Cincinnati's 19th Annual Fringe Festival to Begin on June 3rd

The Cincy Fringe Festival has something for everyone at the region's largest and longest running annual arts festival - that's Kinda weird. Like you! Featuring hundreds of Live Performances on Indoor Stages, Free Performances on the Beer Garden Outdoor Stage, All Ages Workshops & Programming, Nightly After-Parties, and everything in between, this year's 19th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival (June 3-18, 2022) welcomes artists and audiences back indoors and in-person for the first time in 3 years!

The intrepid team at Know Theatre continues to push the boundaries of what the Cincinnati Fringe Festival can be. Our dedication is to connecting audiences to affordable entertainment by championing independent theatre artists who create new work that plays with form and defies expectation.

This year at the Cincy Fringe you can expect:

• Bite-Sized Theatre: Hundreds of back-to-back, one-hour long performances

• Central Location: 7 Venues at 12th and Jackson Street in OTR

• Beer Garden and Outdoor Stage: Hop in for a Beer, Stay for the Culture

• Pay-What-You-Wish All Ages Workshops

• After Hours: Every Night a Different Event, from 10pm-1am

• 24-Hour Theatre Festival of new work: a co-production with Falcon Theatre (June 13-14)

• ASL interpretation for a selection of shows

None of this would be possible without the involvement of hundreds of local, national and International Artists from all walks of life. With 38 Performance Fringe productions (including two Fringe Development projects and five Special Events) at six indoor venues on Jackson Street. Every night, patrons can return to Fringe HQ: Know Theatre, for FREE After Hours events where only the unexpected can be expected.

You can find more details about each component of the Festival below.

Fringe Outdoor Stage

We believe that art is a public good. Which is why the Cincy Fringe is bringing more live arts to more people: at the corner of 12th Street & Jackson, our Outdoor Stage will host free programming with entertainment that runs the gambit from bands to burlesque, circus to social dancing. With unforgettable performances by Cincinnati Contra Dance, Hot Mic, Homer Shadowheart, Comedy Sportz, Smoke & Queers Burlesque & Drag, Paul Strickland, the Mynah Tones, Ed "Sax" Thomas, Street Limes, Jess Lamb and the Factory and many more! And as long as the sun is shining, it's friendly for All Ages.

Workshops

Take risks! Accept failure! And pray with your feet. This year's All Ages Workshops are Pay-What-You-Wish and taught by professional artists whose shared philosophy is that the key to joy is to live an artful life. Learn Theatrical Clowning with CASA Studios, West African Dance with Praise Ekeng, Make Your Own "Boffer" Sword and Fight Choreography with Jonn Baca, and enjoy a Sensory Friendly Magic Show with magician and autistic self-advocate, Cody Clark. Check cincyfringe.com for workshop schedules and more offerings.

PERFORMANCE FRINGE

The backbone of Cincy Fringe since its inception in 2004, Performance Fringe comprises all the indoor, venue-specific, live entertainment offered over the course of the Festival. This year, our six indoor venues are centrally located at 12th & Jackson: one venue in Know Theatre and five venues within the Art Academy of Cincinnati. This year's Performance Fringe lineup was curated with the help of a 40-member jury comprised of theatre professionals and educators from across the U.S. and Canada:

Andrew Ian Adams, Sulia Altenberg, Ariel Mary Ann, A.J. Baldwin, Darnell Pierre Benjamin, Mark Benzel, Ian Bivins, Rob Bucher, Brandon Burton, Burgess Byrd, Liz Carman, E. Carr, Jessica Coyle, Julie Engebrecht, Rachelle Fordyce, Maliyah Gramata-Jones, Janelle Hanna, Ana Hart, Katie Hartman, Andrew Hungerford, John D. Huston, David Levy, D. Lynn Meyers, Jenny Moeller, Todd O'Dowd, Lindsey Hope Pearlman, Rick Pender, Kim Popa, Regina Pugh, Katrina Reynolds, Keli Rodgers, Rowan Salem, George Sapio, Brian Sikorski, Paul Strickland, Ted Weil, Kayla Williams, Tamara Winters, & Ricky and Dana Young-Howze.

As one of the few Fringes that adjudicates submissions, our jury is essential in providing feedback regarding themes, disciplines, genres, and more, to help ensure the Fringe contains as balanced and diverse a selection of offerings as possible. Performance Fringe is divided into the Primary Lineup (which includes Digital Primary Lineup productions), Fringe Development, and Special Events.

Primary Lineup Details

This year's Primary Lineup totals 38 productions and features 15 local shows, 23 from across the country, and 1 international participant from Adelaide, Australia. Just over 55% of shows are from groups or artists new to producing at Cincy Fringe, with 21 productions joining us for the very first time.

Fringe Development Details

Every year, we choose a handful of promising productions to give a little extra love, resources, and a single ticketed performance during the Festival (in the theatre, having rehearsal space, a place to present your work, and a dedicated audience base goes a long way!) This year the productions in workshop are I Confess (June 16th w/ASL interpretation) by local playwright Marisol Van Schoyck and Slanted (June 18th) by Simon Tam of

Special Events

Over the course of the Fringe Festival, a variety of events are offered with a limited run that exist outside of the Primary Lineup and will be presented at Know Theatre. On opening weekend, patrons will be treated to the hilarious and off-the-cuff film criticisms of Whiskey Flicks Live! from New York City (June 4th, 5th, & 7th). With only 3 performances, this "booze infused, deep-dive into film" promises to delight. Think Drunk History meets Mystery Science Theatre 3000, and then take another shot.

