Accessible Fringe Festival
Returns
for 13th Season
The
Minnesota Fringe Festival will celebrate its 13th year August
3-13 with 903 performances from 172 companies. The 11-day festival
features a variety of performances: drama, comedy, dance, musical
theater, Kids Fringe, Teen Fringe, solo performance, sketch comedy, puppets
and a Visible Fringe bringing visual arts to theater lobbies and galleries
adjacent to Fringe venues.
Besides being the largest non-juried performing arts festival in
the United States, the Fringe in Minneapolis is the most accessible--this
year offering 20 audio-described shows for blind patrons, seven shows
interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) for Deaf patrons, and
three shows captioned for hard of hearing patrons.
Theater companies and individual
artists from across Minnesota, the U.S. and Canada will perform
in 23 venues throughout the Downtown, Loring Park, Lyn-Lake, North
Loop, Powderhorn, Seward, West Bank and Whittier neighborhoods
of Minneapolis. Particular attention was paid to physical accessibility
of sites. New venues this year include Theatre de la Jeune Lune,
The Playwrights’ Center and four
theater spaces at the University of Minnesota Rarig Center.
New programs this year include:
• an improved audience queue structure including dedicated pass
lines and additional house managers to ensure a high level of customer
service;
• Fringe Encore presenting the top-selling show at each Fringe
venue in one additional encore show on closing night;
• Fringe Nightcap Series replacing Fringeville as the festival
celebrates neighborhood nightlife at a different restaurant or bar
each night of the Fringe. In addition, a record number of Bring Your
Own Venues present site-specific theater created outside traditional
venues, where content is dependent on specific location.
The Accessible Fringe--ASL-interpreted,
audio-described and captioned show available for select Fringe
performances—are noted in
Access Press, in brochures, in the printed program and on Web sites
of the Fringe www.fringefestival.org,
VSA arts of Minnesota www.vsaartsmn.org,
TCDeaf.com www.TCDeaf.com and
Minnesota Association. of Community Theatres www.mact.net
The Fringe Web site also offers online ticketing, daily slide shows,
links to media reviews, podcasts, blogs, audience reviews, Daily
Fringe e-newsletter, searchable show schedules, an improved interactive
and intuitive My Fringe scheduling, artist bios and accessibility
information.
Admission to Fringe shows
requires a ticket or pass and a Fringe button. Buttons are $3 each
and good for discounts at select businesses during the Fringe and
at participating arts organizations throughout the year. Tickets
to each Fringe performance are $12 for adults, $5 for kids 12-and-under,
with a $2 discount for students, seniors and MPR members. The Ultra
Pass offers unlimited entry to all shows for $135 (plus a free button).
Punch Cards (five shows for the price of four) are $45. Advance tickets
can be purchased through Uptown Tix: 651-209-6799 or www.uptowntix.com
For more information: 612-872-1212,
access@fringefestival.org, press@fringefestival.org
Fringe Festival - Accessible Performance
Schedule
August 3 - 13, 2006
Audio Description,
ASL Interpreting, Captioning Schedule.
Thursday, August 3, 2006
Higher Power
Sex, drugs, rock and roll,
and Catholicism collide in the lives of three young Midwesterners
as a last-ditch drug deal becomes the undoing of family and friendships.
Performed by Little Red Square , Kansas City, MO. AD: 8:00
p.m., Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 Lake St W., Mpls. Describer: Susan Howe
The Cat Came Back
Old Mr. Johnson had
troubles all his own. His very jealous wife made a hell of his
home. He found a sexy cat he thought would bring good luck. Instead,
she only wanted him to…. Performed
by Zealots and Mystics. AD: 10:00
p.m., Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 Lake St W., Mpls. Describer: Susan Howe
Friday, August 4, 2006
Struggle:
The True Story of Ex-Inmates
Everyone deserves a second
chance. Ex-inmates and their families tell their stories of pain,
struggle, and redemption. Performed by Amicus. AD: 8:30
p.m., Rarig Center Xperimental, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Describer:
Laurie Pape-Hadley
Saturday, August 5, 2006
Wonderland
Lewis Carroll's classic
story " Alice in Wonderland" has
been re-invented, re-imagined and re-mixed. In an outrageous nightclub,
Alex crosses paths with Wonderland's most infamous and notorious
citizens. A wild adventure awaits on the dance floor! Performed by
La Vie Theatre. AD: 4:00 p.m., Rarig Center Proscenium,
330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Describer: Laurie Pape-Hadley
Die, Clowns, Die!
