Timothy Ketenjian is just 23 so it’s easy to see why a big smile is usually beaming out from him. Not much has happened to him—no earth-shaking tragedy, no life-threatening illness, no big life changing event to report. His one-hour. one-man show, Pieces of Me, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival is basically a way for him to perform his music before a live audience. His songs are very promising even though they do begin to sound alike and the lyrics become repetitious. He performs ten of them in his show while exploring his life, his love and platonic relationships and his growth from a selfish fourteen year old high school boy with a big crush on a girl to a 23 year old young man learning to love himself before trying to love others. Ketenjian is charming and he provides a pleasant way to spend an hour. Unfortunately he does suffer from the Lea Michele/Josh Groban malady of tightly closed eyes while singing emotionally. With him sitting behind his keyboards only a few feet from his audience, this creates a disconnected feeling. Open your eyes, Timothy. Let your soul shine through.
Studio C Artists, 6448 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. June 21. www.hollywoodfringe.com