Submit Shows to 2017 Rochester Fringe Festival Starting April 1st

The 2017 KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival (Thursday, September 14 - Saturday, September 23) will open its four-week show submission period on Saturday, April 1 at 9 a.m. EST through Sunday, April 30 at midnight EST.

All artists, arts organizations and producers interested in presenting a show in any genre (children's, comedy, dance, multidisciplinary, music, spoken word, theatre, visual arts & film) at the 2017 Fringe may apply then via rochesterfringe.com only.

"We encourage all shows to submit their applications early in the process, as venues will begin booking their lineups immediately," adds Fringe Producer Erica Fee.

Unlike most U.S. fringe festivals, there is no fee to apply, and the registration fees (ranging from $50-$150) are due only after the contract with a venue is finalized. Registration fees go toward the show's inclusion in the program guide and website, a centralized box office, and more.

During last year's Fringe, many of the more than 115 ticketed performances that sold out were artist-submitted and venue-curated, and more than a thousand participating artists felt the power of Fringe to draw audiences to such a smorgasbord of offerings.

"It is certainly the highlight of our year, and each year our audiences grow," says Ted Baumhauer of Flower City Vaudeville, a perennial Fringe favorite. "It has given our group a credibility we wouldn't have otherwise."

"Never in my wildest dreams would I think that Catholic guilt could sell out all three Reverend Mother (Aging Aint' a Laughing Matter...or is it?) performances," exclaimed "RevMo" Phyllis Contestable, a first-time Fringe performer last year.

While the vast majority of Fringe shows are artist-submitted and venue-curated, the Fringe itself presents big-name headliners as well as all free outdoor entertainment.

Since its debut in 2012, the newly renamed KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival has become one of the most successful fringe festivals in the U.S., attracting more than 67,000 attendees in 2016. This 10-day, multi-arts festival now boasts over 500 performances and events -a third of which are free - in 25+ venues in downtown Rochester, NY. Celebrating and inspiring creativity, the "Fringe" - which is partially curated by the festival and partially by festival venues - includes everything from theatre, music, comedy and dance, to children's entertainment, spoken word, visual arts and much more.

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 I LOVE NEW YORK under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.

KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies with assets of approximately $136.5 billion at December 31, 2016. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management and investment services to individuals and small and mid-sized businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association and First Niagara Bank, National Association, through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit www.key.com. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

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