Hi y’all, Fringe Programs Director Ellen here.

I would like to take a moment of your time to talk to you about our community, something that has been extremely important to me over the last 5 years.

I’ve been pondering the words “Why Fringe?” since we began the journey into the unknown of online theatre last March.

And the truth is I was wondering: where was Fringe’s place in it? Where does “office hours” or “community building” fit in an online space? Considering the burnout we were all (and still are) experiencing, how could we rely on each other in the same ways?

And why was it so important for us at FRINGE to figure it out?

I know our staff and board members were puzzled when figuring out next steps for 2021, and honestly so was I. How would we ask our community to come back for something that was so unpredictable?

In preparation for this year’s Fringe, I really wanted to figure out how we could support artists. How could we ensure their financial ability to participate when we were barely scraping by to add back staff members ourselves? 

And while I was considering this, I just kept asking the question “why fringe?” 

And then it came to me. 

Because Fringe is a space unlike any other. Even though I’ve consistently held a full-time workload outside of the organization since I started in 2016, Fringe is the first place I mention when people ask what I do for work. It’s the first thing I talk about when people ask what I’m passionate about. 

I’m passionate about our community, because it’s unlike any other. Fringe is special because it’s built by people, for people. 

It’s built by artists and venue owners, theatre patrons and arts supporters, coffee shop owners and restaurateurs.  It’s all of these components to the whole that make this the most incredible community— and create a world that I want to live in. For one month every summer, life feels like pure joy. It feels like the world is going to be okay, because artists will make it so!

The members of this community support each other in a way I’ve never seen before. I’ve seen someone literally cast a friend at Fringe Central an hour before their preview show due to a family emergency. I’ve seen countless people volunteer for each other’s shows, and give freely of their time and money and energy.

Even in an online space, I knew these feelings wouldn’t go away. And they didn’t, because I was hanging out with my friends.

Friends, colleagues, mentors, artists… family. These are the words I use to describe you, my friends at the Hollywood Fringe. I call you my family.

And when your family is hurting, you step up. 

You give. 

And I’m asking you to give. Just like you do during Fringe.

Not a lot. Just a little. So that our artists can continue in 2021 with the financial security of an artist stipend.

If each person reading this newsletter gave just $5, the Fringe could give out over 200 stipends to artists. The cost of a latte can help the return to our theatres go smoothly, and with minimal financial risk for our artists.

So I’m asking you to become a part of the power of Fringe— the power of community. 

Join us today.

Ellen Boudreau Den Herder
Hollywood Fringe Programs Director

The Hollywood Fringe would like to congratulate the 15 members of the 2021 Fringe Scholarship Program.
After numerous conversations and intense deliberation by our selection committee, faced with an incredibly difficult choice over many qualified applications for this award, we are proud to announce the 2021 Fringe Scholarship winners.

The Winners of the 2021 Fringe Scholarships are:

• 1.5 Korean
• Caught in the Mix
• Cheater
• Estrawbery Fields Forever
• Exploration Station
• Happily Every After
• JUNK GIRLS
• Justice? Or…Just Me?: The Bite
• The Dean’s Office
• The Ivory Thread
• The Winner
• TransSetter
• VERSATILE: stories from inside the closet of a half black gay man
• Vice
• Welcome to the Vantage Point, presented by Company of Angels
  

There were additionally four applicants that struck the heart of our committee, and have received honorable mentions: Diary of a Crackhead, Innocence, Inequity, and Injustice: Ft. 21 Chump St., Late Nite Daze and Margaret Garner solo show.

As an open-access festival, we seek to foster a ground-breaking community of artists and make performances more accessible, both to the artists who produce them and for those who otherwise cannot afford to see theatre. Our committee firmly believes that these productions will enrich audience experience and the quality of the Hollywood Fringe Festival’s artistic offerings through the presentation of unique and underrepresented themes.

Each scholarship recipient will receive free registration and a $550 stipend towards production costs, a Fringe mentor, and marketing and networking opportunities as a member of the Fringe community. Fringe Scholarships are available to first-time Hollywood Fringe producers who contribute to the ethnic, cultural, racial, intellectually or physically disabled, deaf, and the LGBTQ+ diversity of the Fringe community.

Dearest Fringers,

We are thrilled to introduce our first-ever HFF Artist Fund: raised by the community, for the community.

We know that artists have been hit hard financially over the course of the pandemic and we want to help. To help offset costs of producing at the Fringe, this year we have replaced our annual festival fundraiser with a campaign that directly benefits you. 