A one-man comedy about comedy.
And death. An absurd tale of seven comedy-loving, French-hating clowns
who are all doomed to die. Or are they? Using actual comic theories
of Sigmund Freud, Henri Bergson, Baudelaire and other scholars, the
show explores the true nature of comedy: high-brow versus low brow,
comedy versus tragedy, comedians' neuroses, and the mystery of the
French infatuation with Jerry Lewis... By the author of best-selling
Fringe hits Adventures
in Mating and The Worst Show in the Fringe.
Performed by Joseph Scrimshaw. ASL: 5:30 p.m.,
Rarig Center Arena, 212 3rd Ave. N. #140, Mpls. Interpreter: TBA
Sunday, August 6,
2006
Fresh Meat
A powerhouse of smart,
fast-paced, multimedia sketch comedy and social satire. Members
of this New York trio have worked on "Saturday Night Live" and "The
Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Raw, uncut, and vegan-friendly.
Performed by Fresh Meat NYC, New York, NY. AD: 2:30
p.m., Red Eye Collaboration Theater, 15 W. 14 th St., Mpls. Describer:
Laurie Pape-Hadley
Cinderella
Cinderella, the story
of a poor helpless girl rescued by a powerful handsome man … Yeah
uh, we changed that! This Cinderella is smart, fresh and witty,
with a new ending that speaks to the heart. Performed by DeLasalle
Players. ASL: 2:30 p.m.,
Rarig Center Proscenium, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Interpreter: TBA
Hoopla!
A hilarious movement-based
adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy "Much Ado About Nothing." Mistaken
identity, quarreling relationships, princes plotting and marriage
match-making cause complications for the heroes of Hoopla!: Beatrice
and Benedick. Performed by Vive Productions from Farmington, MN. Captioning 8:30
p.m., Rarig Center Proscenium, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls.. Captioner:
Robin Gillette
Monday, August 7, 2007
Honk Junior
Honk Junior is the
award-winning musical re-telling of the classic Hans Christian
Andersen story "The Ugly Duckling." With
all its wonderful humor, charm and message of tolerance, Honk Junior
is perfect for all ages. Performed by Fred Moore Middle School Center
for the Arts. AD: 5:30 p.m., Rarig Center Proscenium,
330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Describer: Rick Jacobson
She, So Beloved
She, So Beloved is
one woman's rampage through the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, exploring
betrayal and what it means to be defined as "love." Developed,
in part, with Red Eye Theatre's Works-In-Progress program. Performed
by Emily Gunyou. AD: 7:00
p.m., Rarig Center Arena, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Describer: Rick
Jacobson
Two Queers and a Chubby
Flamboyant. Nerdy. Out of
shape. Buckle up for a hilarious ride as three friends take the stage
to share stories of embarrassing encounters, hard learned lessons
and tales of love gone wrong. Performed by What Happened? Productions AD: 8:30
p.m., Rarig Center Arena, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Describer: Rick
Jacobson
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Honk Junior
Honk Junior is the
award winning musical re-telling of the classic Hans Christian
Andersen story "The Ugly Duckling".
