The third in the "Great Theatre Debates" series, which began last winter, will take place Aug. 13 and argue the statement "There Must Be a Fringe Festival in 2002." The event will take place at 7 PM at The Present Company Theatorium (198 Stanton Street) on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

The debate will look at the five-year-old New York International Fringe Festival, which began on Aug. 10 and runs through Aug. 26—its "accomplishments, failings, components, economics, aesthetics, administration and effect." Testifying for the affirmative are Elena K. Holy, one of the founders of the festival; Martin Denton, publisher, critic and creator of nytheatre.com; and performance artist Antonio Sacre. Speaking for the negative are performance artist (who has been produced by the Fringe and published by Denton) Trav S.D., Gorilla Rep artistic director Christopher Carter Sanderson; and playwright John Devore.

Randy Gener and Leonard Jacobs moderate.

For information, call (212) 399-7026.

—By Robert Simonson