PortFringe Festival Runs June 16-23 In Portland's Arts District

Think you know what to expect from PortFringe? Think again.

The seventh annual PortFringe theater festival will take place June 16-23, 2017, featuring roughly 125 genre-defying performances at venues across Portland's Arts District. The festival is ready to shake things up and remind Portland of the power of artistic expression.

The festival, a high-energy celebration of scrappy performing arts run entirely by volunteers, was founded in 2012 and has grown steadily since its inception. PortFringe 2017 generated $30,000 in ticket sales, all of which was funneled directly back to PortFringe artists.

The PortFringe 2018 lineup includes original plays, experimental works, multimedia performances, dance, comedy, and musical theater. There's an interactive Dungeons & Dragons campaign inspired by one performer's tragic backstory; there's an opera that uses only the words found on the back of product packaging. Roughly 35 individuals and companies will present more than 125 shows during the week. PortFringe shows are all one hour or less, and start times are staggered, encouraging attendees to take in as much of the fun as they can!

PortFringe artists hail from around Maine and the United States; we also have our first international artist (from Canada) in the festival this year. Several are involved in the "fringe circuit," having taken their shows to fringe festivals around the country. PortFringe is a member of the U.S. and Canadian Associations of Fringe Festivals.

Interviews with organizers and participating artists - including returning national artists, companies that have been part of the festival since year one, and other compelling stories - can be arranged.

PortFringe 2018 venues are Portland Stage Studio and Storefront (25A Forest Ave); Bright Star World Dance (108 High St); SPACE Gallery (538 Congress St), and two stages at Mechanics Hall (519 Congress St). PortFringe Central is again located on street level at Portland Stage.

Tickets start at $12.

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