Happy Juneteenth! To quote the great Angela Davis, 

“…Juneteenth, the day we celebrate the end of slavery, the day we memorialize those who offered us hope for the future and the day when we renew our commitment to the struggle for freedom.”

Celebrate Juneteenth by booking shows led and created by Black artists this Fringe, including the shows listed below! 100% of ticket sales go back to the artist!

2 Padres: Too Old For This Sh!t

Black and Blue

Earth, Wind and Car Fire

Grief Baby’s First Road Trip

How Can I Keep From Singing?

How Do I Hold It?

How to Make it in New York City: a Cabaret with some Cabernet

I’m Still Not That Girl

In Her Head

In The Black

Just For The Record

Ms. Edwards

Offspring; The Legacy of Dance Royalty

Real People

Salon Noir

SEVEN

She’s About To POP!

The American Dream

The Road To Freedom “PLAY”

The Server Slasher Massacre

The Troll

The Young Jane Show

Too Good To Be True

Uncle Tom: The true story of Josiah Henson

WILHELMINA

The following shows by Black creatives have finished their run at HFF, but check out their pages for ways to follow them for future productions!

Must Go On: A Rite of Passage

Mutt – A New Musical Comedy

THE PAINTINGS OF LOV-VE

Make sure you have everything in place for a smooth in-person box office experience. 

Some venues will run your box office, and for some shows, you will be responsible for running your own. Make sure you have a plan, and leave room for things not to go as planned.  Who is running your box office? How are you taking payments for tickets at the door? Do you have a plan for a waitlist if your show sells out? 

Check for any Accessibility Requests;

• Admin tab 
• Performances tab 
• “Accessibility Requests” button available for each individual performance

Download “Will Call Report” for each performance: 

• Admin tab 
• Performances tab 
• “Will Call” button (on each individual performance) 

Check your sales + fix your sales shutoff time (must repeat for each performance): 

• Admin tab
• Performances tab 
• “Edit” button 
• “Online Shutoff” box (you will want 0 min if you plan to use a QR code to the website at the door)
• Scroll to the bottom and click “Update Performance.” 

Message Patrons: 

Communicate with your patrons. If parking is tricky, send a pre-show email reminding people to come early (you can find details about parking near your venue here and public transit options here). If there is no late seating, please ensure they are aware.

Messaging Patrons (By Performance):

• Admin Tab 
• Performances 
• “View” button
• “Message Patrons” button 

Hot Tips for selling tickets at the door:

• Bring change ($1s, $5s, $10s, $20s) if you’re accepting cash!
• Print out QR codes with any method of accepting digital payments (apple pay, Paypal, Venmo, Fringe site)
• If someone shows you their Fringe Button, please honor their $1 off discount! 
• If you have any discount codes, try to make sure your box office staff knows which you’ll be accepting at the door (and all that you have promoted to your audience)

If any audience member asks you a question you don’t have the answer to, send them to [email protected]. We’ve got you!

Each year at Hollywood Fringe, we celebrate the end of the festival with our Awards Ceremony and Closing Night Party (this year, it’s the evening of June 30th at Los Angeles LGBT Center!) Two types of awards are given out: Community Awards (“The Freaks”) & Discover Fringe Awards (formerly Sponsored Awards). Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about each type of award!

COMMUNITY AWARDS: 

The Community Awards, lovingly known as “The Freaks”, are determined by the Fringe community via a voting process. Fringe community members receive ballots in the last days of the festival via email. The productions with the most votes in a given category are announced as nominees hours prior to the ceremony via an email newsletter and website post, and the ultimate winners are revealed at the awards ceremony.

Who gets to vote on Community Awards? You will receive a ballot via email at the end of the festival to vote on Community Awards if you (1) are an HFF25 participant or venue manager added to a specific HFF25 project OR (2) reserve tickets for 3 or more shows on the Hollywood Fringe website OR (3) write 3 or more reviews for HFF25 shows.

Categories for HFF25 Community Awards:

Top of the Fringe Award 2025 

Fringe International Award 2025 

Fringe First for World Premiere 2025 

Fringe Award for Cabaret & Burlesque 2025 

Fringe Award for Clown & Alternative Comedy 2025 

Fringe Award for Comedic Theatre 2025 

Fringe Award for Comedy & Variety Acts 2025 

Fringe Award for Dance & Physical Theatre 2025 

Fringe Award for Dramatic Theatre 2025 

Fringe Award for Immersive & Games 2025 

Fringe Award for Musicals & Operas 2025 

Fringe Award for Solo Theatre 2025

DISCOVER FRINGE AWARDS (formerly known as Sponsored Awards): 

Discover Fringe Awards are presented by outside organizations to commend excellence in a number of categories. These awards tend to be more specific than the community awards and may include monetary gifts or an extension to a show’s run. Hollywood Fringe participants must submit themselves for consideration, and winners are announced at the awards ceremony along with the community awards.

How to apply for Discover Fringe Awards: Each Discover Fringe Award presenter will have different qualifications and requirements to be considered for their awards (which can be found on their individual award pages, located HERE). Some awards will have a form to fill out, and others will require that you contact them directly through the Hollywood Fringe website to submit yourself for consideration. Some will also have a deadline to apply. Be thoughtful when you submit your show to be considered for an award, and remember not to overwhelm award presenters with messages or emails – they will do their very best to see as many shows as possible. 

Sample message:

“Hi <NAME>, my name is <NAME> and I’d love to be considered for <NAME OF AWARD> for my show <NAME OF SHOW>. <add information about why your show is qualified and should be considered for the award>. Thank you for your consideration! <NAME>”

*Make sure to include the award name in the subject line of the message so that they know what you are messaging about!

You are welcome (but not required) to comp tickets for award presenters/judges. They will request comp tickets through the Hollywood Fringe website, and their title (award presenter, judge, etc.) will be specified with the comp request. 

2025 Discover Fringe Awards: (view them all and apply here)

Best of Fuery, presented by Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre (learn more)

Ella Turenne Award, presented by Hollywood Fringe Access Advisory Committee (learn more)

International Fringe Encore Series, presented by SoHo Playhouse (learn more)

No Room in the Green Room Award, presented by Make Believe Stage Productions, LLC (learn more)

Playwright’s Promise Award, presented by The Inkwell Theater (learn more)

Spirit of the Fest Award, presented by Short+Sweet Hollywood (learn more)

Splash Award, presented by Namba Performing Arts Space, Inc (learn more)

The Daredevil Award, presented by Electric Lodge (learn more)

The “FIERCE ARTIST” AWARD, presented by Playhouse Arts “Zero to Fierce Festival” (learn more)

The Loud Karma Emerging Women and Nonbinary Playwright’s Award, presented by Loud Karma Productions, LLC (learn more)

The Movie Book Club Award, presented by The Movie Book Club (learn more)

The Planners’ Pick, presented by Theatre Planners (learn more)

The Sacred Fools’ Award for Bold Theatricality, presented by Sacred Fools (learn more)

The Screamiest, presented by Midsummer Scream (learn more)

The StageCrafts Freeway Circuit Award, presented by The StageCrafts (learn more)

The Theatre Theater Playwright Award, presented by Theatre Theater Podcast (learn more)

Transcendent Craft Award, presented by Trans Stories / Joy Who Lived (learn more)

Zephyr’s Zest Award, presented by Theatre Planners Venues / Zephyr Theatre(learn more)

This year, we are thrilled to help share art across the globe and create opportunities for artists to expand their reach. Through exciting collaborations with partnering Fringe Festivals, we are providing opportunity for their artists and ours. Each of these awards will include a performance opportunity in person at the following partner festivals:

Adelaide Fringe Festival Exchange Award, presented by Adelaide Fringe Festival in Adelaide, Australia (learn more)

Denver Fringe Festival Exchange Award, presented by Denver Fringe Festival in Denver, CO (learn more)

Fringe Italia Off Exchange Award, presented by Fringe Italia Off in Italy (learn more)

Sydney Fringe Festival Exchange Award, presented by Sydney Fringe Festival in Sydney, Australia (learn more)

VIEW ALL DISCOVER FRINGE AWARDS AND APPLY HERE!

How to finalize your full guide listing on the website:

• Log in as the primary contact (or admin) of the project
• Navigate to your project’s page
• Click the “Admin” tab
• Click on the “Guide Proof” submenu item
• Study your preview. Your listing in the guide will look exactly like the preview.
• There are links to the right telling you how to update the information in your listing if needed.
• Note: Your short listing is limited to 300 CHARACTERS (spaces and carriage returns count). You can use this handy tool to help you count your CHARACTERS (a character is not a word, it is a space, letter, number, etc.)

Be sure to double-check the following:

1. Title
2. Company
3. Run time (Contact your venue to update)
4. Minimum age 
5. Short description
6. General ticket price (The guide will reflect a range if each performance has a unique price)
7. Category (Change via your project page – tips on choosing your category can be found here!)
8. Schedule (Contact your venue to update)

Don’t forget to additionally check your checkboxes on the “edit tab” with all of your show specifications, like world premiere, and content warning) 

Having trouble?? Watch Web Sessions #2, where we walk through everything you need to know! Or as always, reach out to [email protected]

This blog post will be continually updated as more artist marketing opportunities get announced.

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. As the schedule is updated, be sure to check out the events page for where they’ll be.

Lightning Round
Come on down to Fringe HQ on May 24th & 25th from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM and us your favorite line from your show! Come in costume, make that impression! We’ll be posting it to our socials during the month of May and June! Sign up here to make sure you reserve a spot!

Postcards & Posters and where to drop them off
Bring your postcards & a single poster to Fringe HQ during any open Fringe HQ 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!)! We will also begin accepting posters & postcards (limit 40) at Office Hours starting April 30th.

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 HQ) 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!

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.

HFF25 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 $5 off (or more)! 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! Applications are open now! You can also promote your show by offering free tickets or swag to be raffled off during Cabaret performances!!

Runway: Showcasing The Best of Hollywood Fringe 2025 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 and celebrate the work of incredible fringe designers.

Hollywood Fringe productions can apply for the chance to compete in Runway using this form.

The deadline to enter is Sunday, May 25th before midnight. More information about the qualifying criteria is available on the application form. Good luck!

Sponsored Drink Auction for our June 11th Opening Night Party

This marketing opportunity will become active and available for entry at the end of the month- check your emails!

Busking

Busking is back better than ever! We have some options for you this time for you to perform and get the word out about your show! Sign-up here!