2015 First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival Announces Lineup

The fourth First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival (Thursday, September 17 - Saturday, September 26) announced its complete lineup this morning at its annual BIG REVEAL at The Little Theatre. The 2015 Fringe will include more than 500 performances and events (up from 2014's 380) featuring all genres of art in 25+ venues in downtown Rochester, with more than 120 of them offered free of charge. The full schedule is available and all tickets are on sale as of noon today at rochesterfringe.com.

"First Niagara is very proud to present this year's Fringe. We are huge proponents of initiatives that enhance our downtown, encourage community collaboration and build partnerships," said Suzanne Nasipak-Chapman, First Niagara Rochester Market Executive. "We are also excited to share the news that First Niagara will be the title sponsor of this great event through 2018."

This year's Fringe is calling itself "unordinary," and in that spirit, has commissioned Berlin's Rimini Protokoll - a ground-breaking, award-winning, site-specific theatre company - to produce its international hit, Remote X, for Rochester - only the second U.S. city to host the show. The first took place in New York City this past March - although it has been produced in 17 major cities around the world, including Paris, Milan, Lisbon and St. Petersburg. This "pedestrian-based, live art experience" takes 50 people (or "horde," as the show calls them) wearing headphones along a carefully planned urban route. Remote Rochester will have 20 performances during the 10 days of Fringe.

"A synthetic voice in the headphones directs the movements of the horde, while music turns the cityscape into a personal film, composing a soundtrack to streets, parking garages, churches and backyards," explained Fringe Producer Erica Fee. "The whole idea of this unique tour is for audiences to discover new perspectives about their city, themselves, and reality itself."

This year's big, free headliner show at Friday on the Fringe (September 18, the second night of Fringe) in Martin Luther King, Jr. Park at Manhattan Square features NYC's Grounded Aerial. With more than 30 years of combined experience in choreographing, performing, and rigging extraordinary aerial events, Grounded Aerial has appeared all over the world. U.S. highlights include performances at the Spiderman II release party, Lincoln Center, and on NBC's America's Got Talent as well as its recent I Can Do That. They will perform on the side of the 21-story HSBC Plaza as well as on the park's metal sculpture (Tribute to Man) across the street.

"The First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival brings artists to our city who are not afraid to think outside the box and take risks," said Rochester Mayor Lovely A. Warren. "Events like this improve the quality of life in Rochester, which helps us create more jobs, safer and more vibrant streets, and better educational opportunities for our citizens. I am proud to live in a city that gives these artists a venue to express their creative genius, and I am proud to support the First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival."

The popular Spiegeltent returns to One Fringe Place (the festival "hub" at corner of East Main and Gibbs Streets), but this year's magical "mirror tent" is The Aurora from The Netherlands. The historic treasure will leave Europe for the first time to make its US debut here, as well as providing more audience capacity than the previous Magic Crystal. Inside, two world-premiere shows will run throughout Fringe. Both have been created and will be hosted by Matt and Heidi Morgan, hosts of the world-renowned Las Vegas Spiegelworld show, Absinthe. Cabinet of Wonders celebrates the eccentricities of life with comedy, contortion, aerial, feats of strength, juggling, and a one-legged tap dancer; Princess Wendy's Late Nite Tease Room features a down-and-out birthday princess in a comedy and burlesque romp for adults. Also in the Spiegeltent, comedian (and former Brother Wease sidekick) Jamie Lissow returns to the Fringe - previously opening for both Patton Oswalt and Jay Pharoah - for one show only on Saturday, September 19 at 9:30 p.m. Silent Disco - a total sellout each year - returns at 11 p.m. on both Fridays and Saturdays, as well as its lunchtime version that debuted last year, Brown Bag Disco, at noon on Friday, September 25.

The Spiegelgarden - that urban, pop-up lounge - will be back as well, complete with fire pit, eclectic furniture, art and lighting, bar and food trucks. Free entertainment will include the return of Pedestrian Drive-In (free, outdoor movies using Silent Disco headphones). Ticketed, site-specific shows will include the return of Dashboard Dramas (taking place in four parked cars) and Bushwacked (happening in a pup tent), as well as a new addition: Hot Tub: The Musical.

Luke Kempner's award-winning impressions comedy, Upside Downton, comes to Rochester direct from London's West End. In this hilarious parody, he recreates more than 30 Downton Abbey and celebrity characters. The London Daily Telegraph called it a "remarkable tour de force." Performances are Friday & Saturday, September 25 & 26 at 8 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall.

Also in Kilbourn Hall this year: the return of the free and very popular Gospel Sunday on Sunday, September 20 at 2 p.m. Pastor Melvin Cross, Jr. and Glory House International will headline, along with gospel recording artist, Lewis Banks. Adding to this afternoon of elation will be Lady Natasha House and the Dance Ministry of the Eagles Network International, representing churches from all over Rochester.

Free entertainment - bands, show highlights, Chalk Art, food and beverage vendors, street entertainers, etc. - will take place on Gibbs Street for two weekends this year for the first time: Saturday (3-11 p.m.) and Sunday (1-7 p.m.), September 19 & 20; and Friday (5-11 p.m.) and Saturday (3-11 p.m.), September 25 & 26.

