Fringe News
Fringe News
Toronto, ON – The Toronto Fringe Festival is the best place to see theatre in fun and unexpected locations around the city, such as a seedy tavern, a beautiful synagogue, a hip café, a historic house, an Anglican church and more. This year the Toronto Fringe Festival boasts 14 site specific shows in intimate locations around the downtown core. It’s like Doors Open Toronto – but with a touch of drama.
This year, most of the site specific shows in the festival have limited capacity and will likely be sell-outs. Patrons can hop from venue to venue (most are located in the Trinity-Spadina/Annex neighbourhood) and see multiple shows per day. Advanced tickets are only $12 each, and that price goes down significantly with the purchase of a Fringe Value Pack.
The Toronto Fringe Festival opens next week! It runs from July 2 – 13, daily. Shows run from noon – midnight. The Fringe Club is open from noon – 2am.
The 2014 Site Specific Theatre Line-Up is (in alphabetical order):
A SIMPLE TWIST OF FAITH – AT KIEVER SYNAGOGUE
By Evan Malach and Rafe Malach
Presented by HOW - Harmony Over War
Honour the start of the WWI Centennial with this musical inspired by a true story. In 1917, a Jewish American soldier in Germany enters a synagogue seeking solace from the terrors of war. After initial mistreatment, he is touched by an act of kindness from a German congregant. The moment sets off a ripple effect and changes the course of both of their lives.
Toronto, ON
AN EVENING IN JULY – AT ST. GEORGE THE MARTYR ANGLICAN CURCH
By Gwynne Phillips and Briana Templeton
Presented by The Templeton Philharmonic
The Templeton Philharmonic ("Best Comedy Duo" at the L.A. Comedy Festival, and "Producer's Pick" at Toronto Sketchfest) bring you this darkly surreal comedy inspired by "Grey Gardens" and 1972's Surrealist Ball. Two wealthy and reclusive sisters prepare to host the biggest, most eccentric party of their lives... and audience members will be the guests.
Toronto, ON
http://templetonphilharmonic.com/
ANDY WARHOL PRESENTS: VALERIE – AT INFLUX CREATIVE SPACE
By Ben Hayward & Ali Richardson
Presented by Fail Better Theatre
Directed by Matt White
Summer, 1968: Valerie Solanas shoots Andy Warhol.
Come meet her!
You’re invited to a party at Warhol’s Factory studio. Join Val for a presentation of her SCUM Manifesto, where she’ll outline her bold plan for a manless future. There'll be cameras, candy and someone is going to get shot. Meet groovy people, overthrow the patriarchy, spend a night with Val.
Toronto, ON
http://failbettertheatre.squarespace.com
BETTE DAVIS EYES – AT EPICURE CAFÉ
By Denise St. Pierre
Presented by Troublemaker Theatre Co.
Directed by Helen Monroe
Marlena hasn't seen Arthur in four years. He's been trying to forget while she's been counting the days until they meet again. A not-so-chance encounter causes them to recall their past love and all the ways they've changed... but one thing remains in common for the two: their obsessive passion for the golden age of Hollywood.
Toronto, ON
CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE – AT LABYRINTH LOUNGE
By David James Brock
Presented by Theatre Lab
Directed by Omar Hady
The CN Tower has collapsed after an organized attack on Toronto. Four people who were in a bar when the attack happened have been cut off from the rest of the world. The last communication they received: stay indoors. Wondering who would attack the city—and why—four people contemplate survival, sex, death, and the lives they no longer have.
Toronto, ON
CHASING MARGARET FLATWOOD – AT THE CAMPBELL HOUSE
By Robert Watson
Presented by Theatre Awakening
Directed by Andrew Lamb
Vivienne Moore’s reputation hangs in the balance. The wealthy social pariah needs literary icon Margaret Flatwood to attend an extravagant gala being held in her honour. But will Margaret even show up? Will you?
A story that’s 1% rich and 99% satire.
“Watson and his director Andrew Lamb know how to work their concept for maximum hilarity”
- Toronto Star
Toronto, ON
COMMENCEMENT: A WORK OF FICTION AND MUSICAL OF SORTS – AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
By Aviva Philipp-Muller and David Madras
Presented by Rainy Day Theatre Company
Directed by Chelsea Dab-Hilke
"Meet Kate. Today is the most important day of her life. Today is Kate's graduation day." This site-specific comedy musical about life after graduation is a whirlwind of satire, wit, and quirk. Commencement is a not-so-classic coming of age story about ambivalence and firsts, framed within the most absurdly hilarious lecture you ever (or never) attended.
