To Our Fringe Community

In the face of the ongoing wildfires in Southern California, it’s clear that our community’s strength is unmatched. We’ve weathered tough times before, and we will get through this together. That being said, we recognized how challenging this natural disaster is for so many, and the uncertainty can feel overwhelming. We know that within our Hollywood Fringe community there has already been immeasurable loss and heartbreak, our hearts are with you. 

What makes Hollywood Fringe special is the community and the many ways you support one another– this moment is no different. We have already seen so many step up and take care of their neighbors and want to help connect you to resources if you need them and opportunities to offer your support if you can. Those resources are below. 

In recognition of these circumstances, we want to update the upcoming events + deadlines we have lined up for the HFF25 Festival season to ensure our community is focused on personal safety and well-being at this time. 

Hollywood Fringe community members, know that we are here for you. We’ve gone through tough shit before, and we know the resilience gene is strong in this community, and you aren’t in it alone. Keep checking on each other, working in community-aid, and sharing resources. Be gentle to yourself, and know that there are people ready to take up the torch when you are unable. 

We stand with you in community,

The Hollywood Fringe staff

Hollywood Fringe community affected by fires

We are a community that stands together, so many of our own have been affected by the devastating fires in our city.

If you are a Fringer who is in need of support and has started a fundraiser we want to make it easy for our community to support you- please send your fundraiser to [email protected] and we will create a resource to promote your fundraiser in the next week.

We are stronger together! 

Postponed Programming

Our Workshop #1: Meet The Venues panel (previously scheduled for January 13th) has been postponed and we will keep you updated on a confirmed date and time early next week. Our HFF25 Scholarship application deadline will be extended from mid-January to Tuesday, February 4th at 11:59 PM.

As of right now, our current virtual Scholarship panels will continue on:
 

Thursday January 16th, 7:00-9:00 PM - Scholarships FAQ Session #2  

Tuesday January 21st, 7:00-9:00 PM - Scholarships FAQ Session #3  
 

We will be adding another Scholarship FAQ Session in the upcoming weeks, and we will make sure to update you on when that will be. 

If this disaster continues to threaten Los Angeles County well into January, we will continue to pivot to accommodate the needs of our community of artists.

Resources for wildfire survivors

(For continuous updates, please visit laist.com, or KTLA.com)

Los Angeles Fire Department: You can also set alerts directly at lafd.org and mass city alerts through NotifyLA. 

Watch Duty: Consider downloading the app Watch Duty, which includes evacuation shelter information, animal shelters (small & large), and real-time notifications of evacuation orders and fire updates. 

LADWP: Lastly, LADWP has a running map of current power outages, or you may call 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397) at any time.

Need immediate assistance in deciding what to do?

The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) provides confidential, multilingual crisis counseling and support for anyone in the U.S./territories experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters, including COVID-19. Call or text the DDH at 1-800-985-5990, 24/7, which includes a “press 2” Spanish bilingual option, to reach a trained counselor 24/7, 365-days-a-year.

Evacuation Shelters + Housing Assistance

• Westwood Recreation Center: 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Westwood (accepts small animals)

• Ritchie Valens Recreation Center: 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Pacoima

• Pan Pacific Recreational Center: 7600 Beverly, L.A.

• El Camino Real Charter High School: 5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills (accepts small animals)

• Pierce College: 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills (accepts large animals)

• Pasadena Convention Center: 300 E Green St., Pasadena

• Pomona Fairplex: 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona (accepts large animals)

• Arcadia Community Center: 375 Campus Drive, Arcadia

Airbnb: 211LA is partnering with Airbnb to offer free temporary shelter for people displaced from their homes by fire. Fill out the form here

YMCA: The YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles is offering temporary shelter, showers, basic necessities, and mental health support at its locations that are not impacted by the fires. Additionally, they have collaborated with the L.A. Unified School District to provide childcare for essential workers and families affected by the crisis, until schools reopen. More info can be found here

Hotels Offering Relief Accommodations: Angeleno community organizers have compiled a list of hotels that are offering discounted accommodations; courtesy and thanks to the Hotel Association of Los Angeles. Here is the sheet with the current list of hotels.

Food resources

LA Regional Food Bank’s Food Pantry Locator: For finding a food pantry near you use the LA Food Bank Website by inserting your zip code.

Disaster Recovery Resources for Artists

Philanthropy California has put together this list of vetted and active funds by philanthropic organizations that are currently responding to the southern California wildfires.

