The Chicago Fringe Festival

Rhinofest is ON!

2012-01-21T23:13:00.003-06:00

Facts about the rhinoceros, courtesy of the San Diego Zoo:

1) The word rhinoceros comes from the Greek word for nose ("rhino") and for horn ("ceros").

2) There are five types of rhino: black, white, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan.

3) All rhinos have poor vision but great hearing.

4) White rhinos are actually brown-gray, but might be called white because Dutch settlers in Africa called it the "wijde," or "wide," rhino.

Facts about the Rhinoceros Theater Festival, courtesy of rhinofest.com:

1) It is a curated multi-arts festival started 23 years ago by Curious Theatre Branch.

2) The 2012 installment runs between January 13-Feb 12 at the Prop Thtr.

3) 2012 show titles include "The American Drink Book," "Civil War Dad," "Samuel Beckett, Andre the Giant, and the Crickets" and "The Car That Brought You Here Still Runs."

4) Tickets cost $12 online or $15 (or what you can) at the door.

What rhinos have in common with Rhinofest, courtesy of the Chicago Fringe Festival:

Both are totally radical and likely to leave you muttering, "Whoa, amazing."

Tips for CFF 2012 Applications!

2011-12-11T12:35:00.005-06:00

Applications for the 2012 Chicago Fringe Festival go live on December 12! To successfully complete it:

You WILL NOT need a No. 2 pencil, because the application is not a standardized test! While you DO have to meet the basic requirements for participation to take part in the Festival, you will NOT be scored or otherwise judged on the contents of the application, because the Fringe is an unjuried festival. This ensures the Festival is truly diverse, not just a reflection of a selection committee’s tastes!

You WILL NOT need a copy of your tax returns, because the Fringe does not care how much money you have to sink into your show! All you have to pony up is the application fee and, if chosen, the participation fee. This ensures the Festival is accessible to all sorts of artists!

You WILL NOT need to furnish your references or resume, because the Fringe does not care what you’ve done in the past! Our productions are a mix of established and award-winning troupes, up-and-coming artists and performers just starting out. This makes the Festival a great opportunity for artists to reach new audiences and for audiences (including critics! producers!) to discover new talent.

You WILL need to provide some basic information about who you are. This might not be as easy as it seems. For example, last year’s production The Night of the Living Dead: The Puppet Show might have questioned whether a brown skinned zombie puppet counts as a minority cast member. (Hint: it doesn't.)

Answer honestly and do your best, and if you find yourself pondering something like the zombie puppet question, congratulate yourself on finding the perfect festival to demonstrate your madcap, anything but standardized theatrical sensibility. So get ready to break your pencils, tear up your resumes and fill out the application!

Tidings of Tap!

2011-11-27T22:03:00.003-06:00

The Fringe offered up some Christmas in September, thanks to the Miscreants' "The Roast of Santa Claus, or: The Miscreants Kill an Hour and Go to Cuernavaca." But now that the holiday season is actually here, perhaps you're looking for a more, er, family friendly holiday show?

Look no further: Chicago Tap Theatre's "Tidings of Tap" promises to be just the ticket! And by entering promo code FringeTap11 and wearing your Fringe button to the show, you can save $5 on an adult ticket! Click here for tix.

Laura Molzahn of SeeChicagoDance.com wrote, "Never preachy and rarely predictable, 'Tidings of Tap!' doesn't provide the sentimental glow of self-approval that so many other holiday shows do. Nor does it trash the season or the human race for enjoying it. Instead it takes us on a mashed-up tour of holiday cliches, borne on the easy, breezy wings of tap-dancing."

"Tidings" is being performed on the UIC campus, so while you're in the area to see the show, you could easily revisit some of your favorite Pilsen hotspots like Decolores, Honky Tonk, Simone's and the Miscreants' watering hole of choice, Cuernavaca.

Artist Spotlight and 9/11 Event

2011-09-10T22:34:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow morning, Fringe will commemorate 9/11 with a special event at Meridian Stage at 11 am. This event will feature speakers, artists, performers and will be recorded for WBEZ's Chicago Amplified. Please join us, and to participate, please make a ribbon at Fringe Central.

On the eve of this anniversary, Les Kurkendaal (Nightmare in Bakersfield) reminds us that Fringe artists are part of a worldwide community:

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-10T22:32:00.002-05:00

DAY NINE

9/11 Primer: Epoch of the Peacemakers. ...inside my Kaleidoscope. Neither Transparent nor Opaque. Let Me Count. Clean Start. Little Ivory Fingers. Spandex. Mother Tongues. Camelot is Crumbling. The Man in the Arena. From the Nightshade Family. My Salvation has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey. Acrobat Daredevils. Bedbugs. Nightmare in Bakersfield. No Gender Left Behind. Jesus, Shakespeare and Lincoln Walk in a Bar. Alone Apart. Miss Fortune. Evolution. Nearly Naked. Othello's Furies. Strangerland. The Roast of Santa. Motherbanking Bankhole.

. . . and the Closing Ceremony at Fringe Central!

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-08T23:15:00.000-05:00

DAY SEVEN

Nearly Naked. Mother Tongues. Bedbugs. Nightmare in Bakersfield. Mama Juggs. At 5'2" and 125 lbs. Miss Fortune. Moving Day. Acrobatic Daredevils. Strangerland. From the Nightshade Family.

New at Central!

2011-09-08T21:46:00.003-05:00

Have you created a "thread" at Fringe Central?

Check it out, near the archway to the ticketing area/bike parking room. Write a message of hope, peace and Fringe and contribute to the 9/11 commemoration organized by HumanThread and presented by the Fringe Festival.

More info h ere.

Have you noticed the Time Out banner hung in Fringe Central?

There are also complimentary issues of the magazine available! Time Out Chicago is all over the Pilsen map and very much on the Fringe radar this year.

Check out reviews and contribute your own comments and ratings here.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

2011-09-08T21:04:00.003-05:00

What is Fringey? Nicolette Lalor offers one answer: lingerie party meets murder mystery!

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-08T00:07:00.002-05:00

DAY SIX

Theater Thursday Event: No Gender Left Behind. Gloss Over. Neither Transparent nor Opaque. Soul Mates Don't Die. Anonymously Yours. Hooray for Speech Therapy. Jesus, Shakespeare, and Lincoln Walk in a Bar. Acrobatic Daredevils. Alone Apart. The Man in the Arena. Evolution. ...inside my Kaleidoscope. Hub and Spoke. Let Me Count. Aberrant Reflections on the Meaning of You and I. Motherbanking Bankhole.

Industry Voices: Alexis Williams

2011-09-05T12:40:00.000-05:00

Alexis Williams, a literary associate at Bret Adams Ltd. Artist Agency and judge in the 2011 Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival (full bio below), shares her perspective on Fringe with us:

Oh, the joys of Fringe.

Fringe gives the participants a chance to get their work out there, to have it produced and publicized on a larger scale (which, let me tell you, is easier said than done). Fringe enables audiences to get a lot of culture, from a variety of sources, in a quick, intense burst, without straining the bank account.

And for those of us who work on the business side of the theatre industry, it gives us the opportunity to hear new voices, voices that may not have been on our radars before.

We all know the success story of Urinetown – which humbly began in the NY Fringe Festival and eventually ended up with 9 Tony nominations and 3 wins on Broadway – there’s that glint of promise that permeates the very spirit of Fringe – anyone can be Cinderella, and that’s just thrilling.

Plus, from an agent’s perspective, getting to know new, exciting work and writers is always a plus - even if only, initially, just to continue to follow someone’s progress or to track their upcoming work.

Sure, most big theatres produce new plays and have fantastic programs for emerging playwrights, but the writer of the must-see new show at the Goodman probably already has representation – the writer of the must-see show of the Fringe very possibly doesn’t. Makes for some very useful, practical scouting.

And beyond that it makes for some fun. There’s just such a great sense of community and straight up fun around fringe, you can feel it in the air. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a participant, an audience member, a scouting agent or producer – no matter who you are it makes for one heck of a good time.

BIO:

Alexis Williams has been a member of the literary department at Bret Adams Artists’ Agency – a New York based agency representing actors, playwrights, directors, composers and designers – for the past three years. Before joining the team at Bret Adams Alexis worked at McCarter Theatre Center, assisting directors such as Emily Mann, Shirley Jo Finney, Michael Unger, and others; served as Literary Manager for Detroit’s Planet Ant Theatre, where she originated and developed Southeast Michigan’s first late-night theatre series; and completed a fellowship at the Contemporary Stage Company in Wilmington, DE. At Chicago’s Stage Left Theatre Alexis developed an evening of new, thematically linked short plays written by up-and-coming American College Theatre Festival winning playwrights. In her time in the theatre Alexis has worked as a producer (various projects, including co-producing 13^th Street Rep’s first new short play festival), a director (favorite pieces including Arcadia at Princeton Summer Theatre,Equus at Northwestern University, and the first production of Kyle Jarrow’s Emperor’s New Clothes Redux at Contemporary Stage Company), a teaching artist, and has assumed multiple other roles in the theatre industry. Recently she was a judge for the 2011 Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival. Alexis is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab and a graduate of Northwestern University – where she served as the Artistic Director of Northwestern’s Multicultural Theatre Ensemble.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

2011-09-05T11:58:00.002-05:00

Super awesome story time with the Harlotry and Necromancy Appreciation Society:

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-04T20:10:00.004-05:00

DAY FIVE

Nearly Naked. Soul Mates Don't Die. Nightmare in Bakersfield. From the Nightshade Family. Moving Day. At 5'2" and 125 lbs. The Roast of Santa. Let the Lady Sing. The Temp. Mother Tongues. Strangerland. Miss Fortune. Existential Crisis. ...inside my Kaleidoscope. Camelot is Crumbling. Am I Blue. My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey. Neither Transparent nor Opaque. Bedbugs. The Other Day. Little Ivory Fingers. Mama Juggs. Night of the Living Dead: the Puppet Show. Wild Women XXX. Anonymously Yours. No Gender Left Behind.

Murals

2011-09-04T15:50:00.002-05:00

Soak up all the art in Pilsen! Go see a Fringe show, then check out the neighborhood's beautiful murals:

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-03T20:25:00.004-05:00

DAY FOUR

Mama Juggs. Mother Tongues. At 5'2" and 125 lbs. Anonymously Yours. Motherbanking Bankhole. ...inside my Kaleidoscope. Let Me Count. Aberrant Reflections on the Meaning of You and I. En Solo. Gloss Over. Alone Apart. The Other Day. Seeing Red. Spandex. Night of the Living Dead: The Puppet Show. The Four Food Groups. Clean Start. Little Ivory Fingers. The Temp. Hub and Spoke. Wild Women XXX. Where the Heart Lies. Let the Lady Sing. My Salvation has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey. Othello's Furies. Soul Mates Don't Die. The Man in the Arena. From the Nightshade Family.

First Weekend Underway!

