The Well I was behind that sign for two hours. But we started early
really got to his places early. Welcome everyone to the third annual fringe theatre telethon. Yes, Mark, can you believe we've been doing this for three years.
So true story. Literally someone said to me yesterday day before, they're like, third annual Where have I been? I didn't know that thing was a thing.
Well, time has had very little meaning. Three years. But here we are. We are back again. We first launched this digital experiment in 2020 in support of the fringe that never was,
you know, I just dropped a backstreet lyric again, right? Yeah. Again, dense waves. No, promise me I don't know yet.
We've got four hours to build friends. This is just just hang tight. But yeah, in 2020, we launched this digital experiment as a way to connect artists and audiences at a time when we couldn't physical, physically gather. And since then, we've innovated, we've adapted we have invented we've made one hell of a comeback.
Yes. And also within this four hours, we're gonna we got to show you the world like there's a whole world behind us right now that making this world over here
of magicians over here, back there, and they're all making it happen. Um, but that comeback is possible thanks to the generosity and support of donors. Yes. And that's why we're here today. Absolutely. All in support of the 41st Edmonton international fringe Theatre Festival. We are back this August. We are what our dates this year. They're August 11, to the 21st to the 21st or 41st edition of the largest longest running French Theatre Festival in North America. That's a good sign. I think first Yes, first. Speak enough. Yeah. When was your first French?
Okay. I was for 1989 wasn't born. I literally wandered into it. I wondered because I was taking a course at Nate. And so I just happen to be around the city. And I wandered into this thing. And I was at that point in life where I knew I wanted to be a performer. But I hadn't quite bullied. My parents didn't want that. And I hadn't like decided what to do with my life. And I walked in 99 Found this festival was like what is and it literally walked into a show with mom and spirit. And it was over from that moment fringe legend performed in 94 and pretty much performer saw it from that time on about you.
2002 I moved to the city to go to school. I first came to the fringe as a patron fell madly in love with it came back the next year as a volunteer and then I was a reviewer with view weekly for a couple of years. You know working under the Deaf guidance of public office or arts editor. Do you ever give friend show a bad review? Never give a friend show a bad review? No. Luckily Paul would assign me to a lot of the touring artists I didn't know at that point in time, which was a good thing. But I do have a very fond memory of reviewing a Gerald Osborne play starring a one Lindsey Walker. Oh my god. Gerald, of course being our longtime manager you know that play? I know that play? It's a Paul Simon lyric. Yeah. Cartoon graveyard. Yes. Yeah. It was amazing. It was so good. It was in the catalyst or what was known as the catalyst back then the gateway theater now hot as heck. Oh my god. I'm sweating writing my review. But Lindsey gave a beautiful performance. And Gerald is an incredible writer.
So this is a great actor. Yeah, she really is incredibly musical but also great actor
and I think we're gonna see her later because of course today we have trailers from all of our festival artists. We've got interviews, we've got performances we have some shenanigans, which you and I know nothing about. The team is cheering behind the camera audience you cannot see that right now. But I kid you not Murray and I have no idea what's going to happen to us today.
I've been asked him to secure things the last few days but I have no idea what's happening. So hang
tight. We're going to improvise our way through that. But Hamer here at Fringe, we tell stories. Yeah, storytelling is incredibly important. What does storytelling mean to you?
Everything, everything everything to me, it is I was, I had the benefit of mentors that taught me the art of storytelling, physical theater, but stories. There's something about stories that I think can move our world forward. It's something that we can identify with, we can share with and we're invested in and it's a beautiful relationship. I think it's what really keeps energy flowing between and why I love theater. It's the energy between the audience and the artist. And then as you're telling a story, whether you're, you know, on stage or in a group, it's vital.
Absolutely. And the tradition of gathering and storytelling that we so gratefully continued today is a tradition that has been here long before fringe ever came to be long before Edmonton ever came to be. It is totally the ODR right? Yes. And the original caretakers of this place the Papas Chase Cree, have been here for time immemorial. And we've had the good fortune as a team as an organization to learn directly from the descendants of the Papas Chase creed, continue to learn continue to learn ongoingly this is a step forward at a time and is a patient journey. But we've continued to learn about the significance of the very ground on which fringe stands, and I get goosebumps every single time we get to learn about this because this place is known as pay Honan a word that we'll hear a lot later today. And, and, and it it is the tradition of storytelling. It is the tradition of feasting of sharing and community. And it sounds a whole heck of a lot like the thing that we get to do. That's French
and when we think about time, I remember another teaching that I was given is the idea that your ancestors, those that have crossed over the spirit are always closer to you, and they get closer when you need the most. And I just think that's so beautiful, but I also feel like this idea of being side by side in kindness and openness is a way that we can move forward. It's doesn't have to be a defensive, combative sort of idea on how this works. We need to open ourselves up to there were some things that happened for we need to acknowledge that absolutely. Well, we can start from here and move forward together. But we need to open up we need to listen to each other. We need to be there for each other. And a kinder world I think is going to be the one that does it
could not agree more. So everyone out there you may be watching from anywhere across 26 across Turtle Island. Thank you for tuning tuning in today. We are so grateful for the many nations who came before us who helped make things like today possible. But to everyone out there on the internet today. Please pop on down into the comments. Tell us where you're watching from. We would love to hear from you. We have our friendly staff fringe staff standing by to say hello. So please don't be shy. Of course we need to offer a huge shout out to global Edmonton our official telethon sponsor, thank you so much for your support today. Okay, um Are you have dubbed this year's fringe and almost fringe. What does that mean?
I think the walk back that we have been thinking about in a really impactful strategic way is growth in cycles, so that we don't overreach ourselves and outreach ourselves try to keep up with the pace at which we can come back. So when I say almost fringe, it's almost in a way. We're 160 Plus indoor shows. Yes, we added seven venues.
Oh yeah. The
outdoor site just animated all over. It's, it's here the festival is here. We've been bigger. But as we start to what is bigger mean in a lot of ways when we're looking at it. And I think that's the idea of almost fringe, right? Almost strange. Like if we start to walk back to size, where the size and experience meet and how can we start to think about both of those. And that's sort of what we're doing as a team, as a community and as a larger global community. The idea of like, how do we do this together? And what does it look like? And how do we not leave anybody behind? I
love that. I love that. So festival is a week away. program guides went on sale today. Head over to French theater.ca to get details on where you can pick yours. We're two weeks away to two oh god I just terrified the team. Are we two weeks away? I don't know. I was just like wait a minute. Tickets go on sale next week. Okay. Man, okay, but here's the deal. We are here today in support of the Edmonton international fringe Theatre Festival. No matter how big or small, every gift makes a difference. Today we are aiming to raise $15,000 in support of the future of fringe. And when you get to Edmonton fringe you directly support artists, sure, and storytelling, and you help build community and that is darn important.
And I would also say that a lot of those don't notice supporting artists but what goes back into our community. Absolutely. And how that spills over in an ancillary way to the other businesses in our community. It is such a driver. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing. And it is community community loves this festival. We hear about it when we make changes. They let us know but that idea of how we are really woven into awesome how this place works.
So every donation over $20 will receive a charitable tax receipt our amazing Operators are standing by so call now. 780-448-9000 visit fringe theatre.ca to donate but I think I think we got to go I think we're doing something next Lauren, what are we doing?
What's happening?
What's happening? Oh, we're gonna hear from some of our artists. They have prepared trailers for you so you know what to expect at the festival this year. So give it a watch now
this is my data.
To the end I'm Richard B. Line Welcome back Rangers for those just tuning in. We are streaming to you live from the Westbury Theatre in the fringe Theatre Arts barns in support of the future of fringe. This is our third live telethon event and we are aiming to raise $15,000 Today is the future fringe. Fringe is bright man. I'm so excited. Just a reminder to every gift over $20 received a charitable tax receipt our operators are standing by call 780-448-9000 or visit fringe theatre.ca. Now to give a quick we just saw a really exciting teaser for a very big announcement we're about to make later this afternoon. Yeah, and I think big is an understatement. It's such an understatement. I'm so excited if I had buttons they'd be bursting for button up. Yeah. Okay, Mert here on my speaking notes. All it says is shenanigan number one. Are you ready?
Good.
Voice of God just comes booming in do I need to put down my clipboard? Yes, that would be a good idea. All right.
I'm going on button. Okay.
All right to start a late night cabaret favorite. The wheel of destiny will be brought up momentarily. But first, you've heard of our late night cabaret Z punters. But before we bring out the wheel of destiny, I give you z q lab with our house husband
Oh, I've
missed this thing. I've actually never spun it. All right, Megan. I've been involved in a cabaret for 10 years and I've never seen it Roxanne I'm gonna reach over you. Is that okay? Can we gonna go this way? Oh, she's still in good shape. Everyone.
All my friends well.
Oh,
but 555 All right. We call this challenge. beat beat mother fringer. So since we've moved to a ticketing, we've updated two beautiful new scanners. And though we know we're intrepid volunteers are whizzes with scanning. We thought we put you to to the test. The first part of the challenge is to figure out how to open the phone and scan as many tickets as you possibly can. Okay.
Oh God.
All right. Play music.
Oh no, there's no performances well yeah, okay, great.
You have a camera on there. Where the break
point am I right? Yes. Sam's coming. No, I got it.
Good for you. Hidden beeps like crazy.
Yeah, get out of my way. I'm in your way.
Can we just talk about these to look at exactly the same like that is so great.
Oh, zero tickets. No. What does that mean? Oh, no. Oh my god.
Oh my god. Oh, no, you're so good at that.
I just messed it up. Can we go back? Oh, no. Oh, God.
All hail all of our volunteers. Staff forever. Got a circle. Okay, hold on. Have you scanned a single window? No,
I got the window open. No. One. Okay, how about this one? There was one. Yeah. I'm gonna roll now.
It's not scanning for me out of here.
Yet. What? Gananoque another
Oh, that's cheating.
I just bumped it. I didn't mean to. I did it. Uh, do you mean
that's brutal. Oh, I'm regretting the choice of the jacket. It's very warm up here.
Oh, yeah, no, you know,
you're gonna write I think I'm gonna call it there.
I don't think I scanned a single one.
I heard not exactly just beeping for me.
Oh, does yours work? We have a total
Well, seeing is Marie cheated and dropped some tickets on the ground. Not really sure.
I think I get all the points for that. Yeah, I
think Megan felt the most confident in the scanning. So I think we're gonna give her the prize.
I get a prize.
There's there's no prize for like, competitive prize.
Winning is a wonderful handcrafted iced latte from fringe grounds cafe.
I'm not sharing this with you. That's fine. Was it amazing? That's fun.
I thought it was a competition where it goes all like
it my notes don't have four hours memorized. Okay,
I want to let you know, cabaret. She's got an absolute magic clip in the Cabaret is absolute
magic. Here we go. Okay. We just failed miserably at this. Sure.
Did. You got your thing open?
Yeah. It sure did.
The whole time.
But this is something that our volunteers Okay, Stop, just stop the shenanigans are over. Our volunteers are the reason why patrons can get into their venues to see their shows during the festival. Yes, yes. They they make us look like absolute chumps. Yes,
yes. Yeah, it's like my festival right here.
I don't doubt that even a little bit. But volunteers are the heart and the backbone of fringe theatre. We could not do what we do without them. Our volunteers give more than 35,000 hours and supportive fringing every year. Yeah. All right. We have a family of more than 1000 volunteers and 15% of those who have been volunteering with us for more than 10 years. We've had some folks who have been with us since the very first fringe in 1982. Isn't that amazing? It's amazing. That's so amazing. How are we doing on time? Friends? Do we need to vamp some more amazing, but I will say there's one extra special team this year that provides a home away from home. Yes, for the weary traveling artists. Yes. And this year we have artists traveling from as far away as Japan, Algeria, Australia, Germany, Israel, South Africa. We truly are an international festival again this year, 14 countries, 14 countries and all but that means we need some homes for these artists to rest their heads while they're here. And I hear that the host tamer is looking for new volunteers.
So that program, the host program, there are so many we just cannot do this festival that volunteers. That program makes it so that there are artists that probably would not be able to perform in those without the generosity of this community opening their homes to them. It's an absolute mind blowing thing, that that's a connection that happens this year. We happen to be a bit late on homes as we're turning the corner right now. So if you're thinking about it, or you're interested in finding out about it, we need a few more host homes. I believe that there is there's a few artists still looking for a place to hang their hat by the time that they're here. So if you're thinking about it, you interested in it, head to our website. At Prince theatre.ca and look up the host aspect of it y'all and we would love to have you join us so that our is gonna have a home. And of course
the host team is one of I think 11 teams we have this year supporting Fringe Festival operations years who helped make this possible and we really genuinely could not do it without them. So if you're interested in scanning tickets better than Marie and I ever way better heads if you're interested in slinging beers, or supporting box office sales or working in volunteer headquarters that sort of the home away from home for all of our volunteers. We are still accepting applications to our volunteer program. You can head over to fringe theatre.ca Our amazing volunteer department Drew and Thomas and Espen are there to help you are there to connect you with all we have to offer through our volunteer program. I'm Maria What's the thing you're most excited about this year for festival?
Oh my gosh, there's so many things. It's only things that I can't say right now.
Yeah, no, you gotta hold it later. Don't Don't spoil it yet.
I'm really excited that there's no fences. I think that's a really great thing. So that makes me very excited. We are 27 venues. That means so many of our non festival managed venues have come back and they're ready to host our patrons. But more importantly, the artists are ready to tell stories again. There's such joy in the hearts of stories and artists that are ready to come back. We've been watching the the track of the other festivals in the tails that they've had. And the one thing the energy is palpable. It is there and it's happening. It's so great
because we are of course one of the last festivals on the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit. Yeah, so Montreal has gone ahead of us or land or land Toronto, Winnipeg.
Saskatoon, of course Calgary will have
and fringes are back. Yeah, of course, for the first time in three years, and that is something incredibly spectacular, but it's time for us to go to our next segment. So right now we are going to hear from two of the very best volunteers. They're all amazing but these two have a special place in our hearts. Give it up for longtime fringe volunteers. Betty and Janet Liggett scan
the heck out of the hall. And and we were talking about our history, how we're kind of blessed to be walking on the shoulders of giants. But I also think without the volunteers propping us up, we wouldn't have any firm ground to stand on. And I think the two of you represent that, more than I can even come to understand. So we're so glad that
we were honored to be asked
I want to ask first year volunteering with you to do national prints Theater Festival was
after Betty
mine was fringed the fifth and it was because I had gone back to school to do my masters. And then there's a break and I heard on the radio, they needed volunteers and I was like, Oh, I kind of like live theater when I lived in like little rural towns. I'll go do that. And yeah, I think about maybe 14 hours in I was
key. Janet, what was your first year?
I'm not exactly sure. But I think it was about either year nine or year 10 And I only started because Betty said she should come to this. It's really cool. And I came and she was right. She's been right about many things.
But Janet was just one of my culprits that I brought into. Because when I got started, of course, volunteers were sometimes hard to come by and I joined fruitfully in the year when we just kind of exploded in terms of expansion and so a couple of times I had to find fall in tears and other team leaders in the lineup. So I've watched the lineup and if I saw you going into more than three or four shows, I'd approach you and say you know you really liked this festival. Why don't you come and be a team leader with me and then during the season when we would do volunteering. There were more than one friend that would say I'd phone say hi, how you doing? What do you want that what kind of event you need me to volunteer for? This little cabaret thing? It'll be really fun. You won't have to pay for tickets. Yeah, yeah. I knew how to scan the audience.
What a what a great system now. Brilliant.
It was. But how many teams? Have you stayed on the same team? No, you switch? No.
Yeah, we both started on front of house. Yeah, because at that time front of that was when the red tables and the scaffold Yeah. And, and you sold tickets and you kept a lumbermens tally of how much money. Betty before Betty when Betty started they didn't have tickets?
No, we did. The groups were to bring programs to the table and you use the programs to hand out but occasionally especially for first show of the day. They didn't get there in time with the programs and so I figured out really quickly for I was selling for a popular show and I had lost track already of how many tickets I sold. So then I just took a piece of paper and started to make tickets and then I just hand or 1234 So those were the very first tickets if anybody had one of those boy, they'd be worth a lot of money. I could probably make one. Yeah. Probably. Yeah. Yeah. So that was how the first that was in year five, and six and I don't remember when we started printing tickets, but Robin Yan figured out how to do it on his Apple Computer and we printed tickets and they actually had numbers on them.