Or if magic fungi are more your vibe, then Mushrooms of Western Kentucky & Further Meditations from Flex Your Love Muscles out of Dayton, Kentucky, will have you traveling through "the forests of Kentucky into abstracted modern world imagery," in this "multi-disciplinary meditation" that combines experimental film with live scoring of cello, guitar, and mbira soundscapes.

Strumming into the second weekend is a World Premiere: Silver Hammer, from returning artist Nick Ryan of the Coldharts. A "personal account of mass psychosis," this solo work of autobiographical horror-fiction plays for two nights only (June 10th & 12th.)

And returning in all of his auto-tuned glory, Cincinnati Fringe Festival artist alum, Kevin James Thornton, brings his now TikTok famous act back to the place that loved him first: An Evening with Kevin James Thornton plays two 75-minute shows (June 11th & 12th.) Because "it was the 90's!" Finally, the festival is so proud to welcome back the perennial storytelling presentation from True Theatre, trueFRINGE, which will offer true tales from 4 Festival artists on Thursday, June 16th.

Fringe After Hours

In the wider world beyond the seven hills, the Cincinnati Fringe Festival is famous for its After Hours events held at FRINGE HQ. This year, we'll get the revelry started every night at 10pm on the Outdoor Stage with the Cincy Fringe infotainment mainstay: the Channel Fringe Hard-Hitting Action News Update, which details the day's theatrical events and forecasts; directly followed by our After Hours Series, which will see the same blend of traditional programming alongside new themes and events that provide Festival-goers with a great capper to every night! IYKYK.

WEEK 1: Make New Friends

Friday, June 3rd

Opening Ceremony & 60-Second Previews

Gather with us at 6:00pm for a Drum Circle led by Healing House of Cincinnati, followed by live music on the Outdoor Stage, the Channel Fringe Hard-Hitting Action News Update, & 60-second previews, where every

production gives exactly that!

Saturday, June 4th

Fringe-A-Oke

With costumes, wigs, and back-up dancers flocking to your every lyric, this is not your

ordinary Karaoke - it's Fringe-A-Oke!

Sunday, June 5th

Fringe Unplugged

The acoustic stylings of local musicians light the flame of this sweet and easy evening.

Tuesday, June 7th

Everyone's An Artist Night

Join us for Arts & Crafts and Artist-Priced Craft Cocktails... and a secret show;)

Wednesday, June 8th

Fringe Olympics

Teams of artists, patrons, and volunteers go for the gold in various Feats of Fringe between acts of alternative performance art, Yay! SportsBall! with local artist, Paul Strickland.

Thursday, June 9th

Artist Speed Dating

Artists rotate to meet Patrons and pitch their shows over a series of very short "dates." Ding! Ding!

Friday, June 10th

Silent Disco

Mirrorballs, Makeup, Glitter & Gold. Dancing at the Discothèque, you can be the boldest expression of yourself. Bring your phone and headphones for this outdoor DJ dance party.

WEEK 2: Make New Art

Saturday, June 11th

Fringe Prom "It was the 90's" & Encore Announcements

"Hit Me Baby One More Time" with that sweet 90's nostalgia. We'll dance and crown our June 18th Encore Performances at 11pm.

Sunday, June 12th

FringeCon

Celebrate FringeFandom with Creative Cosplay and Fringe D&D LIVE, a Table Top Roleplaying Adventure with an Audience!

Monday, June 13th

24-Hour Theatre Festival Commencement

Writers, dreamers, and makers of theatre assemble to create new work to be performed exactly 24-hours later. We'll meet at Know Theatre at 9pm and walk across the bridge to Falcon Theatre for a lock-in style, all-nighter in the name of collaboration and live performance. Open to all.

Tuesday, June 14th

24-Hour Theatre Festival Performance

Experience the world premiere of brand new work! Created in collaboration over the last 24 hours. A co-production of Cincy Fringe & Falcon Theatre.

Wednesday, June 15th

Fringe-A-Oke 2

So much fun, we do it twice! Karaoke Fringe-style!

Thursday, June 16th

Improv Jam

A late night, improvisational extravaganza of music and completely unscripted material. Bring an instrument or just yourself and get ready to say "YES, AND...!"

Friday, June 17th

Flashlight Cabaret

An evening of unforgettable entertainment lit completely by audience flashlight.

Saturday, June 18th

Closing Night Party with Jess Lamb and the Factory & Pick of the Fringe Awards

We'll give the Cincy Fringe one last "Hurrah!" and announce the 6 Pick of the Fringe Awards: Audience Pick, Digital Audience Pick, Critics' Pick, Full Frontal Pass Holders' Pick, Artists' Pick, and Producer's Pick.

TICKETING INFORMATION

• 50% of every ticket purchased goes to the Fringe artist who created that show.

• All tickets and passes are currently on sale at www.cincyfringe.com

• During the Festival (6/3-6/18/2022), tickets and passes can be purchased online 24 hours a day, over the phone (513-300-5669) from 11:00am to 9:30pm, or at individual venues 30 minutes prior to showtimes.

• Single tickets to the 2022 Cincy Fringe are $16.

• The Full Frontal All-Access Pass ($275) is good for one entry into as many productions as one person can see.

• Our 6-ticket Flex Pass ($80) can be used in any combination of shows and is the only pass transferable amongst individuals.

• Ticket sales for Saturday, June 18th's Encore performances are currently scheduled to begin after their announcement at 11:00pm on Saturday, June 11th. More details about Encore performance ticketing will be available on CincyFringe.com on June 1st.

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