Fringe Fest brings culture to town

Everyone wins at this year's Orlando Fringe Festival.

The 2009 Orlando Fringe Festival will once again grace Loch Haven Park, the Orlando Repertory Theatre and the Lowndes Shakespeare Center from May 14 through 25. This year's theme, play lottery, offers 100 percent uncensored, accessible and nonjuried original performances, according to the Fringe Web site. 

"People like to say that there's not a lot of culture in Orlando," said Genevieve Bernard, the associate producer of the Orlando Fringe. "That is, except for the Fringe."

The 18th annual Orlando Fringe, which is the longest-running Fringe festival in the U.S., will host 67 shows this year with a cast of more than 2,500 performers of dance, music, art and theater. Shows range from local performing companies from as close as Oviedo, to national and international acts from as far as Toronto.

"There's something for everyone at the Fringe," Bernard said.

Aside from seeing performances in theater-like settings, the Fringe also offers performances outside in Loch Haven Park for free. Food, drink and merchandise vendors line the outskirts of Loch Haven Park as well.

This year, the festival will host events for children. The Kids Fringe will take place on the "Green" venue in Loch Haven Park during the day on Saturdays and Sundays and perform child-appropriate shows. This year, members of the Blue Man Group will perform "The Girl Who Never Ate Soup," an interactive choose-your-own-adventure-styled fairy tale.

Inside, visitors can find a room dedicated completely to art, called the Visual Fringe. Here local and visiting artists alike showcase their work, all of which is offered for sale. A total of 12 pieces of art from the Visual Fringe were sold on the first day of the festival.

Among the artists showcased in the Visual Fringe is Heath Starling, an Orlando native. 

"You really get a wide audience mix here," Starling said. "It's a great place to showcase your work to a creative, fun crowd, and meet other talented artists." 

This is Starling's second year showcasing his work at the Fringe. He said he plans on continuing to showcase his work at the festival in the future.

"There's just such a variety of creative subject matter here," Starling said. "I'll always come back even if it's not for exposure, but just a social thing." 

John Hefner, a 26-year-old actor from Washington D.C., has returned to Orlando to perform at the Fringe festival for a second time.

"Orlando is one of the best festivals because of the big crowds," Hefner said. "People come out because they want to see shows they've never seen before. There's a good spirit in this community."

Hefner is performing in his self-directed solo show this year, called the Hefner Monologues.

According to Hefner, his show is a comedy about taking control of one's life. 

Tyler Fite, a 22-year-old graphic design major, is excited about returning to the Fringe to see the different performances this year.

"The general atmosphere that the Fringe festival presents is great," Fite said. "It's very open and inviting."

His favorite performance from last year's Fringe festival was Reefer Madness, which is a satirical musical about the effects of marijuana. 

Fringe performances begin as early as 11 a.m. each day and last as late as midnight.

Fringe goers must purchase an $8 button for admittance into the festival before buying $10 tickets to individual shows.

For more information about shows, show times and prices, visit orlandofringe.org.