Welcome back to Happy Hour on The Fringe. April Rose, the independent artist programs manager at FringeArts sits down with Evan Neiden of Candle House Collective, an experimental theater company that creates performances takes place over the phone for one audience member. The two discuss how this work is made, what inspires the work, and how to eng…

How does a passion for comedy lead to greater forms of creativity? On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Zach Blackwood sits down with the brilliant minds behind 3AM Theatre, Kyle Driggs and Andrea Murillo. The three discuss the origins of the multidisciplinary performance company, upcoming projects, and the excitement leading up to FringeAr…

While being a good listener and collaborator can open a lot of doors in life, how far can it take you when death is on the table? On this episode, Ari sits down with Kristin Finger from ComedySportz Philly to talk about real world improv and how well those skills transfer to her annually sold-out brainchild Murder Manor. With this year's improvised…

During Fringe Fest 2020, OhOk Performance Group showed us how something as intimate as dance can persist in spite of any distance that may need to be put up. So on this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, April sits down with the two people who made it happen, Whitney Casal and Britt Davis, as they discuss the group's beginnings, the success of Do…

On the last episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Producers Circle member Ed Wagner cited Thaddeus Phillips as the prime example of infusing technology and innovation into theatre. This week, Zach sat down with the dynamic artist himself to find out how he's done the same with his upcoming show, Zoo Motel, presented by Theatre Exile this spring. Lis…

With FringeArts’ 25th Anniversary on the horizon, Raina sits down with longtime friend of the Fringe Ed Wagner to take a look into the most notable moments from Fringemas past, present, and future. So sit back, spike that iced tea with a bit of water, and listen in on the Philly arts scene’s long and weird history. Read this episode's transcript he…

Bringing live theatre to a socially distant space may feel like cutting to the bone of the craft. But in the best way possible, one theatre company in particular has replaced those bones entirely. Joshua William Gelb traded the skeletons in his closet for a stage and has been putting on productions in their place for nearly a year under the Theater…

For the premiere episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe's 5th season, Marketing Manager Raina sits down with dancer/dance teacher Dawn States of Dawn States Company fame. Grab some lemonade and, hell, put some ice in it as Raina and Dawn talk about her latest work Healing Connections, accessibility in art, and the life of an elf in Tamriel. Read the t…

For our final episode of 2020, Marketing Manager Raina Searles and Individual Giving Manager Jennifer Shorstein sit down with Juliana Carter, our newest Board member and co-chair of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. We cover the ups and downs of 2020, where FringeArts is headed, and what we're ready to leave behind this year. Learn how…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Henry McDevitt, Podcast Production Intern speaks with Pete Dennis, a multi-instrumentalist, a composer, and the person behind “Search for the Infinite Light”. Listen to Henry and Pete discuss Pete’s background, improvisation, the upright bass, live performance, and the concerts that Pete has been organiz…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Artistic Producer Zach Blackwood speaks with Sally Ollove, a Philadelphia and Seattle based director and dramaturg who is the associate artistic director of Philadelphia’s Bearded Ladies Cabaret. This year The Bearded Ladies Cabaret is bringing you: Get Pegged Cabaret Feat. Tareke Ortiz, Veronica Chapman…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Henry McDevitt, Podcast Production Intern speaks with Symphony Spell and Zachary Fairbrother of the Philadelphia-based band Ghösh. Listen to this conversation about satire in music, what is good or bad taste, the ritualistic nature of Ghösh’s live performances, the effect that Covid-19 has had on live mu…

In this episode, Marketing Manager Raina Searles and Artistic Producer Zach Blackwood take a look back at the process leading up to the 2020 Fringe Festival, the festival itself, and try to anticipate the future of Fringe Festivals. They address how this year’s festival has been different for the Fringe Arts organization itself, and for the people …

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Marketing Manager Raina Searles speak with Jarrod Markman, the Executive Director of the Da Vinci Art Alliance and creator of Da Vinci Fest Live, which will be showcasing the innovation, diversity, and artistry that makes Philadelphia so vibrant through art and science programs you can experience at home…

