The Hollywood Fringe’s Handy Guide to Choosing Your Category

The Hollywood Fringe would never try to put a label on you, the artist. You are free to be. But your show? You’ve gotta categorize that, and we’re here to help. You can register your show in any category you wish, but try to match what area best represents your show! 

Solo Show- Yep, we are starting with an easy one. Its a show… with one person. It can be comedy, tragedy, a Ted talk, thirty-five minutes of whistling the entire HMS Pinafore… the point is there is ONE PERSON. If your show is a one person show that is also a comedy or musical consider choosing another category! 

Two Person Show- Same as above, only with a friend!

Comedy- So say you have more than one or two people. Like a group of people. And y’all are funny. Really funny. And the script is too! People are laughing their dang ol’ heads off. This is where you go!

Drama- Sure, there are some funny elements in your show, because life is funny, and theatre is life. This is your general category for ensemble theatre (three or more actors) that does not fall into any more niche box. 

Musicals and Operas- You are in any of the above BUT sometime just saying the words isn’t enough. You just gotta sing! (a lot) And maybe play an instrument or two! This is the moment… you can register for the Fringe!

Dance and Physical Theatre- Your show is movement based! Whether you are tango-ing, tap dancing or tumbling, the storytelling performance is all about getting physical. This category is not all just dance-based but also includes any storytelling done primarily through movement based work.

Cabaret and Variety-  Maybe you have all these cool elements like music, songs, dances, poetry readings, puppets, etc. and you are putting all of them together in some sort of review. And you maybe have a dope ass master of ceremonies or MC running the whole thing. And maybe you’re in a different kind of space like a bar or restaurant. Well, old chum, this is the category for you!

Immersive and Games- Go ahead! Break that fourth wall! You love the outdoors so go perform a murder mystery in the outdoors! Or Pinter at your old high school. Or Shakespeare in the back of a van. Or maybe you want to use a traditional theater but you want to remove the “stage” and immerse the audience within the performance itself. 

Events and Workshops- Want to give a lecture on climate change? Or teach a class on directing for the stage? Or throw a dance party? This is also where you will find many of the Fringe-sponsored activities! Note these events are not on the awards ballot. 

Welcome Class! Today, we’re going to be talking about Busking!

But Rody, What is Busking?

Great question, imaginary audience surrogate! 

Thank you.

Busking is when you perform on the sidewalk or another public place and sometimes for public donations. This year busking near Fringe Central by Hollywood Blvd is a real possibility. Here are the questions we’ll be asking today: Can busking take place on Hollywood Blvd? How can busking occur safely? Busking Etiquette? So let’s get started!

Can busking take place on Hollywood Blvd?

Yes! There is currently no permit process in place to busk on Hollywood Blvd. However, every location is different. Locations like Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Burbank do require permits.

Currently, various sources site busking culture alive and well, however, the most helpful resource was the Los Angeles Municipal Code! The Los Angeles Municipal Code Sec 42.00 Regulation of Soliciting and Sales in Streets Section A states that…

“ ”Perform, Performing, Performance or Performances" shall mean to engage in any of the following activities in the street: playing musical instruments; singing; dancing; acting; pantomiming; puppeteering; juggling; reciting; engaging in magic; creating visual art in its entirety; presenting or enacting a play, work of music, work of art, physical or mental feat, or other constitutionally protected entertainment or form of expression.”

Handing out Flyers after/while Busking

Within that same section (Code Sec 42.00: Section B, Subsection A) it says that leaflets, pamphlets, bumper stickers, patches, and or/buttons are allowed to be handed out! This means that after or during your busking session you’d be able to hand out flyers/postcards to promote your show! Clothing, sunglasses, crystals, toys, and candles are not allowed. Also please keep in mind that vending (selling or bartering goods) within 500-feet of the Hollywood Walk of Fame is prohibited. (Sec 42.13 Sidewalk and Park Vending Program, Section C, Subsection B).

Donations

Oh! And here’s a cool little fact! Sec 42.00 also goes on to say that voluntary contributions such as passing around a hat or leaving an open instrument case (or any other container) is perfectly fine, and ain’t that just dandy.

Head up! The following is not allowed and not protected: personal services (such as massages, hair weaving, cutting, or styling), the completion or partial creation of visual art, the creation of mass-produced visual art, and the creation of handcrafts.

Be Aware of Your Volume

It is also important to know that in the Los Angeles Municipal Code Sec. 112.06 Places of Public Entertainment details that no music/noise should generate sound louder than 95 decibels in any place of public performance. For reference, the CDC states that  95 decibels of volume is like being next to a motorcycle engine, please do not be louder than a motorcycle engine. Let’s always remember to be courteous to our neighbors! 

