The Island Fringe Festival Takes the Stage
Scene I: A graveyard at dusk. A group of people stand amidst the headstones. As the sun sets, a man emerges from behind a tree. A few blocks away, near the shore, another audience is introduced to Prospero before he became a Shakespearean legend; while at a downtown cafe, a group of young people attempt to answer life’s big questions. Welcome to the Island Fringe Festival.
The Island Fringe Festival, a member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, is PEI’s first official Fringe, bringing independent and alternative theatre, comedy, and dance to Charlottetown, August 24 to 26, 2012.
The Island Fringe is a site-specific festival. Inspired by the unconventional shows that Fringe Festivals are famous for, the Island Fringe team has sought out equally unconventional venues. The shows will take place in indoor and outdoor spaces throughout downtown Charlottetown, including coffee shops, bars, and parks.
The line-up for The Island Fringe includes four shows hailing from PEI, as well as one from New York City and another from Ottawa. Five of the shows are world premieres; all are original works. Ranging from highland dance to comedy, Celtic mysticism to a Shakespearean prequel, the shows capture the excitement and energy that make Fringe Festivals so unique.
Festival Director Sarah Segal-Lazar is thrilled to bring Fringe culture to the Island this summer. “It’s something that I’ve wanted to see on the Island for years. Creating a site-specific Fringe Festival makes it easier for performing artists to mount their shows, and for people to come together and discover theatre in a new context.”
The Island Fringe Festival received funding from the City of Charlottetown’s Community Micro Grants program, and is sponsored by The Dunes Studio Gallery and Café. The Fringe is partnered with Art in The Open, happening on August 25th.
Volunteers are essential to making the Festival happen. Volunteering with the Fringe is a great opportunity for people to get involved and learn about mounting productions and festival organization. To volunteer, email islandfringe@gmail.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter (@IslandFringe).
For the detailed performance line-up, schedule and venues, visit www.islandfringe.tumblr.com. Tickets
go on sale a few weeks prior to the Festival – look for IFF info booths on Victoria Row and at Beanz.
Board of Directors: Sarah Segal-Lazar • Megan Stewart • Jennifer Carson
Friends of the Festival: Art in the Open • Island Media Arts Coop
The Island Fringe Festival is a member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals
33 Irwin Dr., Charlottetown, PE C1E 1R9 • (902) 314-0025 • islandfringe@gmail.com
http://www.islandfringe.tumblr.com
this town is small 