Happy Hour On The Fringe

Looks like another pair of Fringe hosts are phoning it in this week!  Raina and Katy talk to Nature Theater of Oklahoma's Pavol Liska and Kelly Copper about their latest Fringe offering, Pursuit of Happiness. Liska and Copper discuss how reality TV and the current state of American politics have influenced this part-dance, part Western movie, and part comedy of manners.  Pursuit of Happiness will run from September 20-21st at the Mandell Theater in West Philadelphia.  For tickets, visit us online at Fringearts.com.  Tickets and also be purchased through the Fringearts app.

Zach and Tenara phoned it in this week (drink orders not included), but you wouldn't know it as they talk with the Half Straddle's Artistic Director, Tina Satter, about her production, Is This a Room, for this year's Fringe Festival. Is This a Room is a dramatization of the transcripts of Air Force linguist, Reality Winner, who was charged with leaking evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election, as she was arrested at her home by FBI agents. Is This a Room will run from September 13-15 at the  Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on the University of Pennsylvania's campus.  For tickets, visit www.fringearts.com or download the Fringearts app.

The 2019 Fringe Festival is just around the corner...or subway tunnel...or a refinery.  Who knows?  Raina and Katy are ready to take an adventure with award winning artist and designer Mimi Lien, as they explore unknown depths with  Superterranean, a collaboration with Fringe Festival veterans, Pig Iron Theatre Company.  Superterranean is a new work of visual theater driven by Lien’s fascinations with urban infrastructure and the human body’s place within it.  Superterranean runs from September 5-15th. For ticketing information, visit us at Fringearts.com, or download the Fringearts app.

In this episode, we depart from our usual watering hole and join the founder and President of FringeArts, Nick Stuccio, to toast The Wilma Theater's Artistic Director, Blanka Zizka, on her newest production,  There: In the Light and the Darkness of the Self and the Other, adapted from the poem by Lebanese-American poet Etel Adnan, with visual art by renown artist Rosa Barba.  There is one of the curated shows premiering in the 2019 Fringe Festival and performed by Wilma's Hothouse Company.  There: In the Light and the Darkness of the Self and the Other will be at The Wilma Theater this September 11–22.

In this episode, Tenara and Raina clink glasses (and a mug of hot chocolate) to FringeArts’ Artistic Producers, Zack Blackwood and Katy Dammers.  Zach and Katy will discuss some of the exciting presentations for the 2019 in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, including the the Festival Bookstore and this year’s Late Night Programing.  The Fringe Festival teaser is now available, and you can expect to see Fringe Festival Guides circulating this August!  Plan your days to view groundbreaking performances in the City of Brotherly Love this September.

 Are you the first person to dance at a wedding? Do you turn the music up at a block party? Are you interested in community building? JOIN US THIS SUMMER FOR ÚUMBAL: NOMADIC CHOREOGRAPHY FOR INHABITANTS, a 100-person participatory dance piece that moves through the streets of Philadelphia! Part of the 2019 Fringe Festival in September, Úumbal is an exercise in meeting, recognizing, and celebrating a community gathered for the joy of movement and exploring new ways of moving through public space. The choreography of Úumbal is developed of, by, and for Philadelphia residents who donated their best dance moves to the project, and helmed by lead artist Mariana Arteaga and a local choreographic team. FringeArts seeks Philadelphia residents of all communities, abilities, ages, and experiences to perform in this nomadic dance piece that includes movement, choreography, and choreographic actions in public space along the streets, parks, and sidewalks of South Philadelphia. You do not ha

On this episode of Happy Hour of the Fringe, Raina and Tenara share a drink with poet, noise musician and Afro-futurist Camae Ayewa and discuss her latest project, Circuit City.  Known as a force of nature in the Philadelphia Arts scene, Camae has also made her mark world wide as the one-woman band, Moor Mother.  Camae discusses how Circuit City explores what the concept of freedom really is, through the lens of the housing crisis and its effects on those who've spent their lifetime in their community. Circuit City runs from June 20-22 as part of our High Pressure Fire Service. 

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, we had drinks with Ben Grinberg, Artistic Director of Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, instructor at Circadium and Pig Iron, and the curator and host for Test Flights, a circus scratch night. Join our conversation about how Ben found his way into circus, the growth of contemporary circus in Philadelphia, Almanac's 5 year anniversary celebration season, and a teaser for who you may see at this July's Test Flights! Learn more about Hand to Hand Circus Festival, running June 28—July 1, at FringeArts.com. Also, this weekend (May 24th) check out the final performances of "Communitas: Five Years Later" by Almanac Dance Circus Theatre at https://www.thealmanac.us/.

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, listen to Team Sunshine Performance Corporation artist Benjamin Camp discuss getting older with his four year old daughter Sydney. Make sure to get your tickets for Team Sunshine's third installment of their 24 year performance experiment, The Sincerity Project #3 (2019), a meditation on the passage of time that draws from the real lives of its creators, running at FringeArts from June 4 - 8.

In anticipation of our Hand to Hand festival in partnership with Circadium School of Contemporary Circus, Katy and Raina sit down with Circadium's Executive Director, Shana Kennedy, and first-year student, Sierra Rhoades Nicholls, to discuss the future of contemporary circus. Shana and Sierra walk the hosts through their personal introductions to the circus arts and the intense training required to pursue a professional career. The group dives into the importance of Circadium's professional program for the growth of American contemporary circus and how opportunities like the first-year student showcase, Circadium Springboard, is preparing students to succeed in the circus world and beyond. Learn more about Hand to Hand and Circadium Springboard here.