Hurdy-gurdy Players Beware

Just to cover our bases, Sec. 41.29 Hand Organs On Streets states that 

"No person shall operate or play any hand organ or hurdy-gurdy in, upon, or along any street or sidewalk.”

My sincere condolences to the Hurdy-gurdy community, fight the good fight— but please do so at home.

How can busking occur safely? Busking Etiquette? 

We want to keep everybody safe so here are some starting tips to ensure we’re all having a great time.

• Do not block the free flow of pedestrians, be conscious of a crowd you may create. This also means not busking by a crossway or a building entrance/exit.
• If possible, try and occupy no more than 5 square feet of space.
• Be aware of your volume levels (remember not to be louder than 95 decibels).
• No more busking after 10pm.

Want some additional structure to your busking adventure? Sign-Up to our Google Form!

We’re happy to host busking sessions to Fringers where you can sign up for 20-minute slots from two to six pm on Saturdays and Sundays starting May 18th and carrying on into June! Just follow the link to the Google form, fill it out with all the information and we’ll get back to ya. Easy as pie! Link to Sign Ups: https://forms.gle/T2fQrgqWyb4jCivT9 

Also if you do want to be able to accept donations and want to do so digitally, please bring your own printed flyer (ex. You print out a document with your Venmo QR code). If you sign up via the google form, we’ll be able to set you up with a time slot to busk.

One Last Thing…

Lastly, I wanted to leave you with this from the Los Angeles Municipal Code Sec. 42.00 Regulation of Soliciting and Sales in Streets Section B subsection 3

“Performers can perform.”

I just thought that was kinda beautiful, Happy Fringing everyone.

- Rody, Hollywood Fringe Artist Services Associate

See below for the Fringe sponsored and organized marketing opportunities you’ll have at your disposal – there are many chances to let people know about your show now through June!

Office Hours

It’s at the top for a reason! Join Hollywood Fringe staff and participants for weekly casual meet-ups at different bars and restaurants around Hollywood. These events are your chance to start building your network and market your show! Office Hours take place on Wednesdays from 7 – 10 pm starting March 27th. As the schedule is updated, be sure to check out the events page for where they’ll be.

Volunteering
Festival Participants who volunteer for the festival get exclusive opportunities to market their show, as well as access to free/discounted tickets! To learn more at a volunteer orientation, complete this short form to join the volunteer team.

Postcards & Posters and where to drop them off
Bring your postcards & a single poster to Fringe Central during any open Fringe Central hours Wednesday- Sunday. Please keep in mind that poster space is limited, so we cannot accept posters larger than 11 × 17. Please check in with a member of Fringe Staff, and we will provide you instructions on placement (& hang the poster for you!)!

It’s a great way to engage with your audience at Fringe. A reminder: print the Hollywood Fringe logo on your materials; you can find the logo on the Fringe site at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/branding

Fringe Venues & local Hollywood businesses are also great places to put up your posters and flyers. Please make sure to talk with the venue or establishment manager first before putting up your promotional material. 

Postcard Etiquette Reminders!
Do not move/cover up other postcards with your own in any spaces. Fringe staff won’t hesitate to remove your flyers if you do this. If you’re having trouble finding room, consult with the person you asked permission from to drop them off! 
Don’t hand out postcards to an audience walking out of a show unless you have explicit permission. 
Do not hand out postcards in the public areas of the Ovation Center (the mall surrounding Fringe Central) as there is a strict no solicitation policy and you will be asked to move. You may promote your show on Hollywood Blvd, though!
Don’t leave flyers at any business without permission. And don’t litter!

Busking on Hollywood Blvd
Busking is when you perform on the sidewalk or another public place, and sometimes, for public donations. This year, Hollywood Fringe will also be hosting busking sessions for Fringers where you can sign up for 20-minute slots from two to six pm on Saturdays and Sundays starting May 18th and carrying on into June! Signing up for the Hollywood Fringe Busking program is a great way to focus on the performing aspect of busking and not worry about the logistics! We are here to help!

Please note that there are many performers who make a living busking on Hollywood Blvd. Please join Fringe staff in community with them and avoid competition with vendors and other performers. Let’s all be great Hollywood neighbors!

Ads on the Fringe Site
You can purchase ads on the Hollywood Fringe site with special participant rates (50% off the normal rate). This is an effective and inexpensive way to draw a wider audience to your show. Visit hollywoodfringe.org/market to check out your options.