The raised funds will be given out in $725 stipends by lottery to artists who apply. The more money raised, the more productions will be funded. The only requirements are that the applicant is local to Los Angeles County and that they perform at an official HFF venue in the 2021 Hollywood Fringe Festival. 

With this fundraiser, we believe we can create a pathway for more artists to participate—even with all the challenges we’re still facing from COVID-19. Offsetting the cost for our producers has been a key factor in our planning this year, including this campaign.

A truly important part of this fundraiser is how it weaves together our artists and our venue partners; a connection that is such an integral part of the tapestry of Fringe, and one we are honored to help strengthen and serve.

We hope you give to the campaign. We hope you get funded through the campaign. We hope you share this campaign with friends, family and more. 

If we’ve learned anything from this year, it’s that our community doesn’t falter in the face of hardship. We stand together.

Won’t you join us?

DONATE TODAY

Quick facts on this fundraiser, the first of its kind!

How to support:

• Head over to our donor webpage, here. $5-500, any amount gets us closer to our goal of $7,250 (or more! Every $725 raised after $7,250 will add on another stipend).
• Share, share, share—the way we’ll reach our goal is through our combined efforts. Every ask counts—thank you for being a part of that outreach.

Who is eligible for a stipend: 

• Any producer local to Los Angeles County planning to work with an official HFF venue in 2021. Applicants do not have to be first-time producers. 
• Applicants must participate from an official HFF venue (Registration Type 1).

How to apply:

• Applicants must apply via the Google form during the application period (to be announced via email & on social media May 25). Applicants do not have to be formally registered for the 2021 Fringe at the time of application.
• Applications will be chosen based on lottery selection. 

What’s included in each award:

• $550 towards venue/production fees & $175 towards HFF registration.

Timeline:

• Our fundraising period ends on June 8th, 2021 at 11:59pm. Any funds collected before this date will be put towards artist stipends of $725 each.
• Applications will open during the fundraising period on May 25, 2021 and be accepted through June 8th, 2021 at 11:59pm.
• Award winners will be announced publicly by June 21, 2021.

Fringe On!

The Hollywood Fringe Staff

Last update 6/18/21*

*Please note this is a living document, subject to change at any time.

Today we announced our pivot to a hybrid model festival! Read all about it here. 

HFF21 COVID-19 Safety Pack

How to Fringe safely during a global pandemic

We encourage all participants to honor their own capacities and boundaries. We are still in a worldwide pandemic and while there are reasons to be encouraged and hopeful (vaccines, yay!), COVID-19 is still a risk and has had a profound effect on our lives. It is okay to feel however you feel. It is okay to set boundaries regarding your own re-engagement into the world. It is wise to continue to be cautious. We encourage you to work with those you trust to honor their own limits and yours.

We know that the health situation is rapidly changing/developing and our Festival will make decisions to move forward with audiences if all partners and staff are in a place to support that happening safely. At this time, the Hollywood Fringe is a hybrid festival. This means that you can now host an in-person audience if you perform your show in the Hollywood Fringe Zone, or continue producing virtually from anywhere else. 

We will leave these guidelines for Los Angeles County performances for you to reference, but the most recent Los Angeles County Health Order can be found here: 

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/HOO/HOO_SaferReturnWorkCommunity.pdf

PROTOCOLS TO FOLLOW

Livestream from an official HFF venue (in the Fringe Zone)

Livestream on-site venue protocols will follow these guidelines: Protocol for Music, Television and Film Production:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_MusicTelevisionFilmProduction.pdf

Livestream rehearsal protocols and other information: Protocol for Live Events and Performances (Indoor Seated): 

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_LiveIndoorEvents.pdf

Livestream from any other location (i.e., from home, a venue outside of the zone, etc.) 

Livestream on-site protocols will follow these guidelines: Protocol for Music, Television and Film Production:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_MusicTelevisionFilmProduction.pdf

Livestream rehearsal protocols and other information: Protocol for Live Events and Performances (Indoor Seated): 

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_LiveIndoorEvents.pdf

COVID-safe, socially distant outdoor theatre

From window display theatre to outdoor COVID-safe immersive work, this category is for those looking to have an audience present in an outdoor setting. This registration type must take place in the Fringe zone and requires proper permitting and an approved safety plan (following city/county guidelines for COVID safety).

This category is for participants who would like to do outdoor performance in a site-specific location in the Hollywood Fringe zone. This will require dialogue between your show and Hollywood Fringe Festival support. 