But I thought we numbered them first. By hand because he couldn't do it. Yeah. And then he then will like boom technology and we could number them automatically. Yeah, yeah. And so when Betty and I started we were both on front of house and then we did
one year of joint Front of House box office and we had a both. We had close to 500 volunteers on our team. Oh my gosh, Janet and I are going we can't do this. This is this is too mass of like just too much for one, one team. And so that's when we split.
We had an amicable divorce. I had a very friendly
and I got the best children
when you talked about the 500 and then you each took your team was that the birth of a team leader to team leaders happened before?
Oh way before when I first started in year five there were there were team leaders very small group of Team meters so there was info front of house. Let me think now beer tents. And gee that might have been might have been yet so there were open and like grounds like greens Green Team Green Team. Yeah. So so that would have would have been it I think for for teams and team leaders. And there were team leaders, although it was I mean, again, it was really small. So there was one person in charge of front of house and there were two people that info and and that kind of thing. So yeah, team leaders and your job always was the same was to look after your volunteers, schedule them. help move the festival forward, provide input to ideas that you guys might have that we know aren't going to work. I know you've had a few of those inputs. But yeah, so yeah, no, I and I don't know if they started before year five or not.
But you have said had such an incredible impact on this festival. We know that we feel it every day. It's it's such a gift. So thank you, but I'm curious to know what impact is the festival had on you?
So this is a whole new world. Yeah. I I grew up in agriculture. I worked in agriculture. My other volunteer commitments are agriculture. So this is a whole new world and so this is a world that I knew nothing about. And I have learned so much I've learned about like how theater works and some of the back part of it. Like that's really cool. artistic organizations are much more they're much further ahead. As far as inclusion and dealing with that than many of the agriculture groups that I deal with. And I've also it's also helped me to understand the value of the arts in this world that they speak and, and talk about things that are important sometimes they just entertain and you know what, I love mindless entertainment, that's just for fun. But sometimes they have such a strong message that if you actually think about it, they can start to make people think about social change. And so it's all of that kind of stuff that's different and it's It's opened my eyes to a bunch of different things. So that's what it's brought to me.
I love that and a lot of the same for me a friendship. Because when I started with the festival I was brand new to the city I was bred so a lot of my friends today are still people that I met during during the festival other volunteers that have the same sense so certainly friendship and talking to other people about how to enjoy theater. I always say to my friends, they all I don't know if I like I said look, the fringe is a perfect time for you to find out what kind of theater appeals to you. I want you to go to a one person show I want you to go to a comedy show. I want you to go to a musical I want you to go to an improv. And I said and you haven't even spent $50 here so so you can find out and and find out whether you like drama. Maybe you don't like drama. Maybe you only like stand up so go to stand up. And that's that's one of the things that I think the festival is brought to me is that it's okay to like different things. Yeah,
I love that. Um, what's what's your dream? What's your vision for French 40 years from now?
Um, I have a couple of dreams. They've been there for a while. One of my dreams is that in the near future, the fringe would be the the impetus to find a couple of kinds of sponsorships. One is a sponsorship that would provide tickets to underprivileged people so that they can experience theater. And I think that that that that even though it's really reasonable for myself to come to the fringe, there are individuals who can't and my dream always has been when I got involved with a festival is that in this city, every person in this city will see one production a year. If every person in this city saw one production a year think how rich are our I mean, we already are. Like I think and that the other part of that sponsorship is that it would pay artists for volunteer tickets, so we would keep a record so that that artists so that we don't come become too commercial, but we recognize that they do need to eat because they perform so much better when they eat. I've noticed that
okay, Janet, what's your what's your dream?
My dream would be that it would be a place where everybody's voice was heard that way and that people were they listened to what people were saying and they were welcoming of different opinions and whether that was it making decisions about how the festival is run that those decisions would have. People would have opportunity for input that staff would have input volunteers would have input artists would have input patrons would have input that there was that opportunity and that we would gain some understanding of other people's viewpoints and that all of those groups would always be valued, that those things would, though all of that would come together and they would always be a value. And that and not to say that that's not the way it is now. But that would continue and that there would always be ways that that could be incorporated into the festival because I part of my life was working in an area called extension. And part of that is where it's really important and people and one of the big premises is that people support what they helped to build. And to keep that support you have to allow them to help to build.
I love that. That's so yes, yes, yes. A lot about how the history of this festival is carried in the people who built it. And you to carry the history of this festival with you. That's amazing. Well, welcome back for injures we are just half an hour into the third annual fringe theatre telethon and I've already lost Murray. No, just kidding. He is out in the lobby doing a live interview with our telethon sponsor global Edmonton huge shout out to global for supporting today's event. For those just tuning in. We are streaming to you live from the Westbury theatre here in the fringe Theatre Arts barns on treaty six in support of the future of fringe. We are aiming to raise $15,000 today to support storytelling artists and community building for the next 41 years and beyond. Every gift over $20 receives a charitable tax receipt and I promise you every gift matters. Please give today so we can all fringe together forever. Operators are standing by they are so friendly. They cannot wait to talk to you. So please pick up the phone give them a call 780-448-9000 or visit fringe theatre.ca to give now. And while you're on the phone, let operators know if you'd like your name to be recognized on air. This is a very live telethon that's happening right now and we'd love to shout you out and thank you so much for your support. So if just let them know when you pick up the phone that you'd like to be recognized or if you're donating online, check that handy public recognition box on the donation form. Throughout this broadcast we will be writing donor names on these adorable heart stickies that our stage management team went out and found and we're going to be putting them on this giant fringe sign in behind us. So if you want to be recognized in that adorable way, please make a gift now. Bonus you'll also be listed on our online donor wall. Don't forget we are going to be making a huge, huge announcement very soon. So stay tuned. For that here comes merge just out of the shadows like he does. I love it. I love it. Um Heimer Yeah, I missed you. I missed you a huge he's bad. Yeah, I was just saying we're only half an hour and and I lost you already. Too early for the heads
up I just had to go wrestle
a gorilla. Because we keep gorillas in the lobby at the box office. Absolutely. Like it's fringe time already. Fringe is unpredictable, the best way possible,
but it was like it was a fun brand. It wasn't like it wasn't like a you know mean sort of thing. It was like it's a nice gorilla. A gentle, gentle grill. We didn't wrestle a little bit token jokes. Yeah. Hello, Poppy. Okay, great. share yours with me.
Absolutely not. I want that fair and square. Yes. Okay. Rapid time for us to move on. I am a huge fan of this artists. That we're about to see I've had the absolute joy of watching and learning from him from most of my own artistic journey. He has a gift to this community and an artists worth watching Please give it up for our low Maverick.
We'd like to thank you for coming out tonight. You know they say a no place like home but do this music thing. We've been blessed enough to travel this globe, go to Europe go to Asia, poor crosses country go across this province. So what we're gonna do right now is take you with us. So we're going to make sure you have a good time. Make sure your bags are packed make sure you're ready to go. Take off in a minute. We don't do it like this. Are you ready? We're ready. We do it like 12123
I'm on a world tour and I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family on a world tour. And I'll take him off. I'll take him off him. I said I'll take him off on a world tour and I'll take him off. I'm taking my family. I said I'm taking my family I'm on the World Tour and I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family. I'm taking my first step of fear for place too much is that the chance you could say get the client to see the past and appears on pencil flying colors. My passport is covered in every country to hook up to Romana that I love awareness on this on a journey your precepts discover. I took my fantasy to go so they can protect you. When we focus on a ghost late nights disobedient chicken as we hold compensated about the future when we plant a crow Wrexham to London the five cent we love them to Lana rolling them maybe kids found a piece late I Stanford to see masa where did we reach your weapon ages Trump may say lucky because the only time the child was to Jamaica on the World Tour and I'm taking I'm taking my family. I said I'm taking my mom on a world tour. And I'm taking him off them. I'm taking my family. I'm taking him off. I'm on a world tour and don't take him off. Don't take don't take him on. I'm on a world tour and I'll take him off. I'm taking my family from Canada. I'm from Canada and I love the taste of cars. Listen, take a trip Come fly with me to a place where the music is rare. The music is really good trip. Come fly with me. Now tell me how does it take a trip? Come fly with me to the place where the music is where the music is. Now jam packed on a world tour and I'll take him off. I'm taking my family. I'm taking him off on a world tour. I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family to take him off on a world tour. I'm taking my family, I'll take him. I'll take him on a world tour. And I'm taking I'm taking my family and I'll take him up on a world tour and I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family. I'll take him my family. I'm on a world tour and I'm taking my family I'm taking my family. I'm taking my fam I'm on a world tour and I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family, I'm on a world tour and I'm taking my family. I'm taking my family I said I'm taking my family and
I'm on a world tour
so this first one we're gonna play for you is called the wall to the working man and I'm just gonna let it speak for itself
first step in myself seems further I slip away from the back then we get her Brexit I was told Tao is me. I'm not been in any that's cool. Oh, in fact, it's been worse if it's not the same, but to shave my bedding vain theme to sell
Zanon ablaze wham mine demons walk with a purpose in their stuff in a whole lot of grace begun.
A vicious death. Vicious sickening as you can see to go to war with the wicked man sad mind. So Sue is to
myself. I've got to prove that I'm swig my spirits because I've got nothing to lose exiled x z x shriek in this mess Oh, was it something that was Oh wait it's bound to be read. So bargain. I mean myself with Tao men. From down below. Call me the star. Love this thing free show bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla.
Work for Me Myself seems further away
from the fact in Figure this was not on sing has become clear. didn't make much sense. Being good might be wins
give it up for Matt John performing Waltz of the madman mark. I am a mad mad John fan. You are a mad mad John fan. Do you remember the first time you saw Matt John perform?
Yeah, it was in the backseat theater during Powell passed? Yes, it was walked out with the beat up guitar and ripped that first 10 and my face fell off. So I put my face back on. Yeah, yeah. I was like, What did I witness? You said me dark Yeah. Laughing looking at me going oh, you're kind of like that. I'm like yeah. And then they went on to say yeah, just you know, few months go picked up guitar started writing songs. Like you're better than so many humans. And you've been out for nine months. Are you getting right?
Yes. I cannot wait to see like I know Matt. John goes from here. It's pretty incredible. How many printers if you are just tuning in Welcome to the third annual fringe theatre telethon. We're streaming to you live. From the Westbury theater in support of 41 years of fringing and 41 more years of fringe yet to come. We're aiming to raise $15,000 in support at the Edmonton international fringe Theatre Festival today. Every donation over $20 will receive a charitable tax receipt call now our amazing personable interesting Operators are standing by call 780-448-9000
or one more in their like you went interesting and then you paused and then you went on like I wonder what that is bring that back at some point.
Okay, great. Well, we'll come back to that one. Great. Well also consulted with source before I come back on stage. Thank you so much. Time. I think we are ready to head right into our next segment. So we have a very special live performance today. Live Live in the space with us performing an excerpt from his show, Rocco and Nakota. Please welcome Josh Landau.
I'm standing by a tree and when I reach out to touch the tree i i can't. I can't because it feels empty and hollow, like a peanut shell without a peanut inside of it. Like if I touched it, it would crumble to dust right at my feet. Then I hear this terrifying sound above me, below me. All around me. Something is watching me something scary. Next thing I know I'm in the middle of a town and all around me are these cold red brick buildings and my eyes are both wet. And dry. Like the feeling you have when you've just stopped crying. And all through the town is this endless net of movement of people walking back and forth with this look on their face. Like they have something important they need to say but don't know how to say it. And next thing I know I need even deeper into the town and now I'm walking with them. And I'm no longer upset but hollow and empty. Just like the tree like a peanut shell without a peanut inside of it. Then I hear that terrifying sound again, it snaps me back to my senses above me, below me. All around me. What is watching me. So I start running. I start running as fast as I can out of that town up a hill down a hill, turn to the corner and there is sharp black feathers piercing black eyes staring right at me. A raven. It hops closer and looks at me even deeper than turns around. flies away. It's gone.
Next thing I know I'm back at the tree and this time when I reach out to touch the tree
it feels full. Just like the way a real tree trunk should feel. So I jump up and I try to grab the tallest part of the tree that I can then I hear that sound again that Raven that coldcock climb through the when I look up. I can't see it. But I know it's up there watching me and then the trees branches open up and fold around me. That's giving me a hug
the nice stand there afraid
it's somehow knowing I will be okay
yeah, my friend, my friend. What's it like performing in front of cameras instead of like humans,
it's a little stiffer. I just love feeding off of people's energy in front of a room and I mean there's some great beautiful energy in here but it's different when there's cameras pointed at my face and it doesn't have that like ancestral live visceral kind of response.
That's an important aspect of storytelling. Yeah. Yeah.
It's the idea of being in the room together the idea of breathing the same air together the idea of like we all show up in the same space together to live a to live a teaching live a dream live a moment together. It's very very important.
Okay, so let's tell everyone that's the your your show that story like that's you either come about let's let's find that out first.
Well actually it's funny because that's part of my solo show, Rocco and Nakota Tales from the language I toured back in 2018. And that this particular thing I shared with everybody, it it literally was inspired by like me being at the Banff Centre, realizing I had to like change what the show was going to be and being like, I don't know where I'm going to start. So I've just walking around the town I called my partner at the time talked it over then I'm like, leaving the town of Bamp and I saw a raven like right on the side of the road and it literally like stopped and stared at me and then flew away. And I had this moment of like, you know, change it's gonna be okay. But that little incident I kind of, you know, to use fancy language, mythologize dramatized Cosmo alized. And like made it this bigger than life kind of nightmarish story that happens about three quarters of the way into the show.
And you did that show on tour as well. Correct?
I did, I did the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals across Canada to where I did six different Fringe Festivals. The fourth I think being here at the Edmonton one, and I've never done anything like that before. It was my first taste like touring and like taking in another city and just being a part of an international festivals.
And so within that journey, like the there's probably very different personalities to each of these festivals you were at Yeah.
Oh, very much so like I think, not only was did each fringe feel differently, but each, like general audience felt very differently like eat well. I mean, every individual audience is different. But I found like, the overall energy like in Calgary was a very, very different energy than here. The energy here was a very, very different energy than in Victoria and they're just not better or worse. They're just different energies. It was really interesting. Just not being able to describe it, but just like sensing the different the different kinds of environments I was in.
Awesome. Okay, let's flip and meet the jocks that's been hanging with us for a little bit. Yeah. And talk about what what that is. Let's tell everybody a little bit about what you've been doing with us. Yeah, for
sure. So a little over a year ago, y'all brought me on and I'm super, super grateful of this to be the inaugural director of indigenous strategic planning where I've spent the whole year just kind of learning how fringe operates from the inside out and kind of taking notes meeting with people talking with people jamming with artists helping them dream same way I dream as an artist. Same way we all dream as sprinters. And I my kind of end goal was to write a plan which you inmates now have which I'm going to go back and like edit a bit and these plans are to make recommendations of how to bring more inclusiveness into indigeneity into the fringe into the festival into the day by day operations, how to build more relationships, build a better community. So it's a big step of a big journey. I think we're realizing that it's a huge it's a huge journey that just has to be taken bit by bit at a time.
Absolutely. And from that Rihanna became something that has joined us and has now become a part of this festival. Talk a little bit how it's different this year.
Yeah. So for those who around last year, pay on on was an actual venue. It was like a curated space that basically we allowed Indigenous artists to come in and have a night to do whatever they want it. So we had eight shows last year of like, play readings, new works, solo pieces, music, and it was just a space to be like, Hey, we are also here in this community. We're here showing up. What's different this year though, is we're not having a specific physical venue. The PE on on what was called the PE on on venue is now kind of the PE on on series where it's a series of same with eight, eight different individual indigenous shows, creators performers, and they're kind of woven into the festival. So you'll see some of them on the ATB outdoor stage you'll see some in the river lot just down the way from fringe. You'll see one little thing set up right by the teepee, one of the artists is performing at kids fringe. And it's great because Paone on in an idea is like a meeting place, a waiting place and a gathering place and that's kind of the intention behind it. It's a meeting place where Indigenous artists can come gather we all can come and gather and it's a waiting place for change and like the next step to happen for all of us. Yes,
we're thankful to have you. We're thankful that you're with us and the stuff you're doing is fantastic. can tell I don't have the clipboard so I have no idea what's going on. But I think we got to move on.
Both ways. I'm so happy to be here with you, Josh. So beautiful.
