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(Aug. 22 @ 11:15 am) - Due to the ongoing wildfire situation in the Central Okanagan, the Kelowna International Fringe Festival has been cancelled.
(Aug. 16 @ 6:45 pm) - Performers from around the globe are getting ready to wow audiences at the upcoming Kelowna International Fringe Festival.
This year’s event, which runs from Aug. 25 to Sept. 3, is taking on the theme “Rebel with a Fringe” and features a wide variety of shows at locations in Lake Country, Kelowna and West Kelowna.
“Fringe Festivals are un-juried, uncensored thrilling events designed to give 100% of the base ticket sales back to the artists,” explains Bonnie Gratz, the artistic director of New Vintage Theatre, who is producing the festival.
“Tickets are offered at a low price point to allow audiences to see as many shows as possible, and there are also free opportunities for kids and families to get Fringy, too."
The shows range from one person to large scale casts for musicals, comedies, dramas, stand up, improv, dance and everything in between.
For those who love history and ghostly tales, Grant Richard will be performing his new play, A Kelowna Ghost Story.
Musical theatre artists Josie Morrow, Corey Hendricks and Tayler Harrison will be featured in a new but retro vibe production by Kimberly Billinton called Broadcast.
There are much anticipated new autobiographical shows including It Is What It Is by standup comedian Taryn Anderson, My Body is My Home from Salmon Arm’s Karen Wilson, and Finding Mama by Kelowna’s Lauren Frost.
Emerging artist Ben Anderson is bringing his new award winning three hander comedy called Pike Market to the festival, and audiences who love music will want tickets to see Okanagan’s favourite cover band, The Shawn Lightfoot Band.
Local celebrity Stephen Keppler will take comedy to the next level in Improv Against Humanity with fellow comedian Bonnie Esson and acclaimed actors Peter Church, Mark Wells and newcomer Karliana DeWolff.
The Femme Fatale Burlesque troupe is ready to bring something new and sultry to the stage with a special guest artist from Vancouver joining them in Burlesque After Dark.
Those who love a rebellious new look at the classics will want to see the highly anticipated Romeo and Juliet A Modern Musical, featuring 10 New Vintage teen actors from throughout the region.
The Best of the Black Cat 10 Minute Play Festival will also feature performances of some winning short plays.
Bonnie Gratz, New Vintage Theatre’s artistic director, will also be reprising her production of Willy Russell’s award-winning play Shirley Valentine.
There will be more quirky offerings from the Zorblax the Destroyer Troupe from Kamloops and by XXXY Downstage Foreign Individual.
Out-of-town high-profile touring artists will also be showcased at this year’s festival.
From Edmonton, there will be Fringe circuit songstress Melanie Gall in her internationally acclaimed show, The American Songbook Experience.
Flora Le from Washington, DC, is bringing back her Best of the Kelowna Fringe show Sadec 1965 about her journey to Vietnam that is Motorcycle Diaries meets Eat, Pray, Love.
Jay Hill from Manchester, UK, will be performing a new, retro play called Sheila! that is generating all kinds of excitement.
The spellbinding contemporary dance show called Let It Flo by Viva Dance Company in Edmonton, as well as a provocative piece by Electric 42 Blue from London, Ontario called Stuck will be taking the Kelowna festival’s stage.
Kelowna International Fringe Festival will take place at the following venues:
- Creekside Theatre in Lake Country
- Rotary Centre for the Arts in Kelowna
- Kelowna Community Theatre
- Black Box Theatre in Kelowna
- Okanagan Regional Library in Kelowna
- Grizzli Winery in West Kelowna
Tickets range from $13 to $25 and are on sale here.
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