[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts 2026 Hollywood Fringe Festival review of Kimberly Prentice’s Unseen, a moving reminder that some of the most important stories are the ones we rarely see.
Entertaining and informative, the solo show, Unseen, hits the sweet spot.
Kimberly Prentice’s solo show, Unseen, takes us behind the scenes of Broadway productions where the actors get all the applause, but it is the unseen heroes backstage that make it all possible.
Kimberly Prentice is a gem. The stage is the backstage of any and probably all Broadway shows. Kimberly Prentice plays a dresser named Pam, or sometimes she is called Amy, by some self-important actors who can’t be bothered to remember her name. In any case, the audience is given a primer of the job of a dresser. However, in Pam’s case, her job description seemed to swell into solving challenges from mostly very needy actors.
Kimberly Prentice not only presents Pam as our eyes and ears of the mayhem backstage to a Broadway show, but she also inhabits dozens of characters from male stagehands to bona fide divas. Among the several jobs that Pam is roped into are: costume repair, laundry, changing light bulbs, getting coffee, supplying a fresh bottle of water, hair and makeup, and occasionally keeping secrets and supplying firsthand juicy gossip.
The show does an excellent job of getting behind the emotional life of Pam, whose day (survival) job directly interferes with her dream of performing in these Broadway shows as a dancer. Pam’s dilemma takes a tragic turn, and it is Pam and Pam alone who comes to a crossroads that every aspiring artist needs to make. Do I go forward or do I stay at my day job and pay the rent? The heart of this show speaks to all of us who have been in a similar position.
Kimberly Prentice, as Pam, not only takes us backstage, she brings us into the hearts and minds of the dozens of craftspeople. Those who make it possible for the actors to shine on stage and receive all the applause while the crew gathers some form of satisfaction to know that a show is a success, mostly because everyone who is unseen did their jobs perfectly.
Kimberly Prentice won the audience over right from the start of the show and then held our hands through the chaos of the backstage world. While at the same time, reassuring us that it will all work out. Along with all the goings-on, the show is very funny and sweetly poetic.
Unseen is very well written and the direction is fast-paced. There is, quite literally, never a dull moment.
Shows like this remind us that theatre in Los Angeles is thriving. We are blessed with gifted and dedicated creatives throughout our community, and festivals like this give a voice not only to established artists, but also to the many extraordinary talents who too often remain unseen.
Tickets:
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/11914
When:
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, June 13, 2026 @ 8:30pm
Monday, June 15, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Friday, June 19, 2026 @ 10:00pm
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Where:
1514 N Gardner St., Los Angeles, CA 90046