Thank you so much. Gosh, everyone.
Just so we're even left me, you know,
exactly leave you alone though. I left you with Josh.
Okay, so you want to like semantics are now a thing? Yeah. You still worry. I have no clipboard. Reading Glasses, no clipboard. I'm of no use to anyone. No,
I know this is true that yeah, I'm here. I'm here to write you. Hamer. Why are we here today?
Well, we're here today because we need to make an ask of our community to support us and make sure that we're gonna keep on going because it's pretty exciting. All the stuff we got going on and we feel very much like we serve community. So we're not we're asking community to help us serve them. Yes. That's what we're doing.
And we're if you could summarize what fringe does and just a few words, what would you say the purpose of fringe theatre is?
Principal lifts? Yes. leaves no one behind? Yes. And we tell stories,
and we tell stories, and we support artists. We are here because theater exists because artists have stories to tell because they want to connect with audiences. We cannot wait. We have Verizon Drash they told me this number the other day we have 862 Did I get that right artists come about coming to Festival this year performing in our 27 venues. program guides are now on sale. So head over to fringe theatre.ca Get out your highlighters Get out your spreadsheets, it's time to start making your fringe plan. And of course tickets go on sale next Wednesday, Wednesday at 12 noon, tickets and passes are back frequent fringes back
asked. Oh
amazing. Okay, listen. Pick up that phone dial that phone number on your screen visit fringe theatre.ca Help us fringe on for the next 41 years and more. More I think this is it. We've got our one of our live stream in the bag
we didn't want
but now I think it's time we heard a word from our sponsors and saw a few more sneak peeks from our festival artists. Enjoy.
There's a reason why we're admittance most trusted eustachian it's not just because we're here seven days a week. We're dedicated to Edmonton and committed to you bubble news. Our city our news.
Things are going to slide slide in all directions will be nothing nothing you can measure anymore. That will assert the blesser of the world has crossed the threshold, overturn the order of the soul. Now here's
the plan for the rest of the day at 1016 Exactly. I get home to the bathroom. Then drive back up to the university remembering and parking stuff for speeches from Shakespeare lovely and sad coma to 10 I take her to the bathroom. Just I rushed home late that is the plan
I love myself in and even though you and I don't live here anymore. I lit a match. I watched it burn down down down down. I bought some saunas rocking chair and dressing again to animate some enemies and I can never tell when good things come to me but I see the shadows of lovers shadows or lovers I left in the shoe oh
the lyrics to another song to Allah made some enemies and I can never tell when good things come to me but I see the shadows behind shadows finally
hiding
in a mess of blissful memory I've got this pistol shot saying made some enemies and never challenged good thanks count to me. I see all the shadows I see the shadows they keep following me. I see all the shadows
don't miss data Welcome back for insurers that was Lindsay Walker performing shadows from her album this desolate bliss. Now Lindsay is no stranger to fringe. She was the 2020 Westbury fringe Theatre Award winner. She recently penned her very first musical as part of our 2021 22 season. Oh
Hannah's that project is small and it's fine. On the hand, come on.
Yeah, this one that I can't write about what you've seen her on our festival stages. You absolutely seen her sing the house down at the late night cabaret was the punters like tell me. She doesn't have a voice to bring you to your knees. It's amazing.
That killer band is acid. Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey because like Lindsey get so excited for the band band get so excited for Lindsay. So
Lindsay has a new role with us this year. Oh yeah. What are you doing with that? She's gonna
program some music as our music curator. going on in that way beat dark held down so many roles as Bedard does. But we now have a music period.
Yes, Lindsey Walker, which makes so much sense riding the outdoor stage. Working with the Panthers from late night cabaret. Yes, we are going to have an incredible lineup. of live music at the festival this year. Yes, that's amazing. Hamer. We have a little update from our operators. In our one y'all we have raised just about $1,000 in support of our $15,000 goal to help the future of fringe. We've got some like adorable sticky notes. Management snuck up on here in the break. So thank you, Gordon, Aaron. Page Jesse Catherine Shauna, we've got a few anonymous folks, we love you too. Thank you so much for your help. today. Our Operators are standing by please call 780-448-9000 or visit fringe theatre.ca To make a gift. A reminder, everything over $20 receives a charitable tax receipt and I promise you every dollar counts.
It does. Absolutely yes. Thanks. It's time was it time for
it's time for our big announcement. Oh,
my God, I forgot about the big announcement.
I have a very big announcement. Okay. It's, it's been a long while since we have hosted something like this. But this year, we wanted to say thank you to our incredible community, our artists, our volunteers, our donors, our sponsors, our patrons, our community partners. And you of course for standing by fringe and the live entertainment industry during the pandemic. Because of your love and support. We are making a return to live events. And what we are about to announce is this stuff of fringe lore, the very first of its kind took place in 1984 We are live in 1984 I was alive. I won't tell you how alive but I was alive. Are you alive in 1984?
Yeah, I want to tell you that I might have been in junior high or something like that. I don't know. Maybe but I won't tell you that.
Anyway, it's time it's time. Drumroll please.
Drum roll down goes to paper, one paper,
excited to announce the return of the Free French three party on Wednesday, August 10 at 6:30pm on our outdoor stage and ATV park that's the corner of 104 Street and 83rd Avenue. We are throwing an all ages free street party featuring whom or who is bracing ourselves.
We gotta like we got a few few bands comment, you know, you kick it off with like sciatica and murder Hornets their local bands so amazing. Sanford cafe's gonna come around cool creation. I mean nobody calls in creation. And then we're gonna walk into Sudan archives. Why? Walk into the hallucination featuring creation.
Like, oh my God did this. We did that. It's happening. And we did this thanks to the support of Canadian Heritage. They have supported this event. They when we came to them and said, Hey, we want to do a wild thing. We want to bring back the free street party. They said heck yes, we're in. So so grateful for that support for
our team to pull off the Herculean efforts of these riders that are like you know what? I gotta get both those bands pretty, pretty good props that the riders weren't that
but in fact let me show we're gonna have video oh, oh. Oh, it is it is epic. Yes. So the park will be open any third app will be activated, the wine tents will be opened and we mentioned it's all ages and free. Yeah, come join us Wednesday, August 10 630. In the park, we can't wait to see you. Head on over to French theater.ca for more information. I'm
gonna entertain you from 630 right through to the city makes us get quiet again. Because it's gonna be loud
because we have fun. We are very good at following rules.
Look at me. I am a rule follower.
Okay, my clipboard says it's just about time for shenanigan number two. I'm still Rick I broke a sweat.
And I was breaking all my reading glasses. Do I need my reading glasses? And then I'm like I don't know. Let's go. I'm flying blind.
But I hear we have another shenanigans coming up in just a few minutes here. But if you're just tuning in, welcome we are streaming to you live from the Westbury theatre here in the French Theatre Arts burns all in support of the future of the Edmonton International French Theatre Festival where we are the largest longest running French Theatre Festival in North America.
That is true. That is true. That's very true.
Where do we rank worldwide?
We float around in like the top four, five in the world. On real
Yeah, we are we're up there alongside the mother of all fringes. Edinburgh Fringe. Absolutely. Adelaide Adelaide is the other big one.
Yeah. There's a it's almost a some would argue that it's a comedy festival which is why sometimes we're like, does
the top three is
there yeah, there's massive, massive events that we are spoken with in the same breath. Right? We I just got a call from New York City and, and as a human coming to us from New York City because all they said was we heard so much about your festival. And we're coming because we want to look at some shows and
this is what's happening. We've got we've got folks from the Orlando fringe, Toronto fringe, Montreal fringe,
all of your friends come for the street party.
They're coming to fringe with us this summer, because I think it's been a while since we've been together as a fringe and community and we are just so excited to share space with them.
And we are family. Yeah, we're family. Absolutely.
We like to call it family that's right into that. Um, or what is something that you are most looking forward to at the festival this year?
Okay, so I still can't talk about some of the things
No, no still have more to announce because we really jam packed right,
it tripped me up. There's this little party that we just talked about. It's gonna happen on Wednesday. Yes. What the heck? Oh my gosh. Also, no fences. That makes me pretty happy. I think I make a lot of people very happy. But we're International. There are international artists that have been on a list waiting to come to us since 2020. And they're coming
and we talked about this last year. You know, we had a hyper local version of the festival last year, but there were some pretty important pieces of the fringe ecology that were missing last year. We didn't have our outdoor performers. Our buskers weren't here. We couldn't invite the whole world to come down to the grounds we had to like cap attendance. In the park. But we really missed our international artists.
Yeah, it's such an important piece and, and, and you know what else back that I'm very excited about? Because I was so I was such a lost soul at 11pm when there was no party to find. I would just be like, do I just go oh, what's happening? I don't understand. Like, we're going no, we're not so the parties back.
The party is back. Our beers hands are back. Yes, yes. The wine tent on the 23rd is making a grand return. We of course have licensed all of ATV parks so you can grab the big rock beer you can sit down you can watch the outdoor stage. We've got the community patio just out front the doors of the French Theatre Arts barns this year. We've got our amazing Ambassador team. I like to think of them as like the kitchen party hosts of the festival. They're just out there to make your fringe, the most amazing. And then of course the North beer tent the natural habitat of the artists in the festival.
Absolutely. And our cats knocked it out of the park but bringing the food on back. Yeah, all the food and artisans that are coming in. It's like it's alive. It's gonna be this one's gonna be so alive and it's so exciting. And
we've got the artists and ally on 84th this year. It's so exciting. There's just so much to look forward to what is what's the thing what's the first thing you're going to do on day one of the festival?
Um, I think I'm gonna go stand in the middle of the park and just take it all in
take it all in. That is my favorite thing to do when it all
goes. And you know what? I'm going to look for him and look for the first timer of all the ways whether it's the first time staff or first time audience, you see them, it's and it's the most amazing thing because until it gets here, you can talk about it all you want, but until it gets here. You don't know that's true. And then when it gets here you're like,
oh, oh, yeah, yeah.
So whether you were a first time infringer or you've been doing this with us for 41 years, your support means the absolute world to us. Please give us a shout call us at 780-448-9000 our operators are standing by or you can make a gift online anytime at Fringe theatre.ca
What's the first thing you're gonna do? Well,
we're gonna have to tell you after we come back from this break, it's almost time for Chanel. Again. Right I'm traveling because I just buried my grandmother she never talked about St Kilda but I know letting go long apart getting old and the mess that goes with that that's where the truth in the
beauty of life exists. For women, for fights with mental health, for stories, under the influence will touch your heart in a way that provokes both. laughter and tears.
Welcome back. vengers mer I don't know what we're about to get ourselves into shenanigans number two, that's all it says on my clipboard which I think I now need to put down yes, yeah. Okay. Gents back on the god. I'm terrified. I'm everywhere. Okay. All right. Jen laid on us. All right, everyone. It's time for
the wheel of destiny.
Yeah. I just don't want to honor I just want to honor like to the tee match right up, y'all. This is so great. Okay, very good. Andre. Ready for me. So then
it's my favorite number. What's the what's the stone ask? Okay.
Just don't ask. Just ignore it. Yep.
All right. Nothing to see here.
This challenge is called dress to impress. So we have some pretty fun merch on our fringe shop, including some new items coming this year. Oh wow. Okay, so our challenge for you is how many items can you put on at once? You will have till the end of this sexy putting on clothes music to put on as much merch as you possibly can. You are not being judged on just how many you put on, but also how you style the look. Are you ready to go?
Yeah, no we're so ready. All right.
Let's go tubers looking great. On both of you. All right. Time is almost up. And we're done. You both look so great. This is beautiful. Yeah, show it off to the cameras give a little twirl of your fashion. Oh my gosh.
Oh, beautiful. Beautiful. All right, so for doing such an amazing job. And for your hard work and impeccable style. For this one, you both get a prize and you both get sand to start your very own fringe destination spot. Congratulations.
Are we going to need this later?
Okay, no, checking.
Don't eat this.
Don't eat it. Don't eat the sand. No.
Oh my god some sand.
Okay printers. If you want to see when I get thrust into completely unpredictable situations that we absolutely did not see coming. I like your green onion cakes. You better head to those phones or to the internet's and make your donation now because I'm pretty sure the more you give the more ridiculous this scenario gets is something I've heard rumored. Look Great. Thank you. You look like you just rolled out of
Pilar coats at a party and I woke
up we went to Tappan that's what just happened. Um, for those just tuning in. Welcome to the third annual fringe theatre telethon in all of its fashionable glory. We are here today raising funds in support of the future of fringe. You will of course for every gift over $20 receive a charitable tax receipt as well as our undying love. I'll share my sand appreciation and some of Murray sand. Thank you so much for your generosity, a gentle reminder to that yes, you can make a one time gift but you know what really makes a difference is when people become monthly donors Yes, small even as $10 can go an incredibly long way in supporting our operations as a charitable arts organization.
You too could have issues.
I don't think that's honest anyway. Oh my gosh. Hey, Soos management team. How are we doing on time?
We got Ian,
I'm getting out of that. Oh, yeah. I've
been undressing the whole time.
This is amazing. Okay. But for real if you go to shop dot fringe theatre.ca you can to pick up your own sassy fringe merch
and we talked about coulis bag as
they are looking at new tote bag gender those for sale on the shop already. I think we got tubers
and your brand would not be complete without
Kate, Selena, how many different ways can you wear a tuba
Can you demonstrate?
Can you how fast could you demonstrate wearing a tuba but
you gave me shots pretty cool. You want to you wanna you're gonna kill me? Because I can't come on get up here so like, prepare to be impressed by this is cool.
I think we actually order tuba specifically for Selena. Absolutely. Hi Selena. Selena. Wait first. Hi, you are the technical director of French theatre. Lena is the reason why this building operates right now,
okay. Yeah, okay, we got you.
Okay, so this is a tuba. There are lots of different ways you can use it. You can use it as like a sweat band. So like, you know if it's really hot day, sweat. This is my personal favorite. This is the one I wear the most. You turn it upside down like this. You facepalm
Yeah, okay, yeah, flip it back. This is a real mid fest move. is what's happening. Yeah. It's a whole new moment. I love it.
I find when I'm like, you know, when we're building the sets and we're getting the theaters ready. Yes. This will like keep the back of that neck dry.
Yeah, because those theaters are hot.
Yeah, this one so you can do I used to be able to do this I don't have super long hair anymore. So this is gonna look a bismal but
I just crunchy to also
make it a scrunchie tubers
the wonder, the wonder fashion item and oh my gosh, thanks. Thank you. Yes. Are you gonna keep those shoes on all day? Yes. He says as he kicks them off. Oh my god.
You just bombed me there. I could totally hear the undertones like you're not like underwear
though. Oh, no, no, I genuinely wanted you to wear them for the next three hours.
They're awesome. But
um, Maria, if you could relay one of your best fringe memories, what would it be? And like you'd have to do it quickly. This is not a 20 minute Murray journey into the past. What does that mean? Has anyone ever heard this guy tell a story.
Okay, the one year I thought it was marked Mir and I'm like, I'm gonna do all the shows. I'm gonna be in everything.
My career does do all the show. Right? I'm
like, I can do that. Y'all. pharyngitis don't do that. Because back in the day, I won't mention the name my court literally scheduled me so that I had to go for one show that I finished. I ran out of the venue stage. Manager behind me peeling clothes off. Ran through to I'm going to King Edie. I got right down to like, you know, the bare minimum met my other stage manager to start putting clothes on, ran into the venue and my heart was gone. It had opened the show from backstage on a snare drum doing like a drum March. Your heart goal you're trying to go like that was hard. My sweat dripping on the snare that anytime I hit the snare just like sweat drops. We're flying back up. The year I thought it was Mark mir
I was that fast. Yeah, that was I'm impressed. That is very good. That's very good.
stage managers. Please love them. Have they got have them always worship them. And your technicians? Yes. Yeah, absolutely a muster
all glue that holds theater together. That's right behind the scenes a huge thank you to all of our technicians behind the scenes who no one out there can see right now but I assure you they're here. They look very good and black. There they are. Yes. Meaning and they're coordinating blacks running those cameras running those microphones muting Murray when he said something inappropriate, which I haven't done yet. Oh, what's so proud of us? We've made it this far. We've made it this far. You should absolutely have a shirt
like you shouldn't be.
Oh, maybe I will just wear this for the rest of today.
