Dance, theatre, film, cabaret, standup comedy, live painting, interactive juggling, an outdoor festival and more are coming to St. Louis later this summer for STLFringe Fest.
The annual performing arts festival, from Aug. 15 to 21, will feature more than 40 diverse acts across four stages in the Grand Center Arts District in midtown and the Schlafly Tap Room downtown.
Some of the headliners include “The Art That Is, Was, & Will Be,” an immersive, all-inclusive fashion show (.ZACK Theatre, Aug. 19); “Confessions of a Nightingale,” a solo performance starring Terry Meddows as Tennessee Williams (The Marcelle, Aug. 19); and the St. Louis premiere of “Storyville Burlesque,” starring award-winning performers Lola Van Ella and the Van Ella Bordella (.ZACK Theatre, Aug. 20 and 21). Fringe Benefits, an outdoor festival, is also planned.
STLFringe Fest is presented by St. Lou Fringe as its flagship program. Since its founding in 2011, St. Lou Fringe has produced more than 400 multidisciplinary works of art by independent artists that have grown into productions locally, regionally and nationally, including Off-Broadway.
Each year, the festival’s lineup features works that are pulled from a blind lottery, as well as invited artists and headline acts. This year is no different, with STLFringe Fest presenting an array of original material with a goal of celebrating all forms of the arts.
“STLFringe Fest is such a unique offering because of the variety of new works for the stage that patrons are able to experience in one place at one time,” said Matthew Kerns, president and artistic director of St. Lou Fringe. “For example, you can see St Louis acting veteran Terry Meddows play Tennessee Williams in a one-man show, and then walk next door to experience the comedic storytelling from NPR’s ‘The Moth Radio Hour’ series regular, Jon Bennett, with the story of him and his brother titled, ‘Fire in the Meth Lab.’ Next, catch the return of St Louis native and international burlesque star Lola Van Ella in her new show, ‘A Storyville Burlesque.’”
Simultaneously, Kerns notes there will also be live music downtown at the Schlafly Tap Room music stage, as well as family-friendly programming.
“Our family series features students from the Gateway Center for the Performing Arts and their Show Starters: Middle School Performance Troupe in a cabaret show, and ‘meSSes’ by Janoah Bailin, a show about juggling, complete with banana peels and popcorn! And that variety of experience is what makes us truly unique.”
Kerns says STLFringe Fest is the place to be this August.
“I am most excited that the stars of the independent arts community from across the disciplines, including dance, theatre, music, standup comedy, musicals, playwrighting, performance poetry, burlesque, cabaret, solo performances, live painters, and even a show that promises 30 plays in 60 minutes titled, ‘Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind,’ are coming together at the fest in celebration of the return of the performing arts,” Kerns said. “With over 40 offerings on the menu this year, STLFringe Fest is bringing our patrons back together to once again experience the magic of a darkened theatre and collectively be told a story.”
Several tickets options are available for STLFringe FEST, including a Thursday Night Date Night Package, Five-Show Hopper Pass or an All-Access Pass. More ticket information will be available at a later date on the St. Lou Fringe website.
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