Looking for drama: Save the Fringe

• Mark Adam

So, my friends, the Fringe festival hosted in Halifax every year since 1991 is being ‘postponed’ for two years. This, I say, is a HUGE mistake that will set community theater back significantly. I know some community theater groups that ONLY do shows in the Fringe. This is their time to participate and it’s being taken away.

We can not stand for this. We must act. This is a call to arms, so to speak. There are a couple ways to deal with this sort of thing.

1) Go to the festival board with a ton of signatures, forcing them to reconsider.
2) Form a new, independant theatre festival, and going forward boycott the Fringe.
3) Find and beat up this Pinto guy.

Now, I think we can all (or at least mostly) say that option 3 is not viable. Legal issues and all. (Plus I’m kind of excited about the Titanic 100 celebration.)

That said, if this one guy can’t run both, then why can’t someone else do it? What makes him so unique that if he’s not available, then we should just call the whole thing off? It makes no sense. There are many talented and capable people in Halifax. That’s why there’s a festival in the first place!

Please, share this post and comment below. Let’s talk.

Thanks,

M A

[EDIT: There will be a meeting to discuss saving the Fringe! You can attend! CLICK HERE.]

3 thoughts on “Looking for drama: Save the Fringe”

  1. Hey Adam, thanks for your post.
    I’m going to be speaking with Stephanie Domet this afternoon on Mainstreet on CBC about this.

    I am not an official spokesperson for the theatre community, but have been reading and participating in the discussions all day.

    I will be talking about the importance of this festival for community theatre members as well.

    Rest assured, everyone is upset. Writing letters is a good idea. Also, there is going to be a meeting this weekend to discuss the issue, time and place TBA, but representatives from the community theatre world are absolutely necessary.

    Talk soon,
    Stew

    1. Hey Stewart,

      Nice to hear from you. I hope the theatre community (or community theatre) gets heard. I, for one, can’t think of a better spokesperson for the arts than you.

      I’m all for writing letters, but people need to know the most effective place to send them.

      What time will your interview air?

      M A

  2. Hi Adam,

    Good work, count me in. After we performed in the Fringe last year I spoke with Ken and offered to help out in a more official capacity. Would be a terrible shame to lose the Fringe for two years. I’ll do what I can. 🙂

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