The Rochester Fringe Festival is the first of its kind for the city and has a spectacular line-up planned for its first year.
The First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival is making its five-day debut from Sept. 19 to 23. Packed with theater performances and art, as well as musicians and comedy shows, this festival is the place to be.
But don’t let being a poor college student deter you from attending. There are plenty of free events all week for you to enjoy, without spending a dime.
Wednesday, Sept. 19
Anonymous Willpower
(Java’s Cafe)
From 7 to 8 p.m., Don Anonymous and Suzi Willpower, a husband and wife singer-songwriter duo, will perform their music at Java’s Cafe. Anonymous Willpower’s sound has been described as somewhere between the genres of blues and jazz, with a taste of punk rock and reggae.
Hide the Moon: based on Salome
(RAPA’s East End Theatre)
A reinvention of Oscar Wilde’s 1891 play ‘Salome,’ Hide the Moon delves into the complexities of human emotions. Performed by students from the Eastman School of Music, this play features an instrumental ensemble with original arrangements of music by artists such as Björk. The first performance will be from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Another free performance will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 20
Bandaloop
(1 HSBC Plaza)
Suspended from climbing ropes attached to all sorts of both man-made and natural environments, from buildings to bridges, cliffs and skyscrapers, Bandaloop takes dance performance to a whole new level — literally.
Bandaloop will be performing a vertical dance on the south side of the 21-story 1 HSBC Plaza building at 8 p.m. For the best viewing area, set up a mat or reclining chair at Manhattan Square Park. They will also be performing from 4:30 to 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22.
Dear Dexter
(Java’s Cafe)
From 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., Dear Dexter will perform at Java’s Cafe by Eastman. A reference to Showtime’s “Dexter,” Dear Dexter plays acoustic rock music, which is a combination of classic rock with acoustic guitar styles.
Friday, Sept. 21
‘I Remember You, A Coffee Cabaret’
(Jave’s Cafe)
Formed by Nazareth College students, this cabaret is an expedition of five people exploring life and their identities. Past experiences, relationships and friendships are all explored and sorted through by these students with classic and contemporary musical theater. The group will perform from 6 to 6:40 p.m.
Wearable Technology Fashion Show
(The Little Theatre)
Students from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) will put on a fashion show that incorporates technology from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Ruddy Well Band
(Java’s Cafe)
This three-piece folk rock band will be playing at Java’s from 7 to 8 p.m. A mix of contemporary and folk music, Ruddy Well Band plays instruments like the banjo, violin and accordion.
Saturday, Sept. 22
Dangerous Signs
(The Little Theatre)
This performance combines both poetry performance and American Sign Language. It uses dance, mime, spoken word and music to explore African-American and Deaf culture. See it from 12 to 1 p.m.
Al Biles and GenJam
(The Little Theatre)
Enjoy jazz? Come out and see Al Biles and GenJam (the Genetic Jammer) improvise on all sorts of musical genres, from Latin to pop and swing. Biles utilizes his human trumpet abilities to listen and reply to GenJam’s computer software-generated sounds. This spontaneous evolution of music in real time can be seen from 1 to 2 p.m.
‘Dragon’s Lair’
(Christ Church)
At 9 p.m., a projection will be played on the exterior of Christ Church building about a fairy tale, created by 3D Digital Design students at RIT, as well as some others.
Sunday, Sept. 23
‘Good Morning’
(The Little Theatre)
From 12 to 3 p.m., the Little Theatre will screen a hand-drawn animation of a story of a girl’s morning.
Encore A cappella
(The Little Café)
Encore A cappella is RIT’s all-female a cappella group that started in 1996. For any fan of a cappella, and even for those who aren’t fans, Encore is sure to entertain. The group will perform from 1:30 to 2 p.m.
‘Threading’
(Writers & Books)
In a modern retelling of the three Fates, a Greek myth, this play follows three co-workers who are cooped up in a corporate office. In this melodramatic play, fate and self-fulfilling prophecies follow the three workers who end up slowly losing those closest to them with each passing evening. “Threading” will be performed from 3 to 4 p.m. Another free performance will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 10 to 11 p.m.
Throughout the week, there will also be a variety of street performers to check out around Manhattan Square Park and Gibbs Street.
For a full line-up, check out their website at rochesterfringe.com.
Mariner is a member of
the class of 2015.
