‘A Day in the Life of Miss Hiccup,’ premiering tonight at Capital Fringe Festival.
The Capital Fringe Festival kicks off tonight and runs through July 28. It’s the eighth incarnation of the event. Over the next two-and-a-half weeks, 130 shows will be preformed across 19 venues across D.C., largely concentrated in and around Fort Fringe at 607 New York Avenue NW. Since its founding in 2005, the festival has grown to be the second largest ‘un-juried’ theater festival in the country, meaning that all proposals for performances are at least for the most part accepted.
It’s a setup that fosters creativity and low barriers to entry for local artists. According to organizers, dominant themes this year include updated use of classic texts and performance styles, local politics, race, religion, less traditional dance and physical performance, historical biographies, and technically innovative shows involving use of mobile phones and audio systems. The number of shows can be overwhelming to sort through, though you can search by genre, for shows with nudity, or ask for a random show to be selected for you on the festival’s revamped website.
Or check back with us for our reviews! Our crack team of reviewers will get to as many performances as we can this year to let you and the artists know what we think. There are only so many we can get to as the festival continues to grow. We are selecting with an eye towards pieces that are unique or specific to the Washington area, or whatever else piques one of our writers’ interest.
But you don’t need to wait around for us to tell you what to see. Executive Director Julianne Brienza offers this for Fringe-goers on the welcome page of the festival’s website. “Follow your instincts and go see something you never thought you’d like – instead of being frozen in indecision for two hours. If indecision is your thing however, then come nurse a cold beverage at the Baldacchino Gypsy Tent Bar. There are many Artist and Audience folk at the Baldacchino that can give you an earful on what shows to not miss.” Sage advice. The shows can be hit or miss, but there are gems to find if you catch the right one. And the Tent Bar is a great al fresco drinking venue when it’s not 95 degree out, or especially when it is.
Tickets for all performances are on sale online, at the Fringe box office, or at each venue pre-show and cost $17 each. On top of the ticket price, each attendee must also display a Fringe 2013 button, a one-time $7 purchase. Several multi-show pass options provide savings from the full price.