In this mouth watering culinary themed episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Marketing Manager Raina Searles speaks with Bartender Resa Mueller and Chef Jezabel Careaga who will each be leading interactive culinary experiences during the 2020 Audi FEASTIVAL Virtual Dinner Series: No Pants, No Problem with Resa Mueller and Carnaval Jujeño with Jezebe…

As the 2020 Fringe Festival winds down we bring you this three part special. Artistic Producer Zach Blackwood and Fringe Festival coordinator April Rose are joined by three Philadelphia-based artists from both the independent and curated slates in the 2020 Fringe Festival: Tai Verley, an actor, artist, and Artistic Director of Revolution Shakespear…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Marketing Manager Raina Searles speaks with Liz Zimmerman, a local Philadelphia theater and event producer, a performer, and a certified project management professional. Liz will be presenting, “Project Management for Producers” as part of the 2020 Fringe Festival. Listen to Raina and Liz discuss theater…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Marketing Manager Raina Searles speaks with JJ Tiziou about "Walk Around Philadelphia: A Perimeter Pilgrimage", which is being presented as part of the 2020 Fringe Festival. This interactive experience gives participants the opportunity to transform their perspective on the city of Philadelphia by circum…

Today on the podcast artistic producer Katy Dammers speaks with Adrienne Mackey, founder and artistic director of Swim Pony, as well as Lizzie Hessek, a Program Manager of Trails and Recreation at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. Adrienne and Lizzie discuss how Swim Pony and the PEC came together to collaborate alongside Toaster Lab and Mich…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe Marketing Manager Raina Searles talks with Rachel Gita Karp and Joseph Amodei whose production Packing and Cracking will run from September 23-September 30 as part of the 2020 Fringe festival. Packing and Cracking will be presented via zoom, and is an interactive mapmaking event which explores how politic…

In this episode, Community Engagement Manager Tenara Calem speaks with Lauren Rile Smith about the upcoming presentation of The Way Out by her contemporary circus organization, Tangle Movement Arts. The Way Out is an outdoor, socially-distanced circus piece at the Laurel Hill Cemetery in the 2020 Fringe Festival. Carloads of audience members will f…

In this episode, Artistic Producer Zach Blackwood speaks with James Allister Sprang about Sprang’s upcoming performance, Aquifer of the Ducts, which will run in this fall’s Fringe Festival. During performances, Sprang will guide listeners through a soundscape composed of field recordings and synthesizers. Blackwood and Sprang anticipate this perfor…

In this episode we talk to Suso Phizer, who will be presenting and facilitating Zoom Reality TV in this fall's Fringe Festival. The event explores frustration and loneliness in the COVID era, as participants are invited to explore these emotions through Live Action Role Play. Join Raina and Suso as they discuss Nordic LARP, how group dynamics have …

Artistic Producers Katy Dammers and Zach Blackwood sit down with the team behind the Elephant Room 2, a sequel to FringeArts' previous presentation of Geoff Sobelle, Trey Lyford, and Steve Cuiffo's magical clown show. From the artists that brought you Festival favorites like HOME and The Accountant, Elephant Room 2: Dust from the Stars puts magicia…

In this episode we talk to Nichole Canuso, Artistic Director of the Nichole Canuso Dance Company, who will be presenting her piece Being/With:HOME in this fall's Fringe Festival. The performance experience is a meditation on separation and connection as two solo audience members, separated by venue, are connected in virtual space. Join Nichole and …

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Jacob Colker, the podcast production intern, takes over the epsiode to interview Dan Kamin, a magician and performer from the Pittsburgh area. Dan and Jacob discuss how Dan got his start performing magic, the influence that silent film has had on his work, as well as how he as been able to get back to pe…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Marketing Manager Raina Searles talks with LaNeshe Miller-White, the Executive Director and one of the founders of Theatre in the X. Raina and LaNeshe discuss what things were like for the theatre in the early days of the pandemic, the the changes made to the West Philadelphia Play, as well as some of th…