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Jess Conda and Jenn Kidwell, two-thirds of the artistic team behind A Hard Time, sit down to chat with comedian Betty Smithsonian about what's so freaking funny. They chat about what men should do at talkbacks, what audiences can expect at A Hard Time, and why people (men) believe that women aren't funny. This episode contains explicit language. 

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Bradley Wrenn, part of the The Berserker Residents and Christa Cywinski, Director of Trinity Playgroup, sat down to talk about the planning and playing behind Broccoli, Roosevelt and Mr. House! and the connection between learning, playing, and building a show for a family unit to enjoy. We took a field trip to record at Trinity Playgroup, so you may hear the sounds of...well, playtime!

Tenara and Zach sit down with FringeArts ambassador and Le Super Grand Continental alum Cecily Chapman. The trio discuss the importance of public practice performances and Cecily goes into detail about her personal experience as a performer in a large-scale production. She talks about the physical, mental, and social aspects of the process and even gives some advice to those who are curious about performing in the future. The conversation acts as wonderful insight for people interested in getting involved in the 2019 Fringe Festival participatory piece, Úumbal: Nomadic Choreography for Inhabitants. Learn more about Úumbal and how to participate in the Step Library here!

Alice Yorke, Lead Artist of The Appointment and Co-Director of Lightning Rod Special and Elicia Gonzales, Executive Director of Women’s Medical Fund, sat down to talk about the research and rehearsal process Lightning Rod Special went through and what the American abortion debate really means for issues of health care, education, race, and more. Learn more about the Women's Medical Fund here.

A Fierce Kind of Love cast-member Shawn Aleong and ADAPT activist Tony Brooks sit down and talk about living with disabilities in an exclusive world, and the missing history of disability rights advocacy. Learn more about ADAPT here.

You’ve heard from many of the artists and community members who have worked with FringeArts this year; why not learn more about the people on the other side of the mic? On this very special end-of-year episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, all four hosts, Raina, Zach, Tenara, and Katy, sit down together and reflect on their journeys to FringeArts, what they’ve accomplished over the course of the last year, and what they hope 2019 holds in store for them. Sit back and relax over your holiday break and get to know our hosts a little better, then let us know what your 2019 resolutions are! Show Notes: Learn more about the upcoming FringeArts’ programming mentioned on this episode: Blue Heaven: https://fringearts.com/event/blue-heaven-comedy-festival/ High Pressure Fire Service: https://fringearts.com/programs/high-pressure-fire-service/ Learn more about FringeArt's exciting new accessibility initiatives: https://fringearts.com/accessibility/ Follow FringeArts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat and

Recorded in the midst of Fringe Festival 2018, so please forgive the audio as FringeArts headquarters was in full preparation mode, Christine Gwillim join hosts/artistic producers Zach and Katy discuss the Festival arts landscape as it looks at present, where it’s going in the future, and what FringeArts’ future looks like with the introduction two brand new festivals.

We, here at FringeArts, have had the opportunity to meet and hear about the amazing work that so many different people and organizations in Philadelphia are doing to make life better for their fellow Philly residents. Today, Nora Litz, the Director of Arts and Culture at Salud de Puentes in South Philly, and Danny Cortés, the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff of Esperanza, take time out of their busy schedules to tell us about the work that they do. Learn more about their work, and we encourage you to learn more about what you can do to support these wonderful organizations and individuals at the links below. - Show Notes: Puentes de Salud (Bridges of Health) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that promotes the health and wellness of Philadelphia’s rapidly growing Latino immigrant population through high-quality health care, innovative educational programs, and community building. Please learn more at: http://www.puentesdesalud.org. Nora Litz is a Mexican-American artist who works to empower and

Voguing may have come to prominence in 1980s New York, but it’s very much alive and well here in present-day Philadelphia. Assistant Director of the First Person Arts Festival show Legendary by Kemar Jewel, Tori Gillis, stops by Happy Hour on the Fringe to give us a rundown of the voguers that we should be following, share how she became involved in Legendary, and explain the difference between a ‘dip’ and a ‘shwam.’ **Hint: If you don’t want to be embarrassed at your next Ball, this episode is required listening. Enjoy! Legendary runs Nov 14 - 16 at FringeArts. To purchase your ticket, visit https://fringearts.com/event/legendary/2018-11-14/. Show Notes: To see more of Kemar Jewel's work, check out his YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/MrKemarJewel, and follow Kemar on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mars.jewel1. To see the full First Person Arts Festival line up visit https://firstpersonarts.org. Follow FringeArts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat and visit us on the web at

Director of upcoming First Person Arts Festival's show Pa'lante, Gabriela Sanchez stops by the FringeArts office with Pa'lante actors Ivan Vila and Virginia Sanchez (also known as Gabby's mother) to discuss the creation of the piece, traditions and what Pa'lante truly means. Enjoy! Pa'lante runs Nov 11 + 12 at FringeArts. To purchase your ticket visit https://fringearts.com/event/palante/2018-11-11/. Show notes: Learn more about Power Street Theatre at https://www.powerstreettheatre.com. To see the full First Person Arts Festival line up visit https://firstpersonarts.org. Follow FringeArts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat and visit us on the web at https://fringearts.com. Leave a comment and let us know what you thought of this podcast.