2011-09-03T17:30:00.004-05:00

Image from "Moving Day"

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-02T23:00:00.003-05:00

DAY THREE

The Temp. Tordu Vol. Strangerland. Miss Fortune. Am I Blue. Nearly Naked. Frames. Bedbugs. Nightmare in Bakersfield. No Gender Left Behind. Moving Day. Wallstories. Camelot is Crumbling. The Roast of Santa. Evolution. My Salvation has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey. Wild Women XXX. Where the Heart Lies. Let the Lady Sing. Spandex. Soul Mates Don't Die. Clean Start. Hooray for Speech Therapy. Jesus, Shakespeare and Lincoln Walk In a Bar. Neither Transparent Nor Opaque. The Four Food Groups. Anonymously Yours. Seeing Red.

Make you want to Fringe?

2011-09-02T18:37:00.002-05:00

A sample of Fringe magic:

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-01T22:01:00.003-05:00

DAY TWO

THE TEMP.

WALLSTORIES.

AT 5'2" AND 125 LBS.

THE MAN IN THE ARENA.

MOTHERBANKING BANKHOLE.

. . . INSIDE MY KALEIDOSCOPE.

TORDU VOL.

LET ME COUNT.

ABERRANT REFLECTIONS ON

THE BARBARISM OF YOU & I.

EXISTENTIAL CRISIS.

SPANDEX.

FRAMES.

ALONE APART.

SEEING RED.

Moving Day

2011-09-01T21:30:00.002-05:00

Venue: Dream Theater

556 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 5:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 4:00 PM

Friday, September 09, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

Feeling swamped? Let down? Stuck in time? ...Moved lately?
We prescribe a healthy dose of inertia, the human experience. MOVING DAY explores the true grit of moving forward or backward; figuratively or literally;
from place-to-place; from highs-to-lows; from love-to-loss and back again. Back to packing, unpacking, and dealing with all those empty boxes. Come check out MOVING DAY, a collaborative ensemble production.

Company:

ToddsBurn Productions (Chicago, IL)

This is our first production working as an ensemble under the Toddsburn Production label. We are a locally based group of actors, writers, improvisors, technicians, and creators who have come together to create a completely organic and collaborative piece of theatre. Each of us involved in the ensemble has recently undergone a significant move in our lives which we were inspired to artistically share. The process and group have been wonderful and we plan on creating much more as an ensemble!

...inside my Kaleidoscope

2011-09-01T20:50:00.003-05:00

Venue: Dream Theater

556 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Friday, September 02, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 4:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 7:00 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 10:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 2:30 PM

Description:

Christopher's life is unexpectedly dismantled when he has to leave his cushy lifestyle to find a new way in Miami. His two unlikely cohorts: God, a seemingly unfriendly ally, and Mr. Post, a philosopher who disagrees with his own philosophy are his only solace.

Company:

Then & Only Then (DeSoto, TX)

My previous production productions include: If By Chance, which had two production one of which was the DFW Fringe Festival; Love Potion #5:Tribal Musk, won 2nd Place PIA Award; The Mythical Memphis Coy: or Just Another Metrosexual?, which deemed MVP of plays to see in North Texas.

CHICAGO FRINGE 2011: ON THE MAP, UNDER THE RADAR

2011-09-01T01:33:00.008-05:00

DAY ONE

Mama Juggs.

Tordu Vol.

Strangerland.

The Roast of Santa.

No Gender Left Behind.

Moving Day.

Frames.

Camelot is Crumbling.

Nightmare in Bakersfield.

En Solo.

Nearly Naked.

Wallstories.

Bedbugs.

Miss Fortune.

Am I Blue.

Sage Advice from Old Fringe Hands, Rebecca Kling Edition

2011-08-30T22:41:00.005-05:00

Sage Advice from Old Fringe Hands: a series in which Chi Fringe veterans share their hard-won wisdom about drawing audiences, breaking legs and making the most of the best Festival this side of the Chicago River!

After performing last year's Fringe hit Uncovering the Mirrors, REBECCA KLING returns to Chi Fringe this year with her multimedia one-woman show No Gender Left Behind. Check out her show, and if it relates to your own, take her advice and ask to cross promote!

Sage advice from Rebecca:

Get out there and flyer! I can't stress enough how important it is to have adequate flyers or postcards, and to go out and distribute them. If you have time, stop by coffee shops, restaurants, stores, etc and leave things there. (Just be sure to ask for permission!) If not, make sure to - at the very least - walk around the Fringe Fest and hand out postcards. "Hey! I have this show going on in the Festival, hope you can check it out." Figure out which shows are selling well, and go flyer their audience before or after they see the show.

Meet other artists and see their shows. You have an awesome (and free) opportunity to see a ton of really amazing performances with your artist pass. Use it! This can also help build your own audience: Find a show with similar content to your own, and ask to cross-promote. Take time after your curtain call to say "If you liked our performance, go see this other show."

Along those lines, Fringe is not a zero-sum game. It's possible for everyone to win, because audience members will come back to see multiple shows. So don't view audience building as a competition so much as a collaboration.

Have fun! Post-Fringe activities inevitably include bars, hanging out, and (new this year) FOURSQUARE! Use Fringe as an opportunity to network, meet people, and make friends.

Wild Women XXX

2011-08-30T22:24:00.003-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 8:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 10:00 PM

Description:

“Never trust anyone over 30” so said the great rockers of yore.

In Wild Women XXX, four diverse women sharing one common number explore the terrors of turning the big 3-0. Questions of identity, belonging, and partnership are explored through story, humor, and red-hot dance breaks.

Company:

The Vox Theatre (Chicago, IL)

T and T productions was created in a collaboration between Tosha Fowler and Toy DeIorio for Tosha’s one-woman show "Mami, Where’d My O Go?" Running for 6 weeks at Lifeline Theatre, this fantastically feminine, seductively southern solo autobiography was hailed by The Chicago Theatre Blog as, “charmingly funny, fantastically trippy… Fowler’s emotional depth in performance simply goes balls to the wall… Her invocation is nothing less than inspiring.”

T and T Productions’ is dedicated to creating original, ensemble devised work that explores the human herstory.

The Man in the Arena

2011-08-30T22:16:00.002-05:00

Venue: Temple Theater

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Friday, September 02, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 10:00 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 5:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 4:00 PM

Description:

I think there can hardly be a greater inspiration in American history than Theodore Roosevelt. At his best, he showed us what we can be at our best, and taught us what it means to be Americans.

Company:

The TR! Show (Wilmette, IL)

Derek Evans is a veteran in the field of educational entertainment, with 30 years of credits including more than 7,000 performances in schools for more than 2 million students, 2 Jefferson Citations, more than 20 roles in Chicago area theatres and performances for colleges, libraries, museum and legit theatre venues nationwide.

Backstage with . . .

2011-08-29T22:00:00.002-05:00

The League of Chicago Theatres snatched back the curtain to reveal the Wizard of Fringe, our indomitable Vincent Lacey, who they plied with questions.

What are the values our company holds dear?

Why did we choose our neighborhood?

What's the quirkiest thing about our space?

Come "Backstage with . . .Chicago Fringe Festival" to learn the answers!

The League of Miscreants Presents "The Roast of Santa Claus" or "The Miscreants Kill An Hour And Go To Cuernavaca"

2011-08-29T21:35:00.002-05:00

Venue: Temple Theater

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 5:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 4:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 10:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

You paid $10, plus that stupid button, to see *US*? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. See you at Cuernavaca.

Company:

In 2010, the Miscreants were an unnamed group of acquaintances slapped together to fill a slot in the Fringe Festival after a bunch of foreigners backed out of the slot. We made up "The Roast of Piglet" in five weeks. And we had such a great time that we're doing the doing the same start-to-finish Iron Chef Theater again.

Hub and Spoke

2011-08-29T21:29:00.002-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Sunday, September 04, 2011 8:30 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 2:30 PM

Description:

With sinuous and careful dancing, the Dance Team fords the unrelenting stream of cause-and-effect that rules both the prairie and city. With gritty costuming and music by raag-influenced bluegrass guitarist Jack Rose, 'Hub and Spoke' describes a harsh frontier life subject to the machinations of a vast and desolate landscape.

Company:

The Dance Team (Chicago, IL)

The Dance Team is a Chicago-based collective of friends composed mostly of dancers trained at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Dance Team has seen various incarnations in the last three years in Chicago.

Nightmare in Bakersfield

2011-08-29T21:18:00.002-05:00

Venue: Temple Theater

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 4:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 2:30 PM

Friday, September 09, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 5:30 PM

Description:

Get ready for a crazy class reunion. Mike takes his boyfriend Les home to Bakersfield to his 20 year highschool reunion. The only problem is that none of Mike's former classmates know he's gay. The class of 1988 is in for a shock!

Company:

The Adventures of Les Kurkendaal (West Hollywood, CA)

Les Kurkendaal is an openly gay actor, storyteller and stand up comic who is based in Los Angeles, California. Les has been touring Fringe Festivals around the world since 2000.

Bedbugs

2011-08-29T21:11:00.003-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 4:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 8:30 PM

Friday, September 09, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 5:30 PM

Description:

Bedbugs is a bedtime story about: Heroes! Villains! Cake! Pirates! The CTA! An Old Sensei! The Best Song! Seamonsters! A Pretty Girl! A Sherpa! The Internet! A Trusty Steed! ...And much more, brought to you by the Mechanics of The Harlotry & Necromancy Appreciation Society. Get tucked in, and buckle up.

Company:

The Harlotry and Necromancy Appreciation Society (Chicago, IL)

The Harlotry & Necromancy Appreciation Society is an all-female performance troupe that creates new work through clown, physical theater, puppetry, and whatever else we can get our hands on. We are dedicated to transforming realities, innovative storytelling, and exploring the relationship between audience and performer. We want to see what the world looks like upside down and inside out.

Alone Apart

2011-08-29T21:04:00.002-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Friday, September 02, 2011 10:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 5:30 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

Miranda has made a promise to herself: Tonight will be different. Tonight she will finish painting the portrait of the woman she hates, but does not understand--her mother. The portrait may have other ideas, but it doesn’t matter; Miranda will finish it tonight. Even if it kills her.

Company:

Ted Brengle (Chicago, IL)

Ted Brengle was a semi-finalist for the National Playwrights Conference in 2008. His play "Alone Together" has been produced in Cincinnati, Columbus, Ohio, and New York City. In 2010, his play "Absent Friends" was produced in Columbia, Missouri, and his plays "Alone Apart" and "Alone At Last" were workshopped at the Element New Plays Festival in Chicago. His play "Of Apocalypse and Cappuccino" was adapted into an independent short film in 2006, so he also (bafflingly) somehow has an IMDB entry. He lives in Chicago.

CHIRP!

2011-08-29T20:45:00.003-05:00

Have you heard?

The bird is the WORD!

As in, the bird that CHIRPs awesome tunes by all your old-favorite and new-favorite artists.

Fruit Bats? Check.

Tom Waits? Check.

Darkstar? Yup.

The New Pornographers? Them too.

That's all in the last hour.

Still wondering why CHIRP is Radio Free Fringe 2011?

