Paper Soul
our beat is correct.
- Young-Howze Theatre Journal
Created by Motz (rhymes with boats) in 2013 for the MN Fringe, Paper Soul focuses on experimenting with the misconceptions and expectations of solo performance.
Paper Soul’s first production was BOXCUTTER HARMONICA, a solo show marketed as a two person play with only one person in it.
This was followed in the 2014 Fringe with REWIND-A-BUDDY (produced by Freshwater Theatre), where Motz, while performing live onstage, strived to have the audience believe they were watching a video tape.
DING DONG! SING SONG! in 2015 showed Motz as a podcast host telling vastly different stories than the uploaded videos of his singing telegram performances.
For THE JACKPOT HOUR WITH(OUT) JACK POWER in the 2016 Fringe, KNIFESLINGIN'! in the 2017 Fringe (produced by The Theatre Cosmic), and SOFT in the 2018 Fringe—all plays with two actors in them—Motz still considers them experiments with solo performance, for reasons he'd be happy to pontificate with enough beers in him at the bar later.
In 2014, Paper Soul produced a solo performance segment called DIG YOURSELF, featuring Motz' spoken word alter-ego, The Right Reverend Kavanaugh Thorner (who sets his stage upon a street corner), as part of the Freshwater Theatre anthology production ARCHIVAL REVIVAL. Rev. Thorner has appeared around town in the The Encyclopedia Show and at Freshwater Theatre's Night Swim. In 2018, Motz finally gave The Rt. Rev his own show, TEST YOUR TESTAMENT!, performing at Strike Theater and again through Fearless Comedy’s Fearless Presents.
Starting in 2017, Motz toured KNIFESLINGIN’! to QED Astoria, New York; the Central Michigan University Solo Performance Festival; New Orleans InFringe Fest, and the Cincy Fringe.
In 2021, Motz updated Rewind-A-Buddy to be livestreamed digitally for our new “Zoom-Age”, to be presented virtually for the Cincy & MN Fringes.
Productions
2023
NPC! (Non-Player Character)
2023 mn fringe
aug 5-13
2022
SOFT
SEP 15-24
PRESENTED BY FRESHWATER THEATRE
Paper Soul Presents Paper Soul
2022 mn fringe
aug 6-14
SOFT
2022 cincy fringe
Jun 4-11
2021
BRIG
OCT 1-31
Rewind-A-Buddy (Video-On-Demand Performance)
2021 mn fringe
aug 5-15
Rewind-A-Buddy (Livestream Performance)
2021 cincy fringe
Jun 6-17
2020
Knifeslingin’! (2019 Archival Filmed Performance)
2020 cincy fringe
may 29 - Jun 13
2019
Knifeslingin’!
2019 cincy fringe
Jun 1-8
2018
Test Your Testament!
phoenix theater
Jun 23
SOFT
2018 MN Fringe.
Aug 2-12
Test Your Testament!
strike theater
Jan 6
2017
Knifeslingin’!
q.e.d astoria
Directed by Emilia Seay Allen. dec 20
Knifeslingin’!
produced w/ The theatre cosmic, 2017 MN Fringe.
Directed by Emilia Seay Allen. Aug 5-13
2016
The Jackpot Hour With(out) Jack Power
2016 MN Fringe.
Directed by Emilia Seay Allen. Aug 6-14
2015
Ding Dong! Sing Song!
2015 MN Fringe.
Directed by D. Marie Long. Aug 1-9
2014
Boxcutter Harmonica
remount of 2013 MN Fringe production, phoenix theatre.
Directed by Damon Runnals. nov 19-22
Rewind-A-Buddy
produced w/ Freshwater Theatre, 2014 MN Fringe.
Directed by Steven Bucko. July 31-Aug 9
Dig Yourself
part of "archival revival", produced by freshwater theatre
2013
The Beacon From Belle Isle
commissioned by Freshwater Theatre.
Directed by Jamil Jude. Nov 8-23
Boxcutter Harmonica
2013 MN Fringe.
Directed by Damon Runnals. Aug 2-9
The Right Reverend Kavanaugh Thorner,
he sets his stage upon a street corner
he got that fire and that fury
he got that GOOD WORD.