Friend a Day – Amy Rummenie

Photo by Walking Shadow Theatre Company

With the Fringe Festival approaching, it seems appropriate to focus on a few Fringe friends for the next few days.

I met Amy when she was asked to step in and help direct my fringe show “Story Time: Time Bomb.”  I didn’t know her and she didn’t know me.  I just knew we needed a director.

It was a great learning experience for both of us.  I’d never done a “kids” show and she’d never directed a show that was mostly improv.  The result was a tight show that was, I thought, a lot of fun.

For all the work I do in theatre, I’m not a very good director.  Amy is a great director and her skills have not gone unnoticed in the Twin Cities theatre community.  I’m glad I got to work with her before everyone else found out.

Amy always has a big smile on her face.  I must assume she is always smiling because she is always enjoying herself.  From that experience with her as a director, I think it is also because she is getting to do what she loves with her life.  It’s hard to be bitter about that.

I’ll note she isn’t smiling in the picture above.  But when you are posing with a Batleth, you should at least try to look serious.

She is co-artisitic director of Walking Shadow Theatre Company and if you haven’t heard of them, you should take the time to learn.  They are producing some of the best original (and adapted) work in the Twin Cities.

In getting ready to work with Amy on a show in the spring, I like how excited she is by every idea.  She makes a great collaborator and it makes me want to write something worthy of her excitement.

The Fringe has been a gateway for me to a lot of truly talented Twin Cities artists.  Amy is one of those people and I’m very happy this wacky theatre festival brought us together.