Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto, Ontario – After a nostalgic 25th anniversary in 2013, the Toronto Fringe is looking to the future with exciting new programming, brand new customer services and a roster of 1,100+ genre-bending, innovative, thoughtful and (frequently!) wacky indie theatre artists. The message is clear: Don’t Just Stand There… SEE SOME THEATRE. It’s a call to action to diehard theatre fans and theatre newcomers alike. Because where else can you experiment with 150+ shows for an average of $12 per ticket? Consider the Toronto Fringe the “choose your own adventure” of theatre.
Rush from gut-busting musical comedies that could be the next big thing to thoughtful and personal solo shows. Then grab a friend who’s new to theatre and pick a show based on nothing but a captivating title – it could be that surprising piece of theatre that stays with you for the rest of your life. After your jam-packed viewing schedule is complete, pop by the Fringe Club for a refreshing beverage and sample tasty treats from local food vendors (such as mini burgers, mac n’ cheese, Caribbean rotis, Filipino tapas and more) while you browse the Visual Fringe, a one-of-a-kind art market. As the sun goes down, join our Fringe After Dark series for Dolly Parton Bingo, a Stitch and Bitch, Board Game Nights and more. And then dance the night away at Toronto’s most unexpected subterranean dance parties – in the underground parking garage beneath Honest Ed’s! (Last weekend of the festival only.)
Join Executive Director Kelly Straughan and special keynote speakers as we launch the 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival on July 2, 2014 at 4:30pm at the Fringe Club. Fringe artists will be in attendance in all their finery – competing ruthlessly for the prizes in our Fringe Costume Contest. Grab your cameras, grab your Fringe Program Book, grab a friend (or two) and celebrate indie arts with 90,000 other Fringe Fanatics during the 12 days of the year where the downtown core becomes one giant theatre.
JUST THE NUMBERS: This year there are 136 plays (including 14 site specifics, 7 dance shows and 8 FringeKids! shows), 14 Visual Fringe art exhibits, 6 AlleyPlays woven throughout the Visual Fringe, 6 stimulating and provocative Tent Talks covering a wide range of theatre issues, 11 Fringe After Dark events, 3 underground dance parties, and a total of 1038 performances in the 2014 Fringe Festival. The Fringe is run by 150+ staff members, 500+ volunteers and is powered by the creativity and passion of over 1,100 artists.
This year, look out for site specific plays in a tavern, a synagogue, a historic house, parks, churches, cafes and more. Look out for shows featuring “Fringeified” versions of Elvis Presley, Richard Nixon, Andy Warhol, Albert Einstein, Shania Twain and even Margaret Atwood (aka “Margaret Flatwood”). Families should look out for the brand new FringeKids! Club at Huron St. Junior Public School (Spadina and Bloor) for free daily programming, affordable performance workshops for kids, kid-friendly food vendors, crafts, Pick up and Play stations and more.
Follow these links to view all show listings, the digital Fringe Program Book, and read more about the Fringe Club.
The 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival: July 2 – 13, 2014
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.
The Toronto Fringe
Now celebrating its 26th year, the Toronto Fringe provides creative opportunities for artists and audiences by producing two important festivals – the Toronto Fringe Festival and the Next Stage Theatre Festival – and by running outreach activities that benefit youth, artists and the theatre community at large. In 2014, the Toronto Fringe launched a national crowdfunding platform for indie artists, called Fund What You Can (FWYC). Our home, the Fringe Creation Lab, welcomes independent artists year round, encouraging their creative work by offering them affordable space to make art, congregate and innovate. For more information, visit www.fringetoronto.com
2014-06-10
Toronto: Tickets to the 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival go on sale this week