FRINGE FOR ALL FOR ONE June 2 Café Campus

Du 12 au 22 JUIN
FRINGE The 18th ST-AMBROISE MONTREAL FRINGE FESTIVAL!
Le festival international de l'expression libre.

“La meilleure planque en ville pour s'exclamer 'What the f***!'”

In 1947 some artists feeling excluded from the Edinburgh Scotland International Festival decided to perform their shows at the exact same time. Later, journalists referred to these shows as the “Festival Fringe” and an international movement was born! The first Canadian Fringe Festival was held in1983 in Edmonton; since then, more than 30 Fringe Festivals have sprung up all across Canada and the United States. The 1st in Montreal was in 1991 and took place on St-Laurent Boulevard.

In 1996 I first discovered the FRINGE; I've attended every year since. Volunteering from 1999 to 2007, and on staff for 3 years: 2002, 04, 05. Volunteering for the FRINGE even if only for (4) hours will get you into a Play of your choice for FREE!

In 1996, Jeremy Hechtman, the current producer of the festival, moved it to the campus of McGill University. In 1999, the festival returned to the Main, and has since grown to become a bilingual French and English performing arts festival and one of the Plateau - Mile-End and Greater Montreal largest cultural events.

In 2008 over 50,000 spectators are expected to attend 90 companies from: 8 countries, 5 Canadian provinces, and 5 US states;  in over ten venues including: Cabaret et Studio Juste pour Rire, Théâtre La Chapelle, Théâtre Ste-Catherine, Éspace Geordie, Tangente, entre autre; presenting 700 performances in 11 days. Fringe Central offers numerous free concerts and special events with outdoor stage, beer tent and central box office located in Parc des Ameriques Rachael et St-Laurent. Ticket prices range from free to a maximum of $9 and 100% of this price is returned directly to the artists.

The 2008 Fringe season kicks off Monday June 2, 8pm, at Café Campus with our annual Fringe-For-All preview night: a free evening of performance where local Fringe companies will impress the assembled audience and is your best chance to determine the must-see shows of 2008. The festival opens at 6pm, Thursday, June 12, with a free outdoor concert and party at Fringe Central.

Here is a pre-view of some of those must see Plays:

‘The Dragpiper’
*Miss Gina, Dragpiper extraordinaire, is on a quest where Braveheart meets Priscilla Queen of the Desert, in search of a new home; except this ‘Dorethy is in high heels, fishnets and fake eyelashes. Two-spirited lipstick prophets tell secrets while Celtic hearts and blaring pipes escort you down the lost highway from Winnipeg through northern Ontario to La Belle Province.

‘Degrassi! The Musical’
Your favorite 80’s TV tales of teenage pregnancy, fake drug deals and swamp-related pornography all in musical form! Degrassi Junior High comes alive with instant classics like “There’s Nothing Wrong With Lesbians” “You Oughta Be Kicked in the Head” and a very special tap dance number, “He Touched You/Me.”
‘Le Cocu Clan’ est une pièce folle, burlesque, croustillante et puncher...bref, vous n'aurai pas le temps de vous ennuyer. Jouée devant plus de 3,000 personnes en région, elle vient  maintenant voir s'il y a autant de curieux que de cocus ici aussi.

“The official Napolean Dynamite Dance Class” This dance piece at Mange mes Pieds Dance Studio and has some interesting gay characters in the story line.

‘Peg-Ass-Us’ **A tale of boy-meets-girl, and the whole involves much more than the sum of their parts! In a no-holes-barred sexploration of ‘pegging’ these lovers tease along the delicious line between fetish & preference, queer & straight, give & take, wrong and oh-so-right. Produced by packofothers.org from NYC who coincidentially return to Montreal in October for La Récolte V with a production entitled ‘Fluid’.

The FRINGE FOR ALL is at Café Campus, Monday June 2nd 8pm.
A free entry event to see 2min. promotional samples of the Plays

18th ST-AMBROISE MONTREAL FESTIVAL FRINGE 12 au 22 juin. Billeterie et detailed programming information www.montrealfringe.ca Tél: 514.849.FEST.