The 20th Festival of Independent Theatres is Now Underway!

Last weekend, The Festival of Independent Theatres opened its twentieth festival, treating audiences to a diverse range of shows from a Harold Pinter classic to a new outrageous comedy from a local playwright and even a diverse range of musical acts with FIT Underground. This weekend, with a fresh round of openings, 2018's full slate of shows will be in rotation through August 4th. The twentieth annual installment of DFW's longest running festival carries on the tradition that has made it a landmark by presenting groundbreaking theatre, exposing audiences to diverse styles, multiple companies and new and established works all in a block format designed to provide an opportunity to both take in the familiar and perhaps discover something new.
Here is this year's line up of fantastic 50 minute shows, coupled in blocks throughout the run of the festival. Single block tickets or festival passes are still available.

Landscape by Harold Pinter, presented by Wingspan Theatre Co., continues this company's long tradition of bringing strong, actor driven pieces to FIT. Somewhere between here and elsewhere Beth and Duff are battling the shifting sands of time and trying to repair their estranged relationship. Bit by bit this haunting duet unfolds the mysteries of their shared past and asks if it's possible for the two lovers to bridge the physical and emotional chasm between them.

Just Girly Things by DGDG finds Danielle Georgiou bringing her distinct movement style back to FIT for a second piece exploring gender relations. Backing up her 2015 FIT hit, The Show About Men, this year's focus is on the stories of and struggles faced by women through toe-tapping music, side splitting humor and more than a healthy dose of thoughtful introspection.

Bible Women by Elizabeth Swados and Vicki Caroline Cheatwood comes back to FIT by popular demand from Echo Theatre and is a haunting and thoughtful song cycle that takes the most interesting characters from some of the greatest stories ever told and spins them afresh for modern audiences, headlined by Dallas treasure, Denise Lee.

Jimmy Pine is introduced to FIT audiences from Camp Death Productions and one of DFW's most popular playwrights, Ben Schroth. Schroth's wicked sense of humor weaves a bleak, dystopian retelling of the classic Pinocchio tale. Camp Death, known for their late-night horror movie spoofs at the Pocket Sandwich Theatre promises a production that is provocative, compelling and off-beat.

BruNO and lOUIe by Jeffrey Colangelo and his Prism Movement Company is a rollicking fantasy full of theatrical magic,. BruNO and lOUIe turns traditional clowning on its head with this creatively stylized production that aims to make something from nothing in a fun-filled romp sure to entertain and delight with a playful look at the power of imagination.

Suckers by Devin Berg is presented by one of DFW's newest, standout theatre companies, Imprint Theatreworks. Wrath turns to empathy turns to desire turns to love in this in this brutal comedy about friendship, fate, and the tendency of life to pass us by in a fast-paced, contemporary look at the danger of complacency and the beautiful imperfection of life.

The Book of Gabe by Isaac Young marks the local debut of Eclectic Bear with an irreverent yet thoughtful piece about God's favorite archangel. Local talent Isaac Young brings his fresh perspective and performance ability to this wry and witty piece that upends everything you thought you knew about religion.

Where Do I Sit? by Dick Monday takes the stage from the Laughter League. Dick Monday and Tiffany Riley (of NY Goofs fame) bring laughter and their mastery of the craft of clowning to this delightful story. With decades of performaning around the world, seeing them in action is a treat for young and old, not to be missed.

In addition to these eight main stage productions, this year's festival also includes the art exhibitions Revived with Light: An Exploration of Expired Photographic Media, Road Trip - Photographic Journeys of the Dead Photographers Society, and Contaminate: Oil, as well as a variety of live music and dance presented as part of FIT Underground in the Bath House's lake-level performance space.