Check it out:

The Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) is dedicated to providing Chicago residents with a community radio station focused on the representation of local people, events, and issues alongside a wide array of local and independent music. We seek to promote localism, diversity, and independence in public broadcasting via programming and web content curated, created, and produced by Chicagoans. It is committed to playing music the big stations won’t touch, and to focusing on the vibrant culture of a community that often flies under the radar.

Othello's Furies

2011-08-28T21:58:00.003-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase)

Sunday, September 04, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

Company member Leslie Ann Sheppard adapted Othello because of the beauty of the poetry and the injustice of the circumstance. She blended the innate elements of jealousy and revenge with the incorporation of those persistent Greek furies found in the Orestia. We are using distorted furies juxtaposed with the characters, they are used as tool to illuminate a character's perception of a situation. In the spirit of non-traditional casting, we are exploring an all black cast to show how a non-traditional universal race changes the conflict within the story.

Company:

Suitcase Shakespeare Company (Chicago, IL)

Suitcase Shakespeare Company is a non-profit ensemble founded in 2008. We started by rehearsing at night on borrowed stages at the Bristol Renaissance Faire lit by flashlights and halogen lamps getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Based in Chicago, Suitcase now tours their uniquely condensed adaptations to schools, libraries, festivals and events throughout the midwest hoping to reach out to audiences that would normally cringe at the thought of seeing classical theatre.

Anonymously Yours

2011-08-28T21:50:00.002-05:00

Venue: Temple Theatre

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 2:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 10:00 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

Anonymously Yours is a barrage of unrestrained, hilarious raw emotion gathered from the depths of the anonymous boards of the web. From Rants and Raves to Random come see the desire and rage of the internet unapologetic and uncensored. We didn't write it. Did you?

Company:

Studio BE (Chicago, IL)

Jennifer Olson and Wyatt Kent have worked together on many projects since originally meeting at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film in Lincoln, Nebraska. “Anonymously Yours” was originally conceived by Olson as “You Name It,” her first of several adaptations for the stage. It has evolved through several performances to its current form. Successful young company, Studio BE has collaborated with the team to bring the Chicago premier of “Anonymously Yours” to the Fringe. To hear more about Studio BE go to studio-be.org.

Strangerland

2011-08-28T21:28:00.002-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 2:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 5:30 PM

Friday, September 09, 2011 10:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

STRANGERLAND is a social parable, it is the story of the discovery of what it means to be human, to discover emotions, to interact, to feel something for the first time, to live and die, and how we must carry on. The Strangers occupy The Machine where they live and work in coexistence, totally disconnected from the other people around them and unaware of themselves. When a mysterious body washes up on the shore they discover themselves and are forced to confront one another for the first time.

Strangerland has been in the works for over two years as Sideshow's first ensemble devised piece. With over 30 satellite artists contributing material from across the globe, Strangerland is a unique piece of storytelling, both in its process and production.

Company:

Sideshow Theatre (Chicago, IL)

“Familiar Stories. Unorthodox Methods. Perpetually Curious”

Sideshow Theatre Company, an Illinois non-profit, was founded in 2007 in Chicago, Illinois. Our first production, Dante Dies!! (and then things get weird) was originally mentioned jokingly as the strangest imaginable subject matter for a one-person show. But when the laughter died down, an intense curiosity remained, as well as one defining question: “What if?” From that question a show, a company, and a mission were born.

It is the mission of Sideshow Theatre Company to mine the collective unconscious of the world we live in with limitless curiosity, drawing inspiration from the familiar stories, memories and images we all share to spark new conversation and bring our audience together as adventurers in a communal experience of exploration.

Evolution

2011-08-28T21:11:00.003-05:00

Venue: HumanThread

645 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 5:30 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

Evolution: a heartfelt, funny and powerful one-person show performed by NYC-based transgender storyteller Roman Rimer.

Company:

Roman Rimer (New York, NY)

Roman is a storyteller, improviser and comedian. Roman grew up in the Bay Area and suburbs of Chicago, and loves art, improv, performing, and awesome vegan food - and giving love to people. Roman sees the good in everyone, and thinks we’re all the same regardless of our beliefs and the bodies we were born into.

Roman has performed original work at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Magnet Theater, Upright Citizens Brigade, Gotham Comedy Club and many other venues across the country.

My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey

2011-08-27T22:56:00.003-05:00

Venue: Dream Theatre

556 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 10:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 4:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 5:30 PM

Description:

A touching, wild ride based on the true story of an insecure goody-goody who finds redemption behind the windshield of the Wienermobile. Can she handle a horndog co-pilot, media circus and her college bully? “4 stars” (Time Out New York) “The highlight of next month’s Fringe Festival” (New York Magazine)

Company:

Robin Gelfenbien is a writer, storyteller and comedian. Her solo show “My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey” premiered at the 2008 New York International Fringe Festival. She wrote jokes for emcee Rosie O’Donnell at the Matrix Awards where featured presenters included Martha Stewart, Rupert Murdoch and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Robin’s original comedy songs have played on Sirius Satellite Radio, she has been featured in "Marie Claire" magazine and mentioned recently in the "New York Times." She has also performed at the Toronto and Chicago Sketch Comedy Festivals, on VH1 and in a commercial directed by Spike Lee.

No Gender Left Behind

2011-08-27T22:41:00.004-05:00

Venue: HumanThread

645 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 4:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 2:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 5:30 PM

Special Performance (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 08, 2011 7:00 PM

This will be a special, unplugged version of the show performed as part of the League of Chicago Theatre's Theatre Thursday event at Fringe Central, 2003 S. Halsted.

Description:

In the Fall of 2010, Rebecca Kling was fired from a teaching position for being a transgender woman. The experience left her wondering what America is teaching its children – and its adults – about gender, conformity, and being just a little bit different.

Company:

Rebecca Kling is a Chicago-based transgender artist interested in exploring the performance of identity. Her multi-media productions – composed of storytelling, video, movement, playful skips and jumps, enlightening self-discovery, accusatory glances, awkward pauses, and more – question gender, self-expression, and what it means to be at home in one’s own body.

Rebecca has performed her material at The Athenaeum Theatre with New Suit Theatre Company, Temple Gallery in the 2010 Chicago Fringe Festival, at Links Hall, Roosevelt and Northwestern Universities, About Face Theatre, Center on Halsted, with Caffeine Theatre at the DCS Storefront Theatre, and elsewhere across the Midwest. She has been praised by TimeOut Chicago, Newcity Stage, and Centerstage Chicago, and more. (Click here for more press information.) Rebecca has been a recipient of the Chances Dances Critical Fierceness grant, and regularly speaks at high schools and universities across Chicago.

A graduate from Northwestern University’s Department of Performance Studies with an Adjunct Major in Animate Arts, Rebecca Kling is also an instructor at the Piven Theatre Workshop, on the Pride Films and Plays board of director, and a syndicated blogger with BlogHer.

Neither Transparent Nor Opaque

2011-08-27T22:24:00.003-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 8:30 PM

Thursday September 08, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 5:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 2:30 PM

Description:

RTDG delivers a diverse showcase of contemporary concert dance works choreographed by dance maker, Ray Terrill. This event marks the premiere of, ‘Litany’ a concept-rich, sensual and emotionally charged work which converges dynamic movement with an edgy and classic soundscape, wrapped around inspired, media-rich visual imagery. Crafted to invoke an experience that is neither transparent nor opaque, but instead expansive and quickening.

Company:

Ray Terrill Dance Group has been performing in and around the Twin Cities since Ray relocated in 1994. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Ray has extensive experience as performer, choreographer, teacher, presenter and arts program administrator. He started his professional modern dance career as a member of Repertory Dancers Northwest until relocating to Portland Oregon. There he eventually became co-artistic director of Oregon Dance Consort where he choreographed over 40 original works including guest artist commissions. In addition, he served as Executive Director of the Dance Coalition of Oregon for a three-year term. Since moving to the Twin Cities Ray spent five seasons as a member of the Christopher Watson Dance Company while establishing the Ray Terrill Dance Group. Proficient in classical modern dance technique he has evolved a style of his own described by critics as uniquely spiritual and lyrical on one hand while irreverent and quirky on the other.

Inspired by wide-ranging music styles he frequently explores provocative subject matter and complex emotion. Even so, he keenly mines his material to expose the universal human experience. Ray enjoys a parallel career as an executive producer developing rich-media interactive communications and distance learning solutions. Consequently his more recent work has incorporated video, animation, and text as a backdrop to extend his choreographic themes. Numerous government, foundation, and corporate arts funding agencies have generously supported his choreography and his dances have been presented in several venues including On the Boards, Portland Center for the Performing Arts, International Firehouse Cultural Center, Echo Theater, Festival of Physical Comedy, Walker Art Center, Weisman Art Museum, Lakeville Performing Arts, Art on the Edge, Dances at the Lakes and several Minnesota Fringe Festivals.

CHICAGO FRINGE FESTIVAL iPHONE APP!!!

2011-08-27T14:38:00.002-05:00

Venue: Your iPhone or iPad!

Performances (click to download):

Available right now!

Description:

A radical app. Performance schedules! Show descriptions! Venue maps! Stay connected with all the Festival events and news!

Company:

Feltpad

The Four Food Groups

2011-08-26T07:27:00.003-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

The Four Food Groups is based on true stories and told through movement, music and spoken word. The piece investigates interactions between a group of four people over a sexually-charged dinner and is told in four scenes: The Intro, The Prospect, The Climax and The Morning After.

Company:

Pones Inc. (Cincinnati, OH)

Pones Inc. Laboratory of Movement is a non-profit performance art group dedicated to creating original work that blends various disciplines and focuses on community, site-specific performance and educational outreach. The company explores theatre for social change through its combination of dance and theatre in its signature style of pedestrian-influenced movement. Founded in 2008 by Kim Popa and Lindsey Jones, Pones Inc. continually collaborates with a diverse range of artists and groups and performs in multiple locations. For more details visit www.ponesinc.com.

Soul Mates Don't Die

2011-08-23T22:32:00.003-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 10:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 2:30 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 5:30 PM

Description:

“Soul Mates Don't Die” illustrates how soul mates connect regardless of sex or mortal form. Two star crossed newlyweds are ripped apart when their sexually oppressed guardian angels meet and fall in love. Love can be a funny distraction.

Company:

Never Assume Productions (Astoria, NY)

"Comedy that lures you in, drama that compels you to stay"

Never Assume was born May 2009 with its first play "Photosynthesis" enjoying a successful run at in the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival. The play ran five nights at the cherry pit of The Cherry Lane Theatre. Tim J. MacMillan serves as Never Assume’s Founding Artistic Director. Tim is also one of very few playwrights to have two plays accepted into the NYC Fringe in the same year as his other play "Breathe..." was performed in 2009 as well.

Tim BIKED from New York City to Chicago for the Festival.