The Entertainment Community Fund has Emergency Financial Assistance is available to eligible performing arts and entertainment professionals to assist towards basic living expenses such as health care, housing and utilities to prevent eviction or shut-offs

CERF+ is connecting with local partners on the ground to learn more about the needs of local artists and offer resources to craft artists who are affected by the fires. If you are a craft artist or artisan affected, please visit their studio protector resources and submit an application for our Emergency Relief program.  

Organizations providing/mapping various support for wildfire victims and first responders

Mutual Aid LA: Mutual Aid LA has an incredible Google Doc that outlines all the available resources in LA County.

Jewish Federation Los Angeles (JFEDLA) Wildfire Crisis Relief: JFEDLA is offering and has compiled many resources and community assistance with such services as shelter, community spaces, volunteer opportunities, mental health resources, among more. Here is their link to their resources. 

LA Fire Mutual Aid Map: This mutual aid tool maps all the current resources for folks affected by fires in a handy map form.

Providing Help to Those in Need

(More detailed lists can be found at Dailynews.com, abcnews.go.com)

California Fire Foundation is taking donations to provide aid and resources for fire crews and affected residents: California Fire Foundation 

American Red Cross is taking donations online to continue their support for wildfire victims: American Red Cross

Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is the official non profit for the Los Angeles City Fire Department. They provide equipment and tools to ad firefighters is their work: Los Angeles Fire Department

Project Angel Food is looking for volunteers in the kitchen and to help deliver food to wildfire victims, Amped Kitchens, 230 West Ave. 26, Los Angeles. [email protected]; 323-845-1816. Project Angel Food’s website for more information.

Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA): If you’re looking to donate or volunteer, you can sign up at the Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA) website.

In search of the perfect venue for your HFF show? We recommend taking a few tours, reaching out on the site, or calling or emailing directly. With almost 20 spaces to choose from, you are sure to find the perfect fit for your show. 

You can find all of the venues currently registered with Fringe here. Venues and tour information will be updated as more venues register with the festival. 

You can contact any registered venue using the link above to schedule tours individually!

To help you find the perfect venue fit, we will keep this page updated with venue tour schedules and Open Houses. 

Upcoming Tours + Open Houses

Upstairs at El Centro

Sunday, March 19th, 5 pm – 7 pm

Tuesday, March 25th from 11 am – 1 pm

Wednesday, March 26th from 5 pm – 7 pm

Hi Everyone!

Hope your post-fringe rest has been relaxing! As we gear up for the next one we wanted to introduce you to Emily! Emily Nobel is our 2024 LA Country Arts Intern and she will be helping us make the 2025 festival that much more amazing! 

Q: Introduce yourself- what brought you to the Fringe team?

Hi! I’m Emily, a senior at the University of Southern California majoring in Theater with an emphasis in Acting and minoring in Business Entrepreneurship. Originally from New York, my love for theater began there and has grown throughout my studies. Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to study theater in London, which deepened my appreciation for the craft. I discovered Hollywood Fringe through the LA County Arts Internships program and am thrilled to join the team from August 2024 through the fall semester. I’m excited to immerse myself in the Hollywood theater industry and learn more about what it has to offer!

Q: ….So you love theatre, eh? What’s your favorite part of being a part of the LA Theatre community?

One of my favorite aspects of being part of the LA theater community is the access to a wealth of art, often for free or at a low cost. It’s amazing to see my friends’ artistic projects evolve and come to life. I also enjoy meeting new people and being exposed to new art forms!

Q: What’s your favorite social media platform? Why?

My favorite social media platform is Instagram. I spend a lot of time on it because it merges elements from various platforms I’ve grown up with. The story highlights and close friends’ option are similar to the use of Snapchat, and Instagram Reels are usually reposted TikToks.  I use my account as a scrapbook for memories, posting about travel, birthdays, and life events.

Q: Do you have any theatre accounts you think folks should follow?

 I don’t follow many theater accounts, but some of my favorite actors I follow are 

@yarashahidi @zendaya @jameelajamil @sydney_sweeney !

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s 77th-anniversary festival begins next week! Running August 2-26, Edinburgh Fringe has thousands of shows taking place in Scotland, with DOZENS of performers and shows from Hollywood Fringe that have taken the leap across the pond. Check out the Edinburgh Fringe website to learn more about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! 

