FANTASTIC FIVE

Five local artists to watch By Patrick Sullivan GO AHEAD--just try it. Try to nail down the five visual artists, actors, musicians, and other local creative types with the biggest potential to make a startling success out of their budding careers. You'd have better luck playing the lottery. Creativity, after all, is everywhere in Sonoma County. There are those who strive for the big time, hoping to make it into the pages of Rolling Stone, or at least ARTNews. And there are others who aim for nothing more and nothing less than to simply enrich our community's cultural life with their artistic efforts. But all excuses and explanations aside, there are some folks on the crowded local scene who seem to exude potential, to sweat it from their pores, to pour it out onto the canvas and the stage. And while recognizing true talent is a treacherous task, leaving it unmarked is worse. Therefore, below you'll find our list of five local artists to watch out for in the first five years of the next millennium. You've already met them in the pages of the Independent, but we think they deserve a fresh look. If you want our advice, don't take your eyes off these folks, because they're on the move. Brian Bryson Actor/Playwright FOR ACTOR-playwright Bryan Bryson, the wood of the stage is proving to be a springboard to success. The 30-year-old Santa Rosa resident has long maintained a fruitful relationship with Actors' Theater, playing lead roles in such plays as Arcadia. But last January saw his career reach a point of departure with the successful debut of his solo theaterwork, Romance: A One-Man Show, in AT's Bare Stage Series. A philosophical comedy, Romance details the exploits of the brass-balled Mr. Billman, president of a video dating service, who sends a zealous matchmaker to spark amour between a Zen-head drug addict and an ex-erotic dancer. Bryson not only wrote the play, but also played all the parts, integrating video monitors and a bit of cross-dressing to deliver an exciting performance that provoked rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. Now the actor is taking his show on the road. He'll be restaging Romance at next month's San Francisco Fringe Festival. So what's the secret to his success? "I'm allergic to lawn furniture. Since I was a kid I'd break out into a rash--I can't be around the stuff," quips the irreverent Bryson. "I've got a thumb on my right foot." But seriously, folks. "Some people like to do crossword puzzles and go skiing--I like to do theater," Bryson finally admits. Romance premieres at the San Francisco Fringe Festival on Sept. 9 at 10 p.m. at Il Teatro 450, 449 Powell St. For details, call 415/433-1172. Original LINK