SF Fringe Festival 2008 Now Accepting Applications

The San Francisco Fringe Festival, the second oldest such festival in the U.S., is now accepting applications for its 17th season, scheduled for September 3-14, 2008 in various downtown venues.  Produced by the EXIT Theatre, the San Francisco Fringe Festival is 100% uncensored, 100% unjuried, and 100% of the box office earnings go directly to the artists involved! 

The 17th Annual San Francisco Fringe Festival (September 3-14, 2008) is a twelve-day theater and performance festival.  Successful applicants will be announced at the Fringe Lottery Party, February 1, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy Street in San Francisco

Standard Fringe Venue Deadline

Deadline for applications for performances at Standard Fringe Venues is midnight, January 25, 2008.  Chosen Standard Venue applicants are assigned to one of the downtown Fringe Venues and their shows are scheduled for an allotted number of 60-minute performance slots in an equipped, staffed theatre.  Local companies receive four performance slots, and non-local companies receive six performance slots. 

There are 30 Standard Venue performance slots, which are assigned by lottery and divided among five international applicants, ten national applicants, and 15 from the Bay Area.  Applications are available at www.theexit.org – click on "Fringe Applications" in the upper left.

Non-Traditional Fringe Venue Deadline

Deadline for applications for Non-Traditional Fringe Venues is midnight, April 30, 2008.  Non-Traditional venues in the past have included local parks and bars, hotel rooms, moving buses, the planetarium and tulip garden in Golden Gate Park, and a bench on Market Street.  Non-Traditional venues are an opportunity for shows that do not fit into the Standard Fringe Venue format. 

Typically, the SF Fringe features 5-10 shows in non-traditional venues.

EXIT Theatre, this year celebrating its 25th Anniversary, has developed a reputation for the production of theatre festivals.  In addition to producing the San Francisco Fringe each September for 17 years, EXIT produces DIVAfest, a festival of works by women writers and performers, and co-produces the New York FRIGID Fest, a fringe-related theatre festival in the East Village.  DIVAfest, now in its seventh year, will run for the month of April 2008.  The second annual New York FRIGID Fest runs February 27 – March 9, 2008 and is co-produced with New York's Horse Trade Theater.

The Way the Fringe Works – and Why

The Fringe presents live theatre in an informal, accessible and inexpensive environment.  It strives to break down traditional boundaries between audience and artist, encouraging open dialogue between theatre-goers and theatre-creators.  Audiences are invited to experience the work of seasoned veterans alongside that of emerging artists.  Local, national, and international performing companies benefit from working together and learning from each other in a vibrant and exciting festival atmosphere. 

In order to stimulate artistic innovation, applications for participation in the Fringe Festival are accepted through a non-juried lottery.  Traditional boundaries are broken down in terms of economics, as well, as 100% of the box office goes to the performers.

The 2008 San Francisco Fringe Festival will bring over 250 performances of 30-40 new shows to numerous Downtown San Francisco venues over its 12-day run.  The Fringe Festival features fresh, exciting theatre of all kinds for open-minded audiences of all persuasions.   The S.F. Fringe brings international performers from all over the world, from cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando, as well as from the Bay Area.

Where to Fringe and How to Get There

San Francisco Fringe Festival.  The 2008 San Francisco Fringe Festival will run for 12 days, September 3 through 14, with 30-40 shows in numerous downtown San Francisco venues, most within walking distance of Union Square and the Powell Street BART station.  Fringe venues include EXIT Theatre & EXIT Stage Left (156 Eddy) and EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor).  Other venues will be posted as they are scheduled.

For Fringe Info & Tickets

The complete listing of Standard Venue Shows, as well as ticket info, will be posted in early February at www.sffringe.org.  Tickets are $9 (or less) per show, or $11 (or less) online.  Ten-show passes $65; five-show passes $35.

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