Every year we host a series of Twitter Chats in order for Fringers to meet and mingle online before the festival begins. It’s a great way to recruit audiences and make #fringeships long before June. You’ll get to tweet about how the process is going for you as well as the opportunity to chat with Fringe staff members.

This year we’ll be hosting the Twitter Chats at the following times:

• February 27th (Mon), 7:00pm-8:00pm PDT
• March 13th (Mon), 2:00pm-3:00pm PDT
• March 27th (Mon), 7:00pm-8:00pm PDT
• April 10th (Mon), 2:00pm-3:00pm PDT
• April 25th (Tues), 7:00pm-8:00pm PDT
• May 8th (Mon), 2:00pm-3:00pm PDT
• May 22nd (Mon), 7:00pm-8:00pm PDT

All you have to do to join the discussion is use the hashtag #hff17. The chat will be moderated by Communications Director Stacy Jones Hill on the @HollywoodFringe account. Can’t make the time but still want to participate? All you have to do is schedule a tweet or two using one of the many available Twitter clients.

Twitter Tips:

• You can only use 140 characters (including spaces and punctuation) in every tweet so brevity is key.
• To say something publicly to someone, you can type their Twitter handle into your message (anything that has an “@” before it is someone’s Twitter handle/user name). Other Twitter users will be able to see these messages.
• To say something privately to someone, you can send them a Direct Message (they will have to be “following” you first).
• To take part in the Fringe conversation, include the hashtag #hff17 in your tweets. You can also search the same hashtag to see what other Fringers are saying.
• Don’t spam people on Twitter. Use it thoughtfully. Post pictures of your rehearsal process, links to your fundraising page, ask people questions about their own production, but DO NOT send the same message fifty times to every Twitter handle you can find. This will directly oppose any goals you may have to make friends.
• Posting a . before an @ helps tweets show up on your feed. For example, if you said “ @hollywoodfringe is super cool", only users that follow both you and @hollywoodfringe will see the tweet. If you instead write " . @hollywoodfringe is super cool " (note the period at the beginning), everyone will see.

Registration is now open and we are happy to announce the creation of a new category: Immersive Theatre. This category may include any kind of performance that thrusts the audience member into an interactive experience in a non-traditional environment. We added this category due to an increased interest in these types of productions by patrons and producers alike.

The Immersive Theatre category will join the ranks of Cabaret & Variety, Comedy, Dance & Physical Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Events & Workshops, Musicals & Opera and Solo Performance. When registering, producers must select one category. At the end of the festival, the community will vote for their favorite shows within each category. 

If you have questions about the new category, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. 

Participant Registration for The 8th Annual Hollywood Fringe Festival is now open. You can begin the three steps of registration by creating a project today. Registrations must be completed by April 1st in order to be included in the printed Fringe Guide. Producers wishing to register after the April deadline will still be able to sell tickets through the festival’s website.

We have launched a new registration wizard which will guide you through the process and allow you to pre-register before you have booked a venue (a new feature this year). You can learn all abut the revised registration process by watching this video.

Registration costs $250 for multi-performance projects. Free shows or shows with only a single performance receive a discounted registration of $175. Registration for educational events (including workshops, classes, or any other instructional/educational endeavors) can be registered for $50.
 
Registration fees pay for a listing in Fringe materials and many other benefits. There are no restrictions regarding genre, content, or length for the festival; specifics are left to participants and venues to determine.

We have also launched a new support portal that empowers participants, venues and patrons to maximize their fringe experience. The new portal features articles on key fringe activities, answers to frequently asked questions, and an easy way to contact the HFF support staff.

The 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival takes place June 8-25, with a week of Previews taking place June 1-6. 

If you are considering participating in the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival, we urge you to attend our free Town Hall & Workshop series (especially if this is your first HFF).
 
The Town Halls, led by Festival Director Ben Hill, cover everything you need to know to produce a successful Fringe show. The Workshops, moderated by Outreach Director Meghan McCauley, are specialized discussions featuring Fringe veterans to help you navigate the festival. We’ll have informal social mixers following each of these events.
 
For those that can’t attend the meetings in person, the events will be recorded and posted on the FringeTV YouTube Channel.
 
Click the links below to register for each event.

Workshop 1: Working with Venues; Tuesday, January 24th at 8pm; Actors Company – Let Live Theater
Town Hall 1: The Registration Process; Thursday, February 2nd at 8pm; Actors Company – Let Live Theater
Workshop 2: Money & Promotion; Saturday, March 25 at 1pm; Hudson Theatres – Backstage
Town Hall 2: Marketing; Thursday, April 6th at 8pm; Sacred Fools Mainstage
Workshop 3: Festival Expectations; Monday, April 24th at 8pm; Studio/Stage
Town Hall 3: Ticketing/Festival Prep; Monday, May 1st at 8pm; Sacred Fools Mainstage
Workshop 4: How to Tech Your Fringe Show; Monday, May 15th at 8pm; Sacred Fools