HFF24 Discounts for Commissioners Club members and volunteers 
Hollywood Fringe Festival is a nonprofit organization that relies heavily on volunteers and small donations to continue to support this amazing community of artists. We wouldn’t be able to run the Hollywood Fringe Festival without these amazing people! One way you can help us say thank you is by offering them a free or discounted ticket to your show.  

Here’s how to advertise your discounts for HFF members and volunteers:

STEP ONE: Create your code – our suggested discount is 25% off (or more)! For example, if your base ticket price is $12, your HFFThanks price would be $9 at 25% off. Please name your code “HFFThanks” 

STEP TWO: Fill out this form so we can add your show to the list!

Cabaret
Fringe Cabaret is the only official Hollywood Fringe Festival sampler platter! Bringing it back to Fringe Central for the 14th year, Cabaret Director Bella Luna is booking fun acts that include variety, magic, dance, music, comedy, and general silliness. Applications are open now! You can also promote your show by offering free tickets or swag to be raffled off during Cabaret performances!! To arrange a donation or if you have any questions email [email protected].

Runway: Showcasing The Best of Hollywood Fringe 2024 Costume Design
At our annual fashion show and party we shine the spotlight on the brilliant costumes that will grace stages across Hollywood during the festival. Select shows will be given the chance to strut their stuff, then the audience will vote for their favorite design! Get audiences excited about your show, celebrate the work of incredible fringe designers, and if you are chosen as one of our top three designs of 2024 you’ll win a prize!!

Hollywood Fringe productions can apply for the chance to compete in runway using this form: https://forms.gle/FPLiyjyWM3Gc4inN7

The deadline to enter is Sunday, May 26th before midnight. More information about the qualifying criteria is available on the application form. Good luck!

SOCIAL MEDIA INTERNSHIP 

Hollywood Fringe is currently seeking a Social Media Intern for the 2024 festival! Interning with Fringe is the best way to get hands-on experience behind the scenes of the largest performing arts festival on the West Coast. Interns work directly with Fringe staff to help run various aspects of the festival. 

APPLY HERE BY MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024 AT 11:59 PM PT.

Responsibilities

- In June and after the festival, for up to 30 hours a week, the intern will collaborate with Hollywood Fringe staff on maintaining our social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube) by answering inbox requests, posting pre-scheduled content and assisting in managing our content creation through the festival using templates with organization preferences via Canva.

- The intern will also create one unique TikTok per week garnering festival interest.

- In June, the intern will help staff our box office under supervision of our Artist Services Manager, and work with our [email protected]/[email protected] system for up to 10 hours per week.

- Additionally, the intern will assist in day-of set-up and/or strike of major festival events: Opening Night, Fringe Awards and Closing Night Parties, as well as grab content at each event

- After the festival, in collaboration with the co-directors, the intern will pull social media analytics from the prior year, create an analysis of past performance, and create new goals for the following season.

- This process will result in a proposal for a new social media brand for 2025, including:

*Font choices

*Color schemes

*New program templates via Canva

*Video content outlines (editing to be completed by festival videographer)

- After the festival, the intern will additionally staff up to 10 hours per week on [email protected] inbox answering requests

What to Expect

- A fast-paced, collaborative, fun-filled work environment where projects and tasks can change regularly

- Experience in program management and data collection (very important skill set for future arts administrators!)

- Hands-on festival experience. Intern will become well-versed in all aspects of the Hollywood Fringe Festival

Details

Intern must be 21+ years of age and a current undergraduate student (or graduating between May-December, 2024)

As a Hollywood Fringe Intern, you will receive:

- $17.28/hour

- An official letter of recommendation after the execution of the internship

- Credit for a college course (if needed)

- 40 hours/week during the weeks of June 3-30 & July 1-19 (280 hours, Wednesday-Sunday) – 20 hours/week during the weeks of July 22-September 1st (120 hours, Wednesday-Friday) – Intern will be supervised by Co-Directors Ellen Den Herder and Lois Neville and on-site by Artist Services Manager Rody Villegas.

Qualifications

- Must be 21+ years of age

- Specific desire to be involved in late-night Hollywood Fringe events and planning

- Background in customer service or community engagement (as an employee, student or volunteer) is a plus. Experience working at large events is great!

- Ability to keep a level head in the midst of great fun and confusion

- DIY skills a major plus

- Must be proficient in Google Docs, especially Google Sheets and Google Forms

Your Show and Tech? Fringers… I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Hi Everyone!

