Shows range from the simply-titled Immortality and Rome to the elaborately monikered How to Save The World and Find True Love - In 90 Minutes and Tragedy (spelled with an IE on the end) of Othello, the Moor of Venice; attributed to William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon; A summary on cassette tape; A students? Guide — all hoping for the success bestowed upon Fringe NYC's most noteworthy alumni Urinetown - The Musical.
This year — as has become more frequent in recent years — stage and screen stars are being attached to these downtown shows. Among the names featured in productions include Annie Golden (The Full Monty), Mary Testa (42nd Street), Marla Schaffel ( Jane Eyre), Matt Cavenaugh (Urban Cowboy), Heather Tom (Prymate, "One Life to Live"), Donna Lynne Champlin (Hollywood Arms), Asa Somers (Dance of the Vampires), Yassmin Alers (Rent), Karin Wolfe (Bye Bye Birdie, Gigi), Ron Palillo ("Welcome Back, Kotter"), J. Mark McVey (Les Misérables), Jennifer Allen (Little Me), Allen Fitzpatrick (Sweet Smell of Success), Michael Gladis (Fifth of July), Anika Larsen (Zanna, Don't!), Colin Stokes (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), Donald Grody (Caroline, or Change), Remy Auberjonois (Strictly Academic), Bill Mooney (Lolita, "All My Children") and Kristine Zbornik (Forbidden Broadway).
Familiar names also appear behind the scenes with directors Will Frears (Omnium Gatherum), Connie Grappo (The Mystery Plays) and Jack Hofsiss (The Elephant Man) all sporting new projects.
More than 200 selections — from over 800 applicants — will play at the FringeNYC 2004. On par with previous years' entries (Elephant Titus, Moliere Than Thou, and Poop to name a few), companies are wishing for attention with eccentric show titles.
Among the eye-catching titles selected for this year's festival include:
Among the more famous of Fringe alumni are the Off-Broadway stagings of Never Swim Alone, 21 Dog Years: Doing Time @ Amazon.com, Debbie Does Dallas, Matt & Ben and the current Off-Broadway show The Joys of Sex. The grande dame of all Fringe alum is the Tony Award-winning Urinetown which graduated to Off Broadway, then Broadway and has since toured across the country.
Tickets to the Fringe Festival will be $15. For more information including volunteer details, call (212) 279-4488 or visit the website at www.FringeNYC.org. Complete guides to FringeNYC are available at all Borders Bookstores in Manhattan.
