Gabriola juggler Trevor Gear is making his Fringe Festival debut at the 2018 Nanaimo Fringe Festival.
Gear is the lone local performer of the 10 participating acts, who are coming from as close as Victoria and Vancouver to as far as Edmonton, Dallas and Australia.
The performers were chosen at random from a list of 28 entries and Gear said he was thrilled when he heard he was accepted.
“I really like local arts and being an artist in the community, so Nanaimo is part of my community and it’s nice to be able to do something essentially at home,” he said, adding that there is some stress in being a first-timer.
Nanaimo Fringe general manager Kelly Huxham said the festival’s lineup-by-lottery system is intended to give stage time to acts who might not otherwise have the opportunity.
“It’s an excellent way for people that have never been on stage before to get up on stage and there’s no jury to the shows, so you just don’t know what you’re going to get,” she said.
“It makes it so there’s some really interesting stuff going on that wouldn’t be on stage any other time.”
Gear’s production is called Buzz Off, a clowning and juggling show with improvisation and audience interaction that tells the story of the Lumierski Brothers, a pair of performers portrayed by Gear and Lasqueti Island musician Pachiel Smith. Gear said they’ve been working on the show for the past six months and this is the first time it will be seen.
Gear said the Fringe shows will be a bit of a departure from his usual act. He doesn’t normally have repeat performances and mostly plies his trade on streets and at events, like the Silly Boat Regatta in mid July.
“There’s definitely some nerves about something new, but if you don’t feel a little bit of fear then you’re not truly living,” he said.
WHAT’S ON … The Nanaimo Fringe Festival kicks off with a free preview show featuring all performers at the Harbour City Theatre on Thursday, Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. Festival continues until Aug. 18 at the HCT and Vancouver Island Conference Centre Dodd Narrows Room. Tickets are $12 per show or $45 five-show pass. Attendees must purchase $5 membership button. Tickets and more information at www.nanaimofringe.com. To volunteer or billet, visit www.facebook.com/NanaimoFringe.
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