15th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival Announced!

Has it been 15 years already? Wow... (Well, technically, it's only been 14 because you don't count the first Festival as a calendar year, and then you have to divide by the square root of - you know what? It doesn't matter!) Know Theatre is once again patently hysterical to offer something for everyone at the region's largest and longest annual theatre and arts festival - that's renowned for being "kinda WEIRD. like YOU!"

Hundreds of indie artists, musicians, and performance groups from near and far will converge for 13 jubilant days to present over 45 live theatre, music, and dance productions with a Cincy Fringe record 250+ performances, as well as visual art experiences, free Family Friendly offerings, film screenings, unique special events, nightly after-parties, and everything between. All of which takes place at over a dozen venues in the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, with Know Theatre serving as Fringe HQ. This year's 15th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival has more of what you (didn't know you already) love than ever before, including Anniversary celebrations and reminiscences as icing on the cake! (Mmm...Fringe cake...)

"While the first Cincy Fringe still feels like it was yesterday," says Fringe Producer Chris Wesselman [Ed. Note: It definitely wasn't yesterday. It was in 2004. Chris is in denial that he's getting older.] "Preparations to celebrate the big 1-5 took us on a journey into Fringe history that highlighted the staggering number of artists, audience members, sponsors, volunteers, and staff we've pARTied with over the years. Fringe has had such a monumental impact on Cincinnati arts and entertainment, and I - along with the rest of the team at Know Theatre -absolutely cannot wait to welcome everyone to the boldest and BIGGEST Cincy Fringe yet!"

Read on to discover a little more about each of this year's programming components and follow provided links for additional information and available marketing materials. While some Cincy Fringe programming and details won't be finalized until 5/16 - when the Official Fringe Guide is distributed by our Media Partner, Cincinnati CityBeat - there's still pah-lenty for you to pour over now, so let's get crackin'!

PRIMARY LINEUP

35 productions by artists and performance groups from near and far create this core component of Cincy Fringe programming, accounting for over 200 of this year's record 250+ performances. Curated by over 40 of Cincinnati's most passionate theatre professionals, journalists, and educators - along with some historical Fringe folk - the Primary Lineup features a gobsmacking variety of genres, styles, subject matters, and skill sets, ensuring that anyone and everyone - including families - can find their perfect cup of tea.

These are also the productions that vie for one of our 6 Pick of the Fringe Awards, which grant recipients an additional Encore performance on the final day of Fringe (6/10)!

OF SPECIAL NOTE: This year we've increased the number of performances assigned to shows in venues under 60 seats, meaning there are more chances to see everything you want and an increased number of paths to See-It-All!

For more information on this year's Primary Lineup, including complete production information and associated marketing materials, please visit https://tinyurl.com/2018-Primary-Lineup

FRINGE NEXT

For the past 8 Festivals, Cincy Fringe has offered slots to local high school-aged artists to create, direct, design, perform in, produce, and otherwise entirely control their very own productions. Technically part of the Primary Lineup, we think these up-and-comers deserve special recognition and encouragement; they are the voices of the future, after all!

For more information on this year's Fringe Next programming, including complete

production information and associates marketing materials, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/2018-Fringe-Next

FRINGE DEVELOPMENT

From workshops of brand new productions to artist-led Master Classes, Fringe Development is all about using the critical mass of creativity at the Festival to fuel the growth and evolution of shows and individuals.

OF SPECIAL NOTE: This year we're helping a group of students from CCM (led by Richard Hess) prepare for a trip to the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, the mother of all Fringes!

For more information on this year's Fringe Development programming, including complete

production and class information, and associates marketing materials, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/2018-Fringe-Development

VISUAL FRINGE

Fringe isn't just about live performance, it's about ALL artistic endeavors, including visual art. From galleries to interactive installations, from painting to photography, Visual Fringe is a feast for the eyes across all corners of the Festival!

For more information on this year's Visual Fringe programming

and associated marketing materials, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/2018-Visual-Fringe

FILM FRINGE

From 2005-2012 Cincy Fringe included film offerings to celebrate the "kinda WEIRD" in the world of celluloid, and this year it's back! We're presenting 5 nights of original, independent programming (shorts and feature-lengths), all thanks to an amazing partnership with Main Street's award-winning Mini Microcinema!

OF SPECIAL NOTE: Film Fringe includes the world premiere of a new feature-length work from Cincy Fringe favorite Kevin Thornton!

For more information on Film Fringe programming,

Mini Microcinema, and associated marketing materials, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/2018-Film-Fringe

FAMILY FRIENDLY FRINGE

While we pride the wide variety of offerings at the Festival for containing something for everyone, including Family Friendly productions in our Primary Lineup, we want to ensure that plentiful opportunities exist for parents and children to Fringe with us, so this year we have special, free offerings that give families a chance to get kinda weird, too!

For more information on Family Friendly Fringe

and associated marketing materials, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/2018-Family-Fringe

FRINGE ON THE STREETS

In 2017, Cincy Fringe teamed up with Art on the Streets to encourage any and all artists to take their creativity out of our venues and straight to the general public by street performing and busking during the Festival. Our partnership continues this year to help bathe Cincinnati in even more arts and entertainment during Fringe.

For more information on Fringe on the Streets,

along with details on how artists can participate, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/Fringe-On-The-Streets

SPECIAL EVENTS

Paint with Vincent Van Gogh, get surrounded by sound in a giant inflatable igloo, re-live a Fringe favorite from the past, AND MORE with our lineup of Special Event presentations that round out performance offerings and finally break you, causing puzzled exclamations like, "OMG, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SEE EVERYTHING AT FRINGE IN JUST 13 DAYS?!"

For more information on this year's Special Event programming

and associated marketing materials, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/2018-Fringe-Special-Events

FRINGE BAR SERIES

As if it all wasn't enough, after shows are over each night we invite everyone back to Fringe HQ (Know Theatre) to wet their whistle, converse about experiences, and otherwise continue the merriment at our Fringe Bar Series. Featuring special themes, events, and concerts, the party keeps rolling until 1am every single evening!

OF SPECIAL NOTE: Fringe Bar Series involves more local bands and musicians this year than ever before! Heck YEAH, live music belongs at Fringe!

For more information on this year's Fringe Bar Series programming

and associated marketing materials, please visit

https://tinyurl.com/2018-Bar-Series

Cincy Fringe shares 50% of all box office revenue with individual productions, meaning your attendance supports not only the Festival and Know Theatre but hundreds of independent artists, as well!

Ticket and Pass sales/reservations are now live at www.cincyfringe.com or by calling the Know Theatre Box Office at 513-300-5669. The Know Theatre/Fringe Box Office is open between the hours of 11:00am and 6:00pm, Monday-Friday during regular operations (until 5/28/18)

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