While the Fringe curates the above headliners as well as all free outdoor entertainment, the vast majority of its 500+ performances and events are productions that were submitted by artists to venues by April 22, 2015, and then chosen to be presented at Fringe by those venues. Rochester's "bifurcated" Fringe adds four new venues this year: Abilene, The Strong, the new Lyric Theatre, and RAPA at School of the Arts. They join existing Fringe venues: Bernunzio Uptown Music, Blackfriars Theatre, Eastman School of Music's Kilbourn Hall and Sproull Atrium, Gallery r, Garth Fagan Dance Studio, George Eastman House's Dryden Theatre, Geva Theatre Center's Fielding Stage, Java's Café, The Little, MuCCC, Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), TheatreROCS Stage and Writers & Books.

Other important contributors to Fringe are area institutions of higher education - the biggest reason that the festival is held in the fall. The University of Rochester including the Eastman School of Music, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Geneseo, The College at Brockport and Nazareth College all have partnerships with - and student/faculty shows in - Fringe.

Ticket prices for the venue-curated shows range from $3-$25 ($10 average), set by the venues themselves. A very limited number of Fringe Fanatic Passes are available for $190. They include all Spiegeltent shows this year as well as Remote Rochester - only Upside Downton is not included. BUY EARLY AND SAVE! Spiegeltent single tickets range from $7 (Brown Bag Disco) to $182 (VIP booth), increasing in price on 9/14; Remote Rochester tickets are $25 ($28 on 9/14); Upside Downton: $31($34 on 9/14). Tickets are also available by phone at (585) 957-9837 (additional phone fees apply). Tickets will be available in person at the Spiegeltent Box Office (One Fringe Place, corner of Gibbs & Main Sts.) beginning Sunday, September 13; and at venues (if available) starting one hour prior to performance.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED! Fringe 2015 is looking for volunteers to usher, scan tickets, help with production and pre-production activities, etc. Volunteers receive a Fringe t-shirt and qualify for a free ticket to select Fringe shows by volunteering for eight hours or more. Those interested should fill out the application at http://rochesterfringe.com/help-out/volunteer or email volunteer@rochesterfringe.com.

Background: The first-ever First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival ran September 19 - 21, 2012, and drew more than 33,000 people over five days to downtown Rochester. A highlight was world-renowned aerial troupe, BANDALOOP, dancing on the side of the 21-story HSBC Plaza. The second annual Fringe doubled in length to ten days, from September 19 - 28, and drew more than 50,000 attendees. BANDALOOP made a return visit, and the Magic Crystal Spiegeltent made its North American fringe festival debut. The third Fringe in 2014 attracted more than 60,000 visitors, and featured Circus Orange's spectacular TRICYCLE public show as well as Spoon River Rochester and the return of the Magic Crystal Spiegeltent.

Rochester Fringe Festival is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that exists as a means to connect venues, performers, artists, educational institutions and the audience. It was pioneered by several of Rochester's esteemed cultural institutions, including Geva Theatre Center, the George Eastman House and Garth Fagan Dance, as well as up-and-coming groups like PUSH Physical Theatre and Method Machine. The Board of Directors includes representatives from the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC, Boylan Code LLC, the Eastman School of Music, Mengel, Metzger and Barr & Co. LLP, Method Machine, PUSH Physical Theatre, and Writers & Books. The Rochester Fringe Festival is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. This festival is also supported by a grant awarded to the Rochester Fringe Festival by New York State's Empire State Development and the IloveNY.com Division of Tourism under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.

2015 Fringe Sponsors include: First Niagara, New York State Council on the Arts, New York State's Empire State Development and the IloveNY.com Division of Tourism University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, The Rochester Area Community Foundation, Ames Amzalak Memorial Trust, City of Rochester, County of Monroe, Wegmans, Nocon & Associates, SUNY Geneseo, Ron Fielding, Genesee, Dundee, Heineken, East Avenue Inn & Suites, City Newspaper, WHEC-TV, The College at Brockport, Konar Properties, Rubens Family Foundation, the Fred & Floy Willmott Foundation, Broccolo Tree & Lawncare, McCarthy Tents & Events, Scott Grove, Nazareth College, Visit Rochester, the Democrat & Chronicle Media Group, the Wilson Foundation, Buckingham Properties, the Gouvernet Fund at the Rochester Area Community Foundation, Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC, Boylan Code LLP, Mengel Metzger Barr & Co LLP, City Blue Imaging, Benderson, WXXI, ESL Foundation, Rural/Metro Medical Services, Hamilton AV, Yelp!, Kids Out and About.com, Canandaigua National Bank, House of Guitars, and Northeastern Pool & Spa.

First Niagara, through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi-state community-oriented bank with approximately 410 branches, $39 billion in assets, $28 billion in deposits, and approximately 5,600 employees providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For additional information on First Niagara, visit us at www.firstniagara.com, follow us on Twitter @FirstNiagara, or like us on Facebook at FirstNiagaraBank.

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