What? You've Got a One Woman Show?

"Rachel Teagle’s new apartment is haunted. And she wants to tell you all about it.

She has always had a secret, nerdy interest in the supernatural, and moving to Atlanta with its decaying mansions and ever-present graveyards was like hitting the spectral jackpot. In this world-premiere solo show, she delves into her own haunted history: from California’s Winchester Mystery House to the disappearing cemeteries in Savannah. In exploring and conquering her haunted apartment, built on a Union Army campsite, Rachel discovers urban legends, murder ballads, unexplained phenomena and tales passed down from the women in her family who see ghosts. Through her discovery of the ghost in her apartment, Rachel explores many aspects of the super natural, from the spirit knocking of late 19th century mediums to the modern day ineptitude of “Ghost Hunters” on late night television. These stories range from creepy to beautiful to ridiculous and are told through words, music, and dance.

“Rachel Teagle Believes in Ghosts” is a wry journey through the supernatural with detours into the unexplained, the frustrated, and the ridiculous. I moved away from Minneapolis this winter, and this show is a great excuse for me to come back to this vibrant and wonderful city during one of its most dynamic arts events, the Minnesota Fringe Festival. I just couldn’t stay away. I love the Fringe. It’s the best part of my summer. And after writing and directing in previous festivals, I’m finally jumping in with both feet and producing a solo show. This show is for the true believers and snarky skeptics alike, from those who read spooky stories under the covers with a flashlight to those who’ve accidentally caught an episode of “Ghost Hunters” on late night TV. The Civil War in many ways resurrected America’s interest in the supernatural and the majority of popular mediums were women. As a woman who comes from a long line of women with weird supernatural experiences, I was fascinated and repulsed by historic attitudes towards spiritually sensitive women and those with even a slight feminist bent will find things to think about in the show. While one needs not believe in ghosts to enjoy the show, anyone who has been relieved to learn they were not alone will connect to these stories from below the Mason-Dixon line and beyond the grave.

A storyteller and comedian, Rachel’s previous Fringe forays include “Orange: A Farce (about terrorism)” and directing last year’s successful solo show “A Cynic Tells Love Stories.” “Rachel Teagle Believes in Ghosts” marks her debut as a solo performer and a triumphant return to Minneapolis after leaving for ghost-infested Atlanta last winter."

(Why yes, I did just turn in the online forms for MN Fringe and cut and paste it into a blog post. Hello two birds, meet one stone.)