FringeNYC 2013: Death and McCootie

A film noir-style farce that goes a little haywire when Edgar P. McCootie, P.I. matches (a lack of) wits with the Grim Reaper in a desperate bid to escape his own death.

Official production website
Show details/ticketing at FringeNYC

Venue: Connelly Theater, 220 East 4th Street

Review by Heather McAllister · August 9, 2013

Death and McCootie, by Clayton Smith, Percy Rodriguez and Johnny Pruitt, is a light and frothy film noir spoof set in 1940’s Chicago. McCootie, a dim yet verbose PI, is visited by a show tune belting Death, come for his soul. Unless McCootie can win a bet with Death, solving the mystery of who is murdering Chicago’s Private Eyes, it’s eternal damnation for him, and along with his eternal soul, Death will take McCootie’s office. Fresh faced girl reporter, Agnes Brown is on the case, mumbling and bumbling cops interfere, kooky sexy dames abound, and they’re off.

Similar in format to an old time melodrama, with fourth wall breaking and winks to the audience aplenty, this play is fresh and filled with memorable and likeable characters. Director Michelle Bossy sets a nice quick pace; original music by Aaron Di Piazza helps with the mood.

McCootie, the hard boiled, monologue loving detective played by author Johnny Pruitt, leads the cast with a firm deadpan handle on the spoofy style. Death, author Percy Rodriguez, is by turns mincing and menacing as he teams with McCootie. His gambling problem adds a nice comic touch and the two work nicely together.

But the stars of this piece are the women. Girl reporter Agnes, played by the lovely Hollis Scarborough, is a great “straight man” to the kooks around her, with impeccable timing. Heather Corrigan does a wonderful job with her multiple characters, from exotic vamp, to ditzy blonde, to newsboy she shines. The adorable Kathy Searle as Miss Secretary steals the show. Strong, unpredictable and cute as can be, she turns the archtype of the unsexy secretary on it’s end. She is delightful.

Although there were some diction troubles, especially in the last scene, they were overcome by the earnest good nature of the production, and I’m sure these issues will be resolved as they settle into their run.

Preview: Interviews with Artists from Death and McCootie

We're asking artists from each show to answer questions about themselves and their work to help our readers get a detailed advance picture of the festival:

Journey to FringeNYC · Johnny (Other)

What are some of your previous theater credits? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
I grew up doing summer stock theatre in Sullivan, Illinois at The Little Theatre on the Square. So pretty much covered all the usual suspects. In New York Ive done "Dead Man Walking"(NYCO), Okay(EST) and A Hard Wall at High Speed(APAC) to name a few.
If this is your first appearance in FringeNYC -- why did you want to be part of this festival? If you have appeared in FringeNYC before, tell us what show(s) you have done here previously. What about your prior experience led you back to this festival?
I did a Fringe show "You Again" a few years ago about a high school that was cloning students in the basement. It was a lot of fun and I had a great experience. On this show, I'm a lead producer and actor so its a different experience. We looked into the Fringe because its such a fantastic way to get new work produced.
Have you seen a lot of fringe shows in the past, and what have you learned from them to help with this show?
Ive seen a few here and there, sure. I think the thing that's helped us to know what we want is experience. Our collective team of people have been working in New York theatre for a combined many years. So when you get the opportunity to produce your own show, you look back on all the prior experience and know what will work and what wont. Some things are trial and error and some things are sure fire.
What was the most memorable/funny/unusual thing that has happened during the development and rehearsal process for this show?
Well we're still in the development process of this show and probably will be until its over, ha. But one interesting and non conventional thing we've done is use Skype to get our writer into rehearsals and meetings. He lives in Chicago and can't be here for the whole process. So we just Skype him in. (And then mute him)
Which cartoon character would most like this show – Bugs Bunny, Marge Simpson, Charlie Brown, or Casper the Friendly Ghost?
Shaggy from Scoobie-Doo. Dude would love it!

All About My Show · percy rodriguez (Actor)

Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
has dames, death, and detectives (in a plot, that, more or less, makes complete sense... most of the time).
Tell us about the character or characters that you portray in this show.
I play Death in "Death and McCootie". He begins the show as the archetype of Death, what we expect. But as he discovers a friendship that he hasn't had for 600 years, he opens up, and we discover a whole new side of Death. He has lots of ticks, quirks, and even a lovable musical side.
What moment or section in this show do you really love to perform? Without giving away surprises, what happens in that moment and why do you love it?
I love the back and forth dialogue, the witty banter, and the overall style of this script. That's what initially piqued my interest in the early development of this script.
Which school or system of acting has been most useful to you in your career, and why (examples: The Method, Uta Hagen, Viewpoints, etc.)?
I would say I lean more towards Stanislavski and Chekhov than Strasburg. I've never really bought into the whole Method system. For me, I really like to play in the room. I can discover new moments that way, so having a relaxed and loose rehearsal experience is really beneficial for me as an actor.
What's your favorite pastime when you’re not working on a play?
Probably food and wine. i like to cook and love old world wines. and experiencing those things with my wife is just the best.

Read more All About My Show previews!

Gettin' Social · Clayton Smith (Writer)

Describe your show in a tweet (140 characters or less).
A mapcap film-noir farce that pits a poor halwit of a P.I. against Death himself as he tries to solve one last case to save his soul.
Do you think the audience will talk about your show for 5 minutes, an hour, or way into the wee hours of the night?
I honestly think the audience will talk about the show for days, trying to sort out all the clues and red herrings peppered throughout the script. This is the sort of mystery comedy you'll want to see twice, to pick up on the clues you missed the first time around.
If you're a New Yorker: why is FringeNYC an important part of the summer theater scene? If you're not a New Yorker: what are you most looking forward to doing and seeing (apart from the festival) while you're here?
I live in Chicago, and I can safely say that the thing I'm most looking forward to is a Nathan's hot dog. (Or...Gray's Papaya. I've never had a Gray's Papaya dog. I AM WRACKED WITH INDECISION!!! Please feel free to tweet me your meaty opinions @StateOfClayton.)
What was the last play or theater piece you saw that really excited you, and why?
Mary Zimmerman's The Arabian Nights. Zimmerman's shows are so intensely creative, and always, always, always full of surprises that just make you feel delighted. Plus, I'm a sucker for fairy tales and folk tales.
Writing is supposed to be a solitary pursuit, so what uses does a writer have for social media?
Oh, goodness. I don't agree that writing is necessarily supposed to be a solitary pursuit, and social media is great for both marketing your work and for spawning creativity. On Twitter, for example, every tweet has to be a micro-story; you have 140 characters to get across your succinct point while still being engaging or entertaining. It's a great creative exercise.

Read more Gettin' Social previews!

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