As promised, a bonus episode with BlackStar Film Festival's Artistic Director & CEO, Maori Karmael Holmes. Due to technical difficulties, some of Maori's audio cut out during the conversation we had in the previous episode with Danny Orendorff and Anne Ishii, and so we set out to have a deeper and more intimate conversation about white supremacy, t…

In this episode, Community Engagement Manager Tenara Calem sits down with Anne Ishii (Executive Director of Asian Arts Initiative), Danny Orendorff (Executive Director of Vox Populi), and Maori Karmael Holmes (Artistic Director and CEO of BlackStar Film Festival), the leaders of a new coalition called Philly Arts for Black Lives Matter. Philly Arts…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Marketing Manager Raina Searles chats with Philadelphia City Councilman Derek Green. The two of them discuss Green's efforts to provide more funding for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund despite budget gaps, his optimism for the future of the Black Lives Matter movement, interacting with his constituents on…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Marketing Manager Raina Searles and Community Engagement Manager Tenara Calem chat with Rebecca Dhondt, the Director of Visitor Programs and Fun at Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse, an inclusive space for unstructured free play for children. The three of them discuss how Smith has had to pivot the…

During the global pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can’t gather, we’ll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during the pandemic shifts. In this episode, FringeArts Marke…

In this episode, Marketing Manager Raina Searles chats with three incredible advocates and activists from the Institute on Disabilities: Jamie Ray-Leonetti, Kim Singleton, and Lisa Sonneborn. The Institute on Disabilities was last working with FringeArts in early 2019 for the presentation of their show A Fierce Kind of Love in the inaugural High Pr…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

During the global coronavirus pandemic, FringeArts is pivoting the focus of our podcast to checking in with our artists, our audiences, and our community partners during these unprecedented times. Since we can't gather, we'll chat remotely about how we respond to this crisis, and how the role of art during a pandemic shifts. In this episode, Fringe…

Health and safety are our number one priorities here at FringeArts, and in compliance with CDC recommendations for staying safe during the Covid-19 pandemic, we will be postponing our 2020 High Pressure Fire Service presentations, including BOY PROJECT. More information will be available soon about when HPFS will take place. Happy Hour on the Fring…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, you'll listen to a conversation about the themes and questions in our upcoming High Pressure Fire Service presentation Legal Tender by Antigravity Performance Project. For our HPFS episodes, we like to connect our artists to community members and advocates who are thinking about the same questions the ar…

In this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, the artist and brain behind our upcoming High Pressure Fire Service show, [SIGN FELT]: Sad Boys in Harpy Land Alexandra Tatarsky sits down with University of Pennsylvania Professor and PhD candidate Mario Sassi. They talk about the running through-line of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedies in Alex's A…

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, Raina is back with Artistic Producers Katy and Zach to continue to talk about what audiences can look forward to in our upcoming High Pressure Fire Service, a presentation series of new works from Philadelphia’s leading performers, including delving into the curation process and the artistic journeys we'…

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, hosts Raina and Tenara chat with Artistic Producers Katy and Zach about what audiences can look forward to in our upcoming High Pressure Fire Service, a presentation series of new works from Philadelphia’s leading performers. Come see the HPFS performances April-May 2020!…

Happy Hour on the Fringe hosts Raina and Tenara sit down with Georgia Schlessman, Technical Director, and Evelyn Swift Shuker, Master Electrician, to talk about the upcoming Theater Technician Job Fair at FringeArts (Monday, February 10th!), the relationship between technicians and artists, and the role of design in an audience's experience. To RSV…

On this episode of Happy Hour on the Fringe, we hopped on the phone with Megan Stalter, actress, comedian, writer, FreakFest curator, and performer in our 2020 Blue Heaven Comedy Festival this February. Meg shares her introduction to comedy, the woes of a high school thespian society, and what she's working on now.…