Honk Junior with all its wonderful humor, charm and message of tolerance
is perfect for all ages. Performed by Fred Moore Middle School Center
for the Arts. ASL: 7:00 p.m., Rarig Center Proscenium,
330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Interpreter: TBA
Laura Ingalls Wild! A Burlesque on the Prairie
Get down bonnet! The story
of Halfpint and her family, funneled through a burlesque stage show
of bad jokes, scandalous assumptions, naughty dances and the real
Nellie Olson. Performed by October Dandy Productions. AD: 7:00
p.m., Interact Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 212 3rd Ave.
N. #140, Mpls. Describer: Laurie Pape Hadley
Remember Who Made You
A one-man play exploring the myths, fears, and joys
of being gay AND Christian. Performed by Jeffrey Barnes, Indianapolis,
IN AD: 8:30 p.m., Interact Center for Visual and
Performing Arts, 212 3rd Ave. N. #140, Mpls. Describer: Laurie Pape
Hadley
Really
Actor/writer John Lyons examines
the oddity of honesty. Who do you really tell the truth to? Is it
an audience? Is it your soul mate? Really? Or is it a total stranger?
Performed by Theatre Box from Chicago, IL. Captioning 8:30
p.m., Theatre de la Jeune Lune, 105 First St. N., Mpls. Captioner:
Robin Gillette
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Two Queers and a Chubby
Flamboyant. Nerdy. Out of
shape. Buckle up for a hilarious ride as three friends take the stage
to share stories of embarrassing encounters, hard learned lessons
and tales of love gone wrong. Performed by What Happened? Productions. ASL: 7:00
p.m., Rarig Center Arena, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. ASL Interpreter:
TBA
Bud n Wally: A True (Love) Story
HEY STELL-AA! The
Wild One meets the Mild One. A revealing look at the real-life
relationship between Marlon "Bud" Brando
and best pal Wally Cox, (voice of TV's Underdog). See the private
Brando exposed.. Performed by Bud n Wally Productions. AD: 8:30
p.m., Theatre de la Jeune Lune, 105 First St. N., Mpls. Describer:
Rick Jacobson
18 SHORT STORIES OF LOOKING
FOR LOVE: One lyricist and 18 composers join forces to create a unique
theatrical song cycle. JP Fitzgibbons stars as a charmingly resilient
gay New Yorker looking for (and finding) lust, loneliness, and love
in the big city. Performed by Nautilus Music-Theater. AD: 10:00
p.m., Theatre de la Jeune Lune, 105 First St. N., Mpls. Describer:
Rick Jacobson
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Jungle Mary Bang Bang!
Think of your favorite movie
musical from childhood. Most of that great music was written by the
Sherman Brothers. Singing! Dancing! Live music! It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
You love this music. Trust us. Performed by Blue Umbrella Productions. AD: 5:30
p.m., Mpls. Theatre Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave., Mpls. Describer:
Mari Griffin
88 Improv Presents: The Hitchhiker
Help create the story and
join in The Hitchhiker! Based on audience suggestions, one actor
sets up the story of the hero, supporting roles are filled by the
company, and the story is completely improvised! Performed by 88
Improv, of Omaha, Nebraska. AD: 7:00 p.m., Mpls.
Theatre Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave., Mpls. Describer: Mari Griffin
In Hopes of Claudia
Beatrice lead Dante
from dis to purgatorio to paradiso. "In
Hopes of Claudia" leads poet Kevin Kling and Simone Perrin on
a musical triptych to the stars. Performed by Kevin Kling. AD: 8:30
p.m., Mpls. Theatre Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave., Mpls. Describer:
Mari Griffin
Love in a Time of Rinderpest
Action packed comedy nonsense
with an all-star local cast (actors from Bedlam, Live Action Set,
Park Square ). Rival forensics teams battle renegade ghostbusters,
folksinging cardboard, and Bruce Springsteen on a quest for true
ignorance. Preformed by Impossible Theatre Group. AD: 10:00
p.m., Mpls. Theatre Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave., Mpls. Describer:
Mari Griffin
I Want to be Musashi: A Clown Samurai Fantasy
A solo clown show
based on and inspired by Japan 's greatest samurai warrior, Miyamoto
Musashi and one clown's fantasy to be him! Performed by Noontime
Theatre & Otsie Kerplotsie from
Brooklyn, NY. ASL: 5:30 p.m., Playwrights' Center,
2301 Franklin Ave. E., Mpls. Interpreter: TBA
Wacky Chicken Show
Follow the Wacky Chickens
down a rabbit hole as they lead you on a madcap loony adventure.