I was brutally sore, tired and felt as if I had been in the ring of 12 day no holds barred battle royale of a fight but I could not stop. I pedaled harder than I did through industrial towns in New Jersey, up and down and up again the mountains of PA, along the plateaued roads of Ohio, the dicey gravel roads of Indiana as the dog that was chasing me was my mental goal. This was it. In NYC every twenty blocks is a mile. I’m not sure of the blocks here in Chicago but it felt just the same. 3 ½ miles took me 15 minutes as I sped through stop signs, red lights and used very ache in my overworked body as fuel to propel me to my goal. I am a safety first cyclist and I actually do stop for red lights and stops signs but I couldn’t. I did not care! The funny part about this is just when I got to 23 Street & Halsted the stop lights were out and I raced through and came dangerously close to getting hit by a woman in a van turning onto Halsted Street. She yelled out to me “I’m sorry honey!” my immediate response was screaming “What are you sorry for?” as I am embarrassed to say I flipped her the bird. But again, I don’t care. I was soooooo close! Then…. YOUZA!!!!! I arrived and immediately jettisoned off my two wheels for wings and fell onto the entrance of theatre!
IT HAPPENED. I BIKE 949 MILES IN 12 DAYS FROM NYC, NY TO CHICAGO, IL.
I didn’t know what to feel. I didn’t know what to do. But what I did do is collapse and fight the tears as I wish my parents were alive to hear me say the words “I MADE IT”.
Now for the next adventure, produce my play “Soul mates don’t die” and bring it from the page to stage. LETS MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Wallstories by Nejla Y. Yatkin

2011-08-22T19:13:00.002-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 10:00 PM

Friday, September 02, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 5:30 PM

Description:

Selected as one of Top 10 Dances of 2009 by the Washington Post Wallstories is inspired by stories of people who lived with the Berlin Wall from both the East and the West perspective.

Company:

NY2Dance (New York, NY)

NY2Dance was formed in 2000 by dancer and choreographer Nejla Y. Yatkin. NY2Dance is the vehicle for Nejla’s vision to use dance in exploration of the human experience through movement. The company’s mission is to: 1) create works that reflect the complexity of human existence, that tap the essence of what is common within all humanity and to embrace spirituality as a guiding force, a point of communication as well as reflection; 2) to collaborate with other artists from various disciplines from around the world; and 3) to preserve the works of master choreographers. Toward these ends, Nejla is in the process of synthesizing the diverse techniques that she has been exposed to throughout her life into her own style of dance, entitled MOZAIK.

Nejla Y. Yatkin is a 2008 Princess Grace Choreography Fellow (awarded by the Princess Grace Foundation in New York City) and an Artist in Residence at the University of Notre Dame. In her choreography, she explores the beauty as well as complexity of memory, migration, transformation, identity and multiculturalism through movement.

Nearly Naked

2011-08-22T19:08:00.002-05:00

Venue: Dream Theatre

556 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 4:00 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 2:30 PM

Friday, September 09, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

"Clue" meets "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in this lingerie party murder mystery. For the past two years, Victor and his four friends have been throwing a Bacchanal style party. During the party, Victor drops dead, setting into motion the search for who among his group of friends killed him.

Company:

Melncolly Theatre Company (Chicago, IL)

Mel, Nicolette, and Colleen all met while attending Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin despite all being Chicagoland natives. They have formed the theatre company in hopes of mostly producing original works, offbeat, and/or not often seen shows. Nearly Naked will be Melncolly's premiere performance.

Camelot is Crumbling: An Arthurian Nightmare

2011-08-22T18:35:00.004-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 5:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 2:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 4:00 PM

Description:

The murderous son of King Arthur recounts his history with the court to his dying father, while Arthur's greatest knight traverses a post-war landscape to find his queen. Both reflect on how their actions brought about the death of the dream in this brooding one-man tale of light and darkness.

Company:

Maximum Verbosity (St. Louis Park, MN)

Maximum Verbosity was founded in the 2003-2004 season, and has mounted a season of 1-5 shows every year since. The company's done everything from musical comedy to verse tragedy to political satire, and has toured the Fringe Festival circuit as far as Melbourne, Australia. In home-state Minnesota, the group's won a coveted Encore slot and twice been nominated for "Best Spoken Word Performance" by local theatre website FringeFamous. Founder phillip low (and writer/performer of "Camelot is Crumbling") is also an award-winning solo artist and co-founder of the Rockstar Storytellers, a supergroup consisting of some of the bestselling spoken-word artists in the Twin Cities.

The Other Day

2011-08-21T18:05:00.003-05:00

Venue: Temple

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Sunday, September 04, 2011 5:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

After a chance meeting, sparks fly between Mark and Santo. Follow their loving, yet tumultuous relationship as they confront insecurities, addiction, betrayal and grief in this
authentic, funny and compelling drama that asks the question, “When is it time to stop grieving for what's lost and start living for what's found?”

Company:

Loretta Michaels Productions

Mark Jason Williams is an award-winning playwright. New York theatre credits include: The Other Day (Robert Moss Theatre), Smiles to Saturn (Manhattan Repertory Theatre), Recovery (Gene Frankel Theatre) and Love, Me (78th Street Theatre). His is a survivor of childhood leukemia, and has a BFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

Miss Fortune

2011-08-19T22:49:00.003-05:00

Venue: Temple

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 03, 2011 2:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 5:30 PM

Friday, September 09, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

When two old-world gal pals use a crystal ball to find a missing child, they make some surprising discoveries about life on the “other side.”

Company:

Lincoln Square Theatre (Chicago, IL)

Lincoln Square Theatre has been producing plays of social, historical and philosophical interest for the past ten years. The company is dedicated to producing work that engages both mind and heart through the unique shared experience of live theater.

Let Me Count

2011-08-19T22:38:00.003-05:00

Venue: Doppler Stage

1915 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Friday, September 02, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 4:00 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 4:00 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 2:30 PM

Description:

Add up the broken bones, reset passwords, friends lost and pills taken, and you’ll see what your life amounted to. If everything is recorded, when do we get to see our list and check our inventory? The numbers of what we did in life are the real facts.

Company:

Kate Healy (Chicago, IL)

Kate Healy is tall, determined, and she might put something you say in her next play. You, after all, is why she's writing and sharing in the first place. After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis in 2010, she came to Chicago to start making theatre, and could not be happier to have found an artistic home and incredible friends in this drama-town.

Phil the Void: Motherbanking Bankholes

2011-08-18T17:55:00.005-05:00

Venue: HumanThread

645 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Friday, September 02, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 2:30 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 5:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

Hello Chicago!

There. Now I won't have to say that to everyone at the shows. Whew. Thank you, that's a huge relief. This isn't widely known, but coming out onstage and addressing a group of strangers by saying "Hello ___yourtownhere__!" is absolutely THE most stressful and technically complicated thing any performer can do. Thank you, I'm Phil.

Company:

Phil the Void (Indianapolis, IN)

It's me, Phil. I've been writing these philosophically comedic monologues for 5 years -- this year will represent my 6th such effort. I got my start at Fringe festivals after seeing some terrible yet popular comedy. It was there the realization struck me that people want to think more, but nobody's really encouraging them. Good thing I'm so good at everything! Even though this writing relationship with myself has become more professional than intimate, we're making a commitment to become larger than ourselves and continue to bring intellectually stimulating and educational comedy to America. Where my nerds at???

Where the Heart Lies

2011-08-18T00:19:00.003-05:00

Venue: Temple

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 2:30 PM

Description:

Two college guys are brought together by the death of a mutual friend. After their initial meeting tension is high. Ultimately, they begin conquer their grief together through the life of a friend left behind.

Company:

Journey Theatre Group (Chicago, IL)

Journey Theatre Group is a new company committed to producing original works. The company seeks to identify and reflect on those moments in life that we like to refer to as being "life changing." We invite our audience to journey with us and together we will find our way.

Let the Lady Sing

2011-08-18T00:09:00.002-05:00

Venue: HumanThread

645 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 8:30 PM

Monday, September 05, 2011 4:00 PM

Description:

Howard struggles to reconnect his demented and crippled mother with her former life-loving self. Prompting her with songs releases happy, funny, sad, and tragic stories, and unleashes shocking questions about his paternity and heritage.

Company:

Howard Timms (Gloucester, UK)

Born in Cheltenham, England, Howard has varied acting and writing experience. His acting and singing includes classical and modern plays, musicals, operettas, and opera. Published writing includes performing arts criticism, reference book articles, and non-fiction books. While living and acting in Chicago, he started writing drama for theatre. His musical book for Good as Gold, was produced at the University of Chicago in 2008. Other works have been performed script-in-hand by American Blues Theater, Breadline Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Lincoln Square Theatre, Victory Gardens, and Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. His solo shows include "Let The Lady Sing" and "Accidental Olympian".

GLOSS OVER

2011-08-17T22:20:00.004-05:00

Venue: Dream Theatre

556 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Sunday, September 04 5:30 PM

Thursday, September 08 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 10 8:30 PM

Description:

A beauty makeover for women who sleep on concrete sidewalks.

Listen to the reveal of the heartfelt stories of these amazing Chicago homeless women.

In its ugly reality, the true beauty of courage and resilience surfaces.

An original production by Her Story Theater....funny, tragic, brutal, truthful, enlightening...

GLOSS OVER.

Company:

Her Story Theater (Chicago, IL)

Her Story Theater...shines bright lights in dark places where women and children are in need of social justice and community support. A theater for social change...

The Trilogy Productions:GLOSS OVER an original production on the lives of Chicago homeless women; SHADOW TOWN An original production on trafficking women and children into the sex slave trade in Chicago; based on interviews. A call to end slavery.

CIDE SHOW An original multi-media production...see the world of violence toward women from all angles. Help our Chicago women live safer lives.

Clean Start

2011-08-16T20:33:00.002-05:00

Venue: Temple

1749 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 4:00 PM

Monday, September 11, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

This community-inspired solo performance draws upon Gillian Hemme’s interviews with residents of Grinnell, Iowa. Follow the stories of three women who grapple with shifting identities as both their career lives and their town transform. Through their resilience and humor, these women prove that there’s more than just corn in Iowa.

Company:

Gillian Hemme (Newark, NJ)

Gillian Hemme is a Chicago native who currently lives in Newark, NJ. There, she directs drama productions and teaches Public Speaking and Justice Studies at Link Community School. Gillian was recently an artist-in-residence at the Grinnell Artist Residency, where she created video/text collages addressing youth blogging culture. She also recently traveled to Taiwan to act in an image-based performance of Les Fleurs du Mal at the International Theatre Festival under the direction of Craig Quintero. She studied Theatre at Grinnell College and at the National Theater Institute.

Jesus, Shakespeare, and Lincoln Walk Into a Bar

2011-08-16T18:44:00.003-05:00

Venue: Dream Theatre

556 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:00 PM

Thursday, September 08, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 11, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

Stop me if you've heard this one...Jesus, Shakespeare, and Lincoln walk into a bar. Jesus says he is thinking of retiring, but his friends Abe and Bill wonder what the world will do without him. I won't give too much away, but let's just say hilarity ensues. And some karaoke.

Company:

Giants of Theatre (Indianapolis, IN)

Giants of Theatre have been around since 2009 when they performed the original work, Gorrest Fump, at the Indy Fringe. They followed up that with 2010's Jesus, Shakespeare, and Lincoln Walk into a Bar at the Indy Fringe, and will perform that show at Kansas City Fringe and Chicago Fringe in 2011. They just recently performed The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) in March 2011.

