Crude: A Completely Unauthorized Play

Official poster for the Hollywood Fringe Festival run of Crude

Ryan Ruffing stars as lead Niky in the play, Crude, a show about a fictional 80s hair metal band and their hubris, which closed out the Hollywood Fringe Festival this June with a sold out run and glowing reviews. Below are some photos taken from the live performances along with review excerpts.

*(An extension for Crude has been green lit for a 3-show run this coming August, updates will be made on a future news post.)

Ryan Ruffing giving the closing speech as Niky from Crude

“gives a deep and exciting performance as Niky, giving a personal touch and empathy to a public figure not often regarded as a role model”

Niky (Ryan Ruffing) and Dahk (portrayed by Philip-Charlie Daniel)

“has a very easy confidence fitting for the character. He rolls through each scene as though he were made for this role.”

Niky (Ryan Ruffing) and Tahmi (portrayed by Roman Guastaferro)

“stood out and kept the show moving full throttle.”

Niky (Ryan Ruffing) and Vyns (portrayed by Jeff Skomsky)

“performance as ‘Niky’ owns the show from beginning to end.”

Curtain call for Crude at the 2022 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

To read the full reviews and more, check out the official Crude page on the Hollywood Fringe Festival website.