One performance cancelled: Deviants

Live Action Set, presenting “Deviants,” had to cancel their performance for tomorrow night, August 5 at 7 p.m. due to an injury of a cast member. So far the remaining shows will run as scheduled.

Opening weekend’s numbers

14,215 tickets issued! That’s a 10 percent increase over last year—thus erasing last year’s dip in attendance. W00t. If you want to read the press release, it’s right here (PDF). And it is a stunning, stunning piece of literature.

—Matthew

Daily Fringe #4




Whew, that was intense! Four days of theater, some 22 hours of actual shows you could see, out of 320 hours of potential performance, plus(!) the nights at Fringe Central* and the Fringe Opening Night Party! And we're not even half-way done yet! That's right, you have ample opportunity to catch the show you heard everyone talking about. Or if you need more help, there's a staggering 800+ audience reviews online to point you in the right direction. 'Cause as we say at the Fringe Online Services Dept.: They all can't be Mom! What's more, tonight at Fringe Central we're doing a special screening: 48 Hour Film Project: Best of Minneapolis, a bevvy of short films shot, chopped and screened over a 48 hour period earlier this summer! Screenings are at 7 and 10 p.m. And there's Fringe-themed pub trivia tomorrow night starting at 11 p.m. Prizes! All right, rest up for today, unless you're talking a Fringecation***, because while the pace may ease for the next few days, the Fringe doesn't stop! Your pals, Bill and Matt *"Fringe Central: Taste the Kitties"** ** Created by Matthew J. G. Foster (American, 1975-). Released under a Creative Commons license. *** Fringecation, as defined by our own Deputy Audience Services Director Zoe Benston: "Taking a paid vacation to work 12 hour days at Fringe."
Photo du jour "Meet the MacBeths" presented by Lauren and Joshua Iley at the Lab Theater. Joshua Iley as Mac and Lauren Iley as Betty. (Photo: Brad Dahlgaard)
Fringe Central at Bedlam TONIGHT @ 7 and 10 p.m.: 48 Hour Film Project 2008: Best of Minneapolis; with Ira Livingston (the producer) at 7 TOMORROW @ 11 p.m.: Fringe-themed pub-style trivia $3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close Get the complete schedule   Weather Today: Sprinkly, 84°. 40% chance of storms tonight—and believe us, NOAA knows what they're talking about. That thunderstorm last night? Yeah, Matt was on the Greenway when it hit even though NOAA was all, like, "Dude, don't get on your bike, there's gonna be rain after 10" and then Matt goes, "Whatever, NOAA, you're just government scientists!" and then NOAA's all, like, "Harsh, dude! TAKE IT BACK," and Matt goes, "I'm leaving. Write on my Facebook Wall when you're ready to admit that you're not my mom, okay?" Low 67°. Tuesday: Partly sunny with a 100% of gnarly. High: 85°. Partly cloudy at night, low 63°. Wednesday: Mostly sunny and cooling off, 83°. Low: 61°.	Today's links Thanks for your patience over the weekend with the Web site—we were getting slammed and service was spotty, but everything's better now. And if you think we had tech problems, don't go to Edinburgh... Yiiiikes. Reviews: Audience reviews, Pioneer Press, StarTribune (through vita.mn), lots more Today's schedule Tomorrow's schedule   Own your very own Largaespada! Local artist, Visible Fringe alumnus and friend of us all John Largaespada has graciously donated four prints to the Minnesota Fringe. (The eBay auction starts tomorrow, so get your credit cards ready.) John specializes in photoillustrations that are a little strange, a little haunting and entirely fascinating. And he's interpreted the now-famous Fringe kitty: And the proceeds benefit the Fringe! Thanks, John! (Details on the auction will be available tomorrow morning.)   Drawing winners! Days 3 + 4 winners: Julie Holmen, Allison Broeren and Amy Mork won a pound each of Equal Exchange coffee in Saturday's drawing. And Mark Bullock, Sean Wagner and Courtney Roche won the coffee for Sunday. Congrats! (And keep in mind that if you win a pound of coffee in the daily drawing, you're still eligible for the other prizes on Sunday. Yay!) Stop by Fringe Central to put your name in the hat (or the, uh, box) to win coffee, an Equal Exchange gift basket or the Ultra Prize: Two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie! (Drawing's on Sun., Aug. 10. Stop by Fringe Central to sign up and check out the rules.)
P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

Interviews!

If you’re not reading Leigha Horton’s blog, you really should. She has bunches of interviews up with Fringers—including the folks from “American Sexy,” “Audish” and standing-in-line audio clips.

A few years back when we did podcasts, Leigha was our Voice of the Fringe and is a Fringe veteran in her own right.*

—Matthew

*Full disclosure: Through the Ministry of Cultural Warfare, which Leigha run together. Leigha and I go back 8 years to Fringe 2000. She’s not in a show this year, so she’s blogging mightily.

More MTV… Matt Peiken Television!

Video #2 and video #3 of Matt Peiken’s video coverage for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine!

I especially love how Mike Fotis sort of glances over at the very top of #3 all, like, “What’s goin’ on? Oh, a camera. I will casually walk away now.”

—Matthew