Shows and performers from Hollywood Fringe performing at Edinburgh Festival Fringe:

#1 Son – Natasha Mercado (Hollywood in Edinburgh 2024 Artist Ambassador) 

Baby Rock

The Best Man Show

Bulger Boys

Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson

Chris Grace: Sardines (A Comedy About Death)

Devon Drew: Pop Star

The Dolphin I Loved

The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack

The Heaven’s Favorite Murderess

Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble

Gaslighting Is My Love Language

Grape Culture

Isabella Charlton: So My Dad F****d The Nanny

Joni Mitchell: Take Me as I Am

Kenny Goes to Sleep

The Kids Might Die (A Tale Told By an Idiot)

Laughable

Medicine Woman

Mel McGlensey is Motorboat

Mr Chonkers

Mr Chonkers Presents… Piggy Time

My Little Phobia

My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m Kinky

Olivia Raine Atwood: Faking It

Sinatra: Raw

Sonnets from Suburbia

Thank You So Much for Coming

A Transcriber’s Tale

Trust Me, I’m from Essex

Viv Ford: New Kids On The Blockchain

Did we miss any? If you have a show at EdFringe that you have performed at HFF, let us know, and we will add you to the list! Email [email protected]

Join us in Edinburgh and take advantage of our new program, Hollywood in Edinburgh! Through a venue partnership with Summerhall, we are thrilled to provide more support to all US artists in Scotland! 

See you in Scotland!  

We are thrilled to introduce your “Hollywood In Edinburgh” 2024 Artist Ambassador…. 

Natasha Mercado

This year we are excited to offically launch our new support program for US artists bringing their work to Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Hollywood in Edinburgh, made possible through a venue partnership with Summerhall! 

The program will feature two networking events in Edinburgh and a late-night Cabaret spotlighting some of the fantastic US artists bringing their shows to Ed Fringe this year. Helping us launch this new program is Artist Ambassador Natasha Mercado! A 2022 Hollywood Fringe scholarship recipient, multi-fest award winner, and brilliant community builder. 

Natasha is excited to host our first event in Scotland, USA Artists Meet Up In Edinburgh at Summerhall on August 4th! RSVP to the FREE event today! 

Get to know your 2024 Artist Ambassador, Natasha! 

What is your background in theatre and storytelling? How did you get started- was it at Fringe, or in other spaces? Tell us about your Fringe experience – what got you involved?

My way of creating theatre is through an absurdist, feminist lens charged by unapologetic vulnerability and connection. My background in storytelling started with drama classes I had been taking since I was a toddler. So, I’ve been trying to tell stories since I could babble, but I truly fell in love with improv in high school at the Washington Improv Theater. After college, I ended up working at the Upright Citizens Brigade as a producer and director for their corporate events and was able to take their improv, sketch and character curriculum backwards and forwards. But I think a significant milestone for me as an independent artist was creating my first solo show “Tree” over Zoom after I had been laid off from UCB. I ended up premiering “Tree” in November 2021 at Junior High, a non-profit 501©3 community arts space that prioritizes the safety and expression of female, queer, nonbinary, and artists of color.

“Tree” went on to have sold-out runs at the Hollywood and Victoria Fringe Festival, receiving accolades such as Victoria’s ‘Pick of Fringe’ and Stage Raw’s ‘LA’s Top Ten Shows.’ I have extensively toured the North American Fringe circuit, winning numerous awards including three sold-out runs (Orlando, Victoria, Hollywood), Most Fringe Buzz Award (Orlando 2023), George Wallace Producer Pick (Orlando 2023), Best Clown/Physical Theatre (Victoria 2022), Encore Producers’ Award (Hollywood 2022), Fringe Scholarship (Hollywood 2022), and the Fruit Loop Scholarship (Edmonton 2023).

In 2023, I made my directorial debut at the Hollywood Fringe with Alex Kern’s “Thank You So Much for Coming” which won “Best of Broadwater” and “TVO’s Best Immersive”. And this year in 2024, I had two shows I directed in the Hollywood Fringe, “Medicine Woman” by Veronica Osorio and “Astro Cabaret” by Emma Irene, which cumulatively were nominated for 8 awards (including “Top of Fringe”) and won 3.

I’m about to make my Edinburgh Fringe debut with my second solo show  “#1 Son”, which I have been workshopping in Los Angeles for the past year and a half. I’m self-producing and it’s all been a huge labor of love– every text blurb, graphic, Instagram post, etc. Over these past 3 years since making “Tree,” I’ve realized that being an artist is a lot of admin work and that admin work for me has to be an extension of my art so that I can stay inspired (because it is a LOT of admin work).

