Shows, comedy acts, dances and performances that are proudly weird have arrived for the one-weekend-only Orlando Fringe Mini-Fest. 24 curated shows will take over the Orlando Shakes (The John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center) from Jan. 7 – 11. You can support local and international talent during this limited-time essemble of talent.
The Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest is a taste of new shows and top talent from former Fringe Festivals. A $3 donation gets you a button into the event, which directly supports the behind-the-scenes work to get the entire event together. Each show during this weekend is $15 with all shows at or under 70 minutes. Guests can choose from comedy, dance, singing, drama, introspective pieces, a profanity-packed musical, a video game adaptation and more.
Orlando Fringe Mini-Fest show line-up
Thursday through Sunday visitors can find a show (or two, or three) to enjoy. All located under a single roof, the Mini-Fest makes it easy to jump from stage to stage if you wish to make an entire evening out of performances. While tickets will be available in person, advanced ticketing is highly recommended. Some performances, like “The Fabulous King James Bible,” have already sold out numerous showtimes.
“Welcome to the 10th Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest!” says Tempestt Halstead, Artistic Director of Orlando Fringe. “Curating this milestone year meant honoring a decade of bold, intimate, risk-taking work while lifting up the new voices shaping our future. This lineup brings together emerging creators and brand-new work from returning favorites. Each piece will leave you wanting more. A heartfelt thank you to our staff and volunteers for their dedication, and to our audiences for joining us and for supporting the kind of fearless, independent art that keeps Fringe thriving and our community creating. I invite everyone to lean in, explore and try something new. Curiosity is the heart of this festival.”
What is Orlando Fringe and why is it important?
Orlando Fringe is self-described as, “The Orlando Fringe produces The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, the longest running Fringe in the United States and the largest performing arts festival in Central Florida…Orlando Fringe’s mission is to create cost effective platforms, equitable opportunities and resources for live performance and visual arts that connect communities through creative risk-taking, experimentation and exploration.”
The Orlando Fringe takes care of one of the hardest parts of live performances, the logistics. They provide the stage, the main advertising and the literal platform for smaller acts to be in front of numerous audiences. Many of these shows are single performer or small cast acts, Orlando Fringe works hard to make sure performers get their chance. Not every audience will love every act, not every performer will find their hit show on their Orlando Fringe debut. But, they do get a chance, something many actors are desperately asking for. That is the importance of Fringe Festivals worldwide. A single actor may be one show from glory, an untold story may find the perfect audience, but there has to be a place that can happen.
When you visit the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival (in May), or this Winter Mini-Fest, you are directly supporting live performances. These shows differ from family-friendly to wildly provocative, be warned when buying a ticket, but the Orlando Fringe aims to let creativity flow and the audience can decide for themselves. While this specific Winter Mini-Fest does contain 24 curated shows, the storylines and performances greatly differ. It also offers the chance for someone to see what Orlando Fringe is before the big event in May.
