Random Acts of Theatre Announces Digital Fringe Festival
This April, attend Chicago's newest Fringe festival from the comfort and safety of your own home at Random Acts of Theatre! Subtitled a "Digital Fringe Festival," the multi-day schedule will feature theatrical videos of all kinds, live-streamed across dozens of networks. Donations will be accepted, with proceeds going to The Actors Fund to assist artists currently out of work.
A schedule will be announced in early April, and the festival will kick off with a surprise celebrity introduction in the following days. Four world premiere plays will be performed live in front of an online audience, with additional offerings including recorded plays, musicals, comedy, dance, burlesque, stand-up, drag, and more. The company also solicited performances from productions canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One casualty of the world's upheaval was an immersive Reefer Madness celebration scheduled for 4/20 - a holiday made even more special this year thanks to the legalization of marijuana in the state of Illinois. A portion of the RATFest donations will go towards offsetting the costs of the canceled event.
Donations are also being accepted via GoFundMe, as Random Acts had previously announced a 2020 goal of becoming a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Performers and companies worldwide can submit videos of any length at RandomActsChicago.com through April 1. Follow along on Facebook, plus Twitter and Instagram (@randomactschi). You can also send questions specific to the festival to RATFestChicago@gmail.com.
Random Acts has fostered approachable art in Chicago since 2015. Notable productions include STRANGEST THINGS! THE MUSICAL, COLUMBINUS, and the 25th Anniversary Reading of THE LARAMIE PROJECT directed by Jason Gerace. Through the #SafeSpace series, the company has raised funds for dozens of organizations including Planned Parenthood, Trans Lifeline, RAICES and more. The company includes Alexandra Alontaga, Ali Bailey, Colleen DeRosa, Mariah Furlow, Angelica Grace, Rasell Holt, Nora Lise Ulrey, Ben F. Locke, Shawn Laudell, Ayssette Muñoz, Savanna Rae, Bryan Renaud, Brandon Rodriguez, Becca Russo, Christian Siebert, and Shannon Leigh Webber.
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