by William Crum
OK, it’s one hot summer, so what do you do? Well, there is something that is going on, the annual Fringe Festival.
This is where various acts such as vaudeville, comedy, dance and theater perform at various venues in Kansas City, Missouri. It runs from July 20 to 30.
Every year this event attracts people from all over the world and this year is going to be no exception to that.
According to the Fringe Festival officials, over 120 acts will be performing at various venues in the Kansas City, Missouri, area and two of the acts include people with ties to Wyandotte County. One play is called “Check Mate,” by David Hanson, who happens to be the assistant director of the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Libraries, and it will be performed at the Arts Tech studio in Kansas City, Missouri. The other play is called “My White Son” and is performed and written by Lewis Morrow. It is at the Arts Asylum theater in Kansas City, Missouri.
Every year a lot of people from Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, also volunteer for the Fringe Festival. The cost of the show is $10 per person and for $5 you can buy a Fringe button, which allows you to go to late-night of the Fringe, plus when you buy a button you get a discount at certain merchants within the community, such as Chez Elle, the restaurant best known for their crepes, and the Musical Theater Heritage, where you can get 20 percent off your ticket and this offer includes a Christmas show.
This year is even more special because according to the Fringe Festival authorities, they are talking about expanding and one place that they’re looking at for a venue is the Alcott Arts Center on 18th Street in Kansas City, Kansas. This will be the first time in the 13 years that the Fringe Festival has been going on that it is considering expansion, and where else but Wyandotte County. Nothing is official yet but negotiations are underway.
On Thursday, July 20, at the Folly Theater in Kansas City, Missouri, they’re going to have an event called the Fringe Teasers where you can see various samples of acts that perform in the festival. It is a free event that starts at 5:30 p.m.; get there early.
If you want to go to a place where they have good quality entertainment for all members of the family, this year’s Fringe Festival is for the young and old alike, and I highly recommend it. If you can’t go Thursday night you can always visit their website, https://kcfringe.org/.