I would I would believe in
that. Okay, so where we are here today raising funds in support. of the future of friends. Yes, please head on over to French theater.ca You can make a donation anytime fun fact French Theatre is a charity all your lung? Sure you don't just need to donate today. You can donate any day of the year I headed over to our website, or if you want to have a chat with someone who is equally as passionate about fringe as you are pick up that phone call 780-448-9000 our operators are standing by and our phones are being manned today by our staff by our incredibly passionate, skilled staff who build and make this festival possible. Every year. We have a small army of like 200 people who come together every summer to make this festival possible. We absolutely could not do it without the help of our team. But it looks like it's time for us to move on. Speaking of our team, we are about to see an interview with Gerald Osborne, who is our beloved fringe theatre office manager. He's been with our organization for more than 30 years and now as the title of the official fringe historian, he's the keeper of the fringe timeline. I learned something new from Gerald every day
you get two birds you get the after midnight or the PG rated whatever
you want the dark timeline, it's fine. And Gerald is interviewing Lindy Mullen parents so Lindy is managing our events for festival this year. She has been on the fringe team for quite a while now. She's the heart of what we do. But Linda, your parents were street performers your first festival was like in a bassinet. Well, your parents performed Am I right? Amazing. Okay, let's see that interview now. Here.
I'm so excited for their near and dear to my heart. I have Gerald Osborne, who is the fringe office manager and also keep her a fringe folklore, history. And then I also have Louisa and Connell Mullen, who are suffering street performers. And most of all my parents
about the fringes that you're doing these things and like I did my first show I did at the fringe. You know, you're rehearsing in the living room or whatever getting this thing ready. And then you do you go to the theater that the show was at, and in our case there was this lineup all around the corner and you just shocked that people are paying back then they were paying $3 So it wasn't really that much of a commitment. But so then, are there any fringe anecdotes you can think of like something really good or something really bad?
I can take something really bad.
I think people would prefer to do that.
We have some good stuff. A lot of good stuff.
I'll start with the bad and the bad. The bad
was it might have been that 89 That one. And we were coming back at a friend's i know i i was going to do fire racing. Right. Louisa talked me into it. So I got these fire torches. Oh, come on. Fire torches. Perfect. I'm going to eat the fire. So I had a top hat. And we rigged it up so that we could fill it with gasoline horror idea. Again, fill it with gasoline press a button and all these flames which should out she's standing there with a bucket of water except there's no water in
an empty pocket.
She's going to throw the water on me pretend and then I press another button and the flames get extinguished. And all these beautiful people flowers pop up. Oh, hey, it was a great act. It was super one of the best acts in North America at the time. And then we go out on stage. I'm doing it we were doing it at the gazebo 6pm Saturday night. 1000 people on the Hill again. Yeah, exactly. What happened? I eat the fire crowd Gazoo ah I pressed the button. Flames shoot out. Crowd goes ooh, ah. We put too much gasoline into the hat. You're going to catch I go. I used to have hair and eyebrows. The hat goes on fire. I'm running up and down. We just deal with the empty pocket. Like this. And then like treat the hand on the ground and there was grass at the gazebo and it was dry and the gas the gasoline spilled out the grass catches fire. And I get another big standing ovation. People running up there. So that was yeah, I still get nightmares about that
went oh my goodness. We probably up the insurance that year.
I think I stopped using fire in my shows after the accident.
So do you do you recall any of the other buskers that are the street performers that were around you at the
tow? Yeah, those Rob Rob. There was Ron Pearson and Bob Palmer who are here. No right today. Yeah, they're a couple they are. They're doing shows here right now. And Fred Anderson. Okay. Yeah. And also lots of Ghazal right. Yeah, there's a whole sort of culture. Oh, yeah. And that's it was so good to us.
And at the beginning I think that the fringes are still are building you know, they're starting to come up and that sort of thing. So you guys were part of that which was which was fantastic. Okay, this is what my researcher you were performing is, you know mug while you were mugs Mullen show and then pulled you in and it became mugs and Lou. And you were mugs and Lou for a couple of years and then all of a sudden, yeah, 1992 and then 1993. It's malarkey. So what happened there and it's some kind of suddenly something
very major happens. Here. We got there's the mugs and Lou. We even have the T shirts. We still wearing them every day. That's the mugs Marlon. Okay. Do I have the mugs Did you? Oh, she's she had a mugs model. For a while. Okay. Perfect. It was supposed to be pure, but then they realized there was only one mode. So we just, yeah, go ahead. Yeah, I guess because that year, we have we have binder 92
I was suspecting something like that, but that wasn't sure. So So then you're striking her on your own?
Yeah, she kicked me out of the wedding. That was right. So I was doing the fringe that was probably 2012 And I hurt my foot and I was in kind of, you know, oh, and this really struck me. Gasol was there performing. I believe it was that year and he came up and he said, you know, you're a warrior and he sort of hit me on the back and said, It just totally encouraged me. And I felt so good. And that was the epitome of what happens at the fringe. It was other performers coming up in encouraging us sharing and sharing your energy and making you feel good. So I, I feel really for the fringe for the people here for the performers here. For the people who are running it we're doing all the work and for the volunteers and the artists and everybody and the audience's Yeah, they just make the lift life up and they make life really, really super
good note to to end on here. So yay, we have so much fringe family, the first fringe thanks so much. billion dollars.
Just taco chips be Hi, Tara,
you want to tackle chip?
No, no, no, no, I've got an appetite for real fire. Suit yourself. To tell you these things. are hot.
Welcome back fringe jurors for those just tuning in you we are coming to you live from the Westboro Theatre in support of the third annual fringe theatre telethon. We are raising funds today for the future of fringe. Here we are here we armor and you know as a charitable arts organization when you give to fringe theatre, you directly support artists, you help us build community and you ensure that we continue to fringe on for 41 years and more probably way more way more than that
absolutely forever.
You bet potentially forever long after we leave this organization, our friendly Operators are standing by please pick up that phone call 780-448-9000 or visit fringe theatre.ca To make your gift now. reminder every gift over $20 does receive a charitable tax receipt and if you want you can let your operator know that we should shout you out and we'll put your name on this cute sign here behind us but there's a human live human being here with us right now.
Well, the current and makes you mentioned the idea of future the future of friends. Yes, sir. Well, I gotta tell you the future of art and music is in really good hands too with the introduction of this human who I have kind of a huge fan of as well. So I think you're all going to agree after you hear the pipes on this one. It's my pleasure to introduce you to Kaylee Jade
who will young brain me a stone this smoothen Oh, William brain me stone for Maria William brain me a stone with the way boom. William bring into me. Will you find me a little Nui give me a crown to sit on my own Yeah. Oh my head and go me did you say do lonely me. Oh tiny hole me close my eyes I'll see you my head shall hold you my jailbreak for the lungs feel my heart shall break for the lungs will you find me again? Limbs guides will you come home when the moon turns will you owe me close?
Friend
when it's time to reach my n o class Bill
any make
my eyes jossey My head shall hold you shall be for lunch meal. I shall break for the lungs. My jailbreak for the lungs. Feel my jailbreak for the
app Oh my God. Hi, Kaylee. How's it going guys? Good. How are you? Good. I love your new friend thing. How long she been with you
two whole years?
Yeah, so. Okay. You
are graduated in acting school not too long ago. Yes 2020 And then you have a band and music and you're just like doing it all yeah
yeah
that's what I'm that's what I'm doing right now. It's all all of it.
So is there was there one that came before the other but the music come first actually come to they come the same time they had their role. It
was really similar. I I did my first musical when I was like eight. I did I played Gretel in The Sound of Music Festival place and and yeah, from there I just sort of started doing doing both like I kind of did singing more for a little bit and then I when I reach high school it was like you know why? Let's like get back more into theater. So yeah, just been doing both.
Awesome. Um, I saw you in a show earlier this year that you had a lot to do with in in creating it and it's, it blew my mind, actually. Do you want to talk a bit about that experience? Because now Was that your first time? Like writing a score to a musical and writing songs to a musical?
Yes, it was my first time. Yeah. So I was called to head and halfhearted and it premiered with Northern Light theatre at Fringe theatre adventures in this building. For Trevor first approached me in 2020. And he's like, hey, you've been you've been recommended to me and I have I have a I have a thing that I want to pitch to you and I want you to do the music. I was like, Okay, what is it? And he's like, Well, it is a prairie Gothic song cycle about mythology and mermaids for conjoined twins. And I was like, wow, that's that sounds interesting. But I said yes. And I'm really glad I did because it turned out to be Yeah, a project that's very very near and dear to my heart, a lot about sisterhood a lot about identity and finding a sense of self when you're tied to someone else when you are like with someone else all the time. How do you do that?
And you and Rebecca were wearing the same costume? Yes. Yeah. Kind of beautiful costume. Beautiful. Oh, I love this. Yeah. And
the complexity that that when I was watching it, I wondered if the audience was like, had any sort of Badme how difficult it was each having one hand. Rebecca will be strumming the guitar Kaylee's running the fretboard. They're both sing and then they go into harmonies like it was just what is happening. Not to mention I was like, where's your other leg? That's it. What's it doing right now? And I remember I said weeks super comfortable. They made it so great that I was like, you know, but it was such a great show. And so good. First fringe.
My first fringe i was i Oh my gosh, I was probably like 11 or 12. I don't know. But that was that was when I was doing the singing thing like around Everton quite a bit. And I think we performed at kids fringe. Like we were in a tent. I remember that. And we were just like singing our little songs and stuff so
well, you're gonna be in our music series too. Yeah,
yeah. I
am. That's so awesome. That's a Friday night. I understand. Yes,
Friday, August 12. It'll be me and the whole band, which also includes some other local Edmonton actors. I have Gabriel Gagnon on guitar and Megan sweet on the keys. And Megan's doing like a lot in French. Yeah, I'm out there doing a lot of
stuff for sure. I heard from the BYOB producer a couple times. All right, God, how about scheduling.
Sure, though, like, French artists are a bit bonkers. That way they take on so much.
You bet. It's just such a great celebration, but also, music is so back, like and you're pretty geeked out Yeah,
it's been such a wonderfully busy summer like I'm so happy. Yeah, like doing lots of stuff kind of like a few a weekend for sure. Kind of consistently, which is Yeah, it feels really good. Especially after, after the live stream thing for so long. People feel good. Action.
So you got a gig.
I do. Yes. I'm playing a World Music Week at Horlock Park. It's a free show. I believe. Tickets are 1000. But no, we're doors open at five and they'll be some amazing Indigenous artists digging roots is playing Billy Joe Green, Bill Birdsong, Miller and then some other some other local talents. So
amazing beans. What are they coming up September? I think I'd love you to tell people about Yeah, so
I'm releasing my debut full length album in September and we're gonna be playing our release party. I think on the 24th Everything's still getting ironed. Out. But market calendars will be really fun. Have some great other acts plan to awesome.
I'm gonna get that TD especially if you gotta put it in. You're gonna get to have a cassette.
Maybe we'll see. I'm hoping to do like CD and vinyl for sure. But I never open Yeah,
cassettes. are coming back though.
They're little collector's items.
It's so great. Okay, um, you know what, let's do another song. Yeah, please. Okay.
This one is the single that I just put out. Back in April and it's called ego
stop and think go I could have avoided you if I just stayed on the warnings. Now I'm drunk and I'm vibing on the coats was a minor thing. I learned something OOMing brushing over and I'm drowning business is not my style. I'm trying not to make a scene much more fragile than your ego. Although I didn't buy didn't tear you. Jandy scattered like snow. If I could let go the know.
Oh
1000 Lights of flashing. Oh, sing binding. I'm the epicenter in finding the voice to speaking after louder through mapping
my eyebrow
of my fragile belly or ego
holding by dentaire you are Jandy Scattered snow if I could let go the notes down below.
Wish you hated me?
Oh do you see us in my child in show wish you me don't care how you feel about it cuse me then you do
my hard road more fragile than your ego all due worms by Jerry you
dandy if I
let it go down I won but it's so damn
on the snow if I could let it go then oh thank you yeah, you're great.
Thank you so great. Oh, not mentioned that not a clipboard. What's happening? I think. Grinch
spell that for me
you gotten
rid of the work of fandom. A lemon is a story with sexually explicit themes or situations. Let me read you a sample. fumbling in her haste Wendy undid the class of Aaron skirt. Her clever hands glided over errands. She grabbed a handful of soft dewy, her middle finger to Aaron's grip tightened as she stroked Wendy's Mr coffee the sun is shining my spirits are literally like my field
was incredible it's so funny. It's
so smart. But it's also like kind of amazing and incredible artistry and yeah, I've never seen anything like it you will never see anything like this. Whatever your expectations
are. fighting for his life. Alexandra Hospital,
really? Ready to chase after halfway across the province.
My soul prompts once I get you into the air. It's back on the ground
Welcome back Rangers. We are so happy you're here. Welcome to the third annual fringe theatre telethon. We just got word from our operators that we've reached a very exciting milestone in our fundraising goals. today. We have surpassed $2,500 in donations, which means we get to light up our first ladder.
Oh my god.
Thanks. I always think when we come back, you're always running and I know runner
just running on the spot. We're so excited. We have some some folks that we need to thank who have made donations today. I'm so excited to just shout these folks out. Shawna Scott. Thank you. Not only is Shana a donor she is also a board member just joined our board last year. Sean has enthusiasm is contagious. We are so grateful for all of the ways you support us. Just you own board member amazing also works with our lead partner and sponsor ATP of course without whom the Fringe Festival would not be possible. Entirely grateful for your support Jessie. Thank you so much. Oh,
had a big hand in a documentary that we made.
We made a documentary a lot over the last couple of years and it
was like we basically recruited China and they surely are president and James and boom
and away we go on the way we go.
Just grab you and never let you go.
Once you're part of friends, you can never leave. Janice Glinsky thank you so much for your support. Barban can go home or they donors they're also parents of some of our fringe staff. Thank you so much family gone. We appreciate you always. They're supportive. They come to every fringe event. They come see shows. It's such a joy. I Katherine and Gordon Gordy. Thank you so much. And Claire Scott, thank you a million times. Thank you. You helped make fringe possible. A huge shout out to the production team working constant magic behind the scenes here and to our admin team back in the office, answering phones, processing donations, keeping the spirit of fringe alive and well. Thank you all for your incredible support. I am I get very emotional when I talk about the festival because what happens here during the 11 days of fringe doesn't happen anywhere else in the world. There is something spectacularly magical about Edmonton and about the way the fringe comes together the way the community supports it. It's unlike any other event I've ever been to in my life.
Every time it happens, I feel just so I'm like I get to be part of this. I am a part of this. And it's like the most amazing thing.
I pinch myself every day that my job is to come to this building and to help support this incredible event that happens that is lifted up by 1000s We are a staff of 200 We are 1000 volunteers. We are 1000 artists. We are hundreds of 1000s of patrons who come together every year to make fringe possible. It does
take the entire community to be a part of this magic and they feel a part of it and that is special
and so special. which means of course vengers That your gifts matter when you donate to fringe theatre you directly support artists you directly build community you help make fringe happen. We are so grateful for all of the ways you lift us up. When you give we can all fringe forever and of course every gift over $20 receives a charitable tax receipt because fringe Theatre is a charity. We are a charity. We're fun but more as a charity we serve and builds community. Absolutely. What does that mean to you?
That means opportunity where some may not think opportunity could be for them a path that they may never have thought of that could be opened for them. It is something that is in telling stories. It takes so many pieces to make those stories happen. Right? It's not bricks and mortar. Right? It's not it's not just like, you know, putting up a tent it is human beings investing in each other and counting on each other to get things done. Yes, right and that is what the magic is because you can talk about it all you want, but until you experience, feel it see it, be a part of it. Then you go oh, oh, I didn't see that coming.
If you were to give a first time fringer A piece of advice. Yep. What would that be?
Take a chance. Yes. Right. If you got a swing and a miss, step up to bat again and go out to the next one. You go and don't limit yourself. Don't say to yourself, oh, maybe I'm not gonna like that. Maybe I'm not into that. Don't do that to yourself. Really. The surprise that can happen for you. You'll be like I didn't even know myself at this moment. Holy crap. I liked that show.
