It’s already turning out to be quite the first year! We are swamped with incoming registrations, eager sponsors, exciting events, and budding partnerships. The community powering this event is coming into focus with venue managers, participant producers, supporters, and local advocates all hunkering down for the days ahead. For a team that has worked tirelessly over the past three years to make this thing a reality, witnessing its imminent genesis is a wonderful feeling.

April 1, the final day of our registration period is fast approaching. The approximately 200 projects submitted to the Fringe are busy finding homes in Hollywood and we are busy helping them. 

Last weekend, we joined the organizers of East Hollywood ArtCycle. Check out some of our pictures. What a great event: Art, bicycles, and good times.

With so much great stuff going on, it’s hard to contain the excitement. 

I hope everyone is having a great month…much to do, much to do.

Cheers!

Ben Hill, Festival Director
Hollywood Fringe Festival

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TOWN HALL & MIXER PART II
Because we had so much fun the last time around, we are happy to announce our second Fringe Town Hall on Monday, April 5 from 6 to 8pm pacific. The venue for this Town Hall will be none other than Fringe Central at the Theatre of Arts Arena Stage at 1624 North Las Palmas directly South of Hollywood Blvd.

For those of you in attendance last time, we will follow roughly the same format: A brief update of all the happenings in Fringe World, followed by a much longer Q&A session. Many venue managers will be in attendance, so if you still haven’t found a home for your project, you may be able to work through the details on April 5.

There will be an informal social gathering right across the Egyptian Theater courtyard at the Pig’n Whistle directly following the Town Hall event . The Mixer lasts from 8 to 10pm. The good folks at The Pig have put together some (inexpensive) drink specials for those in attendance. It’s a great time/place to chat about your Fringe project, work through details, and meet new people with similar goals. 

RSVP today if you are on facebook, otherwise send us an email at [email protected] with the number attending in your party.

REGISTRATION ENDS APRIL 1
Our regular registration period ends on April 1 – act now to lock down your participation in the first Hollywood Fringe Festival. Most of the venues still have slots available, but don’t delay another moment. Need some direction and/or help finding a home for your project?  Email us and we will help you find an appropriate match. 

ADS in the FRINGE GUIDE
You can now purchase ads in the printed Fringe Guide and website. Ads are very moderately priced with special 30% discounts to Fringe participants. There’s only a few weeks to purchase an advertisement for the Fringe Guide – submissions close April 15, 2010. Don’t delay, purchase your ad today. The process can be done completely online (surprised?) – check out www.HollywoodFringe/ads for more information.

FRINGE on NPR
We hope many of you caught our Festival Director’s appearance on KPCC’s OffRamp a couple Saturdays ago; a great group of people and a fascinating conversation. Host Steve Julian has recut the episode to include all 50 minutes of the conversation surrounding the subject "Is Theatre Dying?". There’s a lot of gold on this particular show, so make sure to check it out.

NOTES for PARTICIPANTS
Good news for you!  We have increased your guide text allowance to 300 characters. Edit your project now to take advantage of this bonus!  

If you are an international participant and still haven’t contacted us to arrange your work visa, please do so asap.  Late visa submissions lead to some hefty charges.

We had so much fun meeting all of you during our last Town Hall event, we are happy to announce another opportunity to ask questions, discuss the Fringe, and network with our emerging Fringe community.

This time we are all meeting at Fringe Central on Las Palmas directly South of Hollywood Blvd. in sunny Hollywood, CA. If you have yet to secure a venue, this is an excellent opportunity to make some last minute deals with the many venue managers attending.

Here’s the info:

WHAT: A Fringe Town Hall
WHERE: Fringe Central at Theatre of Arts, 1625 North Las Palmas map
WHEN: Monday, April 5, 2010 @ 6-8pm pacific

Town Hall II will follow the same format as last time: A brief update by the Fringe team followed by a longer Q&A session. Parking is available on the street and in the lots adjacent to the space. Thanks to the folks at Theatre of Arts for hosting us.

Directly following the Town Hall, we are hosting a mixer for socializing and networking at the legendary Pig’n Whistle. We will have our own room with drink specials galore.

WHAT: A Fringe Mixer
WHERE: The Pig’n Whistle, 6714 Hollywood Boulevard map
WHEN: Monday, April 5, 2010 @ 8-10pm pacific

Please rsvp on facebook or email us at [email protected].

Hope to see everyone there!

Ben

Press Contact:
Stacy Jones
The Hollywood Fringe Festival
[email protected]
603.540.4035
www.HollywoodFringe.org

March 9, 2010
For Immediate Release

REGISTRATION CLOSING SOON
fringe boasts over 170 submissions with less than a month remaining

Registration for the Hollywood Fringe Festival officially closes on April 1, 2010. With 170+ projects seeking homes to perform/exhibit (and more projects created every day), the inaugural Fringe in Hollywood is shaping up to be fantastic, exhilarating, chaotic, and fun.

Fringe organizers strongly recommend against waiting until the last minute. The festival is 100% find-your-own-venue, and artists will need several days if not weeks to apply, sort through contracts, and book performances. Only after having secured a venue can participants register for the Fringe itself.

While several venues are already fully-booked, the Fringe just announced The Hudson Theatres and the International Dance Academy (IDA Hollywood) as their newest venues. Many of the 14 existing venues are still looking for interesting projects to host.

Prospective participants in need of assistance in their venue hunt can email support; fringe organizers can help pair projects with receptive venues.

Participants needn’t limit themselves to the venues available online. If a producer books any venue within the 2010 festival boundaries, they can participate in the Fringe. Organizers suggest hitting the pavement and finding the best space for a particular project.

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is an annual celebration of the emerging arts.

Environments for the Fringe include both traditional and unorthodox venues; fully equipped theatres, street corners, clubs, bars, and places unexpected. Performances are self-produced by local, national, and international arts companies and independent performers. In the spirit of most Fringes, participation is open and uncensored.

The festival runs from June 17-27, 2010.

We are pleased to welcome the International Dance Academy in Hollywood to the Fringe Festival. IDA is opening five studio spaces all with wide open, dance-friendly performance areas and sprung wooden floors. It’s right in the middle of the tourist action, too, directly off Hollywood blvd and the Walk of Fame.

Check out their venue page for more information on the facility. Applications are handled like all Fringe venue queries: Create your project and apply to IDA through their venue page above.

For more information on IDA, check out their website.

More opportunities for Fringers! And a special gift to all the dance companies out there looking for a suitable place to play during Fringe.

Ben

We are proud to announce the addition of another Theatre Row powerhouse to the Fringe Festival: The Hudson Theatres on Santa Monica blvd. in Hollywood.

These are beautiful theatrical spaces adjacent to a cafe (Cafe Muse) and a coffee bar. Make sure to check out the spaces tab on their venue page to learn about the slots available for the Fringe. Three spaces are open for bookings: Hudson Guild (42 seats), Hudson Mainstage (99 Seats), and Hudson Backstage (99 Seats).

The application process works just like all other fringe venues: Create an account, create a project, and apply online to the Hudson from their venue page.

You can learn more about Hudson on their website.

Many thanks to Liz and Zeke for opening up more opportunities to Hollywood Fringers.

Ben