FringeNYC 14 Begins

The 14th edition of my sometimes beloved, my sometimes maddening, FringeNYC begins today with its usual headspinning array of theatrical confections. I wrote a couple of years ago about the wonder of being just a simple audience member. Well. In the spirit of full disclosure, that was a little disingenuous. I sat on the adjudication panel (i.e. the panel of people who make the selection decisions) for seven years, from 2003 through 2009, so I wasn't precisely a civilian. This year, however, I will be (more or less).

Festival reportage will likely take up lots of space here throughout the next couple of weeks, as I intend to see and then subsequently think and write about lots and lots of theater. If there is something you think a person of my particular interests (visual arts/spectacle, fairy tales, dance, really fucking good writing, etc.) might enjoy, please contact me via facebook and let me know.

So, off I go into the fray. But, seriously? All this show seeing is easy-peasy. Running the festival is hard. So if you're out there, and come face to face with a box office person or somebody on staff: be nice. Shows start on time. Don't be late. Be polite, and if a show is sold out- so be it. Don't make a fuss. Just go see something else (there are nearly 200 offerings) or get a margarita or something. And if you're flat broke? Volunteer and get free tickets for working a shift. The Volunteer Coordinator is named Taty (pronounced Tatchie)and she's just lovely. Say "Hi" for me, and tell her I sent you. You won't regret it, I promise.

Now, tear your precious eyeballs away from your computers and go see some art!

P.S. My ever charming inamorato, Trav S.D., has some excellent advice for all the critics who are rubbing their hands in excitement as they prepare to review the temperature of the theater, and complain that a puppet show from Montreal* that arrived in the country, like, yesterday, lacks the technical precision of a show that has a week to tech. I endorse every word in his posting. For example: due to circumstances beyond our (or the festival's) control, when I directed Antarctica in the 2007 Fringe(NYC), we had no tech rehearsal whatsoever. So, yeah, read it and take it to heart.

The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC)
August 13-29
FringeCENTRAL (for tix, information, etc.) 1 8th Street Noon-8, Daily
FringeNYC.org (for tix and everything else)

*This was a hypothetical example. If there actually is a puppet show from Montreal in the festival, I meant to cast no aspersions.