Review Fix Fresh Fruit Festival Coverage: Ingrid Oslund Talks Red and the Wolf 

Review Fix chats with Ingrid Oslund, who discusses the production at this year’s Fresh Fruit Festival in New York City, detailing the creative process and letting us know what to expect.

About Red and the Wolf:


Part of a night of Three one-act plays about bridging gulfs–gulfs between people, and within them.

July 18 at 6:30 pm, July 21 at 7 pm   The 2018 Fresh Fruit Festival MainStage

Our 16th Season at The Wild Project, 195 East 3rd Street

A kinky encounter between strangers makes both women question who is predator and who is prey.

Review Fix: What was the inspiration for this project?

Ingrid Oslund: I have always been fascinated with the story of Little Red Riding Hood. I had a children’s book growing up that ended with the Wolf on a leash held by Red, so I had always interpreted the story as empowered girlhood versus any other reading that I had heard later in my life. I was also inspired by my more masculine presenting female friends who are trying to have an acting career with such limited roles available to them. Finally, it is so rare to see lesbian sexual relationships portrayed well onstage. It is not a subject that is touched all that often in blunt, realistic ways and I simply do not think this lack of representation is acceptable. It was a combination these three ideas that spawned first the short play and the concept for an upcoming full length piece.

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?

Oslund: For me, as both a playwright and a director, it all usually starts with a movement or an image that I want to create within a story that inspires me. I write a lot of work based on historical context or adaptation and movement is usually my way in. Once that action is determined  I craft a script, work out the kinks with a trusted group of actors I have in Boston, make changes and alterations based on them. For example, Sara Kerr, who plays the Wolf, has been part of this development process since the beginning and changes were made based on who she was and what she could bring to the table. A huge passion of mine is making theater for who is in the room that can then live on to give opportunities to other people in the communities I care about.

Review Fix: What makes this different or special?

Oslund: This show is different because it is a complex and nuanced piece that combines kink, communication and sex between two women. It uses stereotypes in order to subvert them and combines suspenseful dialogue with dark humor.

Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself through this process?

Oslund: This show has helped me understand that my work and viewpoint as a queer woman is valuable. While I have always felt comfortable writing about elements of myself and my sexuality, this script was vulnerable for me. Throughout this process, I have found that others are searching for the same representation I am. I am not always fighting against a system. Sometimes, I have allies.

Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this production and for the future?

Oslund: This is an excerpt of a full length production that is deep into development entitled Red and the Wolf; A Lesbian Werewolf Revenge Tale. I hope that this show can find an audience and a producer, as I am so excited about the content. I am lucky enough to direct, choreograph and write full time, so I want to continue doing that, expanding my reach to new theater goers and new cities.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Oslund: I have a new commission based on the life of Vera Nabokov that I will continue to develop along with Red and the Wolf. I will be directing Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead in Arlington, MA November-December and explore opportunities available through the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Observership Class of 2018/2019.

mm
About Patrick Hickey Jr. 14262 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*