EnSolo

2011-08-15T19:34:00.002-05:00

Venue: HumanThread

645 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday, September 01, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday, September 04, 2011 4:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

Brutal honesty at our own expense.

Company:

En Solo (Joliet, IL)

We are a new company less than a year old. Our performers are mainly Chicago area residents. We know each other very well and some of us are working pros and some of us just started acting again after a long break.

Am I Blue

2011-08-15T19:25:00.004-05:00

Venue: HumanThread

645 W. 18th Street

Performances (click to purchase):

September 01, 2011 10:00 PM

September 03, 2011 2:30 PM

September 05, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

Am I Blue takes you on the hilarious journey of what “finding oneself” actually looks like. “Go see this show." The Rover, Montreal “Blue is a criminally funny performer who is almost certainly the lovechild of Kristen Schaal and Tina Fey.” Charlebois Post, Montreal. www.elizabethblue.net

Company:

Elizabeth Blue (Brooklyn, NY)

Elizabeth Blue is a part of the New York City comedy scene, performing improv to music to storytelling to solo shows. She has been a part of improv house teams at the Peoples Improv Theater, one-half of the musical parody duo "Pembroke and Lu," and co-created "Elvis & Me: An Improvised Romance," playing Priscilla Presley. Blue can also be seen playing flute in the improvised storytelling band, the BTK band, or storytelling at venues throughout the city. She has performed "Am I Blue" at the Peoples Improv Theater, NYC, and the Montreal & Ottawa Fringe Festivals 2011.

Mother Tongues

2011-08-15T19:12:00.004-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Sunday September 04, 2011 2:30 PM

Monday September 05, 2011 5:30 PM

Friday September 09, 2011 7:00 PM

Saturday September 10, 2011 10:00 PM

Sunday September 11, 2011 4:00 PM

Description:

Mother Tongues is a live performance modern dance set to a soundscape of directed, interpreted and manipulated mother-offspring dialogues. Peppered with dynamic dance performances, original audio and video presentation and popular music interpretation, the artists of Core Project Chicago bring to light the kinetic experience of what it means to be part of a family and how we all survive and grow within that role.

Company:

Core Project Chicago (Chicago, IL)

C O R E P R O J E C T is a movement based inter-disciplinary arts collective pushing the boundaries of storytelling in Chicago. Our mission is to empower communities through arts performance and education. We are committed to the exploration of the human journey through movement, music, video and text in live performance.

Frames

2011-08-15T19:00:00.003-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

September 01, 2011 8:30 PM

September 02, 2011 10:00 PM

September 03, 2011 4:00 PM

Description:

After a successful first season in NYC, and upon their relocation to Richmond, Virginia, bnw:dance has been able to present and be presented throughout the Richmond area, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and at the start of their 3rd season, have the honor to be invited to London to create and present work. Four company members strong, each has had a hand in the choreography of FRAMES, which ranges from emotional and empathetic to explosive and athletic.

Company:

bnw:dance (Richmond, VA)

bnw:dance is run by Choreographer and Artistic Director, Brittany Whitmoyer. After forming bnw:dance in December 2008 in NYC, she has choreographed and performed at the Uptown Performance Series at Bridge for Dance, 60×60 Dance at Galapagos Art Space, Seaport the Arts Fundraiser at South Street Seaport, and held their first NYC season At BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange.

After their relocation to Richmond, Virginia in 2009, bnw:dance had a full second season of dance, performing in Philadelphia, DC, Richmond, hosting the culmination of their year at the Firehouse Theatre Project, presenting new work with original composition from the Gentle Giants (Chicago).Kicking off their third season, it was with great honor that bnw:dance was selected for a summer residency in London, England at Clarence Mews. In August, 2010, they traveled overseas, created and presented “Interrogation”, the newest addition to their “EnLight” series, set to music by London lyricist, James Reindeer. Since London, bnw:dance has been performing throughout Virginia, and up and down the coast. bnw:dance held their 3rd season of dance at Richmond CenterStage in April 2011. bnw:dance continues to teach and perform nationally and internationally.

Through Rain and Shine . . .

2011-08-12T08:01:00.001-05:00

Tim MacMillan's bike journey to Chicago Fringe continues!

Fringe in Chicago Art Magazine!

2011-08-12T07:49:00.006-05:00

Great white whales, peg-legged feminists, puppeteers, acrobats, necromancers and other ragamuffin creatures that inhabit the “fringe” of urban theater will congregate in Pilsen on Sept. 1 to 11. Acts listed on the program include avant- garde dancing, haphazard tumbling and some bizarre drama best experienced under the influence of a light buzz.

Read more!

Barely Balanced - Acrobatic Daredevils

2011-08-08T23:35:00.004-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Performances (click to purchase):

Thursday September 08, 2011 8:30 PM

Friday September 09, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday September 10, 2011 4:00 PM

Sunday September 11, 2011 5:30 PM

Sunday September 11, 2011 7:00 PM

Description:

This exciting trio brings hilarious high-energy acrobatics to the stage performing wild stunts and non-stop comedy. Whether hurling razor-sharp knives or performing mind-boggling balancing stunts, these three are sure to leave you screaming for more!

Company:

Barely Balanced (Lakewood, OH)

Barely Balanced was created post Big Bang. Well, post post post post post Big Bang in a far away land called, “Ohio.” Three friends at Hocking College decided to combine their daredevil antics and reckless stupidity to create an acrobatic show that would strike fear into the hearts of insurance adjustors everywhere. They drew from varied inspirations such as Jackie Chan, Cirque Du Soleil, and the Marx Brothers. By combining these influences with years of detentions due to class clowning they were able to create an award winning show that has toured the country for nearly a decade.

Aberrant Reflections on the Barbarism of You & I

2011-08-08T23:27:00.002-05:00

Venue: Temple Gallery

1749 S. Halsted

Showtimes (click to purchase):

Friday September 02, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday September 04, 2011 4:00 PM

Thursday September 08, 2011 10:00 PM

Description:

ABERRANT REFLECTIONS ON THE BARBARISM OF YOU & I features: George Michael, The Antichrist, Adam & Eve, Filet-O-Fish™, Prince William of Wales, Johann Fuhlrott, Baphomet, 4 (...make that 3) actors & their neurotic captor all rolled into one show. Oh, and there's also a love triangle. And King Kalakaua.

Company:

Artemis Exchange (Highland Heights, KY)

Artemis Exchange was founded in 2008 by Christopher Karr and Chris Wesselman through a shared interest to pursue independent theatrical endeavors which demand a fully realized production through aesthetic invention that rejects the notion that dollars and cents will produce effective theatre. Since its inception, Artemis has created three original plays for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival: A Perfectly Wonderful Evening, which received two Cincinnati Entertainment Award (CEA) nominations and garnered a win for Best Alternative Production; Aberrant Reflections on the Barbarism of You & I, which was nominated for a CEA the following year, recently received a remounting as a co-production with New Edgecliff Theatre, and now is here for the 2011 Chicago Fringe Festival; and most recently they created Peyote Business Lunch, a play born in the mind of collaborator Paul Lieber. Artemis delights in working with new and fresh talents in the creation of their pieces and never ceases to let the world be its creative muse.

From the Nightshade Family

2011-08-08T23:16:00.004-05:00

Venue: HumanThread

645 W. 18th St.

Showtimes (click to purchase):

Sunday September 04, 2011 10:00 PM

Monday September 05, 2011 2:30 PM

Friday September 09, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday September 10, 2011 8:30 PM

Sunday September 11, 2011 4:00 PM

Description:

Marion hasn't slept in years. Teddie recently auditioned to be play an holocaust victim in a Hollywood blockbuster. Claudio doesn't leave the house. These three have a conversation until they realize their world is slipping further and further from reality.

Company:

Area IV Productions (Chicago, IL)

Founded in 2009, Area IV Theatre is a detail-oriented Theatre company focusing on new work. In 2010, the company's premiere work MARCH, by Hayes Borkowski participated in the Calgary and Edmonton International Fringe Theater Festivals in Alberta, Canada with preview performances in Boston and New Hampshire. Area IV Theatre is currently based out of Chicago, IL.

Night of the Living Dead - the Puppet Show

2011-08-08T22:57:00.003-05:00

Venue: Meridian Stage

1932 S. Halsted

Showtimes (click to purchase):

Sunday September 04, 2011 7:00 PM

Monday September 05, 2011 10:00 PM

Saturday September 10, 2011 8:30 PM

Description:

Live! In 3-D!

Another damn remake of George Romero's '68 Zombie masterpiece.

With puppets.

Company:

Angry Young Men Ltd. (Milwaukee, WI)

We're a collection of Artisans, Theatre Geeks, Mad Scientists, and Drinking Buddies who turned a shared love of Puppetry and Monster Movies into a local phenomenon.

In 2007, the "It Came From Lake Michigan" film festival offered us free reign to create a horror-related puppet show, as a bit of "alternate programming". We chose "Night of the Living Dead" because it was familiar, visceral, and in the public domain. It was a hit. Since then, we've been consistantly upgrading the show, performing it at regional Horror conventions, and every Halloween in Milwaukee.

We've also started producing video skits. You can see those on our website - www.angryyoungmenltd.com

Video Preview:

Glad he's got a map!

2011-08-03T00:13:00.004-05:00

CFF2011 performer Tim MacMillan sets out today, August 4, for the Festival! He is biking from Brooklyn to Pilsen:

801 miles: A Pedaling Playwrights' Plea from Mike Bradley on Vimeo.

(And as long as you've got your wallet out to help Tim's cause, why not donate your toll money to Fringe and bike everywhere this month like him?)

Mama Juggs

2011-07-30T22:04:00.006-05:00

Venue: Dream Theatre

556 W. 18th St., Chicago IL 60616

Showtimes (click to purchase):

Thursday September 01, 2011 7:00 PM

Sunday September 04, 2011 2:30 PM

Monday September 05, 2011 10:00 PM

Friday September 09, 2011 8:30 PM

Saturday September 10, 2011 5:30 PM

Description:

Let’s talk titty milk. Come conversate with grandma Suga Babe’s family as they chat unapologetically about bra stuffing, breast cancer, and breast feeding in their East Oakland housing projects living room. It’s a trip to grandma's house you will never forget! Bring your friends to this comedic one-woman show.

Company:

Princess Dragon Productions (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)

‘RIE SHONTEL is the writer, director, and solo performer in the Mama Juggs show in addition to a mixed-media artist, and a multi-award winning national journalist. An East Oakland native, Anita earned her B.A. in Radio and Television from San Francisco State University. A producer for North Carolina Public Radio’s nationally-syndicated show, The Story, Anita has received as number of awards: Harry Chapin Radio Media Award, several National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence Awards, and an Emmy with CNN.Princess Dragon Productions is an independent company that produces transformative shows and workshops to support self-empowerment.

