Orlando Fringe recently announced a star-studded lineup for its recurring 4-day winter festival. Now known as FESTN4, this annual event offers a reduced, more-contained version of the larger summertime Fringe Festival. Unlike the May celebration, FESTN4 is curated with more than 20 shows available over four consecutive days. Selected productions include popular performances from past festivals, new shows from experienced Fringe artists, and other works from respected creatives. This year’s FESTN4 will take place at Downtown Orlando’s Fringe ArtSpace.
(From an Orlando Fringe statement) 2024 FESTN4 is proud to present the following shows:
LOCAL
· A One Woman Titanic Parody in 59 Minutes or Less (Bikini Katie Productions): Last year’s hit parody is back. See Fringe favorite Katie Thayer perform James Cameron’s 3-hour and 14-minute masterpiece… by herself… in 59 minutes or less.
· Becoming Grandma Kat (Florida Deaf Theatre Project): Becoming Grandma Kat is about young man who is placed in the witness protection program. Trapped in his new persona, he faces several scenarios that test his ability to keep his true identity hidden.
· Rat Man Happy Place (Bruce Ryan Costella): A guided comedy tour through the happiest ruins on Earth using only the power of garbage and imagination – An interactive theme park satire from the creator of MUTTNIK and Spooky & Gay.
· SAK Presents Lights Up: The Fully Improvised Rock Opera! (SAK): Lights Up is a fully improvised rock opera based on suggestions from the audience and performed by processional SAK improvisers and accompanied by a three-piece band.
· Shifted (FAV Productions): When three friends discover their apartment stairs have the power to shift between alternate dimensions, they must navigate the perils of parallel universes and face off against their mysterious RA.
· Stroke of Genius: Pantomime Masturbation Throughout Performing Arts History (Boiled Horse): This professor takes “jacking around” very seriously: His multi-media lecture familiarizes students with historical pantomime masturbation techniques.
· The City Beautiful, an Original Live Band Burlesque Musical (Cheesy Pizza Productions LLC): The City Beautiful, an Original Live Band Burlesque Musical, is all about the weird, creepy, BIPOC, Queer and sometimes somber – but never boring – history of Orlando.
· The Complete Works of Stephen Sondheim (Abridged) (Orlando Artist Guild): From SWEENEY TOOD to INTO THE WOODS, COMPANY to FOLLIES, watch four performers irreverently take on the canon of the greatest musical theatre composer of all time.
· The Vast of Darkness (Whiskey Theatre Factory): Astronauts from enemy countries are orbiting on the dark side of a distant planet when they begin experiencing a terrifying cascade of events.
NATIONAL
· Bent Compass (Dirt Hills Productions): Colin, a student teacher, sees a student punch someone. As the other teachers react passionately, Colin remains calm. His perspective is different because he is an Army Medic Combat Veteran.
· Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative (Harbour Workshop LLC): Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative is a one-act play featuring a searing tale about prodigal rebellion and fleeting moments for redemption. The play won Best Solo Drama/Orlando Fringe 2023.
· Jenny Lind Presents P.T. Barnum (Shelley Cooper): Before Taylor Swift, there was Jenny Lind. This one-woman opera show fact checks “The Greatest Showman” and the real reason Jenny Lind (also known as the “Swedish Nightingale”) quit the tour.
· Men of Motown (Independent Artists’ Playhouse): This cabaret will pay tribute to musicians like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and more! Get Ready to hear these timeless melodies performed and in-person.
· My Grandmother’s Eyepatch (Clowns Can Dance): In this off-the-wall comedy, comedian Julia VanderVeen leads the audience through wild stages of grief as she attempts to honor her long dead Grandma.
· The Chair on the Door (Travis Abels): Growing up in a cult that forbids sex might be a problem for people with a body. Storyteller Travis Abels learns to laugh and love along roads to self-acceptance, finding beauty in the collision points.
INTERNATIONAL
· Caught (Raise the Stakes Theatre): Chinese dissident artist Lin Bo shares his story of his imprisonment at a notorious detention centre.
· Malunderstood (KS Presents): A grandmother should spoil you from time to time, no? Well, not Kenny Streule’s grandmother. Immerse yourself in a collection of memories that explain how Kenny was raised by his Swiss German Grandma.
· Rat Academy (Bat Rabbit Productions): Hi. We R the last two rats from EDMANTON. Together! WE made a show for U people. Pls come. Learn how 2 rat with US… U will not hate it. Pls come. We hav chese.
· The Family Crow: A Murder Mystery (The Pucking Fuppet Co.): The award-winning, international Fringe hit THE FAMILY CROW: A Murder Mystery returns to Orlando.
“We are thrilled to grow closer to FESTN4 and announce our amazing show lineup that we proudly curate,” says Festival Producer Tempestt Halstead. “From re-introducing fan favorites and highlighting award-winning performances scouted from other Fringe Festivals to welcoming new voices that embody the true spirit of Fringe, FESTN4 is a great introduction to first-time Fringe-goers to get a taste of the magic of Fringe and get excited for our incredible May Festival. We look forward to seeing our arts loving community near and far come together next month at Fringe ArtSpace for FESTN4!”
FESTN4 will also bring back Fringe favorites like Fringe After Dark: WTF(ringe) Cabaret (a late night show), FESTN4 KIDS productions, and an Arts Market from Visual Fringe. And don’t forget to visit the Fringe ArtSpace bar and concession stand – open between shows during FESTN4.
FESTN4 will run January 11-14 at the Fringe ArtSpace located at 54 W Church St in Downtown Orlando. All shows are 70 minutes or less. Ticket prices (except kids’ shows) are $15 with the purchase of a $3 Fringe button.
For more information and a complete show schedule, visit orlandofringe.org.
