Guide to 2009 Minneapolis Fringe Festival
From Drama to Comedy, It's a Celebration of Film and Social Event
May 1, 2009
During the 11-day Minnesota Fringe Festival, approximately 150 shows will be presented in more than 800 performances at 18 different venues in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Dates for the 2009 festival are July 30 through August 9.
How Festival Films are Chosen
The films shown at the non-juried event, which began in 1994, are chosen in six random lotteries. Categories are: general films (90 slots), films by children 12 and under and films intended for children (10 slots), flms by teens 13 to 18 years and films intended for teen viewing (10 slots), films by artists of color (15 slots), films by international companies (10 slots) and films by national companies (15 slots). In 2008, the festival committee received 277 applications for the 156 performance slots.
The 2009 lottery was held on February 17. Of the roughly 300 applications, 130 were received from producers new to the Minnesota Fringe. Returning Fringe favorites are David Mann, Ari Hoptman, Third Rabbit Dance Ensemble, Mike Fotis, Ferrari McSpeedy Theatrical Productions, Allegra J. Lingo, Joseph Scrimshaw, Four Humors Theater, Jimmy Hogg, Ministry of Cultural Warfare, Tim Uren, Nautilus Music-Theater, Noah Bremer, Top Hat Theatre, Theatre Unbound and Walking Shadow Theatre Company were among the lottery winners. Full lottery results are available at the festival website.
Fringe Festival Films Offer Variety
As a result of the lottery method of selection, quality and subject matter vary widely. For example, on opening night in 2008 some five dozen films were shown in 16 theaters located throughout the city. Ticket holders could choose among titles such as “My Hovercraft is Full of Eels” (advertised as a journey into the outrageous world of Monty Python), “The Pumpkin Pie Show” (described as a storytelling session of part monologue and part boxing match) and “Ophelia” (an investigation into the hidden love story within Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy).
Anything goes as far as subject matter is concerned. The only caveat is that films be from 45 to 60 minutes in length. Fringe audiences in the past have watched serious dramas, comedies and musicals. They’ve seen films that involve solo performances, dance, performance art, juggling, improv and spoken word. While a good number of the films are by people based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, other regions of the country and world are represented, too.
2009 Venues for Film Screening
In 2009, films will be shown at 18 venues. These include four stages within the University of Minnesota’s Rarig Arena, the Bedlam Theater (known for Producing radical theater since 1993). Mixed Blood Theatre (a multi-racial theater promoting cultural pluralism and individual equality), a pub and an art gallery called The Soap Factory. And, for the first time, a Saint Paul venue at Augsburg College with two stages will be among the performance sites.
Theoretically, it would be possible for a season ticket holder to attend 44 complete films during the festival. Screenings are held at 5:30, 7, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Once the festival begins, numerous reviews appear in local newspapers and blogs and. audience reviews are posted at the Fringe website. Maximum show price is $12. The purchase of a festival button $4 entitles bearer to a discount on all tickets. Multi-show tickets are also available.
Film Makers’ Rewards -- Money and Exposure
In return for the $25 application and $400 production fee, film makers will receive 65 percent of all box office revenue earned for their film. In 2009, producers whose shows reach an average house capacity of 50 percent will also receive a five percent bonus. Prior to 2009, $1,239 has been the average payout to production companies. But there’s a more important potential payoff – exposure. Each film is shown a minimum five times and top shows at each venue get a sixth screening. And as every film maker knows, The Tony-Award winning Urinetown was first screened at the New York Fringe.
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