With so much happening as we’re drawing nearer and nearer to the festival, it’s good to get ahead of what you can and start thinking about your tech day!
 

Thankfully I’ve been putting together a little post to help you anticipate what you’ll need to know on your tech day. This post wouldn’t have been possible without the additional help of Brandon Baruch and Corwin Evans! These two working Los Angeles artists prepared plenty of material to help me better explain what to anticipate for tech, a million thanks to them– truly incredible. Let’s get started! 

Dream as big as possible.

There will always be big ideas on your wish list, don’t get rid of them, but hold onto them. Fringe isn’t the end all be all for your work, it’s a place to test it out, have it seen by an audience, and to explore your creativity. You can always scale up for a future production of the piece. Have a plan for the next step, because if it goes really well, you’ll wanna have next steps.

For now, scale down to the simplest version. This is where you get to be the most creative. You may not need red curtains if red lights work. You probably don’t need projectors, not yet. A song for scene changes might be enough (or a live musician!). Look at the things you want to do, and find a way to communicate that idea without moving mountains to accomplish it. The fewer, more specific things you have, the more powerful every choice is.

If you need a target to help cut back, plan to carry in and set up everything you need for your show in eight minutes sharp. Yes, you’ll have 15 mins to load in and out but, you always want to give yourself a buffer, and you don’t ever want to make someone else late. It’s one of the cardinal sins of Fringe.

Prep your script.

It’s okay if it’s only some of the way done, you can always adjust things later. Let’s make some tools to help communicate what you need from your venue operators.

Writing down Cues

Every time something happens– light change, sound, projection, etc — each of those is a “cue.” Make a note of every cue in your script, and on a list for each (light cues, sound cues, video cues, scene change). This is going to be your “cue sheet.” If you have a lot going on, it can be useful to break this down into separate sheets too, but having it all on one sheet is okay.

Check with your venue about what they have. They probably have a sound system and a light plot with some options for different looks. Make sure you know what they have going in. They should have guidelines about how to give them what you need to run your show.

What should I expect a space to have?

Don’t assume things will just be there in the space waiting for you. Each venue operates differently and will have different things available to you and your productions. Always check! If you’re not sure about how to ask for what you need, you can always talk with your venue representative with your cue sheet to give them an idea of what you need. They should be able to work with you.

What do I need to prepare ahead of time?

You should prepare everything a stage manager might need to run your show for you. Think of it as making your show clear to run for someone who has never seen it. You’ll need your cue sheet, a prompt book, and if you have scenery, scene change assignments (these are nice to print out and have backstage). Here’s a quick breakdown on how to figure all this out…
 

Step 1 – Write Where Cues Happen

Take your cue sheet and a clean copy of your script. Work through your script and make a note (in pencil) where each of your cues go. Remember that you’re trying to make it so clear, someone who hasn’t even seen your show will know when something happens. Make sure your script is double spaced and at least 12 pt font and printed on one side only so your tech can make notes on the blank side.

Step 2 – Have A Guess at Timing

Do you need the lights to turn on suddenly? That would be a zero-count up. Would you like to have them fade gently into a scene? Try a five-count up.

How does the sound and lights work together? Does the sound fade slowly while the lights come up quickly? You can always adjust it in Tech, when everything comes together, but if you go in with an idea of how it should work, that’s going to make it way easier for you to communicate.

Step 3 – How is it Called?

Do the lights turn on when you do a big gesture? Does the phone ring right on that one line? If it’s a line, write down which line it is on your cue sheet. If it’s a gesture, make a note that it’s a visual cue and write a short description. You’re going to  want to write this in your cue sheet and in your script (prompt book).

When you go through the process of tech (when everything gets put together) you’ll want to have a copy of your cue sheet for yourself (or a trusted friend!). That’ll be a checklist for you to make sure you’ve got everything set up. It can help you stay on track so you don’t get lost in the process!

When you’re making notes about the cues, label your light cues with “LX” and then a number and your sound cues with “SQ” and then a letter. That way, anyone looking at the prompt book or cue sheet knows at a glance if something is supposed to happen with lights or sound (or both).

Working with your Stage Manager & Technicians

Always be kind (it’s also a great general rule), your venue stage manager or your venue technician is probably working on a dozen shows. If you show up prepared and with clean paperwork ready to go; everybody wins! Rember, when you hand over your script to your technicians, it’d be best to give them a blank script, meaning a clean script with no notes.

If you walk into your tech prepared, you will be surprised how fast and easy it can be. Knowing what you want, where it goes, and how you’d like it allows you to focus on the important part: the show itself!

Don’t forget about the following!

