Chicago's Sweat Girls, an eight-woman group of writer-performers, are currently paying a visit to Gotham as part of the New York International Fringe Festival. The Girls have made their mark in the Windy City with such long-running shows as I'm Sweating Under my Breasts, Sweat Dream and Pigs at the Trough of Attention.
The current show offers highlights from these productions, as well as brand new work and some live improvisational routines. The monologues cover a broad range of topics, including suburban dumpsters, telephone technology, ex-boyfriends, mother, food obsessions and dating.
The group formed in 1993 as Pretzelrod Production. After the tremendous success of their first show, I'm Sweating Under my Breasts, which ran eight months, they changed their named to the Sweat Girls. They have since enjoyed a devoted following in Chicago, and have also played Detroit and San Francisco.
The Sweat Girls are performing at The Piano Store at 158 Ludlow St. Their remaining Fringe shows are: Aug. 25 at 5:45 PM; Aug. 28 at 3 PM; Aug. 29 at 11 PM. For information, call 1-888-FRINGENYC.
-- By Robert Simonson