Video Preview:

How to Donate to Chicago Fringe

2011-07-26T00:04:00.005-05:00

Replace your debt ceiling with a skylight, then recline under it and feel the warm sun on your face until it is night and you open your eyes and now you’re looking at the moon and you’re not even in your apartment anymore, you’re in a car traveling on a smooth and winding road, past signs pointing you to Kansas City and Indianapolis, Edinburgh and Adelaide and Wilmington and Minneapolis, and you find the turnoff for Chicago and hoist up your sail, because this car doesn’t need expensive gas, the Windy City breeze will carry you all the way to Pilsen, and you put away your change because this isn’t a tollway, it’s the open road, and it’s taking you to a theatrical free-for-all, it’s up there ahead where the sun is rising, getting brighter and brighter and brighter, until it blots out your windshield that isn’t your windshield any more, it’s your computer screen. And there’s a link on it:

Click here to donate.

The Utopia of Fringe is real and it’s close but we need help so we can all get there together! Please donate. Even a little bit can make a big difference.

September 11 Thread Project

2011-07-15T20:59:00.005-05:00

This year, the Chicago Fringe Festival will conclude on the 10^th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

To mark this milestone, we are organizing a commemorative event in partnership with HumanThread, a Pilsen-based nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of peace and justice through education, art and culture.

We invite all friends of Fringe to add to this event in a special way by contributing to the creation of One Common Thread for Peace. Cut a 12-inch strip of ribbon, fabric or some other knot-able material, write a message of hope on it or simply sign your name, and drop off or send the "thread" to the HumanThread Center:

Human Thread Center

645 W. 18^th Street

Chicago, IL 60616

These individual “threads” will be tied together and transformed into a work of art symbolizing our collective hopes for a more unified and peaceful world. The artwork will be unveiled as part of the 9/11 commemorative event scheduled to take place at the Fountainhead Lofts Art Building in East Pilsen on the last day of the Festival.

**Please share this message and spread the word about the special thread collection project. We hope to see you all at the Fountainhead.**

2011 Chicago Fringe Poster Design Unveiled!

2011-07-06T18:40:00.009-05:00

When the Lake Michigan tide was highest, we set off in a rickety boat, our design contest submissions in hand. After hours of rowing, we threw overboard an offering of Chicago dogs, deep dish pizza, Tamale Guy tamales, Italian beef and Goose Island beer, drawing the oracle of ChiFringe to the surface, where in its infinite wisdom it chose our winner.

Okay, not really, but that would have been easier than making the decision ourselves. We received an abundance of amazing designs from around the world that had us reeling with awe and delight. The diversity of designs was a real manifestation of Fringe spirit.

Thank you to everyone who submitted. And congratulations to our winner, Alex Cruz, and runners-up Jonathan Blackburn, Simon Hatter, Clare Rosean and Ching Yu Wong. Check out the runner-up designs and a short bio of our winner on the website!

Oahu Fringe opens applications for submissions

2011-07-01T12:49:00.002-05:00

A brand new fringe has opened its submission process... Hawaii anyone?

Following the rave success of the Fringe Bites event series last September 2010 & January 2011, organizers of the Oahu Fringe are proud to announce the first ever Oahu Fringe Festival. This Festival is set to take place in various venues around Chinatown between the dates of November 10th, 11th & the 12th of 2011.

The registration opens to the public on Friday July 1st and closes on August 19th .

All performers are welcome to apply, regardless of their professional or amateur status. First come first serve. No restrictions are made as to the nature, style or theme of the performance. The result is an action packed three days of zany, weird, dramatic, poetic, musical, comedic and toe-tapping fantastical shows all over Chinatown.

The first annual Oahu Fringe Festival (OFF) will launch in November 2011. For registration links and more information see www.oahufringe.com.

Calling Actors! Audition Notice for ChiFringe Show ALONE APART

2011-06-29T17:52:00.000-05:00

Auditions for a Chicago Fringe Festival show

Alone Apart written by Ted Brengle

A young painter, Miranda, attempts to understand her dying, estranged mother, through a series of paintings; each failed portrait coming alive in her mind and representing wildly different versions, ages and facets of the woman Miranda is obsessed with, but cannot understand. Or forgive. Miranda seeks closure. The paintings may have other ideas.

Seeking 4 women. 3W 20-35's and 1W 50's. Auditions will be held at North Shore Baptist Church in Andersonville on July 8th and 10th between 4-8 pm. Please email arandolph84@gmail.com with headshot/resume and subject line AUDITIONS to set up an audition slot or for any questions. Actors must prepare a short 30 sec - 1 minute monologue. Be ready to read sides. Rehearsals will begin in August. Chicago Fringe Festival runs September 1-4 and 7-11, 2011.

Pilsen Palate Pleasers

2011-05-22T22:57:00.006-05:00

Distinguished food writer Steve Dolinsky has singled out 2010 Chicago Fringe sponsor Kristoffer's and 2010 venue Simone's as two of The Top 5 Spots in Pilsen!

On his WBEZ blog, Dolinsky observes that "the arts community has always thrived in Pilsen," and commends the neighborhood's "chefs and mixologists" for having "caught up to the artists."

A standout among Pilsen's gastronomical masterpieces, Kristoffer's chocoflan combines flan and chocolate cake to delicious effect, just as Fringe artists blend different theatrical genres and texts with flair.

Dolinsky uses the Fringe-tastic adjective "mind-bending" to describe Simone's, where the bar is made from an old bowling alley lane and the DJ booth is recycled pinball machines. To unwind between performances at Fringe 2011, pull up to a table repurposed from a high school chemistry lab and order a Simone's specialty cocktail, the Brazilian Hanger. Or if you're rushing to your next show, ask for a Quickie! We guarantee your server will be happy to provide one.

WILMINGTON LOVE, or HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT FEES AND DO THE FRINGE

2011-05-09T22:10:00.005-05:00

(reminder, CFF Design Contest is open until May 15!)

The Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau advertises that their fair city is centrally located in Delaware, between NYC and Washington, DC. But we know better. Central nothing: Wilmington is on Fringe.

Since their first festival in 2009, Wilmington Fringe's audience has more than doubled. The 2011 Festival will take place September 21-25, and they are offering a great deal to dedicated Fringers: they will waive their $75 application fee for any artist who has already applied to a USAFF partner festival in 2010 or 2011. And Fringe Wilmington provides all venues at no cost and returns 100% of box office to artists.

For more information, check out their site; if you're interested in performing in scenic Delaware, where the horsemen wear pink balloon scarves, act fast. Their application deadline is June 1.

Go east, Fringers!

Design Contest Accepting Submissions!

2011-04-28T12:12:00.003-05:00

50 shows booked. 1 design needed.

What Chicago Fringe Festival is: an artistic extravaganza taking place in the Pilsen neighborhood between September 1-11, 2011. 50 shows will be performed by theatricalizers of every stripe, from actors and dancers to performance artists and aerialists.

What Chicago Fringe Festival needs from you: a single design that will be as emblematic of Chicago Fringe 2011 as the S on Superman’s chest. We need a design that is so arresting, dynamic, searing, whimsical, mind-bending or otherwise amazing that it will radiate cartoon-like waves of energy. Some further crucial information to help you create the graphic gold we’re panning for:

 The design should reflect, suggest, embody, convey or otherwise relate, directly or obliquely, to our Festival theme: On the Map, Under the Radar.

 The design should capture (or at least not contradict) some of the other key characteristics of Chicago Fringe theatre.

We value diversity. We feature performers of all ages, ethnicities, nationalities and orientations in shows about everything from Irish dancing to Rambo. And we believe that audiences should reflect the diversity on stage: our tickets are affordable, allowing anyone with a few spare bucks to see theatre. We are homegrown. The Festival was founded by Chicagoans and is infused with Chicago’s spirit of grit and innovation. And the Festival is proudly located in Pilsen, a neighborhood whose vivid murals testify to Chicago’s rich history and tradition of public art. We are guided by the philosophy that small theatre can be great theatre. A show performed in an improvised storefront space can be just as gripping and revelatory as the most lavish production at the fanciest theatre. To learn more about what Chicago Fringe is, visit http://www.chicagofringe.org/.

 You can (but are not required to) include the words “Chicago Fringe Festival 2011” as part of your design, but no other text, please.

Prizes

See your design on CTA ads and Fringe materials distributed all over Chicago! The winner’s design will be the design for the official 2011 Fringe Festival poster and the design will appear in part or in whole on a wide range of Fringe materials, including in our mobile app, on ads, tee-shirts, Festival programs, pins, banners and more. The winner’s name will appear on the poster and all other materials on which it is practicable to include an artist credit. The winner will also receive a commemorative Fringe button granting entry to all eleven days of the Festival. Last year’s Festival drew an audience of over 2,000 people, and this year promises to be even bigger. Three runners-up will have their designs published on chicagofringe.org.

Submitting Entries

All entries must be emailed to design2011@chicagofringe.org. The design size of the file must not exceed 11x17”. The design can be saved at a resolution that will enable us to zoom in to see details during judging, but the file size must not exceed 2MB. Designs may be in any medium. Multiple submissions are acceptable.

Submit PDF files only. Keep in mind that if your design is chosen, you will need to supply a version 12x18” at 300 dpi.

In the body of your email provide:

Your First and Last Name

Phone Number

Email Address

The Deadline

Your submission must be submitted by 8:00 p.m. on May 15, 2011. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered for the competition.

Other Important Stuff

Winning Entrants agree to assign all rights in their work to the Chicago Fringe Festival. These include but are not limited to the rights to edit, reproduce and distribute on printed and digital materials (including the Chicago Fringe Festival website). All entries must be 100% original work by the artist. No use of a third party's copyrighted material is allowed in any way, even if it is allowable under Fair Use guidelines. Chicago Fringe Festival will notify winners by June 7th, 2011 or after judging is complete.

If you have additional questions, e-mail us at info@chicagofringe.org

PUPPET SLAM!

2011-04-25T01:46:00.002-05:00

Attention all puppeteers: PUPPET MELTDOWN primary auditions close May 1!

Attention all puppet show fanatics (and puppet show virgins ready for a rollicking first time): PUPPET MELTDOWN will occur on June 24!

More information from Chicagoland Puppetry Guild:

In case you missed our ad in the Reader, we’re looking for short acts for a June 24 Puppet Slam ("Puppet Meltdown") at Gorilla Tango Theater, and would love to hear from you. New work, something "in the works," or a re-do of something you like in a 3-12 minute format, basic tech provided and (if you need it) a puppet stage on hand. There’s even a house band for the event! Primary auditions close May 1, and you can contact us at chicagolandpuppetyrguild@yahoo.com or go direct to the event Producer, Kat Pleviak at http://www.seabeastpuppetry.com/

Momentum!

2011-04-12T17:25:00.006-05:00

There's a sense of life gaining momentum here in Chicago in the spring, maybe because of all the runners and bikers and unicyclists (well, a Fringster can dream) suddenly whizzing along the streets.

If you're a Chi-based artist inspired by the pace of springtime life to get a jump on planning for your Fringe performances, we want to let you know about the aptly-named Theatre Momentum Studios. These three studios, located in the Cornelia Arts Building, are available at the great daytime rate of $8/hr.

