FringeMTL 101
"Fringe is a verb, and fringing is the action. I Fringe because I believe in the idea, but I also believe in the values of what we're trying to do, which is promote diversity, community [and] artistic freedom."
I'm talking to Amy Blackmore via video chat to learn the basics of the Fringe Festival. A Fringe 101, if you will. As Executive and Artistic Director of both Montreal Fringe, and MainLine Theatre, she knows everything there is to know about the Festival (including where the bodies are buried, if there are any).
It's weird: I've heard about Fringe for years. I've had friends participate, been to some shows, and yet the whole thing is a bit nebulous. What the heck is Fringe?
"In Canada, all the Fringe Festivals belong to an association called the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals and that association exists to bring us together -- not as a way to tell us how to do what we do because every festival's quite unique. And I always say a true fringe is a reflection of the city that it takes part in, or the community it takes part in. So our fringe is quite unique. For example, we have a lot of dance, a lot of multidisciplinary work. You don't necessarily see that at the Victoria fringe, for example. They're very like, 'we're a theatre festival'. We're kind of everything because we're Montreal."
(My civic pride is easily stoked, and I love hearing this.)
Rather than dictate the content, the Association serves to uphold festival principles, which all Canadian Fringe Festivals follow.
They’re booked either by lottery, or first come first served.
Producers have no control over the content of the work.
Artists pick their ticket price, and keep 100% of the door.
Ticket prices must be accessible.
"The last point, which is the newest one that was added a few years ago, is that Fringe Festivals promote inclusion. That's quite unique to Canada, and to be honest, I'm really proud of it."
As a Fringer (that makes sense, right?) since she was 17, Amy's well versed in the other festivals, both American and European. While some follow the same model, many don't, and I'm pleased to hear that we bring a decidedly Canadian vibe to the table.
But wait, did she just say lottery?
"The fringe is a bit of a game to a certain extent. Everyone is invited to participate in the festival. Whether you’re audience, whether you're an artist volunteering, and I think that's really key."
Anyone can apply to have a show in Fringe. Each application is placed in specific "quota" categories (Quebec English, Quebec, French, Canadian, International, et cetera). The process begins in the fall, with a public drawing of names. "Everybody gets put in literal hats. Sometimes it's a sombrero or a pumpkin hat. There have been years where we've done a bingo machine, and I think that's coming back."
The drawing happens live at Mainline Theatre in front of an audience that I imagine is on the edge of their seats. If you get picked, your show is in. I tell her I know some folks who were selected without a plan, and had to develop a project in short order. I wonder if this is some dirty secret, or poor form to mention.
"You know what, I encourage that; I think that's amazing. Nothing like a deadline to make some creativity happen…[Some] folks are doing the Fringe to workshop material before they bring it to the next level. Other folks do it because they want to make some money, because there is money. Yeah, everyone does it for a slightly different reason. And I think that's really cool."
So, you've been picked out of a sombrero. Then what? Well, months of prep, but you're not walking the road alone. Artists do pay a fee to participate, and they get bang for their buck: a venue, a venue technician, 6 performances, and the priceless bragging rights. "And then you get to do whatever you want to present. Anything you want. Obviously within the reason of the law."
The first Canadian Fringe Festival happened in 1983, and the first Montreal Fringe came to be in 1991. Started by Kris and Nick Morra (now married, which is a sweet sidenote) when they were here from Edmonton, both studying at McGill. They knew about Fringe, and correctly realized we needed one here (we're an Artsy city with a capital A). For the first few years the festival took place near McGill, which makes sense in the student-built way, but now in the Plateau, arguably the artistic centre of our fair ville, it's hard to imagine it anywhere else.
"I think [it's] really the best place for it, for the centre of it at least," Amy tells me.
In a lovely closing of the circle, Kris and Nick came to Fringe every day last year, cheering on the team, and they brought their kids too. Imagine one day saying "Oh, Montreal Fringe? Ya, my parents started that." That's some Art royalty. And that sense of family, of generational teaching, is part of what makes Fringe special, even if it isn't what gets the spotlight.
"The thing that the public doesn't know, that I think is worth sharing, is that we accompany the artists on their journey. And you know what, it's not every artist that needs it, or that accepts that offer, and that's okay too. But we offer workshops all winter and spring long on technical aspects of production: self-producing, grant writing, marketing, social media for beginners. That kind of accompaniment that we offer is a really important part of it, because to a certain extent we're a teaching festival for some folks. It's also the way that we bring the community together…Where we are in March is really exciting, because this is the month where the artists all send us their information for the program."
