Orlando Fringe Announces Fringe ArtSpace Grand Opening Bash and 2023 Programming

Orlando Fringe has announced that the Grand Opening of their year-round performing arts space Fringe ArtSpace in Downtown Orlando will be held on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. Starting at 5:30pm, Fringe ArtSpace Grand Opening Bash open house and street party is free and open to the community. It will commence with a ribbon cutting with Orlando Mayor Dyer and feature a live DJ, strolling entertainment, drinks and two special preview performances of the Fringe Winter Mini-Fest. The 9,100 square foot Fringe ArtsSpace includes two performing theatre spaces: a mainstage with 166 seats and a black box with 40-60 seats. The Grand Opening Bash will also serve as a fundraiser with all donations benefitting Orlando Fringe and Fringe ArtSpace.

"We listened to artists, patrons and community members, and we are excited to have everyone join us at the Grand Opening Bash on January 11 to launch this amazing new space," says Executive Director of Orlando Fringe Alauna Friskics. "This curated season is just the beginning. We have so much more in store and are looking for many more ways to bring artists together and let their voices and stories be heard. Stay tuned for much, much more."

Fringe ArtSpace also announced their all-new programming lineup to kick off 2023. "We are absolutely thrilled to finally announce the spring season of the MainStage theatrical programming at Fringe ArtSpace!" says Joshian and Kayla Kelsay Morales of Kelsay + Morales Company. "This is a truly exciting occasion, as we have come together to create a performance space that truly represents and serves the needs of our community. At Fringe ArtSpace, the programming will be a living, breathing model that continues to evolve and adapt based on the needs of our community. We look forward to hearing from local artists and working together to create the best possible experience at Fringe ArtSpace."

Fringe ArtSpace 2023 Programming:

January 12-15, 2023

Fringe Winter Mini-Fest: The 7th annual Winter Mini-Fest is a 4-day curated theatre festival with the best of past festivals, new works by fan favorites and brand new artists scouted from the international Fringe circuit. With 18 artists performing several times throughout the weekend, there are plenty of opportunities to experience Fringe for the first time in the new Fringe ArtSpace.

January 26-29, 2023

VarieTEASE GENESIS by BlueLaLa Entertainment: An extension of the last installment of VarieTEASE On The Move, which tells the story of the closing of the unique theatre, THE VENUE, and the four years following, this dance performance was specially created by Blue for the launch of ArtSpace. GENESIS embodies the growth, healing and start of anew, but have no fear, the nostalgic avant guard story telling that is VarieTEASE is very apparent and lends itself to the part of the plot that "makes no sense", and audiences won't want to miss the new featured talent that is the future of this legendary ensemble. Consider this a rebirth 20 years in the making.

February 3-5, 2023

CARRIE the Musical by William Daniel Mills Theatre Company: CARRIE The Musical is a thrilling and engaging retelling of Stephen King's classic thriller novel Carrie. It tells the story of Carrie White, a teenager from a small town in New England, who is relentlessly bullied at school for being different and is harshly controlled at home by her fanatical mother. It's gonna be "a night you'll never forget." This is the first production as part of a new collaboration between Fringe ArtSpace and the William Daniel Mills Theatre Company to provide a home venue for the amazing young artists that make up the theatre company.

February 17-March 5, 2023

Middletown by Kangagirl Productions & Ant Farm: A deeply moving and funny new play by acclaimed writer Will Eno that explores the universe of a small American town featuring an all-star cast directed by Orlando Fringe Festival Lifetime Achievement Award recipient David Lee. As a friendship develops between longtime resident John Dodge and new arrival Mary Swanson, the lives of the inhabitants of Middletown intersect in strange and poignant ways in a journey that takes them from the local library to outer space and points between. Middletown, which is modeled after Thorton Wilder's classic play Our Town, will draw together artists from across the Central Florida community to collaborate on a very special production.

March 9-11, 2023

A Quarter of A Century...and then some! by Beth Marshall Presents: Arius has been on this Earth for A Quarter of A Century...and then some. Throughout his evolutions around the sun he has learned so much, but also has unlearned or recalibrated some of those learnings to fit his morality of understanding them. Through brave exploration, vulnerability, self discovery, reflection, discipline, love and motivation, Arius has found the new hobby of growth. He continually finds ways to improve on himself, do the inner work and share his light and joy. By mixing comedy, drama, rap, R&B, spoken word, dance and songs to share his evolution of growth as a Black queer artist in 2022, Arius tells the story of his 25+ years of what he has learned and unlearned.

March 17-19, 2023

Our Lady of the Tortilla/Nuestra Señora de la Tortilla by Descolonizarte TEATRO: This comedy tells the story of an intergenerational, Latinx family in the U.S. struggling with tradition, culture, language, love, and... each other! Everything changes when the pious tia (aunty) sees the Virgin Mary on a tortilla, and family ties are put to the test. Written by Emmy and National Hispanic Playwright Award Winner, Luis Santeiro. The play is in Spanglish (Spanish and English) with Spanish and English supertitles, and it features live music.

May 16-29, 2023

Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival: A 14-day arts festival, the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is the longest-running Fringe Theatre Festival in the United States, celebrating 32 years as "Orlando's Most Unique Cultural Experience." This year, the Purple and Teal venues will be located at Fringe ArtSpace.

"Fringe ArtSpace is the right balance of retro Fringe meets right NOW," says Beth Marshall. "Veteran creators are given a supportive platform with the proper resources to create and produce original work often amplifying underrepresented voices and mentor up-and-coming artists. Who wouldn't want to be a part of this!"

Tickets on sale now for Fringe ArtSpace located at 54 West Church Street, Orlando, FL 32801. For more information on upcoming shows and ticket purchase, visit www.fringeartspace.org.

About Fringe ArtSpace:

Fringe ArtSpace was cultivated after the City of Orlando asked Orlando Fringe to extend their current model by developing artist-focused programming and creating experiences that build upon the amazing arts scene that exists in Central Florida. With generous support from the Downtown Development Board, Fringe ArtSpace is focused on building a dynamic, inspiring community of artists and arts lovers with the purpose of providing artists a safe environment to create, experiment, collaborate and showcase their creations. The programming for the space is developed from a series of continuing brainstorming sessions with Central Florida community members and artists. Programming in Fringe ArtSpace will be a mix of traditionally programmed theatre and concerts as well as a studio series featuring consistent weekly, monthly and pop-up events like workshops, classes, readings, performances and artistic explorations. The main theatre will showcase full run productions of emerging arts organizations that Fringe will foster and mentor as well as established touring shows and concerts. Learning experiences for youth and adults will be a priority. The venue is looking to address affordable rehearsal and performance rental space and to activate the plaza on Church Street to help integrate arts into Downtown and provide lively entertainment on the street.

About Orlando Fringe

The Orlando Fringe produces The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, the longest running Fringe in the United States. It is a member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF), United States Association of Fringe Festivals (USAFF) and the World Fringe Association and follows the CAFF mandate to remain 100% unjuried, 100% uncensored, 100% accessible for artists and audiences alike, with 100% of ticket sales given back to the artists. Orlando Fringe is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and receives generous funding from Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs, United Arts of Central Florida, City of Orlando and the State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs.

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