Evaluating Toronto Fringe’s Artistic Structure.- “Most shows die at the Fringe.”

This statement made by Toronto Fringe’s Outreach Coordinator, Kevin Matthew Wong (July 6, 2017), has resonated with me over my three-week theatre festival journey. Whether it’s due to financial road-blocks or lack of artistic drive, Fringe shows reached limited audiences because so many of them cease to exist once the festival closes. Even on the Fringe “Success Stories” page, only four shows are highlighted as “successful” in an almost 30-year old festival that runs 100-plus shows per festival (“Fringe success” 2017).

Why are artists at the Fringe, which bills itself as ‘theatre for the people’ (“Fringe 2017”), unsuccessful in carrying their productions past Fringe? Temple Hauptfleisch notes artists tend to have “widely divergent motivations for being involved” (42), which seems to be a huge factor. Productions mainly fall into two categories: shows touring across the Canadian Association for Fringe Festival circuits, or shows that view Fringe as an endpoint (Wong 2017). It is the latter that produces a problematic and amateur feel to the Fringe, as many artists do not wish to perceive the Fringe experience as a building block for their production. Many are just “happy” to be in these professional theatre settings, as this legitimizes the work they are doing (Wong 2017).

Maybe it is time to reevaluate the Fringe model. Fringe shows such as Alongquin Highway depend upon superfluous technical elements that add very little to the overall performance text (2017). Quality theatre is “naked” and “mobile” and can be produced anywhere, as this can acquire a wider audience than film and television (Brook 87). Nuit Blanche is so successful as an art event because of how “accessible the works are and the variety of spaces which host exhibitions” (Kim 2016). All events are free at Nuit Blanche and, at most, are an hour’s walk from each other (“An Insider’s Guide” 2016).

Granted, these festivals produce much different artistic content, however Nuit Blanche’s model has garnered $268 million for Toronto over ten years (“Backgrounder” 2016). By comparison, Fringe’s “best-selling” year generated $519,707 for the organization (“Largest Toronto Fringe” 2017). Obviously artistic achievement is not solely based on financial earnings, otherwise Broadway’s inaccessible tickets would be the benchmark (Brook 18). However, Nuit Blanche’s success does illustrate its accessibility to a non-arts audience, who are enticed by a socio-cultural event that brings together communities away from the trappings of “everyday life” (Hauptfleisch 40).

Fringe should use repurposed spaces such as Cloud Gardens and Union Station, in conjunction with ‘traditional’ spaces such as Theatre Centre, to help end an elitist atmosphere that stigmatizes their festival (“Event Map” 2016). Even for an independent festival that boasts “theatre for the people” (“Fringe 2017”), many Torontonians are not interested in a narrow-minded festival largely produced in regular, professional theatre spaces.

Works Cited

"AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO NUIT BLANCHE 2016." 2016. Web. 25 July 2017. http:// onepagerapp.com/walkingguide_nbto16

"Backgrounder: Nuit Blanche Toronto 2016 Sponsorship." Media Room. City of Toronto, 2016. Web. 25 July 2017. https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly vgnextoid=86f27e4d13947510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=

84a7e03bb8d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD>.

Brook, Peter. The Empty Space. New York: Touchstone, 1996. Print.

"Fringe 2017." Toronto Fringe Festival. 20 July 2017. Web. 25 July 2017. https:// fringetoronto.com/festivals/fringe

"Fringe success stories." Toronto Fringe Festival. 09 June 2017. Web. 25 July 2017. https:// fringetoronto.com/festivals/fringe/fringe-success-stories

Hauptfleisch, Temple. "Festivals as Eventifying Systems." Festivalising! : theatrical events, politics and culture. Amsterdam; New York: Rodopi, 2007. 39-45. Web. 12 July 2017.

Kim, J. Thomas. "A look ahead at Nuit Blanche Toronto 2016." NOW Magazine. 24 Aug. 2016. Web. 25 July 2017. https://nowtoronto.com/art-and-books/art/nuit-blanche-toronto-2016- preview/

"Largest Toronto Fringe Festival in History and New Fringe Club Wrap Up with Record Breaking Sales!" Toronto Fringe Festival. 2017. Web. 25 July 2017. http://mailchi.mp/fringetoronto/ next-stage-applications-810133

Wong, Kevin Matthew. DRM398 Seminar #2. University of Toronto, Toronto. 6 July 2017. Seminar.