New York International Fringe Festival
Encyclopedia
The New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, is a Fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It takes place over the course of two weeks every August, spread across several neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan
, notably the Lower East Side
, the East Village
, and Greenwich Village
. Attendance in 2009 topped 75,000 people.
Unlike most Fringe festivals, FringeNYC uses a jury-based selection process http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/features/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002985100. Around 200 shows, out of a much larger pool of applicants, are selected for inclusion each year.
The festival was founded in 1997 by Aaron Beall, John Clancy
, Jonathan Harris, and (current Artistic Director) Elena K. Holy, and is produced by The Present Company
.
Notable shows that premiered at FringeNYC include Urinetown
, Dog Sees God, the musical adaptation of Debbie Does Dallas
and the American English-language premiere of The Black Rider
. Other feature shows included Charlie Victor Romeo
, which premiered at New York Lower East Side theatre Collective:Unconscious.
FringeNYC includes many component events, such as FringeU (educational events), FringeART (art events), FringeAL FRESCO (free outdoor performances), and FringeJR (children's events).
At the conclusion of the festival around 20 shows are selected to participate in the FringeNYC Encore Series which runs for an additional two weeks in September.
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, notably the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
, the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
, and Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
. Attendance in 2009 topped 75,000 people.
Unlike most Fringe festivals, FringeNYC uses a jury-based selection process http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/features/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002985100. Around 200 shows, out of a much larger pool of applicants, are selected for inclusion each year.
The festival was founded in 1997 by Aaron Beall, John Clancy
John Clancy (playwright)
John Clancy is a contemporary American playwright and director. He was a co-founder and first Artistic Director of the New York International Fringe Festival and its producing organization The Present Company....
, Jonathan Harris, and (current Artistic Director) Elena K. Holy, and is produced by The Present Company
The Present Company
The Present Company is a theater company in New York City and the producing organization of the New York International Fringe Festival....
.
Notable shows that premiered at FringeNYC include Urinetown
Urinetown
Urinetown: The Musical is a satirical comedy musical, with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, and book by Kotis. It satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics...
, Dog Sees God, the musical adaptation of Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas is a 1978 pornographic film starring Bambi Woods. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas...
and the American English-language premiere of The Black Rider
The Black Rider
The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets is a self-billed "musical fable" in the avant-garde tradition created through the collaboration of theatre director Robert Wilson, musician Tom Waits, and writer William S. Burroughs. Wilson was largely responsible for the design and direction....
. Other feature shows included Charlie Victor Romeo
Charlie Victor Romeo
Charlie Victor Romeo is a 1999 play whose script consists of almost-verbatim transcripts from six real-life aviation accidents and incidents. "Charlie Victor Romeo," or CVR, derived from the NATO phonetic alphabet, is aviation lingo for cockpit voice recorder...
, which premiered at New York Lower East Side theatre Collective:Unconscious.
FringeNYC includes many component events, such as FringeU (educational events), FringeART (art events), FringeAL FRESCO (free outdoor performances), and FringeJR (children's events).
At the conclusion of the festival around 20 shows are selected to participate in the FringeNYC Encore Series which runs for an additional two weeks in September.