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From 'Dizzy' to 'Dorks' at Fringe

Expanded fest exposes more music and dance

By Jayne Blanchard THE WASHINGTON TIMES | Sunday, July 6, 2008

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After three years, the Capital Fringe Festival has not unraveled or faded, but is instead bigger and more vibrant than ever.

This year's local arts fest runs one week longer than previous festivals and has expanded to 600 performances from 200 companies in 30 venues throughout the District. Other changes this year include four levels of festival passes and a fully stocked bar and cafe (with vegetarian and vegan choices) inside the official tent, Fort Fringe, at New York Avenue and Sixth Street Northwest.

"We are projecting 20,000 individual ticket sales this year," says Julianne Brienza, executive director and founding member. "It is kind of risky to have an 18-day festival and we hope people don't say 'I'm over it' after a week, but we felt like it was important to declare July Fringe Festival month in D.C. - that's the way they do it in Edinburgh and other major fringe cities."

In 2007, the Capital Fringe sold 19,996 tickets - nearly $205,000 in revenue.

Miss Brienza says the addition of the bar and cafe was a result of audience feedback, which also included not scheduling performances on Mondays and Tuesdays. "People like weekend events and jumping from one venue to another," she noted. "This is not a seven-day-a-week theater town." Audience suggestions also brought about more music shows and dance performances this year.

However, the backbone of the Capital Fringe and other festivals around the world is one-person shows and live theater. In 2008, the quirky mix runs the gamut from love - "7 1/2 Habits of Highly Effective Mistresses," based on Lisa Faith Phillips' experiences working as a stripper to pay her way through the London School of Economics - to a rock 'n' roll vaudeville spin on the Greek classic, "The Oresteia" (Spooky Action Theater's "The Dizzy Miss Lizzie's Roadside Revue").

There is little romance but plenty of stretch in the comedy duo Delusions of Spandex, who will present "Dorks on the Loose" at the festival. "The show contains scenarios that deal with modern life, from problem cell phones and ridiculous roommate problems to homicidal commercial producers," say performers Phaea Crede and Becca Jones. "We both die a lot in 'Dorks on the Loose.' That probably means something."

A high body count also figures into "The Oresteia," which depicts the bloody fallout after the Trojan War, and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy's Roadside Revue" has thrown in a death metal element as well. "But it is not just big and bombast. We're all over the map musically - rock, bluegrass, accordion. We're creating a new form of theater that combines rock 'n' roll, the British music hall tradition and theater," says musician Steve McWilliams, citing the Kinks and the Who as influences.

"We want our friends who go to the 9:30 club to see this," says director Debra Buonaccorsi. "We use music and dance to give the essence of the characters so they don't have to talk for 20 minutes and clearly the cultural relevance of 'The Oresteia' resonates in 2008."

Cultural irreverence of the government kind is the impetus for Joey Maranto's "Good Enough for Government Work," which draws from his 15 years as a civil servant. "My show talks about everything that happens in the normal day of a federal worker, Mr. Maranto says. "I want to show people what a great sense of humor government workers really have and that although we are the butt of many jokes, we love what we do and work very hard and take a great deal of pride in doing it."

Mr. Maranto chose the Capital Fringe Fest over other venues for his show because "it offers audiences fresh creativity that you won't find in the mainstream. You can take risks with your work and not be afraid to break new ground and do something new."

WHAT: 2008 Capital Fringe Festival

WHEN: July 10-27 Wednesdays through Sundays

WHERE: At 30 venues throughout the District

TICKETS: Prices vary

PHONE: 866/811-4111

WEB SITE: www.capfringe.org