Up until this point in the process, not even Amy knows who's doing what, save for friends that let her in on the details of their particular shows. After all the planning and practicing, submitting to the program effectively makes your vision public.
"We don't really know who's in the festival for real until we get their program information, so we're sort of going through that now. We're going to reveal it to the public in May, so that's when everyone else will find out."
It's up to Amy to schedule all 800 performances, which takes more than just a knack for timing. There's nuance to where and when a show should be to ensure that it gets the attention it deserves.
"You can't have an artist from out of town have their first performance be midnight on a Thursday. It's just not okay. But maybe a student group with 20 people in their show, maybe they could get away with it because maybe their folks will come out."
While shows are on pretty much non-stop throughout the festival, there's a variety of accompanying activities that I was unaware of. Concerts, events; there's a whole culture going on here I had no idea about! It's a whole arts village hanging and playing together, doing what they love, showing up for the things they appreciate.
"The first half of the festival, that's where we celebrate the community. That's where we do one off events. I can share now that we're definitely doing a slow dance night at Mainline on June 2...I'm very excited. Nobody knows that; you're the first."
The whole shebang kicks off with Fringe For All. While she's unsure of when this tradition started, she can say with certainty that it's been a thing since at least 2001, Amy's first year as a Fringe Artist.
"Fringe For All is our big Preview Night. All the companies are invited to present two minutes onstage to convince the public to come see their show or to be curious about what they're offering at the festival…It's really like a speed round of every show because there's like 80 companies that present that night. It starts at 7 PM, and usually wraps up around 10:30 PM, intermission in between."
I've heard of Fringe Park. I know it's held in Parc des Americas on St. Laurent and Rachel, but what the heck happens there?
"It's open June 8 to 18th, so that's the second half of the festival -- and let me actually share something: that second half is where the bulk of our programming sits. Our main venues are open, the park is open, the tourists are coming in from out of town to check out the fest…Fringe Park is really where the Fringe gathers as a community. We recommend folks stop by between shows to grab a beverage, meet other fellow Fringers to talk about the shows. It's a place where you can read the Buzz at the beer tent -- We encourage the public to write reviews on these papers called Fringe Buzz. You see a show, you write a little review, we're gonna post it at the beer tent so other people can see. It's not up for us to decide, it's up for you to decide what's great, right? We're not curating, you are as the audience…That's why we have the hashtag #fringebuzz. It's really the motor of the festival -- this idea of us all buzzing around.”
Fringe Park opens June 8 with a concert, and local bands lined up for the whole run. It's a free, open air party, and everyone's invited.
The last mystery term of Fringe-cabulary I want to clarify is the 13th Hour. It sounds cool, or dangerous, maybe both.
"13th Hour is our late night programming. During those last days -- those last 10 days of the festival -- MainLine is going to be open every night as of 11 PM… Fringe Park closes at 11 PM, MainLine bar opens at 11 PM…We have a variety of programming, and some nights will be the 13th Hour, which is our cabaret variety show. But we're also planning a karaoke night, we're also planning a dance party. It's sort of where the Fringe goes to relax, or where the Fringe goes to party, and it's a great way to meet the staff, the volunteers, the artists, and the public. It's really where the community lets their hair down."
MainLine Theatre is the veritable epicentre of the festival. Sure, there are other venues hosting, but the soul of Fringe lives at MainLine. I've yet to see a show there, but have been inside as a PA on a project. I admit that I didn't know where it was until I had cause to go there, and now I flex like a cool kid when others wonder where it is. I take the opportunity to ask Amy if this is by design; if it affords them some speakeasy type caché.
"Everyone's always invited to MainLine but, you know, we're certainly one of those hidden gems of Montreal. I think one of my favourite things is when somebody walks up those stairs for the first time, and they're like, 'wait, what? This is here?'"
One last fun fact about Montreal Fringe is that it kicks off the Fringe season. Of all the Canadian Fringes, we come first. As such, some of the shows you see will pack up and head West, stopping in all the Fringey spots along the way. The national season wraps up in the fall; right in time to submit your name again.
Mossy Fae at the Frankie Awards.
