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‘Buffet of art’ at Fringe Fest
Joshua Bainbridge has been involved in theatre for more than a decade, teaches at Canadore College and has produced works for all four previous On the Edge Fringe Festivals.
But Bainbridge, 28, learned something different this summer helping a group of youth create a play as part of the 12-production lineup set to open at the Capitol Centre Tuesday.
“It was a great experience with a real hard-working group hungry to learn,” he said after spending eight weeks as a mentor for John Demellweek, Ella Doughty, Dan Goldgruber, Jared Geden and Mat Parkes.
They went through the process of writing an original play to rehearsals to the final dress rehearsals this week.
The play is called Dragged and explores gender nonconformity in the delicate pubescent years.
A description of it sets the stage for an important conversation about being true to yourself: “The weeks leading up to prom are stressful enough for any high school student. Even more so for Victor who plans to use the event as a platform to show the world who he really is. You see, Victor intends to embrace the inherent divinity of a young man in feathers and heels.”
It was the first time, Bainbridge says, that he had to hold back his opinion and instincts about how to do something and, instead, “help facilitate what somebody else is passionate about for the benefit of everyone.”
Working with individuals with ages ranging from 15 to 22, he says it was important that he encourage them in a non-judgmental space “to bring out their creative feelings without me getting in the way.”
Bainbridge, who runs a professional touring theatre company called Proscenium Club that brings original theatre to rural communities, says the Fringe Fest is about making it easier for artists to mount their work.
Created by Kelsey Ruhl, who is also part of Proscenium, the festival provides the venue, marketing and experience so the artists can focus on mounting their work.
It’s value to the community is hard to measure, Bainbridge says, but it’s becoming “more and more integral to the artists and the health of our city.
“There’s nothing like watching art unfold tangibly in front of you,” he says, adding that the city benefits both economically and socially.
“We need it as humans. We’re all starved for entertainment and inspiration.”
Every show includes at least one person who has never been involved in that level of theatre while also attracting at least one person who hasn’t been exposed to it.
With 12 shows starting at different times every day Tuesday through Saturday, he says, there are a lot of first impressions being made with people being able to pick and choose as they like.
“It’s like a buffet of art,” Bainbridge says
Tickets for the full festival or individual show passes can be purchased at the Capitol Centre box office. For festival details see www.fringenorth.com.
Festival lineup (in alphabetical order)
Book of Job – Adapted by Jim McCaskill
Running Time: 50 mins
Venue: Basement
Tickets: $10
Dragged – Presented by On the Edge fringe
Running Time: 50 mins
Venue: Main Stage
Tickets: Pay What You Can
Firestarter Cabaret – Presented by Zakide
Running Time: Various
Venue: Main Stage
Tickets: $10
Moss Park – Presented by North Road Theatre
Running Time: 60 mins
Venue: Galaxy Circle Lounge
Tickets: $15
(Three nights only – Aug. 14-16)
Now You’re Acting! – Presented by Bird on Stage Productions
Running Time: 60 mins
Venue: Main Stage
Tickets: $12
One Man, All Woman – Presented by the Gateway Theatre Guild
Running Time: 60 mins
Venue: Basement
Tickets: $12
Problem Child – Presented by Problem Kids
Running Time: 60 mins
Venue: WKP Kennedy Gallery
Tickets: $10
See Bob Run – by Daniel McIvor
Running Time: 40 mins
Venue: WKP Kennedy Gallery
Tickets: $15
Still Beating Box – Presented by Halfway Home Collective
Running Time: 50 mins
Venue: Galaxy Circle Lounge
Tickets: $14
The Cavewoman – by Stephanie Kast
Running Time: 50 – 60 mins
Venue: Basement
Tickets: $10
What the Circle Reveals – by Shannon Bain
Running Time: 35 – 40 mins
Venue: Galaxy Circle Lounge
Tickets: $12
Why Aren’t You Happy? – Presented by Bird on Stage Productions
Running Time: 60 mins
Venue: WKP Kennedy Gallery
Tickets: $12
Previously Published by The North Bay Nugget, August 10, 2018
Written by Dave Dale