You can find more info about studio rentals and learn about the unique, improvisation-based Theatre Momentum at their website. Or better yet, check out one of their productions, since their new season has just kicked off! Here's the skinny on what's upcoming (and some discount codes):

Theatre Momentum’s new season!

TM presents our newest show, BEFORE AND AFTER

BEFORE AND AFTER explores a single character's development in the aftermath of a life-changing event, played out in parallel with the story that them there in the first place. Life is defined in moments, but no one ever really changes...

Performance dates: Thursdays-Saturdays, April 14-May 7

Tickets: $10 Fridays/Saturdays, $8 Thursdays

DISCOUNT CODES: 2-for-1 tickets: "SCHROEDINGER", or $2 off: "NEWTON"

Also opening:

The Inertia Series, in association with Theatre Momentum, presents EMOTIVES.

EMOTIVES is an improvised three-act play in miniature. The show explores how the expression of feelings through language compels decisions and ultimately influences the lives of characters. What happens when we finally say what we mean?

Performance dates: Wednesdays, April 13-May 4

Tickets: $5

All shows @ Apollo Theater Studio, 2540 North Lincoln Avenue

Reservations may be made through the Apollo Theater box office at (773) 935-6100.

theatremomentum.com

HOPE: A Night of Jazz, Blues, World Music and Human Fellowship for the Benefit of the People of Japan

2011-04-05T17:47:00.004-05:00

Our friends at HumanThread have organized an evening of music to raise money for tsunami relief in Japan. Chicago Fringe artists, please consider attending to contribute to this important cause and support HumanThread, an organization based in Pilsen whose misson to promote peace and inspire action through art is in beautiful harmony with Fringe values.

The event will take place on Tuesday, April 12, starting at 6PM at Jazz Showcase. Scheduled performers include Neal Alger, The Green Mill Quartet, Steven Hashimoto, Mothra, Suenos-Latin Jazz, Haruko Wada and many more. Suggested donation is $30. 100% of proceeds go to The Japanese Red Cross Society. More info available at HumanThread and The Japan America Society of Chicago.

Chicago Fringe 2011 Acts Announced!

2011-03-01T17:19:00.000-06:00

Our lottery was held on February 27 to select the acts for the 2011 Chicago Fringe Festival - we enjoyed tea, cookies and belly dancing performances by the excellent Arabesque school. Our acts have been pulled - and I'm thrilled to share them with you! Keep your eyes out for more developments as we work full speed ahead to create our 2nd Fringe - bigger, better, funner! (<- not a word.)

Local 2011 ChiFringe Acts

The Harlotry & Necromancy Appreciation Society

Journey Theater Group

Kate Healy

Rebecca Kling

Sideshow Theatre Company NFP

The League of Miscreants

t & t Productions

The Space/Movement Project

Suitcase Shakespeare Company

Lady Terror Productions

The TR! Show

HER STORY THEATER

Existential Crises

Mathew Stella

Fork in the Road Theatre Company

ToddsBurn Productions

Melncolly

Mammals

Schrödinger

Monica Dionysiou

Commedia Beauregard

Ted Brengle

Lincoln Square Theatre

Hobo Junction Productions

Core Project Chicago

Non-Local 2011 ChiFringe Acts

Right Brain Productions, LLC - Iowa

Pones Inc. - Ohio

barely balanced - Ohio

Giants of Theatre - Indiana

Gillian Hemme - New Jersey

Blue Suitcase Productions - New York

Elizabeth Blue - New York

Maximum Verbosity - Minnesota

Tim Brandt - Washington

Phil the Void - California

Godot Art Productions - Canada

Howard Timms - United Kingdom

The Adventures of Les Kurkendaal - California

Nicole Kearney Productions - Indiana

Then & Only Then - Texas

'rie Shontel - North Carolina

Ray Terrill Dance Group - Minnesota

Nejla Y. Yatkin/NY2Dance - New York

a denmo ibrahim production - California

Artemis Exchange - Kentucky

David Jacobson - California

Never Assume Productions - New York

Voler - Thieves of Flight - Missouri

Robin Gelfenbien - New York

Too Much Free Time Productions - New York

Roman Rimer - New York

Local Waiting List

Abraham Werewolf

Mike Cherry and Arthur Luis Soria

Matt Griffo

Wishbone Theatre Collective

EnSolo

Inaside Chicago Dance

Tympanic Theatre Company

Samuel R. Quinn-Dinowitz

The Dance Team

The Talking Cure

Dark Triad

Sonita Surratt

Cowardly Kiss Theatre

Das Glumlot

S'More Theatre

Pops and Tinker Productions

cocodancegroup

Area IV Theatre Company

Jennifer Olson

Sid Branca

Meghean Warner

Kristin Davis

Sam Houston Theatre Collective

Janus Theatre Company

RE
Dance Group

Starshards Productions

Von Orthal Puppets

Stacey Smith

Wyatt Kent

The Inconvenience

Kelsie Huff

Psychopomp

Jeffery Hancock

rhythm 8

Terra Mysterium

Forced Square Productions

Potential Theatre Company

Dennis Frymire

Non-Local Waiting List

Riverrun Theatre Company

Angry Young Men Ltd

bnw:dance

Mark Jason Williams

Performance Gallery

Neil Bernard

Tangled Leaves Theatre Collective

Shelter Repertory Dance Theatre

Amy Albert/Delilah Dix

H.R. Britton

Twilight Productions

Pathos Theatre

The Great Ben Egerman Theatre Adventure!

Leigh Hendrix

Lian Cheramie/Acting Up (in Acadiana)

The Beggars Group

Lively Productions

Zehra Fazal

Poetic Rebound Performance Company

T-O-T-A-L-L-Y!KIMLEIGH PRODUCTIONS

The Skinny Improv

Treeline Dance Works

John Grady

Dream Fulfilled Productions

Celebration Barn Theater

The Broken String Theatre Ensemble

Rednerrus Feil Dance Company

Kevin Thornton/55BC

Pirtlean Entertainment

George Contini

Who Loves Ya, Baby?

Constellationship

Muscle Memory Dance Theatre

Steve Fetter

Seth Lepore

Kelly and Lindsey

Poison Apple Initiative

Patrick O'Brien

Beverly Dale

David Nathan Schwartz

Push/Don't Pull Dance Theatre

4 Clowns

Irene Chan, Ch'An Press

Modal Kombat

Distance Dances

Tim lee

Jihad Milhem

Psophonia Dance Company

Red Theater

Laura Pazuchowski

Leila Ghaznavi

Howard Lieberman

Rupert Wates And Friends

We be Bloggin!

2011-01-14T13:25:00.002-06:00

Our Associate Producer, Vincent Lacey, has written a blog about Fringe over at the League of Chicago Theaters blog. It's gives a little history of Fringe and Chicago and what we are all about in the larger theatre & arts community.

You can check it out HERE.

http://chicagoplays.com/component/idoblog/?view=idoblog&args=Blogs&recentid=107

The Lucky 13!

2010-12-08T13:27:00.001-06:00

On December 1, we opened up our application period for performers. This year, we tried something new - we would accept the first 25% of our performance groups as First/Come - First/Serve. That worked out to 13 of our 50 slots. We actually got the idea from our buddies over at the Boulder Fringe Festival while we were at the United States Association of Fringe Festival Conference. The reasoning behind it is to allow an opportunity for artists who are ready and prepared to get in right away. Keeping the rest of the slots as lottery allows us to make sure that are festival is diverse and has that wonderful spirit of democracy, randomness and chaos that we so adore at both our festival, and sister festivals like the Minnesota Fringe.

We had an inkling it would be popular - but WOW. The 13 slots filled up in 4 MINUTES! Very exciting!

There's still plenty of time to apply for the regular lottery - we still have 37 spots up for grabs after all! Apply here.

The lucky 13 who are slated to perform in the 2011 Chicago Fringe Festival are:

t & t Productions
Chicago, IL
The Ironmistress

Blue Suitcase Productions
Brooklyn, NY
look out for the bees

The League of Miscreants
River Forest, IL
The Miscreants Kill An Hour And Go To Cuernavaca

Gillian Hemme
Newark, NJ
Clean Start

Sideshow Theatre Company NFP
Chicago, IL
Strangerland

Elizabeth Blue
Brooklyn NY
Am I Blue

Rebecca Kling
Chicago, IL
Across and Beyond: Traversing Gender

Kate Healy
Chicago, IL
Purgatorio

Giants of Theatre
Indianapolis, Indiana
Jesus, Shakespeare, and Lincoln Walk into a Bar

Journey Theater Group
Chicago, IL
Where the Heart Lies

The Harlotry & Necromancy Appreciation Society
Chicago, IL
Ed Rex

Barely Balanced
Lakewood, OH
Sharp Knives and Stupid Humans

Pones Inc.
Cincinnati, OH
The Four Food Groups

As you can see, we already have a nice mix of local, regional and national acts, along with some favorites from 2010 making a triumphant return!

We look forward to sharing more about these artists and our lottery winning artists in the coming months.

FRINGE BINGE!

2010-11-19T11:53:00.000-06:00

The season of street festivals may be over, but the summer time lovin' is still in full swing for the Chicago Fringe's, FRINGE BINGE!

When?

THIS Sunday, November 21st, 2010

7:30pm - 10:00pm

Where?

The Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

How Much?

Only $10

Tickets are available at the door, or order online now! https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/8525115

Ages 17+

What?

An indoor carnival event like no other! Play free games at carnival booths run by local theater artists and companies, including:

Pie Throwing by Suitcase Shakespeare

World's Tiniest Show with Matt Griffo

Alien Bottle Toss with Hobo Junction

Plus booths from the New Colony, Terra Mysterium, Hubris Productions and many many more!

Play for free and win raffle tickets for fabulous prizes, such as Steppenwolf Tickets, and All Access Fringe Pass, and original art!

Hosted by the Crash Pad Puppets, and featuring short performances from some of the Smash Hits of the 2010 Fringe
Plus so much more!

Join Us!

Play a game, have a drink, shake a tailfeather, win a prize, eat a cupcake!

Fringe Binge! Fringe Binge! Go Go Fringe Binge!

The Crash Pad Puppets Gear Up for Fringe Binge!

Thanks to all for a Fabulous Freshman Fringe!

2010-10-05T15:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

I would like to personally thank every artist, patron and volunteer for a truly fabulous freshman Fringe! Some quick stats for you:

Over $28,000 in artist payments
Over 4,000 seats filled
Around 2,500 Unique Patrons

By and large, we exceeded our expectations! We just completed our organizational post-mortem - we have our sights set on how we can grow and improve in 2011.

If you have thoughts or comments about Fringe 2010, we'd love to hear them! Please feel free to utilize our anonymous feedback tool: http://talkbackr.com/usq7h

After closing of the Festival, we donated our cinder blocks to the wonderful people of Roots and Rays, a Pilsen community garden! Check them out here: http://www.raizesyrayos.wordpress.com/.

Though live performance is temporal, the Fringe has left an impression, like an artifact from a bygone age. Bittersweet!

Cheers to all of the new friends we've made! Stay tuned for 2011, the plans for which are well underway.

