Tickets to 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival On Sale this Week

After a nostalgic 25th anniversary in 2013, the Toronto Fringe is looking to the future with exciting new programming, brand new customer services and a roster of 1,100+ genre-bending, innovative, thoughtful and (frequently!) wacky indie theatre artists. The message is clear: Don't Just Stand There... SEE SOME THEATRE. It's a call to action to diehard theatre fans and theatre newcomers alike. Because where else can you experiment with 150+ shows for an average of $12 per ticket? Consider the Toronto Fringe the "choose your own adventure" of theatre.

Rush from gut-busting musical comedies that could be the next big thing to thoughtful and personal solo shows. Then grab a friend who's new to theatre and pick a show based on nothing but a captivating title - it could be that surprising piece of theatre that stays with you for the rest of your life. After your jam-packed viewing schedule is complete, pop by the Fringe Club for a refreshing beverage and sample tasty treats from local food vendors (such as mini burgers, mac n' cheese, Caribbean rotis, Filipino tapas and more) while you browse the Visual Fringe, a one-of-a-kind art market. As the sun goes down, join our Fringe After Dark series for Dolly Parton Bingo, a Stitch and Bitch, Board Game Nights and more. And then dance the night away at Toronto's most unexpected subterranean dance parties - in the underground parking garage beneath Honest Ed's! (Last weekend of the festival only.)

Join Executive Director Kelly Straughan and special keynote speakers as we launch the 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival on July 2, 2014 at 4:30pm at the Fringe Club. Fringe artists will be in attendance in all their finery - competing ruthlessly for the prizes in our Fringe Costume Contest. Grab your cameras, grab your Fringe Program Book, grab a friend (or two) and celebrate indie arts with 90,000 other Fringe Fanatics during the 12 days of the year where the downtown core becomes one giant theatre.

JUST THE NUMBERS: This year there are 136 plays (including 14 site specifics, 7 dance shows and 8 FringeKids! shows), 14 Visual Fringe art exhibits, 6 AlleyPlays woven throughout the Visual Fringe, 6 stimulating and provocative Tent Talks covering a wide range of theatre issues, 11 Fringe After Dark events, 3 underground dance parties, and a total of 1038 performances in the 2014 Fringe Festival. The Fringe is run by 150+ staff members, 500+ volunteers and is powered by the creativity and passion of over 1,100 artists.

This year, look out for site specific plays in a tavern, a synagogue, a historic house, parks, churches, cafes and more. Look out for shows featuring "Fringeified" versions of Elvis Presley, Richard Nixon, Andy Warhol, Albert Einstein, Shania Twain and even Margaret Atwood (aka "Margaret Flatwood"). Families should look out for the brand new FringeKids! Club at Huron St. Junior Public School (Spadina and Bloor) for free daily programming, affordable performance workshops for kids, kid-friendly food vendors, crafts, Pick up and Play stations and more.

Follow these links to view all show listings, the digital Fringe Program Book, and read more about the Fringe Club.

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