Toronto, ON
https://www.facebook.com/commencementmusical
DESPERATELY SEEKING SOMETHING – AT TRINITY ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL
By Nellwyn Lampert
Presented by Borderline Theatre
Directed by Darwin Lyons
In a world where the individual is top priority, do people still crave a larger community? Annie thinks so. Annie is so lost in the twenty-first-century haze that she’s decided to become a nun. Seriously. She’s serious about it. But as she delves a little deeper, she catches the attention of some familiar figures who know exactly what it means to marry a God
Toronto, ON
http://borderlinetheatre.blogspot.com
LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST – AT THE VICTORY CAFÉ
By William Shakespeare
Presented by Shakespeare BASH'd
Directed by James Wallis
Join your favourite Best of Fringe winning Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare BASH’d, as they tackle Shakespeare’s zany masterpiece of wit: Love’s Labour’s Lost.
The King and his three gentlemen have sworn off women for three years of study, until the Princess and her three ladies come to the court… Will their vow be forsworn or will love overcome?
Toronto, ON
http://www.shakespearebashd.com
MEMENTO MORI – AT ROCHELLE RUBINSTEIN’S STUDIO
By Tracey Erin Smith
Presented by SOULO Theatre
Directed by Anita La Selva
What if you gave yourself A Year To Live?
This is Tracey's last night...and she’s rented a tango band.
It’s a death ritual. It’s a mixer. It's best last night of anyone’s life ever!
“Tracey Erin Smith has the art of entertainment refined to the point of hypnotism.” -eye magazine
2x Best of Toronto Fringe
2x Audience Choice, Frigid NYC
Toronto, ON
NO ONE NEEDS TO KNOW SHANIA – AT THE MONARCH TAVERN
By Alexis Taylor
Presented by Lady Grey Productions
Directed by Alex McCooeye
From Timmins to Tennessee, hard hats to crop tops, old country to new, No One Needs To Know Shania is the Meat and Three of this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival. Accompanied by a live band led by Matthew Barber, this original one-woman show will tell you just what you need to know about Canada’s Queen of Country, Eileen Twain.
Toronto, ON
http://www.ladygreyproductions.com
TRUE – AT CITIZENRY
By Rosa Laborde
Presented by Criminal Theatre in association with Aluna Theatre
Directed by Rosa Laborde
"Forget it"
"But it happened"
"Unhappen it"
"What does that even mean - "
"You're at the fountain but this time you get directions"
"But that's not true"
"What's true?"
Toronto, ON
http://www.criminaltheatre.com
SUMMER SPECTACULAR – AT FRANKEL LAMBERT PARK
By Jacob Zimmer and the company
Presented by Small Wooden Shoe
Directed by Jacob Zimmer
Labyrinths, A-Bombs, wax, secrets, the internet, the sun and overzealous despots. Small Wooden Shoe returns to the Fringe with an outdoor Summer Spectacular. A walking tour of Frankel Lampert Park transforms with giant puppets as we tour the mythologies of Daedalus and Icarus, Robert Oppenheimer and Aaron Swartz and a new tale created just for Toronto.
Toronto, ON
http://www.smallwoodenshoe.org
VECTORS OF THEIR INTEREST – AT 106 ALBANY AVE.
By Zoë Erwin-Longstaff & Ryan Healey
Presented by Surplus-Value Theatre
Directed by Zoë Erwin-Longstaff
Inside a Victorian house rented online for the night, the three young recessionistas of Viragon Capital Group and their thoroughly male, thoroughly unpaid intern search through their host’s effects looking for new, perverse business opportunities. By sunrise all four will undo each other in very unprofitable bouts of desperation and resentment.
Toronto–New York
http://surplusvaluetheatre.com
The 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival: July 2 – 13, 2014
Follow these links to view all show listings, the digital Fringe Program Book, and read more about the Fringe Club.
Show venues: Various locations around the Annex neighbourhood and the downtown core.
The Fringe Club is located in the parking lot behind Honest Ed’s (581 Bloor St. W., southwest corner of Bloor and Bathurst). The Fringe Club is the festival headquarters, with a box office, beer tent, great food, and free programming.
Performance schedule: Daily between 11:00am and midnight
Ticket Prices: $12 in advance, $10 at the door.
(FringeKids! performances for children 12 and under: $5 in advance and at the door)
NEW THIS YEAR: 100% of tickets will be available online, over the phone, or at the Festival Box Office up to three hours before show time. Any unsold tickets will be available for purchase at individual venues. In the past, 50% of tickets to all show have been held for at-the-door sales. This is no longer the case.
Purchase tickets starting June 12, 2014 the following four ways:
1. Over the phone at 416.966.1062
2. Online at www.fringetoronto.com
3. In-person at the play’s venue, starting one hour before show-time during the festival
4. At the main box office in the Fringe Club, from noon-9pm during the festival
All shows start on time. Latecomers will not be admitted. No exceptions.
2014-06-23
Site-specific Theatre at Toronto’s Fringe 2014