Animal wisdom is key as our pea-brained chicken heroes struggle to
put on a vaudeville show. Performed by Theatre of Fools. ASL: 7:00
p.m., Playwrights' Center, 2301 Franklin Ave. E., Mpls. Interpreter:
TBA
Friday, August 11, 2006
The Afterlife Project, or 'She's Just Sleeping'
and Other Lies Your Mother Told You About Death
John had a heart attack. Spot
got hit by a truck. Jane suffocated during autoerotic asphyxiation
while listening to Rod Stewart. Come see what they're up to now!
Death -- Everybody's doin' it. Performed by Upright Egg Theatre Company. AD: 5:30
p.m., Rarig Center Thrust, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Describer: Cynthia
Hamre
Circumference
The Ghosts of Gym
Teachers Past commingle with the Fear of Fitness Centers Present
and the Longing for Weight Loss Future as an aerobi-phobic “floating
head” struggles
to become a real, kinetic person. Lycra encouraged! Performed by
Amy Salloway. AD: 7:00
p.m., Rarig Center Thrust, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Describer: Cynthia
Hamre
Monsters in America:
Puppets of Mass Destruction
The Corporation accidentally
unleashes a rampaging horror and their wiliest spin-doctors make
scapegoats of the cutest and cuddliest "cereal killers" in
America. Fingers are pointed. Allegories are veiled. Worlds are
rocked. ("Death Penalty
Puppetry" gang.). Performed by the Chameleon Theatre Circle
. AD: 8:30 p.m., Rarig Center Proscenium, 330 21st
Ave. S., Mpls. Describer: Cynthia Hamre
Saturday, August 12, 2006
In Hope of Claudia
Beatrice lead Dante
from dis to purgatorio to paradiso. "In
Hopes of Claudia" leads poet Kevin Kling and Simone Perrin on
a musical triptych to the stars. Performed by Kevin Kling. ASL: 1:00
p.m., Mpls. Theatre Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave., Mpls. Interpreter:
TBA
Dancing Rats and Vampire Moms
Dangerous mothers
come out to play in three tales told with wit, heart, and a touch
of horror: “Oprah Meets Snow White,” “Mama
Gone” & “The Dancing Rat of Paris.” "Donoval has mastered
the art of telling stories that are funny and heart-wrenching." -
Chicago Reader, critic's choice. Performed by Hardcover Theater and
Nancy Donoval. AD: 1:00 p.m., the Playwrights' Center,
2301 Franklin Ave. E., Mpls. Describer: Cynthia Hamre
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Japonesque
What would happen to Mr. Rogers
if he got trapped on Sesame Street in a dark back-alley of Japan?
Japonesque will realize this scenario through funny, eerie, sexy
improvisations using five boxes and infinite possibilities. Dancer/choreographer
Kats D Fukasawa and multi-disciplinary artist Masanari Kawahara will
present unpredictable dance-theater performance using improvised
movements, mask theater, puppetry, vocalization and basic course
in Japanese culture. Performed by Paneer Project. ASL: 1:00
p.m., Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S., Mpls. Interpreter:
TBA
Vive Venezuela
Acclaimed artistic director
Judith Perez, and an ensemble cast, present through dance, live percussion,
song, and costumes, the diversity, mystery, textures and colors of
Venezuela. Performed by Sentir Venezolano. Captioning 1:00
p.m., Rarig Center Proscenium, 330 21st Ave. S., Mpls. Captioner:
Robin Gillette
