From time to time, our Festival Director Ben Hill will share some stories about how the Fringe began as well as some insight into the direction and mission of our little festival. This is his first post. Enjoy!

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Every organization has its founding story.

Ours started in one of those crappy Hollywood apartments at the corner of Wilcox and Homewood. Anyone who lives in LA knows the scene I am setting: old carpets, ambitious roaches, curious smells, crumbling ceilings, bathrooms the size of linen closets.

Our little palace amongst the stars was our welcome mat when I moved to LA in 2007 with Fringe co-founder Stacy Jones (Hill) - my then-girlfriend, now-wife, forever soulmate.

I had come to LA as many do, eyes wide with ambitions of becoming a working actor in the city where actors worked. That ambition lasted about a week.

One ambition wouldn’t die so easily: starting a theatre festival in LA. But what kind of festival?

Our producing director and co-founder Dave McKeever and I had produced a festival in the past. It was a wonderful little event called “The Hatchery Festival” – three plays, three directors, three dramaturges, three weeks. There is nothing so pure as a festival of new works. As one actor put it, “I just love the way  the new words feel in my mouth”.

Still, it wasn’t enough. Even then I longed for artistic chaos framed in a well organized event. This couldn’t be achieved in the scope of a small festival of new plays, as noble and wonderful as it was.

Having witnessed first-hand the success of the Capital Fringe in my hometown of Washington DC not to mention that wonder-of-the-world that is Edinburgh Festival Fringe, I remember the first time I heard myself say it (it was in New Hampshire for the lore-curious): “Maybe we could do a Fringe in LA. They don’t have one right?”

And so there we were, drinking as we do in a shitty Hollywood apartment, no cares, no kids, no money; weeks into our LA experience and our lives gloriously changing all around us. We were happy as hell. 

I remember reaching for my laptop (half drunk). 

Browsing to GoDaddy.com. 

Seeing the words hollywoodfringe.org scrawl across the page as I typed

Clicking search. 

That infinite moment of quiet anticipation. The great wait.

“Hollywoodfringe.org is available, purchase now?”

Money was tight, but yes – I think we will purchase now. I like the way those new words feel in my mouth.

The date was October 10, 2007. For all intents and purposes, the Fringe was conceived in that moment. 

Things became a little more complicated after that. The shows, the artists, the tickets. Dreams born and crashed. Friends made, friends lost. That spirit conceived on a day in October – it was like a life placed in our hands that needed nurture. A calling, a responsibility, a joyful struggle. 

It all rose from that one pure moment where a magical name was shot into the universe: Hollywood Fringe.

My name is Brittany Gash and I am in love with words. (I am also the new Publicity Manager for Hollywood Fringe Festival, but I’ll get to that later.) I’m in love with how we use words to describe things and communicate our feelings. I’m also intrigued by the many ways in which we choose to ditch our words and use other methods to communicate. Some people dance, paint, act, or make music. My art is communication. I love the magic of composing a sentence or phrase that will inspire, inform, motivate, uplift or push someone to take an action.  

Here are some of the words the Hollywood Fringe has chosen to describe itself and the festival – Community. Open-Access. Freedom of Expression. Collaboration. Uncensored. Diverse. Cutting-Edge. Inspiring. Fun. (#Yaaaasss) Are those not some of the best words in the English Language? These are the things that make my heart beat fast. This is why I wanted to work with the Hollywood Fringe Festival team. Plus, the Festival is the largest celebration of the performing arts in L.A..

I have worked in the Arts and Marketing since 2006. My first grown-up job was a summer internship for the LA County Arts Commission/Ford Theatres. That summer I was given a baptism by fire in arts marketing. I experienced a multitude of performing arts genres – from live theatre, Japanese taiko drumming, chamber music and Argentine tango to Ballet Folklorico, hip hop dance and film. I was also immersed in the county’s visual arts scene. I had so much fun and learned so much about marketing, publicity, communications, and the arts during the internship that there was no turning back. 

Since then, I’ve worked with a variety of arts organizations and entertainers to tell their stories and share their creative and inspiring projects with the public. As the Publicity Manager of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, it is my job to tell our story and share our programs and events with the community, the media, and the world. I write the email newsletters and press releases that end up in your inboxes. I also reach out to the media, and develop partnerships with community organizations, to help spread the word about all the awesome stuff happening at Fringe. 

I am truly honored to work with not only the HFF staff (who are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met) but the very talented and inspiring festival participants and the many organizations and businesses who partner with us to make it all happen. Plus, everyone is just so freaking cool.  

