Rhubarb the Bear: Maximum fuR&B
Created by Ned Wilkinson
and Directed by Chris Leavy
Rhubarb The Bear: Maximum fuR&B is a mixture of his own songs and covers, accompanying himself on guitar and piano (and an occasional track cued by the A/V staff) while engaging the audience and taking requests and telling pointed truths about show business, performance, and the relationship between artist and audience.
It is an honor to appear in my hometown’s inaugural Fringe and perform the show awarded Orlando Fringe’s “Best Kids Fringe 2013” despite maybe only one kid showing up to see it. It’s really for the kid in all of us.
There are more dignified ways to make a living than playing in an animatronic band at Chuck E. Cheese or being a spokesperson for toilet paper. I’m not sure I’ve identified those ways, but I’ll keep trying.
Rhubarb the bear
Rhubarb’s Bio
Born into show business – his father was a famous circus acrobat and his mother helped out in the chow wagon – Rhubarb learned to play his dad’s guitar while still a young cub. He was discovered while playing piano and drawing a crowd (and creating a fire hazard, oops) in a Chicago hotel hallway; he was offered his own show in Dallas and the offers have been rolling in ever since. He now performs his special blend of music and humor at conventions both in the states and abroad, and the occasional theater festival if they’re specifically looking for one-hour one-acts.
The DOTS Fringe is not the first time, he has appeared in Springfield, MO. In fact, Rhubarb once did a warmup set for Ned Wilkinson’s SCT cabaret! Welcome back Rhubarb!
Rhubarb’s Team
Rhubarb’s manager (who Rhubarb prefers to remain nameless!) is the creator of several original musicals including Dawg Pound Blues, Little Vegas, Julie Bunny Must Die, and Fosgate: Ferret Loan Officer which all received either staged readings or full productions at Springfield Contemporary Theatre during its Vandivort years. His solo show Firing My Bass Teacher premiered at Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s Pershing St. location. (Also, the very first reading of Julie Bunny Must Die was presented by a select cast of Gretchen Teague’s senior class of 2010 at Central High School. Can’t forget that!)
At Springfield Little Theatre at the Landers, Ned Wilkinson (Oops! Sorry Rhubarb!) did orchestrations for A Century Of Song, provided music direction for Tommy, and appeared as Jackson in Pump Boys and Dinettes.
