This year's festival is the largest since the tradition started in the District three years ago. There will be more performances, more venues and more artists than ever before.
Among 2008 Capital Fringe Festival highlights:
Tickets range in price from $15-$35.
For more information visit capitalfringe.org or call (866) 811-4111.
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Here are some arbitrarily selected highlights from each discipline within the 2008 Capital Fringe Festival. Consult the Fringe website for complete schedule.
Theatre – Musical
Paul Mackie and Dan Sullivan
Wiener Sausage: The Musical!
"In the not-so-distant future, war and young love are in the air. Add to the mix politicos and pundits, and you have a recipe for disaster, intrigue, and romance! Wiener Sausage: The Musical! is a science-fiction rock 'n' roll parody of life, love, politics, war, and death that you will never forget." July 12-26. Visit wienersausagethemusical.com.
Theatre – Drama
Marc Hoffman
Bee Man
"Our food supply depends on bees. In this one-man play, Lorenzo Langstroth — scientist, minister, author, abolitionist, raconteur, and manic-depressive — shares his experiences of 19th century life, his observations and love of bees, and insights into the natural and spiritual worlds. His 1851 invention of the modern beehive changed agriculture forever." Juy 17-27. Visit www.LorenzoLangstroth.com.
Theatre – Comedy
Fine Wine Players
Funny Propositions
"A little old lady who turns visitors into dolls, a compulsive solitaire addict who falls for the Deuce of Clubs, and a marriage gone sour takes a wacky turn; these are just some of the Funny Propositions that The Fine Wine Players hand out. Seasoned actors with years behind them The Players prove that Fringiness has no age limit. You don't have to be 20 to be over the edge. Laugh a lot over the most unusual situations you might imagine, with an acting company that will never be past its prime." July 12-27.
Dance
Maida Withers
Fare Well - The End of the World As We Know It!
"The latest large-scale multimedia performance work of Maida Withers, Washington's most provocative choreographer/dancer. Fare Well, a visual and acoustic portrait of our rapidly changing environment, creates a unique and powerful performance around man's relationship with extreme nature." Music is by Steve Hilmy; visuals are by Ayo Okunseinde; poems are by David McAleavey. July 11-19. Visit www.maidadance.com/FareWell.
Experimental
Treyhawk Productions
Bargain Basement Game Show
"Bargain Basement Game Show is a theatrical-based game show that combines high-brow trivia with low-brow humor. Everyone in the audience is a contestant, and all four episodes — Dating, Hades, Presidency, and Sleep — are different. Come test your wits for the chance to win fabulous (if inexpensive) prizes!" July 12-26. Visit www.treyhawk.com/bbgs.
Solo Performance
ZeroHero Productions
Hold Me, Drill Me, Kiss Me
"After years of internet dating and part-time work, Joe's finally found a real teaching job and a lawyer girlfriend with an even realer job. So why does he love going to the dentist so much? Through humor, pathos, flossing, and shadow puppets, Joe Zarrow explores society's love affair with professionals." July 10-July 23.
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The mission of Capital Fringe, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, "is to connect exploratory artists with adventurous audiences by creating outlets and spaces for creative, cutting-edge, and contemporary performance in the District. Often the first opportunity for emerging artists to present their work, the Festival also challenges audiences to discover new, sometimes risk-taking performance art. The uniqueness, variety, and accessibility of the performances build new audiences. Capital Fringe Festival presents a vibrant cultural experience, contributing to the city's economic health, growth, and possibilities by offering 'cool' things to do."