Performers wanted: Island Fringe Festival application deadline approaching

Artists have until Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. to apply for one of the Charlottetown festival's eight spots.

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Plays held in non-theatre venues

The festival, which is entering its sixth year of existence, hosts plays in non-theatre venues. They've held events in venues as diverse as a bar, the pier and even the attic of a heritage property.

"If your show is set in a bar, our philosophy is why not actually take that one step further and instead of having you try and create a set of a bar, put it in that actual location," said Sarah Segal-Lazar, the director of the festival,

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The Fringe Festival moniker is known worldwide and originally began in Edinburgh, Scotland after local artists felt they couldn't get into other festivals in the city. This independent nature has given the festival some interesting attributes.

'Independent, alternative, offbeat'

"Fringe is independent, alternative, offbeat, just a little bit quirkier and different than you're going to be seeing on a main stage," said Segal-Lazar.

"Whatever show you do you are fully entitled to do as long as long as the artist and the audience is safe at all times."

Another fringe aspect of the festival is that 100 per cent of the by-donation admission goes to the artists performing the show. Artists do have to pay a $250 fee to perform.

"We have our signature sand pails that our volunteers walk around with during, before and after the shows, and 100 per cent of the money you put in those buckets goes to the artists," said Segal-Lazar.

The festival which runs from Aug. 3-6 will feature eight plays, each one playing every day during the festival. The plays are split up with half of the plays featuring Island artists, and the other half being split between national and international artists.

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