Much Love,

Sarah Mikayla Brown

Backstage at Chicago Fringe

2010-09-05T18:02:00.000-05:00

Weber and Einstein celebrate the completion of their show Please Love Me, High School Boyfriend.

Tonight at the Fringe After Party

2010-09-05T06:52:00.000-05:00

Check out local band The Kickback at 9:30 pm at Honky Tonk BBQ.

Warming Up

2010-09-02T20:22:00.000-05:00

Dancers from Megan Rhyme's Inner Cartography warm up at the Fringe Main Box office before performing. Get tickets to the remaining performances of Inner Cartography here.

Tonight at the Fringe After Party

2010-09-02T15:41:00.000-05:00

Local atmospheric rock band Biographer takes the stage at Honky Tonk BBQ. Stop by after your last show of the night; the band goes on at 10:30.

About Biographer: You probably will not dance to the music of Biographer. Atmospheric as it is heavy, as rock as it is folk; inside any of the mid-to-slow-tempo epics Biographer has been sculpting you may encounter a wall of whelming guitar surrounded by cymbal crashes one minute, only to later find yourself reflecting to a banjo and flute duet situated inside a song that rises and falls like the waves of the sea that are the band's primary inspiration.

And the Reviews Start Pouring In....

2010-09-02T15:36:00.000-05:00

Don't miss the first round of Time Out Chicago's complete coverage of the Chicago Fringe Festival!

http://www3.timeoutny.com/chicago/blog/out-and-about/2010/09/chicago-fringe-festival-2010-review-roundup-part-one/


Silken Veils

What To Do This Weekend...

2010-09-02T12:48:00.001-05:00

Time Out Chicago. Chicago Magazine. Metromix. Everyone agrees that the Chicago Fringe Festival is the place to be this weekend! Don't take our word for it- just check out some of these links!

Metromix Chicago: Fringe Benefits

The Loyola Phoenix: Coloring Outside the Lines

Time Out Chicago: 5 Things To Do Today

Chicago Magazine: Your Three-Day Weekend Itinerary

Crains Chicago Business: 10 Things To Do This Weekend

Tonight at the Chicago Fringe Festival

2010-09-01T13:21:00.001-05:00

Honky Tonk BBQ. Looks good, doesn't it?

Join us after the first day of the Chicago Fringe Festival for our nightly afterparty at Honky Tonk BBq, located at 1213 W 18th Street. Tonight's live act will be local band ElvisBride. Don't miss this awesome free party!

Chicago Student Rush Offer

2010-08-31T11:46:00.001-05:00

Students, take advantage of this offer through the League of Chicago Theatre's SmarTix program. Sign up to receive other SmarTix offers here.

Free Student Rush Tickets

Wednesday, September 1 - Shows starting from 4pm to 5:30pm

Thursday, September 2 - Shows starting from 4pm to 5:30pm

Friday, September 3 - Shows starting from 4pm to 5:30pm

Reserve your FREE tickets by heading to the venues 1 hour prior to the start of a show and mentioning SmarTix. Must bring a student ID.

There are a limited number of SmarTix available for each show. A valid student I.D. must be presented at the box office when picking up your ticket.

Check out showtimes here, and don't forget to stop by Fringe Central before and after the shows!

Fringe Dance Productions featured on WBEZ

2010-08-31T10:18:00.000-05:00

Chicago Fringe Festival Includes Dance in Eclectic Roster

Despite its second-city status, Chicago has been a great incubator for all kinds of art, from theatre to dance. In keeping with that spirit of experimentation, the inaugural Chicago Fringe Festival kicks off tomorrow in Pilsen. Over the next five days you’ll have the chance to see more than 200 local and international avant-garde performers. In addition to all the theater, music and visual arts, there’ll be a substantial dance presence. Eight Forty-Eight’s Dance Critic Lucia Mauro brings us this preview.

Three emerging Chicago dance companies take an adventurous approach to the physical and emotional aspects of dance. Rooted in a no-holds-barred post-modernism, these groups meticulously deconstruct matters of the head and the heart.

Read the full article here.

Patchwork Woman

2010-08-29T18:36:00.001-05:00

Check out the video preview for Bridges by Patchwork Woman Performance. Tickets on sale here.

Read Performink's Feature on Chicago Fringe

2010-08-29T18:24:00.000-05:00

Chicago Fringe Steps Into High Gear
by Carrie L. Kaufmann

The trickles of talk about the first annual Chicago Fringe Festival exploded this week, and Sarah Mikayla Brown is a little blown away by it.

Brown, the executive producer who conceived of the Chicago version of a fringe fest last year after performing at the Minnesota Fringe Fest, thinks that the combination of 45 performance groups sending out press releases and e-mails to their constituents has coalesced into a “fervor and energy” that has created a groundswell of curiousity.

But she thinks her fest will live up to the hype. And, she adds, while it’s modeled on other U.S. and Canadian festivals, there is something about this one that is uniquely Chicago.
“It really reminds me of a neighborhood festival, translated through the lens of a performance festival,” says Brown.

The Chicago Fringe Festival will run September 1-5 at eight different venues in Pilsen. Brown says they’re all walkable, though it might take up to 20 minutes to go between the two most distant spots. And it’s not just about theatre. It’s about the atmosphere. It’s about community. She stressed that theatre people are welcome to party at “Fringe Central” at 1714 S. Racine anytime after 10 p.m., whether or not they’ve seen a show.

Read the rest of the article here.

Chicago Industry Offer

2010-08-28T09:14:00.000-05:00

For the September 1st, 2nd, and 3rd 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm showings of the Chicago Fringe Festival, we are happy to offer an industry rush! Industry need only bring a headshot and resume to the door, and, given room, will be allowed in for free! Line up early for your favorite show, as seating may be limited. A full schedule is available at http://www.chicagofringe.org/showtimes.html.

Did you get your Chicago Reader today?

2010-08-27T12:14:00.001-05:00

Pick up a copy all week long, or check out the article online here!

Read Kris Vire's Time Out Preview of the Chicago Fringe Festival

2010-08-26T13:48:00.002-05:00

"When I spoke to Sarah Mikayla Brown a year ago, she laid out a vision for an annual event that would join the burgeoning network of fringe fests across the U.S. and Canada. The Chicago Fringe Festival would bring in performers from around the country to interact with our homegrown artists and audiences; an uncurated selection process would bolster the sense of discovery she’d found at fringe fests in other cities. I liked the idea but was a bit skeptical that it could be pulled together in a year’s time.

I shouldn’t have doubted Brown. Assembling a staff of 16 (all working pro bono), she fielded 156 applicants and secured eight Pilsen venues. Beginning Wednesday 1, theater, dance, sketch comedy and other performance pieces will take over EP Theater and Dream Theatre, art galleries Chicago Art Department and Temple Gallery, salvage-chic bar and grill Simone’s, the Casa Aztlán community center and a pair of empty storefronts dubbed the Edinburgh Stage and Adelaide Stage (after the world’s two largest fringe fests). An open-air lot at 1714 South Racine Avenue will serve as Fringe Central, where festgoers can mingle over drinks and live music; after 10pm each night, the party moves inside to Honky Tonk Barbecue (1213 W 18th St).

The inaugural Chicago Fringe features 46 lottery-selected entries: 25 by Chicago-area performers and 21 from across the U.S. and Canada. With each coming in under an hour and at ten bucks a pop (five for $45, ten for $80 or an unlimited pass for $175), the idea is to take in as many as possible. Here are a few that caught our eye."

GLBT Fringe

2010-08-25T10:30:00.000-05:00

Time Out Chicago takes a look at the GLBT performances of the Chicago Fringe Festival: http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/gay/88424/the-chicago-fringe-festival.

Which queer performances are you most excited to see?

To Pay or Not To Pay

2010-08-23T13:12:00.000-05:00

David Mamet says you only get to judge a performance when you've paid for your ticket. What do you think about comp tickets- do they devalue a performance?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/theatreblog/2010/aug/10/edinburgh-festival-better-to-pay

The Steve Show

2010-08-20T00:41:00.004-05:00

Venue: Casa Atzlan
1831 S Racine Ave, Chicago IL 60608

Showtimes (click to purchase):

Wednesday September 01, 2010 10:00 PM

Thursday September 02, 2010 5:30 PM

Friday September 03, 2010 7:00 PM

Saturday September 04, 2010 8:30 PM

Sunday September 05, 2010 5:30 PM

Description:
You think Conan O'Brien had it bad gettin kicked off the Tonight Show, check out Steve Shubert and his big break into the world of late night entertainment and his immediate downfall. Think a vaudevillian carwreck painted by Jackson Pollack!

Company:
Jason Economus (Chicago, Illinois)

Jason Economus is an actor, writer, teacher, stand up comic and director. During his time in Chicago he has appeared in the hilarious long running hit, Shear Madness, and has performed brand new works with The Building Stage, Buckeye Tree Productions and New Beast Works and was in Not About Heroes at the Library Theatre and J.B. with Chicago Fusion Theatre. He has also directed Chekhov Shorts (Library Theatre) and Worst Mime in the World (Bailiwick Repertory Theatre’s Director’s Festival), Danny and the deep blue sea at the Town Hall Pub.

Skinny Dipping

2010-08-19T23:12:00.006-05:00

Venue: Temple Gallery

1749 S Halsted Ave, Chicago IL 60608

Showtimes (click to purchase):

Wednesday September 01, 2010 7:00 PM

Thursday September 02, 2010 8:30 PM

Friday September 03, 2010 10:00 PM

Saturday September 04, 2010 4:00 PM

Sunday September 05, 2010 5:30 PM

Description:

Twinkies, wigs and a Liza Minnelli tribute? Oh my! It’s all in funny lady Shanna Shrum’s nationally touring, Skinny Dipping - Not Your Mama's One Woman Show! Prepare to strip down, dive in, and find out what might happen! Because when you’re Skinny Dipping, what MIGHT happen is the best part!

Company:

Shanna Shrum (Chicago, Illinois)

In 2009, Shanna independently produced Skinny Dipping’s first national tour, which made stops in St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago and New York City. Shanna will continue Skinny Dipping with audiences in 2010 at the Kansas City, Minnesota, Indianapolis and Chicago Fringe Festivals.

Video Preview:

Silken Veils

2010-08-19T22:44:00.011-05:00

Venue: EP Theater
1820 S Halsted Ave, Chicago IL 60608

Showtimes (click to purchase):

Wednesday September 01, 2010 4:00 PM

Thursday September 02, 2010 5:30 PM

Friday September 03, 2010 7:00 PM

Saturday September 04, 2010 8:30 PM

Sunday September 05, 2010 10:00 PM

Description:
Silken Veils weaves the verse of Persian poet Rumi with the visual harmony of marionettes, table-top puppets, live performance and animation. This turbulent, sometimes humorous tale follows Darya, an Iranian born American citizen as she struggles with love in the US while reliving her childhood in Iran during the Revolution of 1979 and the Iran/Iraq war. Nominated as a best new work at Ediburgh Fringe Festival.

Company:
Pantea Production (Stevenson Ranch, California)

Video Preview: