The Complex is a force to be reckoned with along Hollywood’s Theatre row on Santa Monica blvd. A whopping five theatrical spaces await the eager Fringe participant. For those of you still waiting to book a venue for the inaugural Hollywood Fringe Festival, I would encourage you to check out their spaces now while supplies last. Apply today and someone at The Complex will get back to you.

Many thanks to Matt Chaitt and David Svengalis for bringing this venue online for the Fringe. A venue tour is coming next week.

Contact us at [email protected] if you are still murky on the application process or check out this article for more info.

Thanks!

Ben

The weeks go by so fast and June 17 is rapidly approaching. We are working hard on securing more venues, promoting the Fringe, supporting our up-and-coming participants, as well as continued website development. We are most excited to meet many of you on Monday in-person for our Town Hall meeting; we are planning for a full house at Theatre of NOTE on Monday.

Here’s an update on news you can use – make sure to forward this message to all who might be interested, encourage your friends to follow us on facebook and twitter, and talk up the Fringe to whomever will listen.  As a grassroots festival, we need your help to generate the buzz and round-up the community.

Thanks for all your support as the magical date approaches.

Ben Hill, Executive Director
Hollywood Fringe Festival

TOWN HALL/MIXER
For all those interested in learning more about the plans for the Fringe, here is your chance to meet the people behind the planning, ask your questions, and network with Fringe partners. At 6pm this Monday, February 8, we converge on Theatre of NOTE in Hollywood (1517 North Cahuenga Boulevard) for a Town Hall discussion on the Fringe. Directly following the Town Hall we host a Fringe Mixer including chats, drinks, and entertainment for our Fringe community. The mixer is just down the road at the Piano Bar (6429 Selma Avenue) and will begin around 8pm. Please RSVP if you are on facebook or email us at [email protected].

REGISTRATION
Registration is in full swing, and many venues are making offers to prospective Fringe participants. Still haven’t registered? Make sure to create your project today, registration closes in less than two months on April 1. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the first Hollywood Fringe Festival! For those still searching for a venue, fear not…several venues are just now beginning their booking process. We have resources available in the Fringe organization ready to help you find a home for your project; just contact us and we will start work on your case.

VENUES
In addition to the ten world-class venues currently signed up for the Fringe, we are about to announce five new venues including Fringe Central, the hub of Fringe operations. Remember, if you have a venue relationship in Hollywood, you can bring your own venue to the Fringe. Make sure to check out our venue restrictions and contact us if you have any questions.

FRINGE PROMOTION
Fringe has been in the news over the past few weeks. Check out this great article in the LA Weekly as well as a radio interview with our Executive Director. We have released two promos in the past weeks: The Sunny Side of the Street featuring some of your favorite Los Angeles performing groups and A Family Affair, a filmlet featuring our mascots, the Fringe Freaks. We are lining up other outlets to promote the Fringe, so if you know of any new and exciting ways to get the word out, please let us know.

SAVE THE ARTS in LA
Over the past weeks, heroes in the LA Art Community have demonstrated to our city’s leaders the need for vigorous support of the arts. Facing major cuts in funding to the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), the arts in LA are in jeopardy. Please spend just a couple minutes and write a letter to our City Council. Though the city doesn’t fund the Fringe right now, we have applied for grants and hope for their support into the future.

Following our first Fringe Town Hall at Theatre of NOTE on Monday, February 8 at 6pm, we are hosting a social/networking event right down the road at The Piano Bar on Selma.

WHAT: A Fringe Mixer, a social and networking event
WHEN: February 8, 8pm pacific (after the Town Hall Meeting)
WHERE: The Piano Bar, 6429 Selma Avenue map
WHO: All interested in The Hollywood Fringe Festival

The Petrojvic Blasting Company will play from 9pm to 11pm
(see them perform in our latest promo)

Joel Taylor will play piano 11pm to close

There is no cover charge to join us. Drink specials tba.

Hope to see you there!

Ben

I had the pleasure of joining Raleigh R. Pinskey (a Fringe participant herself) on her Blog Talk Radio show yesterday afternoon. We cover many topics from the founding of the first Fringe, to the epic conceptual expansion of Fringes to cities around the world, to the workings and mission of the Hollywood Fringe Festival itself.

Give it a listen, it’s about 60 minutes long and full of tips and observations on maximizing your Fringe experience.

Many thanks to Raleigh for having us and supporting the Fringe!

Ben

We had this idea about a year ago to feature our mascots – “the freaks” – in various natural situations as a part of our first promotional campaign. The idea is that the Fringe (expressed by the freaks) dares you to view life from an alternative angle: The impossible becomes achievable, the dull becomes exciting, the static becomes vibrant. We called our first promo in this series keep an eye on your pie.

Our newest promo is conceived by Ryan Karloff, directed by Nathaniel Beaver, and produced by Bryan Burgess. It focusses on the sometimes ho-hum workaday existence of the family man, desperately in need of a little magic to reignite life’s spark. Dreams of creativity, excitement, and Fringe transform the man’s life and fulfills what was missing.

Without any further over-explanation, here is the promo:

Thanks to the cast and crew who made this promo happen. Actors include Ryan Karloff (man), Stacy Jones (woman), Julisa Smith (blue freak), Lois Adelle Neville (orange freak), with Hannah and Wyatt Gutierrez as the children, and Cattleman as the dog.

Enjoy!

Ben