Chicago Fringe Festival Sets 2016 Performers, Special Events

The Chicago Fringe Festival, August 31 - September 11, is proud to announce performers and special events coinciding with the 7th Annual Chicago Fringe Festival. Performance schedule, tickets and season passes will be available August 1 at 12 p.m. at ChicagoFringe.org.

The Chicago Fringe Festival 2016 returns to Jefferson Park after its sixth presenting year. The festival features 50 groups in about 200 performances selected by lottery Saturday, Feb, 27. The shows include comedies, dramas, dance pieces, musicals, performance art and the unclassifiable as well as the return of Kids Fringe, performances dedicated to audience members 12 years old and younger. This is an uncensored, unjuried, no-holds barred performance event that returns 100% of ticket sales to the artists. In their first six years, they have returned more than $172,000 to artists.

The 2016 Chicago Fringe Festival includes 50 performance groups from around Chicago and the world, including local performers, Nick DiMaso, Loft Productions, Johnny Garcia, Coffee & Whiskey Productions, Larry Todd Cousineau, Hellbent Productions and Azusa Productions. Kids Fringe artists include Shut Up, Barrel of Monkeys (also participated in the inaugural Kids Fringe 2015), Smarty Pants, FEMelanin and Karen Yatsko. Other performers hail from: California, Colorado, East Sussex, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Tennessee, and Canada. Some of the performance groups in Chicago Fringe Festival 2016 have participated in other prominent Fringe Festivals, including the Edinburgh Festival, Indy Fringe and the FringeNYC.

CHICAGO FRINGE FESTIVAL SPECIAL EVENTS

Five Fifths of The Princess Bride

Thursday, May 19, 7 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Participants: InGen, Dynamic Queens, ATC Apprentices, pH Comedy and Lights Out

Filament Theatre, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave.

$35 in advance, $40 at the door

This special fundraiser for the Fringe Festival features five organizations presenting a live version of The Princess Bride. Guests enjoy a silent auction, refreshments and food and a special performance. Each participating company will have ten minutes to cover one fifth of The Princess Bride in their own style, creating an unforgettable if not quite inconceivable performance.

Kids Fringe Fun Fest

August TBA

Wilson Park, 4630 N Milwaukee Ave

FREE

Chicago Fringe Festival hosts a special Kids Fringe Fun Fest in Wilson Park. This mini-Kids Fringe is for audience members 5 - 12 years old and features crafts, performances, workshops and more.

Preview Party

Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Fringe Central, Fischman Liquor and Tavern, 4780 N. Milwaukee Ave.

FREE

In addition to refreshments, the Chicago Fringe Festival kicks off this year's Festival with a Preview Party. Performers in the 7th Annual Fringe Festival each have three minutes to preview their show to the audience.

7th Annual Chicago Fringe Festival

August 31 - September 11

Five venues in Jefferson Park

Performance schedule and locations are announced August 1 at ChicagoFringe.org. Performers are currently listed on the site and include 50 acts from around Chicago and the globe.

Kids Fringe

September 3 - 11

Participants: Barrel of Monkeys, Shut Up, Smarty Pants, FEMelanin and Karen Yatsko

Jefferson Playhouse, 4766 N Milwaukee Avenue

Kids (5 - 12 years old) $5, Adults $10 with 2016 Fringe Festival button

The Chicago Fringe Festival Kids Fringe is for audience members 5 - 12 years old. It features five shows along with free crafts, workshops and more.

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