ORLANDO | The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival featured a diverse array of local and international talent performing their works, in a variety of venues, during its 33rd outing May 14-27.
Orlando Fringe focused on making the festival a safe, inclusive space for all artists and audience members. Venues such as Loch Haven Park, Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Family Stage and Fringe ArtSpace played host to a wide range of performances. While some artists chose to bring their own venues, locations such as City Arts, Renaissance Theatre Company, Stardust Lounge and Starlite Room at Savoy, encouraged artists to deliver art in new fashions. Some of the most unique site-specific venues take place in unconventional locations, for example, a cargo van in the parking lot.
Audience members can choose from many shows during the run of the festival. Watermark’s Fringe program lists all performances, by day, time and venue, to assist in the planning process. To attend any performances, audience members need to purchase a button, which is a one-time purchase. The proceeds of each show ticket are given back to the artist, and the one-time button purchase is to cover operating expenses.
Accessibility is a priority at Fringe, with ADA-accessible performances available at no extra charge, festivalgoers have access to audio descriptions and American Sign Language. The Sunflower Lanyard is another program used to alert volunteers that someone may need extra assistance without having to disclose the nature of the disability.
As the two-week event drew to a close, the closing ceremony of the festival concluded with a thunderous round of applause as artists were honored with their much-deserved awards. Among them, Watermark’s Splash Awards recognized outstanding LGBTQ+ shows and artists, as chosen by the readers.
The Splash Awards this year went to “Dungeons and Drag Queens: Second Edition” for favorite LGBTQ+-themed show, Joel Swanson for his direction of “Meddlin’! The Doosical,” Swanson’s “Meddlin’!” co-star Daisy McCarthy for favorite LGBTQ+ lead performer, Billie Jane for favorite supporting performance for “The Saints of West Orange County” and Bruce Ryan Costella for writing his show “Muttnik.”
Explore the excitement and energy of the festival in our colorful photo gallery.
Photos by Bubba Trahan.
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