Kelowna is set to play host to A Taste of Fringe this Sept. The Rotary Centre for the Arts will be the epicentre for curious rebels, adventure-seeking renegades and those hunting for a new, unique and thoroughly engaging Kelowna experience.
Attendees will be treated to performances from two award-winning acts fresh off the Fringe circuit, followed by an After Party that takes over the building.
Melanie Gall is an internationally-renowned Canadian vocalist, earning rave reviews at Fringe Festivals around the world and recently selling out her entire Edinburgh Fringe run. In Red Hot Mama, Gall takes the stage as Sophie Tucker, recapping her rise through early twentieth century vaudeville, cabaret and Hollywood while giving a performance at the peak of her career.
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RAGMOP Theatre earned rave reviews at the 2018 Edmonton Fringe Festival and will bring that same work to the Kelowna stage. Hotel Vortruba is a surreal, wordless physical comedy where finding shelter is not so simple. With other-worldly room service, broken lamps, creaky floorboards, and giant rats, a guest confronts a proprietor who has been hiding his true self. Utilizing their skills in mime, clown, magic, puppetry, dance, and circus arts, RAGMOP Theatre has created a gorgeous, hilarious and daring theatrical experience where magic lingers in every shadow.
In true Fringe fashion, we will recreate the feeling of discovery as we welcome a variety of live acts to perform throughout the R.C.A. during the After Party. Grab a drink and roam the halls as you take in some indoor street performances or take a seat and ready yourself for the next show in one of the dedicated theatre spaces.
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Okanagan locals are encouraged to apply for a performance slot at the After Party. Performance artists of all genres are welcome, including dancers, stage artists, buskers, magicians, theatre groups, live art performers, musicians, poets, puppeteers, writers, and comedians. The deadline for performance applications is Sept. 5.
A Taste of Fringe is just the start of a new era of Fringe in Kelowna. In order to bring a vibrant festival to Kelowna in 2019, three complementary development workshops will be offered in the evenings from Sept. 19 until 21, giving area creatives greater insight as they craft and create outstanding shows of their own. The workshops will be administered by creative arts professionals, including Melanie Gall, whose Friday evening topic is ‘Building a Solo Show: Turning your story into theatre’. While the workshops are complementary, registration will be required due to limited seating.
A Taste of Fringe takes place on Sept. 22 at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Doors at 6:30 p.m., main stage at 7:00 p.m. and After Party from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.
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