Because we have 160 plus shows in every genre imaginable, this festival
and people they like it by genre and I even shake some of the frequent vendors loose to go Yeah, yeah, but also, don't just do it by genre. check some other stuff, though. Because how do you know until you know, right? Try it. Yes. Right. And it's fun. Yes. And we're here for you to help you. Right. I tell the first time artists all the time. Reach out to me reach out to this test on the other end of the phone when they call in like as test anything test is done at all. Help you up. Most of the people here that work with us are also at the fringe doing things
and of course our artists, family and volunteers who've been supporting this festival for 41 years. Oh my God, they are there to support your friends journey helped make your fringe awesome. They will answer your questions. They will make sure you get your tickets they will make sure your beer is cold like they really helped make the festival happen. I
love that and always love production. When in doubt ask production
when in doubt as production that is the golden rule at friend's wedding. Don't be nice to everybody. Yes, please be kind. So we're back this August. Next Wednesday. Tickets go on sale at 12 Noon passes are coming back this year. Of course. We had to suspend them last year because the festival was so small but not this year. Passes are back been asked about Mr. Rogers get ready get your highlighters out, get your spreadsheets going. What else can we expect? This year I know we've we've talked a few about a few things but pay Honan is back in a different iteration. This year. We will have a beautiful teepee in the heart of the ground absolutely work community gatherings conversations performances. The ATV community patio has moved locations we are now just outside the main Westbury doors here. It's going to be supported by our ambassador team or kitchen party hosts of the festival who will be there to help you fringe. What about the yep Yag fringe project we're
well before we dip our toes in Yeah, let's start the livestream venue
the live stream venue is also making a comeback this year and
Andrea is just like putting together a lineup there. That is such a great way for we just threw some stuff at the wall and like how does this thing go and I love it. Our team is looking good. What are you talking about? And then just say okay, let's do it. And it's like, yeah, artists interviewing artists was this beautiful surprise, like Andre offered that up? And then I saw the first one was like, Oh, this is amazing and so much possibility. Right? So this year, we want to say to some of these artists that we're gonna line up to talk to each other. Go see each other show ahead of time. Right then let's sit down, have a conversation. There is a number of things that are in that live stream venue that are so great. There's going to be like a CD release party of a comedy album, like all the trailers that you want to know what's going on to tune into that channel. It'll be like those will be flinging around by thanks to the magic of Evan and Dana and key John, everybody that's, you know, just making some stuff happen and it's live. And we're going to record trailers for all the artists that haven't got the means to do that on their own and then just give it to them as well as put it up on our channel. So amazing. We're getting back to Yeah,
yeah. Okay, I'm getting the two minute warning the
two minute warning,
explain the Yep. Yag fringe project in two minutes or less.
Well, Mayor Dart is a grant finder writer extraordinaire and just kind of keeps finding all the projects and and so we just keep dreaming them up. We identified there's a community right now. The 1217 not really like at our festival, right? If you're a Kool Aid, you're probably not going to kids fringe. And you know, like what kids range is great. Don't get me wrong. Yeah. About that. Yeah, but I'm like, but there's this 12 or 17 by each other and for each other. That was sort of the the idea behind it. So we've taken and we were successful in starting this project that we've been talking about for a while now. And we're going to take and put a trip together, wherever banks are going to say, hey, come join us for the festival and we're going to make your friend Joss and we're going to introduce you to areas that you're interested in is Park performance, Park Community Park collaboration, mentorship, mentorship, all the way through. Yeah. And then there's other components too, which talks about community, right? And we've got these incredible youth coops, we got ihuman that we're always with. There's going to be animation on this site to come and join and there's going to be a free while they're going to be like if there's so much happening so much so
much happening and so much candidates to friends with you. Reminder folks phone lines are open call 780-448-9000 or visit fringe theatre.ca right now to support the future of fringe I think it's time to go to some more content. So here we go. 448 This is my son.
There's a reason why we're Edmonds most trusted news station. It's not just because we're here seven days. We're dedicated to Edmonton and committed to you global news. Our city our news.
Gonna be getting a poem called Old Town kid a lesson to learn lock yourself in your fiddle in a room all winter and practice. A poem keeps going when I do my show. I'm Ken Waldman. When I do my show portrait north of Santa Claus, the post Trump edition. I'll be going into the audience and every time I do a poem, or fiddle tune I'll be giving away the book or CD.
Now is the time.
Welcome back Rangers. We're coming to you live from the West Bay Theatre in support of our third annual fringe theatre telethon. We are raising funds in support of the future of fringe today.
How can we prove that we're live?
Like I think we've been doing it all day. Okay. Great.
I mean, just trust us.
You know what it says on my sheet there's another shenanigan coming up. Doesn't say on my sheet. What? What that shenanigan is Oh, yeah, I'm still recovering from the last shenanigans. Yes. So ready.
Last game, you actually need it so you know where it's coming from and who it is.
Wow. Okay. It's a time to
time to shenanigan voices.
Oh, yeah, it is. Yeah. shenanigan number three, everyone.
All right. It's once again time for staying with me. We'll
see, can we gotta do this coordinated. Ready? 123. I'm running away like it's going to explode.
Number one. Hey,
this challenge is called don't get twisted. Oh, so we will be doing a Megan squat for this one. So Megan are amazing interim technical director will switch with Megan our exec Yeah, sorry. So our Tech's helped make sure venues in sight are running smoothly. And today Marie, we're gonna have you compete like a tech. Okay, so cable coiling competition, okay. So your goal is to coil this 50 foot cable as quickly and cleanly as possible.
So first you got to uncoil it.
Yeah. All right. Are you too ready? Yep. So ready. Cue the music
Meghan's going Oh no, I had a kink. I paid a kink. I got cocky. Oh my gosh. Unexpected
did anybody know the twist all along? Do all the audio people know? Sabotage?
Twist.
knots in mine. I'm calling savage.
Murray for shockingly winning that one. Allow you to keep your belt. And for this though, yep. Megan. We will also be giving you a prize
to reward our incredible intern technical director we will prove we're providing an amazingly stylish and practical unbelt Intrepid. It will also be provided to technicians and production staff during the festival to help keep their pens up and the show going Can we get a new wind and you Yeah, thank
you say these belts are wildly comfortable.
So I just like to know is there anybody in this room that had any hope that I would do this?
Simon is the only one who believes in Oh my I'm impressed. Yeah. You
don't even know what I used to do. And I I don't
know where you have 12 timelines that you have
an accurate you know, you make money on the tech side. So you know you didn't use like, I don't know, like loadouts and loadings for bands and cleanup after Folk Fest and then I volunteered for interstellar for the Oh, I missed that festival for a long time. Yeah, I got I got taught I got taught the right way to do things like fuck Shut up. I did that you did. I broke the seal everybody
to ours and we swore. Oh, thank you, Selena. This is a good time to remind folks that our festivals, the uninsured and uncensored what happens on stage is sometimes wildly unpredictable. I'm so proud of us. So we made it a really long time without
like you said 30 seconds usually is.
Okay, I think it is time just about for us to throw to a new segment where you mentioned earlier, we filmed a documentary last year in celebration of our 40th anniversary, thanks to the generous support of TELUS we had a whole professional camera crew come down, we gathered together, the folks who have helped build and nurture fringe over the years to tell their stories because of course, the history of fringe lives in the stories of the people who have helped make it happen. Right, we got to interview oh, gosh, like Brian Paisley, the founder of friend friend father fringe we so lovingly call him. We got to talk to Judy Lawrence. We got to talk to him up and Smoot who I think we're gonna hear from a little later today. But as part of this, I had the absolutely unbelievable opportunity to interview a Canadian icon and a personal hero. This human is the stuff of fringe legend. Earlier today we announced the return of the free fringe street party, but this human played the first ever fringe street party back in 1984. And we welcome that Ben up and coming legend in the making to play to 3500 people, which at that point in time was the largest audience they had ever played to in their musical career. Right. This is amazing. Should we hear from them now? That's the one it's the only Katie Lange. August marks the 40th anniversary of the admission fringe, and so much of fringes history is carried in the people who make it what it is, and the street show you played back in 1984 has become the stuff of fringe legend. Hopefully you can just share your memories with us about playing that street show and what festivals like fringe mean to an artist career.
Well, first of all, I've I've been to the fringe several times and I've been to the Edinburgh Fringe and they are on equal par Edmonton is a very very vibrant and necessary festival because you know, living in concert Alberta my entire life when I got to Edmonton, and I experienced things like the Fringe Festival and was completely surrounded by artistic and creative energy it it really had a huge impact on me, indelible and so, so important for the to create a vibrant community and to to support artists in their vision. So thank you so much for 40 great years to the fringe. In 1984, I was just starting. And I was asked to play the big street festival for the fringe one night and it was very, very exciting and I was carefully putting together my outfit and you know rehearsing the band and getting all ready and as I do historically, when I'm very nervous. I have a tendency to stand in front of the mirror and cut my hair incessantly. So we got to the show, and there were 3500 people in the square which were a lot of people for me and so I'm on stage I started the show. It's super, super exciting. And I'm wearing this green bowler type hat that I found that probably at the Value Village or something and I start playing and like we're halfway through the set and then I start to get hot or something so I I take off my hat and I hear collectively 3500 Oh, when I took off my hat to expose the fact that I had butchered my hair to the point of a very, very poorly shorn sinead o'connor it was patchy, bald and just really really bad. But to this day, cutting my hair has kind of served as this way of leveling my ego. And whenever I need to like take myself down a few notches, I give myself a really bad haircut. It works. It's amazing.
That's awesome. That's such a good story.
It's a true story.
3500 people would have been a lot for fringe even back in the early 1980s. That would have been our second year so we were still a very grassroots sort of DIY festival back then which is amazing. And I know French has built just like a ton of momentum since then. But when we met last time to Katie, you mentioned just being in a festival with other artists who were discovering themselves at the same time in sort of that the community that existed at the festival at that point.
Yeah, well, there is nothing more important for artists than collective energy and the synergy that happens when you have artists together. Collaboration starts competition a little bit, you know, in the good, best sense of the word and just to to know that you're not the only artist out there to know to get inspired from other people's art and and vision and it just is so so important for for artists and for also just the audience members to see the creative energy and process and the fruition of of the creative process. The Fringe Festival definitely provides a launchpad for artists. It's very, very important Launchpad. You know, it's such an amazing place for artists to come and make a statement get their confidence up, and then you know, go conquer the world if they so, so want to so congratulations again to the Fringe Festival on your 40th year and Rock on
76543.
Yes, the amazing Katie Lange. Mariah I have this very distinct memory of going on a road trip with my mom and my sister and my mom played Katie's leggings. You never promised me a rose garden on repeat the entire time.
A lot argued that are covered hallelujah.
When in the past. I think Leonard Cohen actually said you don't need me to sing it anymore. Katie Lange does it better. Absolutely. Yeah.
And as a fan of Jeff Buckley, so I would I would say that yeah, hearing it too and Katie Lange I had the honor of being in the halls of render college and down the hall in the music department and I'm over in the theater department. And yeah, everybody knew everybody knew there was something going on without human
rights right. Welcome back for injures we are coming to you live from the West Bay theater, in support of our third annual fringe theatre telethon. We are raising funds today to support the future of fringe. Theatre fringe as a charitable organization we serve community we build community we are here because theater exists. We provide the the resources to support artists so they can tell their stories and connect with audiences. It is actually my favorite thing about this time.
Yes. Like there's so many wonderful things about this job, but being able to see other people succeed. See them I see them surprise you in whatever ways and I've just, I can never wipe the grin off my face when when you discovered that first artist you like, you're great, but this is great. Everything's happening.
Oh my goodness. And of course the generosity of individual donors makes that possible. Absolutely. Every dollar counts. Friends, please if you're able to pick up the phone call 780-448-9000 Head over to fringe theatre.ca Now to make a gift every gift over $20 receives a charitable tax receipt donors of course helped make this possible but so to do sponsors, yes. Oh my goodness. And we have had some sponsors who have stuck through us over the last stuck with us through the last couple of years
believed in what we were doing and where we were going and said we're with you. We got you. Yes. And I worried that without it. We were we were we were tipping and for them to do that just helped us get across that. That creaky little thing across the way you know,
very hates the word pandemic. Want to say it? Um, but it's true. These sponsors really ensured that we weathered that pandemic storm and that we came out the other side stronger for it. Because of their support. We've been able to innovate. We have learned new skills, like live streaming on a digital platform that we did not have three years ago.
He was so good. They're so good at it. They're
so good at it, but a huge huge shout out and our deepest gratitude to our lead partner and sponsor ATP, our ultimate sponsor, big rock and our official telethon media sponsor today global admin
check. Yay. Next, did one
another was coming back.
I don't know it is oh, you know what time it is everyone. Ready? Fine.
You are like no, no. Just wait
they're all gone now makes
you just happen to be on this side of the stage. Tell us we would be sweating so much today. We need to rethink our outfits next year. Oh my gosh. Catch my breath for a second. Whoa. Okay, okay. Okay. 1989 Your first fringe Yes. Who did you go to see that? was smooth. Yes. First time you ever saw them? First time they were here at Edmonton fringe?
Absolutely. Okay. They're banned. parked in the backstage lane. Yes, they were in would have been public cosmopolitan time. But here's what we know is your child's going to performing arts center? Yes. There's a massive lineup is they're sweating like crazy in the heat in their band and their makeups all running off?
Because they don't know Mump and spirit are clowns. They have full
bore. Right. And g Lawrence run the festival the time gone by and he has jumped out of their band and like, was that lineup for? Free for you? You're sold out. They never been here before. Like, how does anybody even know us? But I walked in not not knowing what I was walking into. And these clouds changed her life. It was like also data can tell condone this kind of activity, but a bit of an acid flashback. It was like what is happening right now? You're freaking me out.
Okay, okay. Okay. I think it's now time for us to hear from those absolute fringe legends. This is Judy Lawrence with Mump and Smoot
we are going to be 40 Technically 40 at the festival come August even though people are you cancel my nose and count I'm like no, I counted it. Just decided we're going to count it. And we got a long history and and I've never felt so honored as I got told once I remind someone of duty. Like and, and y'all played a huge part in my life back in 1989 as well. So first year fringing what year was that?
Not for me? 1988 1988. Yeah,
and where did you where'd you come from? Like you walked right into like festival director role? Yes,
Assistant. Brian paces little apprentice.
Okay. Okay. And then and then but then you Brian went away and
you Brian went away your 10 your 10 of the fringe I got there year. Eight. So So three years in Brian left.
Okay. And then how many years after that?
I stayed until 1998. So I was here 10 years altogether and different titles.
Within that, let's let's go to let's go to 89. So, before you got to us, here in Edmonton, yeah, yeah, right. Not digit. We had another fringe we did another show. Yeah, we did.
Toronto fringe first Toronto fringe that year. It was their first three shows. Yep. Three shows was one weekend. Okay.
And as the duo were you're pretty newly born in 89. Like how long you've been together before that?
Oh, really? About a year, two years. Just months ago. It was about a year old at that point. Okay. And we're sort of evolved out of us doing nightclubs and variety shows in Toronto and then we went my roommate at the time he was here and he came back and said you gotta go do the French. And so we put three of our favorite sketches together. And when we're filling out the form and the title, we want something being the name of the show for 35 years.
Real Okay, so you too dumb Calgary and you got here? Yes. And were you sleeping in the band?
Knew we're camping. We're camping. We were camping in tents. We were in white mud Park. Okay. Yeah, yeah. So Rainbow Valley. What's your call? Yeah, that sounds right. Yeah.
Okay. So then you whipped the band over here and got the makeup on to go
into makeup in 100 degrees behind the theater wondering what show they were lining up for and they were worried they were worried about oh yeah
cuz you sprayed Yeah, well, sprays I'm like, okay, Cosmo is a carpet
what's in the carpet?
Yeah, it was a carpet. The aisles were all carpet and they were all because if somebody did something in one of the which was awesome press. I mean, we were pretty happy about all the press that we use over a gallon of blood and every show. There. Was something in some article about that. And they went what? Not in our theater. Anyways, we sorted it out.
figured that out. But there's this big lineup and you're in the band and the 100 degree weather putting the makeup on and
God came over and we went What was it I don't remember that. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And they said it was for us and we were like, why
what? Why are they getting this? Yeah,
so somehow word from Toronto. Yeah, got
is that what it was? I think so. Must have been and they've been tense, a magical place. Yeah, well, it is. A magical place.
It was early on for clowns, I think for clowns, full makeup and then also the horror aspect. I think it was just it stood out. A lot of people wanted to use our press because we had really good photos and that's right that it was early on. It wasn't it was no she she the way it is now.
Yes. asked this question. I think about the young artists that's coming around, what's the impact the fringe had on you?
