The play's the thing at avant-garde Fringe fest
A comedy about cancer support groups. A rock opera with instructions on how to stop thinking and become a "good American." A musical rant about Arizona's politics, the treatment of immigrants, and the separation of Southern Arizona from the rest of the state.
These themes and more are in store for the second annual Tucson Fringe Theater Festival, a weekend packed with new plays, most by new playwrights.
Fringe fests happen around the world - there are about 16 in this country - and Tucson's operates the way most do: Playwrights submit new works, and plays are picked at random. That aspect of the festivals is a point of pride for most organizers.
"We wanted to bring the Fringe experience to Tucson, unjuried and uncensored," said Sara Habib, who, along with Yasmine Jahanmir, her lifelong friend and fellow theater lover, launched Tucson's first Fringe last year.
"It's art-centric," the 29-year-old Habib explained. "It's a community event. It provides space for people without the money to rent a theater. It's more avant-garde - it's like fresh theater."
The inaugural festival drew about 400 people. A dozen plays were submitted and six were performed.
Six were submitted this year, and the five selected - all from Tucson - will spread their performances over two venues, Solar Culture and Beowulf Alley Theatre.
Beowulf Alley hosted Fringe plays last year, but the event is new to Solar Culture.
Kevin Henderson, left, and Terry Owen - better known as Fish Karma - are co-playwrights of "Lethal Fairytales," a rock opera that addresses the plight of those unfortunates who are encumbered by unwanted intelligence.
Read more: http://azstarnet.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/the-play-s-the-thing-at-avant-garde-fringe-fest/article_fb6a6cca-a671-51f9-9638-00dee3a4584a.html#ixzz1nPFa1yeY
Read more: http://azstarnet.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/the-play-s-the-thing-at-avant-garde-fringe-fest/article_fb6a6cca-a671-51f9-9638-00dee3a4584a.html#ixzz1nPFPytSh