Join Hollywood Fringe staff and participants every Wednesday for the return of Office Hours! Office Hours are casual meet-ups at different bars around Hollywood that offer you a weekly chance to network and drink with other Fringers.

Use #drinkingaboutfringe on Twitter or Instagram (or check this blog post regularly) for updates on locations, specials, and more.

Office hours are always Wednesdays from 7pm-9pm beginning March 30th, at the following bars:

• March 30th: Three Clubs (1123 Vine St.) – $5 Happy Hour
• April 6th: Saint Felix (1602 N Cahuenga Blvd.) – $5 House Wines & Beer, $6 well drinks, $8 Signature cocktails
• April 13th: Dragonfly (6510 Santa Monica Blvd.)
• April 20th: Pig N’ Whistle (6714 Hollywood Blvd.)
• April 27th: Lost Property (1704 Vine St.) – $8 specialty cocktails
• May 4th: The Well (6255 Sunset Blvd.)
• May 11th: Black (6202 Santa Monica Blvd.)
• May 18th: Bar10 (8933 Santa Monica Blvd.) – Happy Hour ($4 drink specials and discounted food dishes) until 8 pm
• May 25th: Piano Bar (6429 Selma Ave.) – Happy Hour until 8 pm
• June 1st: Three Clubs (1123 Vine St.) – well drinks $7, beer/shot combo $8

Networking is an essential ingredient to your success at Fringe and we’re giving you a ton of opportunities to mix and mingle! Hope to see you #drinkingaboutfringe soon.

The Hollywood Fringe is growing, so we recently hired some new people to join our staff! First, we’d like to introduce our new colleague Ellen Den Herder.

Hello Hollywood Fringe!

I am so, so grateful to join the Hollywood Fringe Festival staff as Outreach Coordinator. I am new to the Los Angeles theater scene, but am ready to take the full plunge! Here’s a little bit about myself and my involvement this year…

Q: What’s “outreach” and why do you sound so excited?

Outreach is essentially getting to know you all! I get to help coordinate special events with our Outreach Director, get involved in the newest Fringe education programs, and basically meet every single one of you. I’m so excited because I love talking to new people, making friends and seeing fantastic art. 

Q: …You’re new to the theater scene, eh?

Yes! I am, but that does not mean I’m new to the performing arts. As a musician, I have worked on countless operas, musicals and classical performances all around LA as both a performer and administrator. I’ve also been to the Fringe as a patron and seen fantastic work. I have always had a passion for all art forms, but theater (and specifically, theater education) has always been a passion for me. 

Q: So, when can I meet you, you sound (insert emoji of choice here)?

You can meet me at any of our #drinkingaboutfringe “Office Hours” every Wednesday starting at March 30 at bar TBD. Come grab a drink, hang out and grow along in our Hollywood Fringe family with me!

For more information on Office Hours & all things outreach, subscribe to the Fringe newsletter or keep your eye on the Fringe blog. 

We are extremely pleased to announce that this year’s Fringe Central social space will be hosted at The Dragonfly located on Theatre Row at 6510 Santa Monica Blvd, for the second consecutive year. We all owe a huge “thank you” to our partner at this legendary nightclub, owner Anthony Belanger.
 
Fringe Central is the community center of the festival, featuring free programming, a bar, food trucks, Fringe merchandise, major Fringe events and Concierge staff. The space serves not only as a place for Fringe-goers to unwind, but also as a gathering place for those wishing to network, distribute flyers or hold meetings.
 
Fringe Central is also home to the Fringe Concierge service. Staffed with friendly faces deeply familiar with the operations of the festival, Concierge assists Fringe-goers with tickets, times, information and merchandise.

This is also the location of Bryan’s Bar, the infamous Fringe watering hole, designed as a place for artists, audiences, producers and local community members to mix and mingle. Anyone with a Fringe Button will receive discounts on Fringe bar items as well as deals at local Hot Spots.
 
Fringe Central will officially open to the public on June 8th. There will also be a Fringe Runway event, a Fringe Prom, a Rock n’ Roll themed karaoke party and regular installments of Fringe Cabaret (the sampler platter of the Hollywood Fringe buffet). 
 
Fringe Central Hours of Operation: 
Mondays-Thursdays: 5:00pm – 12:00am
Fridays: 5:00pm – 2:00am
Saturdays: 2:00pm – 2:00am
Sundays: 2:00pm – 12:00am 
 
The venue is 18+ only.