Huge. That was the that that first year here and like really from the first show on was the beginning of our career. And it set the stage for everything that we've done ever since. So huge, massive. I don't think we wouldn't be sitting here right now if it wasn't for that. Right now.
He did the our biggest all any big gigs we got it was all came out of people who had seen us first in the fringe. And eventually that was bigger than that. But But even the the gig we got at Yale Rep was from a guy who had seen us in a in a fringe show Canadian Canadian who was a student there and he saw us in a fringe show in Canada. And so yeah, it was it was just such awesome crowds. But you know, real coming from Toronto, that's all any audience is great just for the record. All audiences are fantastic but fringe audiences are general population. They're not theater goers. They're not necessarily their general population. And so it was I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about how awesome it was for us getting to play, especially because it's so much of it is with the audience, right. So yeah, it was enormous. The growth was our our show. Our first show went from 52 minutes in Toronto to 89 minutes here, which we got in trouble for. Like five shows. It shows it was like, not our fault. They were clapping and laughing. We didn't do anything
Yeah. set us up for touring month and smooth for Canadian regional theatres that lead to American regional theaters and then and that in tune set us up for teaching and directing and basically gave us careers Yeah,
40 years from now. What's your hope for
that? Oh, I I hope it's still around in in some ways. When I was thinking about this, I hope it's unrecognizable because I it's a fringe is doing what it's supposed to be. It is it is responding in a really flexible and almost intuitive fashion to what artists need. And I would hope and 40 years artists have created wild enough things that they need something totally different than what we do now in a theater with lights and whatever else. So the cool is still around, but hopefully in something that I couldn't even dream of in a forum that I couldn't even dream of.
Like John, same question, but we'll
probably be in the fringe of the fringe because the fringe, the way things are going we're going to need a fringe of the fringe. Right. So the fringe started in the first place. Yeah. But yeah, yeah, that's, that's my answer will be there for the fringe of the fringe. That was 40 years, right, John? Yeah.
What do I hope, I hope I just hope it doesn't become too big that it doesn't get over commercialized just by the nature of things and like one of the things that I loved about coming in was so
grassroots. You know, you can see anything
and and the other thing is, it's is it's such an important stepping stone for young artists, right? Like I don't know if there's any other stepping stone in between right for people that create that and start their own theater companies. There is no other stepping stone.
Yeah, that's the thing that I hold in my heart is that you know, for the application fee, you're producing your first show go. Right and, and a big thing is, you know, we just need to stay out of the way and so that can
go or you go,
that's what I how I used to describe my job, too, is you set up the forum and then you get over the way.
It's always going to be a reflection of what's actually going on up there. Like it's always going to be a response to whatever's going on in the community as long as it's the fear, of course is that becomes controlled. And so the response is not allowed. Right? But if that happens, we'll just print it or find another place to do it. And we'll just, you know, and well,
if I if I think of a if I think of culture and community in general is kind of a living breathing, organism or ecology, then if the fringe becomes the big oak tree, then then the rest of the environment will shift and change around it. So the fringe will take on a different role and yeah, you'll get a fringe of a fringe or you get something else. I just hope maybe the lessens the impact that this fringe that we know can influence the self confidence and the courage that it will take to go well then you do that you're the big oak tree. We're gonna go over here and, and grow something else.
That's healthy. Yeah, yeah, totally. But this is another version of hope for that I hope for is because John and I do this all the time with our students. Go do the fringe. I hope I don't ever not want to say
I never don't waste your time. I know Yeah, right. Yeah,
I really hope that I can always say go do a fringe because that's where you're going to learn.
That's where you're gonna learn everything.
The ropes being on the boards and everything. That's where we learned. Yeah, that's what it was our education
as you can see, I'm restrained by a straitjacket, or will be hung upside down 20 feet in the air by only my ankles. If I can't escape the straitjacket free my feet, find my way to the floor and hit this button within three minutes. Karissa gets to cut off my hair. This is Chris. Hi, I'm Chris. I'm the reading guy. Chris will hoist me up and call out the time remaining every 30 seconds. Let's go.
The rigging guy. Good. A little more. Thank you. Great All right, ready? Ready. My last countdown setting by standing by and go few minutes. 30 seconds minute
Yeah, I'm doing it right now. No, like right now. Yeah, like I'm upside down. Yeah, I know. Me too. Carissa. Actually. Well, it's um it's different. One minute. 30 seconds. Yeah, I gotta go. I know I missed you too. Okay, bye. One minute. Hey.
Yes, welcome back friend Gers we are coming to you live from the west braid Theatre in support of our third annual fringe theatre telethon. Are you third hour? Are we in the third out? No, not yet. Yes. Are we there? We made. We made it. We made it. We've only sworn twice.
We've done it twice. I think so. I only did one.
I think I did. Well we make it through the rest without saying something last night is hard to say keep watching. Y'all we are here in support of the future of fringe when you give today we can fringe forever. Every gift over $20 receives a charitable tax receipt and let me tell you, every gift matters. Yes, yes. When you sport fringe theatre you directly support artists you matter. And the future of theater here matters in Edmonton and around the world because we are truly an international festival and we matter. We matter. There's your wholesome bid for the top of this hour. Or we have another live performance coming up. This season. Guest that is a bit surprising to me. But what our favorite color, favorite color truth, shall we just welcome Johnny to this day, Johnny. Hey, Donny.
Hi, everyone. Thank you so much make it and Marie. As I mentioned, as they mentioned, my name is Donnie. I am a party animal extraordinaire, a comedian and well if I do say so myself a cultural icon. And I do say so. Myself. Yeah, yeah. And I'm so happy to be here. You know, I, I like to boast of myself as somebody who's super well, and super self aware of what they're like in a room, you know, and because I don't want to make things awkward and I don't want this big elephant in the room. I'm just gonna come out and say it it's obvious you're all seeing it. Yes, I'm a member of the alphabet mafia. What? Okay, I see some people laughing but some people didn't. For those of you who don't know, the out of the mafia is the LGBTQI s two s plus community of which I'm a member of Yeah, give it up. Yeah. Yeah, it pretty much just means I'm queer as felt, you know. I know. I know. I'm pretty good, right? And you know, growing up, it was really tough for me because it wasn't like coming out today. Like I watch all these videos were coming out today kind of seems like you're walking through this field. And there's flowers and there's cake for you. And there's always glitter somehow. No, back in my day. Let me tell you coming out kind of felt like you were walking through this hallway with a lot of doors and creepy men always offer you poppers not the same experience if I say so. Not the same experience, but I'm glad it's getting easier. Trust me. I am I really glad that folks can just be themselves and not have to worry about coming out or having their sexuality hold them back from life. But I do think that today's youth are missing out on some of the fun and the drama of being queer. You know, like I for one can't imagine growing up with all that internalized homophobia kicking around. I mean, mine was so hard that I was living in the closet. I had moved in with Mr. Tumnus. And we were looking to get a dog. That's how far it was in there. Man, yeah, it was tough. I tried doing the straight thing so hard. I even went to extremes like this one time. I joined the football team. I know I know. Hear me out. But it took me about two days to realize that there's really nothing that straight about football. You know, it's all these sweaty, rippling men with thick thighs and they're just looking at you. Like they want to kill you, but sexy and they're just staring at you. And me like bump into you. And they're just they're just going for it and they grab whatever they can and let me tell you when I say whatever they can I mean whatever they can I miss football, you know?
Oh, sorry,
right I'm doing a thing. Where was I? Right? We're being strict, being strict. I was a really good student of being straight. Let me tell you, I did the research. I watched the videos. I even met a couple of straight people, but nothing stuck. Really. This was one of those situations where practice doesn't make perfect or even passable, you know? But it took me a while and now I'm here standing at the cultural icon, the UFC, and I'm very excited to perform a show for this year's festival. So this was just a small tidbit of what you can imagine. We have surprises for you. We have musical aspects. And of course, it's all going to be done through puppetry. So come check us out at the 2022 Fringe Festival. Thank you
for Donea Oh
my god.
I have to tell you it's like such a pleasure to interview a cultural icon as you
my God, thank you same to you.
And you know what? You've been around for a bit. Hey,
I mean, I'm almost one year old. So yeah, a lot of time. Yeah, I spent a lot of it in a suitcase but you learn a lot when you think to yourself, you know,
that's right. travel a lot of places in that first year. That's okay. So you know, not just
the closet. Funny enough, I went I left the closet and now I live in a closet. But you know it's roomier now got
a lot more room, of course. Awesome. First Fringe Festival in Amazon or
Fringe Festival ever. Right? Yeah, this is my first fringe.
That's gonna be amazing. What are you? What are you so looking forward to?
Well, you know I'm really looking forward to just bringing laughter to everyone. Part of why it makes me a coach what makes me a cultural icon. It's just that I really like to lead with laughter You know, and and really get to know folks and make connections. So I'm really excited to take a space as big as the Westbury and make it feel like you're just hanging out with friends and seeing a lot of puppetry.
Oh, that's yeah, so great. Yeah, no, go ahead. No, you go no, no, you're
not. No, no, no.
Yes, sir.
I actually forgot I was gonna say
that all the time. Yeah, I know. Right. And then I turned to Megan and Megan just bailed on us, though. You
notice that right? Come on. Megan. You said you were gonna be there for us. Like you got a clipboard and everything
warning you I promise. Hey, you're here. In the Westbury during the festival. This is your very first fringe. You know, Marie is the artistic director of the festival is there. Do you have a question about your first fringe experience that you need answered right now?
Okay. This is a very important question that I was told to ask. Seriously, what do I eat first? Yeah.
Oh, I'm gonna get judged so hard by my answer.
This is a judge free zone is that well, I it is I don't know Johnny, are you
i only judge internally so you're fine. Yeah.
Okay. So as the cultural icon you are are you looking for the cultural icon thing you should
eat? I mean, of course for the for the first meal. Yes.
Well,
there's gonna be some haters in my answer just saying no, but but I just want to like maybe I'll just like kind of whisper
to you, okay. I don't know the years but just like, oh, aim for this. How do you hear me though? Oh, you know, the puppet anatomy. It's just, it's just wild. Oh, oh, thank you.
Awesome. No,
really? Okay. Okay. Let me check with Megan. Okay. I was told it's
you know what, Donnie, that's my favorite fringe food to wait. Yeah, yeah,
that'll be the first thing I have that right, right, right. Right. Of course. That's what I was gonna say. Right? We don't want to upset
people. But yeah, but you know, do one. You say the other. Of course. Of course.
I'm very excited.
What advice are we giving here?
It's gonna carry me through the whole festival. I'm not worried about tech not worried about money. Very good. It's a good lifestyle. Being a puppet. You don't worry about bills,
but then I would suggest you drink some water and have a vegetable or two because you won't make it otherwise. That's gross. Right Yeah, double up on the first one. And the rest of the days of the second.
Gregor. Great By the way, Mary Murray said spaghetti in a code so you know, Judge judge away.
Among the productions
I didn't say that. I didn't say that. Oh, I didn't hear you properly. Okay. Right. You have no years. I forgot about that. Right? Or they're in a questionable place. That would look kind of like not cool if I was okay. You did make Selena very happy by saying that. Oh, did I Yeah.
Somebody's gotta like this. I don't get it. I don't either. I mean, it could but hey, it's inventive. You know?
Who am I? Very good.
We're so happy you're here. Yes.
I'm so happy to be here and your first
festival anything you need.
Just $10 in the love of a man.
I think you're gonna find that a fringe
that could. Yeah. Awesome. Tony, thank you so much. We cannot wait to see you on this stage during the festival. That's venue number one, and tickets go on sale next Wednesday at 12 Noon. So that you snap up your tickets to see cultural icon Okay, thank you
I didn't say spaghetti code.
But what did you whisper the people deserve to know what they
know? No, everybody knows.
We don't know they need to know. We don't know. I said talk about a bag. Grow. But then I said the real answer is green onion cake.
Yes. I also love Taco in a bag. I eat taco in a bag once a year and it is at Fringe. It is typically like right before I go to Late Night cabaret. At the end of the day I make choices. It's like Yes. So
my question is, How soon after, do you regret that?
Never. Never. It is my favorite choice I make for myself all festival log. That's great. I appreciate it. Do
you regret it?
Oh, yeah. Yeah, like I got talking about not yet. Not yet. By about day five or six I'm like it's just all a blur and I'm like gonna bag and eat and I'm like, not good. Not good. I keep going
back. Oh, my gosh, you've gone back. Yeah. Hamer. We just mentioned it but a week from today. tickets and passes go on sale. Yeah, not the festival mags. Oh, it's not the festival. I'm so sorry. I scared the team earlier. We are still two weeks away from the festival and that's so much time.
It was one of those body jokes.
tickets and passes on sale one week from today. Go August 3 at noon. But ticket on sale day is like a pretty magical time in our building. Oh my gosh. What's your favorite part of ticket on sale day?
I would say there are they're tied. There's a few months that are tied. Okay. Okay. Yeah. But the energy of the artist. Yeah, right. The only one showing up earlier than the artists
are the frequent pitchers. Yes, yes. Yes. Yes, they light up outside before the doors are even open. They bring their camping chairs about their program guides or highlighters. They like already know what they're going to see. Yeah, yeah, they're my favorite.
By the time I have a conversation with them at like 838 45 in the morning. They've, you know, already read the paper. They've been through a bunch of stuff and solve all the world's problems and they're ready to go. Yeah, it's really, really, really amazing. But that energy, it's like, it's like it's the first feeling of how real it's about to get. I think that's one of the so you can't you can't bottle that kind of you want to but you just can't. So that energy makes it electric and it's exciting. And then and then from the staff performance at 11 of their 32nd or 60. How many seconds I got 6030 of them at 60 seconds. Do the math everybody. I'm good at math. And then boom, off to the races. We go. Yeah, and tickets are on sale. Yes. Or an actual reality. What happens?
We're not going to talk about it because yeah, yes, yes, yes, yes. But you're right. All of the ingredients that make for a successful fringe come together on ticket on sale day. We've got audience, we've got artists, we've got media, who got staff in their fanny packs in their badges like we are ready for festival. Come take it on stage. Oh, it is Tiemco it is absolutely team go.
We sell so many tickets. Yeah, I'm gonna go on sale and it's not even happening yet. Another Yeah,
yes, but 160 shows 27 venues. It's all happening. It's all happening. Lauren's giving me this, which means we have to stop talking. I think it's time for another word from our sponsors and another sneak peek from our festival artists. Here we go.
There's a reason why we're Edmonton is most trusted news station. It's not just because we're here seven days a week. We're dedicated to Edmonton and committed to you bubble news, our city, our news
only she didn't have a
talk. And so I say to Sebastian Well, you know that
says Oh, Uncle James. I don't know why you want to find a good sex for me. In our family Nevermind
the true stories of my
classroom round and round skulls crack men federal padding brain,
14 and a half inches long by two with a girth of six inches and then a clearance rather like a well being. When Henry who had been in charge of this
rearguard action, and one
he smiled to smile that was me smile. Story was fractured. By dementia family dynamic
speakout
change
Yeah,
Rangers Welcome back. Welcome back. We are at the top of our for are we Yeah, that's
what happened.
We're almost there. For time just goes by so quickly when you're having so much fun.
It really does.
Matter. I've heard we've reached another milestone and it's time to light up another letter. Oh my gosh. Lighten up the
eye now. Yes. Good. That's cool. Right.
So glad that we got going on now. Everybody.
Thank you all so much to everyone who has donated so far. We are here today raising funds in support of the future of fringe. Our goal is $15,000 And so the telethon ends today, we are a charity all year. Your donations matter. Please give us a shout for 489 1000 I missed the area code 780-448-9000 A ha or head over to French theater.ca To make your gift all donations over $20 Get a charitable tax receipt. We have some folks to yellow Rihanna John Evans. Thank you, John. So much. Aaron Volk, Linder. Thank you, Betty. Oh, Betty, Betty. He's super volunteer. Betty, thank you so much for your support. We really couldn't do what we do without you. Cat Evans got perhaps of the John Evans connection. Who knows? No. Okay. Steph Curry,
stuck. S T U ch be your wire buddy. What do you guess? Hold on, everybody answer a one.
Linda. I'm sorry if we butchered your last name. But we are so incredibly grateful. Let's go straight to it. Yes, yes. Yes. Thank you so so much. We can't do what we do without the support of printers. Like you
many of you out there. Correct us please. Yeah, please phonetically spell that and we will get it right. Or find us at the festival. Teach us and we'll say it right.