Preshow Speeches

So many people forget about the very beginning of the show. Are you having a live speech to welcome the audience or is there a recorded announcement? Make sure you take a moment to see where you should stand so you can be well-lit if it is a live announcement. Why would this be important? A lot of people add a little speech before or after the show to plug a friend’s show or shout out other cool things. It’s a great way to help each other out.

End of Show

Does your show end with a blackout, or a certain song? Do you plan to bow at the end? Make sure you keep those in mind. Don’t surprise your stage manager with a speech you didn’t plan ahead of time.

Numbering systems

Depending on the venue, you may have a different set of numbers for your lighting cues that they will give you. Make notes of this for your own reference on your cue sheet. This is one of the reasons pencils are so handy.

QLab

Qlab is a program that will let you program sound cues, fades, and even video cues for free on a Mac laptop. It’s very easy to drag and drop files and set up your whole show so you can take it with you when you’re done. There are tutorials online and it’s used all over the theatre world. You can get it for free at http://qlab.app to try it out. It is, however, currently only for Mac computers.

Sound Libraries

Where do you get sound effects? It’s best to avoid just grabbing something from somewhere on the internet. Not having permission to use someone else’s work can get you in trouble later on down the road. You’ll want to use royalty-free or public domain sounds, music, and pictures/video (if you’re using a projector).

Here are some sites you can look at to download those:

http://www.freesound.org/ (requires registration, check the licenses)

http://soundbible.com/ 

http://www.sounddogs.com/ (pay per sound)

http://www.macloops.com/ (for music)

 Tech Tips
Tips for the day of! 

Check for parking ahead of time
Parking at Fringe is a little different every day, every time. Give yourself as much of a buffer as you can. Also, consider this a test run of what your audiences will handle getting parking to your show.

Get there Early!
Ask everyone involved with your show to show up fifteen minutes early to your tech period. Take a little time to relax, warm up, run in circles to get the nerves out, or give an inspirational speech to your team. Make sure everyone has an assignment for their piece of the show to bring in and set up. Don’t expect to do it all by yourself.

Wait until the previous show is loaded out
Lots happens at Fringe so it’s not unusual that a venue will be tech-ing multiple shows a day leading up to the festival. Sometimes, people run long– which, granted, isn’t great, but be patient with them and don’t add stress to a stressful situation.

Bring a thumb drive
It is called a thumb drive or a flash drive, I spent way to much time trying to look this up, maybe this is just a regional thing… huh. Anyway! This is a great way to hand over your sound cues (but check with your venue first).

Suggestion to optimize your tech:

• If possible, have other people in your show set up your scenery, props, costumes, etc. That’ll give you more time to start programming lights and sound.

• Spend the first half-hour programming lighting looks and sound volume (with your cuesheet!)

• Spend an hour skipping from cue to cue, starting a few lines before the cue.

• When you get to the end of your cuelist, spend some time making any needed changes to your tech, but don’t worry about performance notes for now.

• Finally, rehearse your curtain call with tech.
  
  

Don’t worry too much about performance notes during tech, unless you have another rehearsal before the show. Don’t expect to get a full run-through of your show during your tech period either. You can try, especially if you’re super prepared, but if you think you need a full run with tech in the space, you should communicate that with your venue and book additional time in your space.

Last Tips and Thoughts:

• Have someone on a clock the whole time. Set timers. Make sure you don’t go over schedule, and if you find yourself getting distracted make sure to get back on track.
  

• It’s okay to feel stressed by the process. You probably will be. Adversity occurs.

If you need to, step aside, take three deep breaths and find your center. Consider yourself a cheerleader rather than a dictator; trust your people and you’ll enjoy it more.

• Trust your work and let your story tell itself. It’s okay to cut something in tech that just isn’t going to work the way you wanted. Remember your big dreams at the beginning of the process, make a note for the next time you do the show, and don’t change things for this festival run. Changing things after tech makes stage managers sad… maybe mad…. mostly annoyed though. 

• Leave the space cleaner than you found it. Don’t use baby powder, confetti, or spilled liquids (even water), unless you have cleared it with your venue and you have planned ample time to clean it up. It won’t magically disappear, in fact, it’ll often magically become someone else’s problem. And that’s a bad magic trick.
  
  

Remember why you’re doing what you’re doing. You are in a vibrant arts festival – the largest in the Western United States – full of beauty, fun, and community. We’re all rooting for everyone’s success and we want to make sure everyone has the tools they’ll need to succeed.

- Rody, Hollywood Fringe Artist Services Coordinator