Why Fringe? What makes the Fringe Festival model special? 

I love the Fringe! I’m so deeply grateful for my experience because it has made me a working independent artist. Someone told me early on that a person gets as much from the Hollywood Fringe experience as they put into it and it’s so true. The Fringe is so near and dear to me because I feel like I was able to go in with an open heart, even with all the new social anxieties fresh from quarantine, and I’ve received back ten fold in terms of community, support, friendship and career opportunities.

The Fringe is special because it provides unparalleled artistic freedom. At any given Fringe, I can promise you will see the weirdest, best, one-of-kind art that you didn’t even know was possible until that very moment. And anyone can do it! So there’s artists at all different stages in their career, which is incredibly inspiring.

And Fringe audiences get it. They want to connect to different perspectives and storytelling techniques. That’s why they show up. Because they want to see all the weirdo stuff!

Overall, the sense of community and collaboration among artists at the Fringe is palpable. Whenever I’m on the Fringe circuit, I’m always surrounded by the hardest working theatre artists you’ll ever meet. It’s just a sweet little ecosystem of collaboration, inspiration, and mutual support– which of course, lends itself to genuine networking, learning, and growing as an artist.

Accessibility is another crucial aspect of the Fringe. The lower cost of participation allows emerging and independent artists like me to present their work and tour, while affordable ticket prices make theatre more accessible to a wider range of people to actually SEE it. It’s seriously a steal to see the quality of shows at this price… because as an artist, I get to see a lot of the shows for free! Awww yeahhhhhhhhhhh

The recognition and exposure I’ve gained have opened doors to further opportunities, as a performer and as a theatre arts educator. I’m proud to say that I’m also a teaching artist with the Unusual Suspects Theatre Company non-profit, which is committed to creating – with Yield Giving’s recent $2M award – a Youth Theater Conservatory that will provide youths from underrepresented communities in Los Angeles with free access to college-level education in acting, playwriting, directing and production design.

And yes, I teach kids in communities in-need and incarcerated youth, yet I’m doing my show “#1 Son” about being “God’s sexiest son”. That may seem contradictory and even shocking! But really, my view is that clowns take on structures of power and difficult subjects – and I believe there’s a way to do that with heart, responsibility and positivity.

I also teach adults with my “Soft Clown” workshops which are unapologetically centered around sensitivity and earnestness to give participants the chance to explore vulnerability as a path to connecting with their most authentic comedic voice.

We know you’ve developed a new work for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe through some LA based programs. Can you give us a hint of what to expect if someone comes to see #1 Son?

I mean… expect the unexpected! There’s pretzels, plungers, demons, and nipples but all with a healthy dose of heart and pointed jabs at masculinity. And of course religious iconography. It’s a clown epic following Father Greg Orian (like gregorian chant) as he navigates lust, lies & living with the demon on top of his head.

Why is community important to you? What do you hope to help build as our first Hollywood in Edinburgh Program Ambassador?

Community is incredibly important to me because it fosters a sense of belonging among artists. In all my experiences working at the Upright Citizens Brigade and at various Fringe Festivals to now teaching and directing multiple shows, the sense of community has been a constant source of strength and motivation for me to keep creating. Like lots of my artist friends, I have experienced firsthand a deep sense of loneliness and isolation in my life, but being part of a supportive network allows us to share our stories, learn from one another, and grow as artists.

As the first Hollywood in Edinburgh Program Ambassador, I hope to help build a bridge between the vibrant artistic communities of Hollywood and Edinburgh. My goal is to foster a sense of unity and collaboration, creating opportunities for artists to connect, share resources, and support each other’s work. By doing so, we can create a more inclusive and dynamic arts scene that benefits everyone involved.

Additionally, I want to bring attention to the power of vulnerability and authenticity in storytelling. Through my work, including “#1 Son”,  “Thank You So Much for Coming” and “Medicine Woman” (which will all three be at the EdFringe this year?!), I strive to create spaces where artists and audiences can connect on a deep, emotional level while laughing their asses off. By embracing vulnerability, we can foster empathy and understanding, breaking down barriers and building stronger communities.

Ultimately, as an ambassador, I hope to inspire others to engage with the arts, support each other, and create meaningful, impactful work. The Fringe has given me so much in terms of community, support, friendship, and career opportunities, and I want to pay that forward by helping to build a thriving, supportive arts community that encourages artists to take risks, be bold, and stay ruthlessly inspired.

Say hello to Natasha in Edinburgh & get your tickets for her show: #1 Son!