Okay, man, we're gonna do a little recap. Festival guides are on sale. today. Yes. tickets and passes go on sale. Next week, August 3 12. Noon. This year, we're how many shows
160 Plus how many venues? 27?
Yes, what can printers expect? On the outdoor site?
No fences.
Okay, bad but also okay.
You're gonna get all the buskers? Yeah, all the performers. Yeah. Coming from all the places in the world. Yes, they're gonna get that yes, they're gonna be able to find the wine 10 Because it's gonna be open again. Yes. Right. ATB Park is going to be licensed all the way through grab that adult beverage sit down little ones have all at all the time Yes. What beer tent hanging down there. Artists and alley down at for flow community patio, right but a fringe grounds cafe. That's right. Grounds cafe. It's gonna give you like a latte. I
love it. I love it.
I'm running the site right
now. I can tell you just like mapped it out with your feet. We're gonna run down
at 30 this way and now I'm out the west and I'm like I'm gonna buy some tickets right here.
You're gonna grab your taco in a bag on the way by I'm gonna bag Oh dear, green onion cakes or mini donuts whatever the heck you need.
Yeah, I'm
just making that up. I don't know. Don't hold me to it.
Um, but we also announced a big thing earlier today. Oh,
no. The night before festival kicks off. We are opening the park for a free street party featuring
so many beautiful things. Yeah, you guys gotta say. Yeah, we got sciatica murder Hornets. Yes, we got cybercafe. Yes, we got Sue Dan archives.
Hulu so they said it's gonna be such a good time.
It looked up like something's gonna fall I was like, oh no shenanigans
like, it was a gentle like praise to the heavens for bringing such a ridiculous lineup to fringe.
That reaction that I had was that I can't believe that that's happening.
And it is all thanks to the incredible support of Canadian Heritage. That is why we are able to offer this free all ages event August 10 at 630 in the park Do not miss it is gonna be calm. A good time. i Yeah. What are we doing? No. Do we have more content coming to well, we have five
minutes, six minutes. There's a thumb in there too. There was a five minute thumb
okay, it's your turn to ask me some questions. Oh, I
can't wait. Pick it. Okay. Awesome.
I don't know what I've just done.
Alex's favorite food at French.
Oh, ice cream hands down. Got an ice cream. Right now her favorite ice cream is strawberry but she can often get sold on like the birthday cake variety.
Okay, yeah. Yeah, I'm a fan of I'm a fan of strawberry. Yeah. You and your partner. The Matt Sherman. Yeah. Y'all like run things? And then this festival comes you do a budget. Do you ever see each other during the festival?
No, 100% not we High Five in June. And we go see in September. Amazing.
Yeah, it's so great. That's 100% what happens
what is your favorite part of the festival?
There is there are so many things. The stepping out onto the site after the first day and standing in the park and hearing just like the joy and the noise and the coming together of community. And when I get to go see my first show of the festival and the house lights come down and the stage lights come up in that anticipation of knowing that I'm about to see something that will change my life. Those are my favorite moments.
Okay, so your common kind of one cycle as the executive director? Yeah. Difference theater. Yeah. Okay. So if you were to backup to your former self, starting on, what advice would you give that room?
To breathe, to pause to celebrate the moments of joy. This beautiful big event can move so quickly. And sometimes it feels like it moves too quickly. But we are in the business of creating joy and I think it's important to stop and celebrate that. And I think to just like celebrating the heck out of the team who makes us happen. French does not happen by one person alone. There are so many people who care about this thing. Our staff our volunteers are artists or patrons it is that special coming together of everyone that makes it possible
well, we you know, I think I'm gonna speak on behalf a lot of us but the care and and skill set that you possess in it, it's just it's always obvious that this is not a job for you. That this is something that is a part of you and sharing that and and that's another thing that sometimes when we get over to being a part of a charity and a not for profit, my my my brother is often mentioned this to me is that you just chose such a hard path. And I said, No, I chose a path that is so amazing. And it's rich in the human beings that I get to walk side by side with and get to meet and and and have them make me laugh and support in so many ways. And what it is
a path of passion though, right? It is because we're passionate about it.
That's right. So when we're asking y'all to contribute to us, and in that it's know that we believe in it too because the sacrifices of how we have to do a one plus, I would even say sometimes you're doing a one and a half job are nowhere near the price of what the one job is. And but it's not about that. Right. It's always more about the fact that you feel in your heart and I couldn't live in this world without it that somehow we're making a difference. Somehow we're making something happen that is going to be beyond us. It's not about us, it's going to be something that we're receiving that will go on with us and and it's often that times where you do things, and you may not even see whatever it is that you're putting forward. And it might outlive you before it even comes to be. But that's cool, and it's cool. It's so cool. setting us up in that in that way. What do you look for in a print show?
Oh, I really love to take a risk. I'd love to go and see a show by an artist I've never seen before. I love to go see a show with a provocative title. I try not to pay attention to reviews even though I was a reviewer for many years. But honestly like the randomizer on our website is one of my most fun ways to go and see a show just like smash that thing. It gives you a show at random. But yeah, I think to just like there's a fervor that builds on the site during the festival and you start to get the word of mouth about what shows are worth going to see. And that is something that is really unique to the fringe culture, right. Like you're standing in line and you're talking to other fringes and they're like you have to go see this show. So I love it when I get recommendations from other printers on the site.
And that is something that I technology is amazing. The digital world is amazing. There's so many things that are happening. When it comes to live events. You cannot replace word of mouth. It is your tool you like we are going to a handbill free site. Right. It's it's not that we're not we're not saying to the artists that we're taking that connection between you and the and the audience away at all. Go and have a conversation talk about things, ask them what they like and then and maybe they ask you what you like, please like share an experience with them. Right don't just try to pitch them. Find out who they are. Right? Have a relationship, that's going to be the thing, but also get ready for your story. Put your heart in that thing you do, and it doesn't matter. I don't judge whether you're doing a you know, a 90 minute version of Hedwig and the Angry and chore or whatever it is that you want to do because that's what the fringes the fringe is what you want to do. Right? But just believe in it and do it. Don't dial it in. Don't blame others for anything that has nothing to do with you just taking your heart and put it in there because they'll be there. And if they aren't, they'll find their way to you I was always the festival artists that the first three shows could be like, maybe got eight people in review or asleep in the first row. But by four or five, six things are happening.
Yeah, right. In case you were wondering if there was a lack of passion on stage today, here we are. I think it's time that we heard from a few more of our festival artists got a few more sneak peeks. For your friends
Welcome back. It's Larry and you're watching The morning after with Pam and Paula. The reality TV show where 10 teams duking it out to see who will be crowned on top morning talk TV show host today Pam and Paula are throwing it back to high school in their final bid to win the morning talk TV show host era. What surprises do they have up their sleeves? And will it be enough for these underdogs to take home the win? It's anyone's tiara or is it stay tuned? See you after the break.
Amazing Welcome back friends. We are coming to you live from the Westbury Theatre in support of our third annual fringe theatre telethon. We are raising funds for the future of fringe 41 more years and then maybe another 41 after that. Yeah, amazing. We just recap to all of the awesome things that are making a comeback at the festival this year. But there is one thing one like magic special ingredient a festival within a festival something near and dear to both of our hearts.
Do I finally get to see it.
finally get to see it. We have missed it so dearly in the last couple of years but what's what's coming back
and that's empty. Well,
it won't be in a second. Yeah,
we're gonna we're gonna make somebody appears. Yeah, we are just like magic like it's bridges. Back
you're a bit of a kid's fringe
there were like a top three of things that were solely missed. Is it solely solely sorely sorely? sorely sorely? You know, whatever. One probably is always what a kid does right? Anyways. Kids French. It. I probably heard more than anything from our community and how much it was missed. It is a festival within a festival. Absolutely. It's so amazing. And fun. And and the next the next gen of everything the next artists appreciators the next artists themselves, and being able to like welcome that back in is also this, you know, steps that we're taking to get there. But this is a beautiful project. We have a new human looking after that project. Oh, my goodness, who has more than enough of a resume to make that happen. But what? Take care and you can't put that on a resume, but it just exudes out of this human and it's our pleasure to introduce you to Allison dicey. Yes. Hello, everyone. What an intro. I feel so loved Thank you. First Bridge.
My first French Oh boy. It must have been 2012 Okay. Oh wait, maybe even before that. Mm hmm. I moved here from Calgary in 2007. And started my adventures at the U of A becoming getting into the Acting Program and stuff there. So it would have been something around that time 2007 between there and 2008 Maybe
awesome. Like as a performer in our community and and, and part of a troupe that everybody is just such a huge fan, you always are gigging theater for young audiences always kind of been something that again, we've been speaking about passion. You have to you need that passion for it, but you kind of it just sort of became a part of your journey and you just always kept it a part of your journey, you know,
I guess so. I mean, I love performing for kids because they're gonna tell you right away whether it's working or not, they are the best audience ever to have in a theater or outdoor theater. And I also enjoy doing street performing and roving with kids. I participated with the street performance festival for many years as a local roving performer and just just funny interactions that I've had with kids. I could not count them all. It's just so fun. So
when we connected and I don't even think I got it completely full sentence out of my mouth before he went Yes, I'll do it. Right. What What about being a part of kids friends that you're like, Yes, I am gonna do this for sure I am. What excited you the most well being a
part of the fringe family is the best thing ever. It's such an amazing job. And it's not just a job like you're saying like every single human in this building cares so much. And I feel so supported just being here. Honestly, the last three months has been such a life changing experience. I've learned so so much just from even just being in line at the cafe and having an amazing conversation with someone or learning from Megan about how things are done around here and and how to put on a festival and my amazing mentor here has shown me so much Thank you Marie. But me being part of like being in charge of kids fringe is it just when you told me that you're considering me I was like I could do that. It was kind of a no brainer. I was terrified. But I said yes. And I was shaking in my boots but everyone said we believe in you and and that's what made it happen.
And and the joy that you are bringing I don't even know like but what the young ones how they're going to contain it but what what are a couple of things that you went oh, this
is gonna be so great.
Oh man, my friends. The lineup is stacked. Orange, no matter what time of day you come, it's going to be an adventure. And so so much fun. Like you are gonna see some circuits and some dance and some interactive theater. And I'm very, very excited for the puppets. There are a few puppet shows that are going to happen at kids fringe, and the Duffy's puppets are coming back a fan favorite The Imaginarium is going to be rolling into kids fringe for that first weekend, and they have a show called the dirt LinkedIn show off.
The thing I love the most about the Imaginarium is that it is equally funny for kids as it is for parents. Like I have wept cried through that show more than once and Alison I laugh at very different moments. But it is amazingly entertaining for the whole family.
And what I love too is that Goodsprings is international as well. Like that is mind blowing. We have
another puppet show from Alaska. Yeah, I'm so excited to see the Wonder lamp, which is going to be here. They have six shows, I think and it's gonna be so cool.
And that's what you just said there. I kind of went when when talking with these incredible artists coming to us from Alaska. And also then seeing their picture and read the description. I'm kind of like, well, I want to go see that. But I think I'm maybe the only adult that's louder kids read about a kid Yeah. Yeah, we
do have a rule. There's a policy but we'll let you in.
But it is and then your team just what I think my favorite part is when there's just like, you see the kids really strange human just going back with a bunch of cool stuff. What is that? And then you see another one is
that the most colorful, exciting pod in the office right now because there's like crafts hanging from the roof and they're always gluing something together. And I'm like, this is like way more fun I have such
a cool team of people working with me in the kids fringe pod and every day we're making crafts and we're discovering weird things. We found a giant blow up unicorn. Oh, so that'll be fun.
Oh my gosh. Um, one thing I don't think we've mentioned yet. Kids fringe is free.
It is absolutely free. You don't pay for shows. You can come make crafts, you can play games. You can get your dad to come learn how to juggle with you like that. We have this awesome program called the Nordic performing arts workshop. So every day some cool performers gonna come teach a new skill. So you can come with your family and learn something together.
And it's been so missed Allison and having you just the way you care about it. It's just it's infectious and it really is energizing in so many ways and I'm kind of stoked for the for the what's the what's the garden one again with a little
Oh, yeah. And we had Alice try it out yesterday and she loved it. It's called Adventure Forest for Yeah, so there's tons of fun challenges and games that you go around to different stations and do them on your own. So I love it.
This is now the official kids frenzy
official kids fringe tester for those who don't know, I my five year old daughter Alice has been crowned the official kids fringe tester and she takes that job very seriously. We got great feedback. Yeah. I'm Allison, thank you so much. We are so excited to share in this festival journey with you kids sprint is going to be magical this summer. We thank you, goodness. Thank you and everyone watching out there. The phone lines are open. We are accepting donations until eight o'clock tonight. So please jump on the phone call 780-448-9000 or head over to fringe theatre.ca I hear we have a little more content to watch in them or what is this thing? shenanigan number five shenanigan number five, we'll be back with another shenana Again this is Matt. Don't miss data don't block the sun. Hello, Edmonton.
It's Brother Love.
I'm getting ready to come to the Edmonton friends with brother loves good town gospel our it's just good ol revival. There's going to be blessings. There's going to be miracles. There's going to be teachings about the love of Jesus, the spiritual power of cocaine, lessons for how you can fight your lust for canines that we all deal with. So come on out get yourself saved and come on to bro loves good time gospel our
saying this old man is what exactly.
All I know is that high ranking suzani officers are wanted for war crimes. Nikita, you
solutions rather elegant, captured escapees would have to crawl around camp until they could walk again.
You're set to grill
the butcher.
It's about time
gar bitch Welcome to my gay gar bitch. This is just some gay gar bitch that's so Oh yeah.
Your dad
she I'm alive now I want you
to take your cap and put it back over your tip. That's how the tip stays nice and firm. Right Gentiles
know no time to waste out in the wasteland. We got to move right through this place quickly as we can do to avoid the threats contained within this dangerous terrain and Grl friends once again face to face. There's no time to waste.
That musical number was really necessary.
We got time.
Let's get flex live is our unscripted booze infused deep dive into film. During the show Dan has compiled a series of movie clips that Michael respond to with an improvised comedy monologue. Mike doesn't know what Dan is gonna play Dennis didn't know what Mike is gonna say and you the audience are along for the ride. Whiskey flicks live there may be dancing there definitely will be drinking and you will remember why you love them movies. Cheers.
Okay, infringers, we're back. We're back. Can you hear the hesitancy in my voice? Yes, yes, because it is now time for shenanigan number five.
Mama number five that's shenanigan
number five. Okay, Jen. Okay, we're ready and
welcome. You're on first name basis with the voice of God.
No. So we're time we're good friends. All right. It's our final time everyone isn't the last shenanigans shenanigans. The last official sin anagen mean?
What does that mean? All right,
everyone. Let's spin the way Oh,
you're ready. Ready, Sam? Thank you. Really, I just kind of run away from it. It's so bouncy.
For All right.
Our final challenge is guess the menu. Whoa. So we have plenty of delicious menu items at French crowns cafe with some wonderful names. Your challenge today is to guess as many menu items as possible. So we will be going back and forth between the two of you and each of you can say one name. No repeats Oh, so whoever can end up naming the most menu items will be our winner. As this is our final official shenanigan this one is high stakes or and has both a winner and a loser or no for the winner a favorite drink courtesy of the fringe gowns cafe for the loser. A late night cabaret treat a fringe tolerable. The show of vodka coolers
is that like classic 2018
going through that inventory. Yeah, yeah,
we just found it off the desk. All right. Okay. Cue the dramatic music.
Okay, we're gonna go back and forth. Yep. Okay. Um, the jackfruit pita snack box. The prosciutto. And pear sandwich. Grilled cheese. Oh, do we can we count the iterations of grilled cheese like grilled cheese plus tomato and arugula.
Okay, yeah. Okay, great.
The Andrea the hummus the daily soup feature homeless with chips and veggies. I already
said that. Yeah, hummus was already said yes, you are incorrect. Do we keep going? No. Megan is our official winner for this reigning champion of fringe.
What do I get? Oh, yes, you know me so well. Oh.
And it's like the worst one.
Oh, yay. We love you. Who puts
key lime and cherry together thinks that's a good idea.
Shabana bug is really
trying to get Pompeo to talk back to them online.
Ya know, we've been trying for years they've got no, answer us. It's just never gonna
happen. I'm gonna drink it. Yes, yes.
