:
TV with fringe on top

April 5, 2002

Luckily for us, "The Magnificent Welles" had caught the attention of StageDirect, a Portland–based company (with strong Seattle ties) that packages fringe theater for VHS and DVD distribution. Not only could we still catch the play, but we’d also see clearer, closer views of the performance than we would from the audience. Read more »

Playbill.com:
StageDirect Captures Regional Fringe Work on Video

March 14, 2002

StageDirect Captures Regional Fringe Work on Video. Bringing theatre to people's living rooms is the goal of StageDirect, a new company dedicated to preserving fringe and small-theatre productions on videotape. Read more »

The Portland Tribune:
Play-Full Firm Finds Disc's Fringe Benefits

February 20, 2002

While production titans like Wayne Paige and Bruce Sturgill tout the advantages of DVDs to businesses, Gary Cole sees DVDs heading for the fringe. Fringe theater, that is. Read more »

The Columbian:
Fringe Vision

February 20, 2002

Gary Cole hopes to make the intimacy of fringe theater even more cozy with his new video production company that brings obscure stage shows to home screen. Read more »

Press releases

The Magnificent Welles Chronicles the Hollywood Rise and Demise of Cinematic Genius Orson Welles

April 5, 2002

Written and performed by Marcus Wolland, The Magnificent Welles depicts the young director in the spring of 1942 as he struggles-long distance from Brazil-for control of The Magnificent Ambersons, his film following Citizen Kane. In his absence, The Magnificent Ambersons was chopped from 132 to 88 minutes and given a saccharine ending, rendering the masterpiece a flop and signaling the decline of Welles' career as a Hollywood director. Read more »

StageDirect resorts to using "F" word in ad

April 5, 2002

In a bald-faced attempt to sell more videos, StageDirect is brandishing the "F" word in a new ad in the April 11, Chicago edition of The Onion. The ad relies on the four-letter carnal declaration to differentiate StageDirect titles from Hollywood fodder. "It's a more colloquial way of saying 'wow'," explains StageDirect's advertising consultant John Heitkemper. See the full ad »

Fairy God Phallus Frolics With Fuckdog In New Stagedirect Video

March 12, 2002

Poona the Fuckdog grapples with American mores under the guise of childhood fairytales. It's nothing short of a State of The Union address given by the likes of a magical singing penis and a space alien named Cunt. Read more »

Stagedirect to Shoot Lost Eden, An Evening With Orson Welles February 15 Through 23 at Seattle's Odd Duck Studio

January 31, 2002

StageDirect - America's leading producer of fringe theater on video - has arranged to shoot Lost Eden at Seattle's Odd Duck Studio February 15 through 23. Written and performed by Marcus Wolland, the one-man show depicts Orson Welles in the spring of 1942 as he struggles - long distance from Brazil - for editorial control of The Magnificent Ambersons (the Welles film following Citizen Kane). Read more »

Stagedirect Captures Chicago's Neo-Futurists in The Act Of Killing Comedy

January 16, 2002

StageDirect - America's leading producer of fringe theater on video - has caught The Neo-Futurists in the act of killing comedy. The new video, Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious, puts the final nail in the coffin of comedy with a learned and loutish analysis of why things are funny. Read more »

Stagedirect inks Deal With Roomster to Deliver Fringe Theater Video On-Demand to Hotels Nationwide

January 16, 2002

StageDirect has signed an agreement with Portland-based Roomster, inc. to offer its titles to hotel guests across America. Roomster's new video-on-demand system uses digital files rather than videocassettes, giving hotel guests greater selection and viewing flexibility. Read more »

Stagedirect Presents The Haint

October 15, 2001

StageDirect, America's leading producer of fringe theater videos, is bringing The Haint to Portland this November for six late-night showings. The one-man Southern Gothic tour-de-force will appear at CoHo Productions' new 90-seat theater in Northwest Portland. Read more »