The Vancouver Fringe Festival

The Vancouver Fringe is a celebration of every kind of theatre imaginable. Over 11 days in September, more than 80 different theatre artists and companies come together to share their creativity on stage. Audiences are as varied as the performances with theatrical offerings for all tastes and ages. The uniqueness of the Fringe comes from the “everyone is welcome” selection technique—the Mainstage shows are literally drawn out of a hat, giving all artists a chance to participate. There is also a category for artists who find their own venue, Bring Your Own Venue (BYOV). The Fringe welcomes their performances as well, some of them in surprising locations like inside bathrooms or in the back of a car. The Fringe revels in its identity as part theatre, part party. Every night of the Festival, Fringe artists, audiences, volunteers, and everyone involved, are welcomed to take in live music and share their experiences at the Fringe Bar. With over 500 volunteers supporting 700 performances in 11 days, the Fringe is a cultural experience unlike any other—bustling with the energy of an unwieldy stable of untamed creative beasts. Theatre Wire is the Fringe's latest project to support independent theatre in Vancouver. We saw a need to create connections between all the smaller theatre companies in Vancouver. Our city is a creative powerhouse with brilliant, independent theatre openings practically every week, but it can be difficult to keep tabs on all these companies and their productions. Our vision for Theatre Wire is to be a one-stop shop for independent theatre happenings. In addition to selling tickets and subscriptions to shows, we also want to become your source for local theatre news, and create a sense of community by producing articles about local performing arts history and culture. Visit TheatreWire.com for more information.