I've already opened mine.
This is exciting.
Does he have to shotgun it? Guys if you really can up the ante next year.
That face was worth everything. It's like give us a review Marie.
The Palm Bay key lime cherry has possibility in the camp until you open it and then you taste it. And then you wish you never opened it. It is without a lie. Part cough syrup. Topped with 22 week your old banana peel. Okay, right and then what used to be a lime but maybe it was a lemon? Or you don't know. It kind of got mixed in there too. Right. It's stirred with a garbage stick. And then it's bubbled up with the fire that Kavanaugh made
if there was any question about whether or not Palm Bay was going to respond to our tweets to definitely
turn the table. Megan, what's your review?
I am having the most splendid gin and tonic care of fringe sponsor Eau Claire distillery it is fresh, it is crisp. It feels like a walk in a garden on a Sunday afternoon. This is one of my favorite go to beverages to have on a hot fringe day when you're in between shows. They never let me down.
Yeah, just to kick someone while they're down. It happens to be my favorite. Just gonna put that out there. And I think I know I blame for those who can't see I'm looking at Andrea.
He's never gonna get over this. This is the worst thing you could have. Done to
try the frickin thing. Seriously?
Honestly, Palm Bay.
What the hell about this has
only got a palm tree or nothing coconut in their back. I don't even drink see water before I did this
thing. Come on. Rihanna, I'm sorry.
Probably never get them as a sponsor.
Who knew this big rock in Eau Claire. Great.
They are they're so good to us. They're such so good to us.
Also, I think I should call James from the board afterwards as a lawyer if you like, Did I mess this up in any way but we're
gonna cut this part out. We're gonna air again. Okay.
I gotta cut Don't worry. I got time seems
hard to believe this is our first drink of the four hours. Live stream by here we are. Okay pals, we are going to stop just put it down. You don't have to finish it.
I have to do I have to punish myself.
For not knowing the fringe grounds Cafe
no for saying hummus. And chips again. Not normally. You said it. Obviously wasn't listening to you listening. Kind of like what you did me.
Take your Palm Bay and get off stage.
Trainer.
Okay, we have been at this for too much too much. All right. Is it time for more content? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. We're gonna switch gears a little. We are about to see an excerpt from a an artist who will actually be part of the fringe theatre season was fall. Yeah, um, you've seen MC Red Cloud on our stage before he was here during fringe than ever was did this like amazingly electric performance. We've had him in the park. Yeah. Am I making that up? Nope, nope. And he's coming back this year with a brand new one man storytelling show as part of our 2022 2023 season. His story is amazing.
It's amazing. Yes, it's already a piece of art. And it's so weird because it's him telling us Yeah, how it all started
well, and he came and taught a workshop with our staff. And he started off just by telling the story and and all of us were just so mesmerized, and Mariah and I were sitting at the back going, this has to be a fringe show.
Oh my gosh. Two minutes and I'm directing him like oops, don't don't don't come forward. Don't don't retreat. They're gonna come back. Yeah. Wow. So great. Yeah. So honored that he's coming to join us. It's great to
meet you. So November backstage theater, correct? Yes. Amazing. Let's see clip now from MC Red Cloud.
Sixth grade, grade six, Los Angeles, California. I remember my first day of school. Wow. In Los Angeles, California. 1500 kids just in my junior high school. That six 7/8 grade 678 1500 kids. Half of the school was black. Half of the school is Mexican. And if your first nations and you go to Los Angeles, you're Mexican. They're going to start speaking to you in Spanish. Okay. Cousins to the south. Wow. I'm from a park called Hawthorne. You see, here's angle one. Here's comped in I live in the middle Hawthorne, the little crossfire area of Los Angeles, California. And just my first day of school that felt like this kind of like a war zone. I mean, people were Bloods. Some of these kids were Crips. Some of these kids were in a gang or aspiring gang members who had a couple white teachers. We even had a white principal kind of reminded me of Michelle Pfeiffer Dangerous Minds. Kind of a hip. You know, hey, trying to do the running man. Is this how you do it? Wow, what a school. And there I am. Monday, Monday business, eating tater tots. One at a time when I Beeline it to the school yard. Just then 15 kids run past me. So I run with them. And I did to the grass area and at the grass area to eighth grade kids. Big black kids just mad dog and each other giving each other the stink guy. Sup mommy was so you're squaring off. You know when they bumped shoulders and do that little dance
I'm standing there with 15 kids. Now it's doubling. There's like 30 kids and I'm like what's happening? My heart's beating. I'm going to see my first fight. All of a sudden one of the kids turns around and looks at us and goes hey, somebody kick a big box, so I could serve this sucker. And I didn't know what that meant. I thought they were gonna kick a literal box. Just then the guy to my right, as if he was waiting for this moment his entire life, covers his mouth and makes a beat with his mouth. Something like this.
And everybody's hands started going up. And everybody's head start Bob and even mine uncontrollably.
Oh,
I didn't even know what I was doing. Oh, just joining along. You see, I didn't understand the context. These two boys were one of the two of the highest battle rappers in my school. And they had a quarrel and they were about to settle it right in front of me. The crowd doubles again. Now there's 4050 kids. These guys start going back and forth. Making fun of each other's Mama's daddy's bald headed Granny's back and forth and back and forth for 15 minutes. Or yeah, in a battle. You can't even win it. Your mama has a glass eye with the fish in it. I started picturing this poor mom with a little fish inside of a class. I was folding and laughter and so was the crowd. This guy ate fresh tacos or Jordans.
But you got those that pay less. Oh,
I was wearing Payless shoes at some time and I was like yeah the shoes
for 15 minutes, back and forth and back and forth. Security finally shows up oh thank god some adults are here. Even he was like oh my god damn, you guys are going there. You're tearing him up. The whole crowd is going in tents in the bell rings and they dab it up Alright man, it was pretty good. Oh man. We gave him a good show. This guy walks away all of his friends are around him. You killed it bro. You're the best. This guy walks away and he's got an entourage to man. You're incredible man. How do you do that? And there I am. With my brain blown away. Like one of those cartoons where the sun goes down behind them and back up. And I'm just like, wow. Now was the day my life changed. That was the day I knew what I was going to be when I grew up. I said when I grow up I'm going to be an eighth grade black kid. Now we're back.
Welcome back sprinters. We are coming to the end of our third annual fringe theatre telethon. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported fringe today. Your gifts helped make great things happen. Just a reminder that every gift over $20 will receive a charitable tax receipt as well as our eternal love and appreciation. Our Operators are standing by and they will be until eight o'clock tonight. So give them a call 780-448-9000 or visit fringe theatre.ca Thank you so much for your generosity.
I got a question for you. Okay, yeah, yeah. What did your young self want to be? What are some of the highlights of when you really look? I'm
going to be up. Oh, I've always wanted to be a writer.
Oh my god. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Always
since I Hooked on Phonics used to be my favorite game when I was a kid. Which is a ridiculous thing to admit. And I went to a writing camp. It was like a writing drama camp when I think I was like seven years old that changed my life. And all the way through high school. Everyone who asked me that question was like, I'm going to be a writer. I'm going to be a writer and a lot of teachers who were like, writers don't make money. Ah, but I am a writer. I write for a lot in a lot of different ways. I write grants. I you know, I write copy. But I also write plays. Yeah, I do. So you know, dreams come true. That's
awesome. Have you I wanted to be my big brother was he was so cool. That's what I wanted to be when I grew up. I remember hanging up in the balcony five year old watching him wash his car with his little cut off shorts, just doing his thing with a big old Afro in the 70s. And then just like you're cool, the next thing I know he's just like, surrounded by people like a rock star. Right? And I was like, what is happening? Why are you so cool? I don't understand. I was like, that was my first who I wanted to be with.
Have you channeled some of his coolness since
I've been told that like I've been told I kind of look like an afro once though.
I mean, I've seen you surrounded with a lot of people. It happens. Okay, we might be coming to the end, but we're not done yet. Do we have time for another interview? Let's
do it. Yes. You
bet your mini doughnuts we do. Let's welcome to the stage. He is fringes beer tent manager but also an artist. In the festival this year sandbag again on out
Hello, how are you? All right. How are you?
I am nervous about what's in your hand. Don't worry about it. I already trick for it yet. Ignore that. Okay, Sam, how you doing? I'm doing good. How are you? So well. Sam, this is your first year with the French team.
It is Yeah.
How's it going?
Good. Stressful, but good.
It's great. Like stressful in a fun way.
Yeah, stressful in a very fun way. Well, there's just like so many things happening and keeping up with it is a big responsibility. Yeah, do you have to make sure that you have liquor available at any moment? So
that is not Bombay? That is not especially the cough syrup one you have or that one? Ah,
so Sam, you are in charge of all the five license stereos this year. The wine mark. Yes, yeah, you're in charge of all of our licensed areas. Yeah, sure. Amazing. And you got kegs and you got beer and you got wine.
Why we got the canned cocktails from Eau Claire. We're getting hard steeped teeth also from from white peaks, I think it is. And cottage springs vodka sodas. Oh, it's gonna be great.
We have been talking about fringe lore we've been talking about. When's your first friends were like Sam Banega. Yeah. When was your first festival and how old were you?
My first festival would have been 1997 I would have been nine months old.
Right? Right. Like like backstage offstage handed off somebody else like
I would have been a baby in any 1102 sketch where they wanted a baby to be on stage for whatever reason. I don't know I was nine months. Old. I didn't know.
You stole the show that I
bet every time right? Oh, probably. Yeah, that's, yeah, that was the first one.
And so the lore of the family and the acting was the acting bug there for you all along. Did you develop it that you have go different ways? Like how was that growing up?
It hit me pretty quick. I did my like, elementary Christmas show. In grade four. I played Linus and Charlie Brown Christmas. And then it never stopped after that. And here I am.
Hey, welcome. We're glad you're here.
Thank you. Happy to be here.
So I'm you've got a show in the festival. I
do have a Sonar Festival. Oh, yeah. It's a show called butcher written by Nicholas billon. That's a Canadian show. It's playing at Sugar swing venue 24. We have eight shows it is fair warning. It is a very dark and serious show. It sounds intense. Yeah, it's really intense. He saw the little trailer before pointing out the screen that we can see. It's very dark and serious. Please like make sure to read all of the warnings that is right at 18 Plus, for all of the many, many content warnings that we have. But it's a fantastic show. The writing is really incredible. Yeah, four people get stuck in a police station on 3am on Christmas morning and the mystery unfolds.
Very good. Awesome. So great.
Yeah.
What else is happening in the world of Sam, what do you what are you what are you excited for in your near future?
near future. I host a movie slash art discussion podcast called Welcome back with my friend Andrew Thomas, who's still over in New York. And we are slowly approaching five years of doing the podcasts. We're like, at the end January it'll be five years. And that's just been a really wonderful thing to do. Every week with my friends. Just sit down and talk about art for an hour and lose our minds. We recorded all through the early, dark times. Fully losing my mind living alone in a basement with my cats. By myself. Just tape it bless those cats. Oh yeah, cats. I don't know what would have happened if I didn't have those two cats.
Very good. Um, what are you most excited about for fringe this summer?
I'm excited to I know a lot of people who are doing shows this year people who work here at the fringe. And just all the friends and family who are all doing stuff. I think it's gonna be a very fun time and just getting to be part of the fringe community. In more ways than just showing up and doing my show. I got to like be there and see more people and talk to them and make sure that they can drink all of our alcohol and non alcoholic options.
very responsibly,
very responsibly. Please take care of yourselves.
At the festival don't drive because there's no place to park but definitely after you've had some you know, funny do not drive me.
Okay Sam one more time with anywhere you in.
We are in a venue 24 It is sugar swing. We are BYOB it's it's gonna be good. The show is called butcher everyone come check it out if you're over the age of 18 Sam What are you doing?
Hi in butcher
Um no. What is happening
don't worry about it. Okay.
Whipped cream or shaving cream. Okay.
Be nice and yummy. Work married don't even worry about it.
Okay, great. Is it time to go to some more con Okay, great. We're gonna just let Sam do whatever it is he's doing right now. I think it's time to get another sneak peek from our artists. Friendship theatre can I help you? Just keep hold on second things. Fringe Hi can I help you? Yes. Hi French cat can I help you? I will be breaking through the French theater Can I can I help you?
Sorry. Hi, can I help you?
Oh, okay. Well. I guess we were just Hi, can you hold a second? There's a reason why we're Edmonton is most trusted news stations. It's not just because we're here seven days a week. We're dedicated to Edmonton and committed to you, the news, our city, our news
the first time God spoke to me. I was on the toilet. I knew it was God as soon as I heard him. Believe me when God talks to you, you know it you can feel it in your bowels. Which is ironic considering now you might think that the worst part about this would be the fact that God would choose such an awkward moment to make himself known to me except for one thing I don't believe in him.
Hear of love lover. You cover me in my great chair with a red blanket and I fall into a fitful sleep. I dream of you. You're a snake in my bed. I sense you nearing coming right for me. I go fetal cover my breasts with my blanket. I'm scared to touch yoo
hoo deciphered the ancient writing known as Linear B and see what comes up. It might say Alice Cober or it might say a man Michael Ventris. Is that the complete truth? Is it historically accurate? I'm not a historian.
Hey everything Wayne Jones here and I am so excited for this year's race festival. I'll be performing at the spotlight cabaret in Wayne Jones and friends featuring amazing guests like Nicky Ray howto Masterman Ron Peters and all the way from Toronto Matt Foley
and naturally and all the way from Toronto Canada's number one Dan Levy impersonator. Come see me at the fringe the Edmonton fringe Robbie doing some of Dan Levy's best jokes and wearing his outfit Yeah, welcome back. I love
this. Andrea just ran a gin and tonic out to Marie as a an apology. Earlier you did you just got me but that's okay. I'm sorry. Oh, good. Work. Can you believe it? We have come to the end of our epic four hour live stream.
There was an hour that went by that went by what do we do?
Do you remember last time we did fringe review and you'd like to mean you're like, how long has it been? And I've been like, I don't know six. hours. This concept of time when you're
born with you always,
oh, always every time every time. We might be done up here but our phone lines are open until eight o'clock. And guess what Flinders. If you did not get enough of this wild rumpus that has been running amok on stage. This is just going to loop again for hours. You do not have to put up with our dwindling shenanigan because lord knows by our six we would likely be making less sense than we are now.
Oh, absolutely. then all bets are off.
We'll do that version next year. Yeah, haha. Um, but please, please, please, if you haven't yet give our operators a call. They are standing by 780-448-9000 Visit fringe theatre.ca To make your gift now, every dollar counts. You helped make the future of fringe possible. All donations over $20 receive a charitable tax receipt from the bottom of our very happy fringe hearts. Thank you to everyone who has supported today's event. huge round of applause to our production crew out here. Literal magic happen. huge round of applause to all of our staff who are answering the phones processing donation, who are also quite literally building the festival right now. I mean, it takes just so many people to make this possible. Our thanks to our volunteers, our sponsors, our community partners and fringe errs, we cannot wait to fringe with you. We are back August 11 to 21st here in the heart of old Strathcona. We have 160 shows in 27 venue's opening Wednesday, August 10. Wednesday, August 10. The free fringe street party is making a comeback. Yes, we will have the hallucination headlining that night we've got Sudan archives. We got sampler Cafe exotica and the murder Hornets it's going to be a party. It is all ages. It is free. That's Wednesday, August 10. In the park 630 Please come join us. Yes,
um,
what else? What else? Thank you to all of the artists who joined us today. Having people live here in the studio with us is a dream come true.
trailers were a treasure as well.
As program guides are on sale. Snap up your program guide start planning your Fringe Festival experience now because passes and tickets go on sale next Wednesday at 12 Noon.
God I want to tip my hat to the guide makers in this one because you're not alone.
But when you chan Rihanna there was a whole team of folks who made that possible for you to
follow good artists so great.
Yeah. Wonderful. Big shout out to ATB to big rock and to our official telethon sponsor global admin. Thank you. Thank you for uplifting our community and thank you for injuries for tuning in. Oh, hold on and Laura, bringing us something what's happening?
Yay.
Our next milestone? Yeah, there we go.
I did that. Amazing.
Thank you so much. vengers. And a shout out to the professor. Yes. Whoever you are mystery. Thank you so much for supporting the fringe. We couldn't do it without you. But mine's open until eight o'clock. You can donate all year long.