Some helpful resources:

Trainings

LA County Covid-19 Safety Compliance Certificate Program (free, under 1 hour):

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/covid19cert.htm

Health Education Services COVID-19 Compliance Officer (C19CO) training—for film sets ($50, 2 hrs):

https://www.bigmarker.com/healtheducationservices/Covid-19-Compliance-Officer-Training

Health Education Services COVID-19 Compliance for Live Events training ($50, 2 hrs):

https://www.bigmarker.com/healtheducationservices/Covid-Compliance-Live-Events-Concerts-Experiential-and-more

A reference cited by the Health Education Services training, a free 6 hour contact tracing course offered by Johns Hopkins:

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/contact-tracing

Another reference cited by the Health Education Services training, free COVID-19 courses offered by WHO:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/training/online-training

This one is probably most applicable: COVID-19 and work: Staying healthy and safe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic

https://openwho.org/courses/COVID-19-and-work

Welcome artists and storytellers: you have taken the first step into your Hollywood Fringe journey. As always, we will soon provide a detailed participant packet to all registered participants but we know you have a big decision to make before that step. 

Here are some key facts to help you decide to Fringe, or not to Fringe in 2021

This year’s festival is digitally-driven. At this time all participants must livestream without an in-person audience (with the exception of Registration Type 3: COVID-safe, socially distant outdoor theatre). 

IMPORTANT DATES 

• Official Previews: August 5th-10th, 2021 
• Opening Night Digital Event: August 11th, 2021
• Festival run: August 12th-29th, 2021
• Awards/Closing Night Digital Event: August 29th, 2021 

REGISTRATION  TYPES EXPLAINED 

1. Livestream from an official HFF venue (in the Fringe Zone)- $175 

• This registration type is for those booking a venue in the fringe zone. Venues currently registered under this category can be found here. 
• In the event we are able to pivot to a hybrid, live-audience model, this is the only registration type where any indoor in-person audience will be allowed. 
• You will work with your chosen venue to create your show schedule. 

2. Livestream from any other location (i.e., from home, a venue outside of the zone, etc.) – $225

• You can participate in this registration type from anywhere in the world. 
• You can book a venue to livestream outside of the Fringe Zone, livestream from your home, your backyard, or (with permitting/permission) any location you wish. The world is your stage here. 
• You can book as many shows during the festival run as you wish, but we recommend that you consider your audience base and book as many shows as you think you can market. We strongly suggest between 3 and 6. 
• This registration type is for livestream only. No in-person audience, even in the event HFF is able to safely pivot to a hybrid, live-audience festival model. 

3. COVID-safe, socially distant outdoor theatre- $275

** From window display theatre to outdoor COVID-safe immersive work, this category is for those looking to have an audience present in a site-specific outdoor setting. This registration type must take place in the Fringe zone and requires proper permitting and an approved safety plan (following city/county guidelines for COVID safety).

• This registration type is designed for shows performing from a participant-led, location for their specific show, not an outdoor venue hosting multiple shows. 
• If any outdoor theatres become available, they will be listed on our venue page and you will need to register with the first registration type “livestream from an official HFF venue.” 

4. Workshop/educational experience- $50 

• These workshops must be live-streamed and can take place anytime between June 1st, 2021, and August 29th, 2021.
• To schedule a workshop outside of the official festival window email [email protected] after registration.   

You will find a step-by-step guide through the registration process here

WHAT WILL A DIGITAL HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL LOOK LIKE? 

We are diving into the digital deep end, friends. We know that livestream can be a tricky element. Just like everything with live theatre, things can go wrong, and they very well might. But there is no better community to take this risk alongside, and by livestreaming, we will be able to keep the live energy we all love about theatre. 

HFF will make ticketing easy for you, as long as you have uploaded your streaming link to your page, we will make sure your audience has it in their inbox. 

When your ticket holder clicks the link, they will be taken to a digital Fringe landing page on their way to your show. This will unify the festival and allow your audience to also feel a part of this grand community

We will have tons of networking, educational and promotional events that you can take advantage of as a HFF participant starting NOW. We will also have a digital Fringe Central to make it easy to gather with your fellow fringers and your audience during the festival.   

Check out the full list of 2021 Hollywood Fringe Events here.

COVID SAFETY AT HFF21

As a registered participant, you must follow all local regulations and guidelines through every step of your Fringe process. To help you keep up to date we will keep this page updated with guidelines and best practices provided by the county. 

To read more about current health and safety guidelines, please see our COVID-19 participant blog post here.