Sun sets on FRINGE WORLD 2017

Transcription

1 MEDIA RELEASE // Sunday February 19 Sun sets on FRINGE WORLD 2017 FRINGE WORLD 2017 had its celebratory swan song at the Festival s Award ceremony earlier tonight where the best of the Fest were recognised and acknowledged. Western Australia s largest annual performance platform, FRINGE WORLD Festival played host to 700+ shows at over 150 venues and performance spaces spread across Perth and further afield in local communities and neighbourhoods. Perth s FRINGE WORLD Festival, the third largest Fringe in the world, sold more than 350,000 tickets and generated box office sales in excess of $10 million. Attendance at ticketed and non-ticketed events topped 750,000 and proves that Perth lapped up the opportunity to escape the everyday and go to their happy place at the Fringe. Amber Hasler, FRINGE WORLD Festival Director said, It s clear that Fringe means something special to so many people and year after year, they come out and experience all the entertainment and delights the Festival has to offer. FRINGE is on everyone s Perth Summer to-do list. FRINGE CENTRAL at the Perth Cultural Centre and The Pleasure Garden in Northbridge heaved with Fringe-bingers from all walks of life. For the first time, FRINGE went luxe at Cathedral Square with audiences flocking to experience shows in some of Perth s oldest and most historic buildings, alongside The Edith Spiegeltent, new to the Festival in Suburban audiences were treated to a significant program of events presented beyond the Perth CBD including Fremantle, Scarborough, Mandurah and Geraldton. FRINGE WORLD Festival is brought to life by the incredible local and visiting artists who descend upon Perth for the Festival s four weeks. Nearly 70% of the 3,000 artists who brought their talents to Perth audiences are homegrown Westralian heroes, with the remaining 30% flocking to Perth from around the country and the world, Ms Hasler said. Our local artists are the ones who really make the Festival shine and it s important to us that we recognise their enormous contribution. The Festival Awards round out what has been an incredible program of events. Fringe proudly presents the most generous Awards of any Fringe festival in the world. FRINGE WORLD Awards are given to the best shows in each genre category, plus there are a bunch of special awards, with winners receiving cash, development support and direct touring opportunities.

2 FRINGE WORLD launched this year the Fringe Fund and encouraged the public to add microdonations to their Fringe ticket purchase. Because of the success of this program the Festival has increased the prize pool for the Awards and presented two shows with the coveted Martin Sims Award. The Martin Sims Award is the top prize of the Festival, recognising the best new Western Australian work in the Festival that is destined to succeed on the world s stage. The 2017 Festival Martin Sims Award goes to My Greatest Period Ever and Bus Boy. Both shows will receive $10,000 and touring opportunities to build their career internationally at other Fringe Festivals through the World Fringe Alliance. My Greatest Period Ever by presenter Lucy Peach is a musical that recounts how Lucy found inspiration in her own menstrual cycle to find a new way of life, unlock and amplify her creativity and produce the sophomore album that would earn her a nomination for Western Australia's 'Best Folk Artist'. Bus Boy by presenter Rorschach Beast is a heart-warming theatre piece, an exploration of how we re all looking for connection set on Rottnest Island. A full list of award winners for 2017 follows. For the nominees and more information on the shows visit FRINGE WORLD gratefully recognises the support of its partners including Community Partner Lotterywest along with Woodside, the Department of Culture and the Arts and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority. Martin Sims Award Presented by: FRINGE WORLD My Greatest Period Ever Bus Boy Finalists: When He Gets That Way Rú (//) Cercle Alone Outside THE ONE by Jeffrey Jay Fowler The Blaz Award Presented to the best writing for performance by a WA writer. The Award honours Perth playwright George Blazevich who passed away in Winner: THE ONE by Jeffrey Jay Fowler

3 WA Emerging Artist Award Presented by: Woodside Winner: Sean Gustavino for Bus Boy Independent Program Award Presented by: ooh! Media Winner: The Blue Room Summer Nights Program Special Acknowledgement: The Flaming Locomotive Independent Venue Award Presented by: ooh! Media Winner: Noodle Palace Spirit of the Fringe Award Presented by: Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Winner: Jessie Gordon Melbourne Tour Ready Award Presented by: Melbourne Fringe Winner: THE ONE by Jeffrey Jay Fowler ECU Performing Arts Award Presented by: Edith Cowan University Winner: Jo Morris The West Australian Arts Editor Award Presented by: The West Australian Winner: Djuki Mala WA Winner: THE ONE by Jeffrey Jay Fowler

4 Cabaret Award Presented by: ABC Radio Perth Winner: Betty Grumble: Sex Clown Saves the World WA Winner: Major Minor Marlene Shirley Gnome: Taking it up the Notch Reuben Kaye Success Story Mother's Ruin: A Cabaret about Gin Children s Event Award Presented by: City of Perth Winner: Fractured Fairytales WA Winner: Crazy Hat Day - Music Fun with Libby Hammer Balloonatics Mr Snot Bottom's Stinky Silly Show Returns Rockstar School Circus Award Presented by: Howling Wolves Margaret River Sinsuality 2: Back in Bed Pink on the Inside - David Eriksson What's Next Barbu By a thread Comedy Award Presented by: Gage Roads Brewing Co. 99 Schnitzels (Veal Ain't One) Butt Kapinski WA Winner: 6056 Stevenson Experience: Identical As Anything Trygve Wakenshaw: NAUTILUS Hablas Inglés?

5 Dance & Physical Theatre Award Presented by: K&L Gates Winner: Djuki Mala WA Winner: Loco Hummingbird Fantasy Light Yoga Cultural Renegades Parlour Games Film & Multimedia Award Presented by: Channel Nine Winner: Next Gen Short Film Festival The Man Who Fell to Earth Quizlemania 2 Free & Community Award Presented by: Lotterywest Perth Chinese New Year Fair Under the Sky Sessions Music & Musicals Award Presented by: Nova 93.7 Winner: So Fresh: The Fairly Average Dance Party Adam Page - Chairman of the Beard Old School RNB Dance Party Soul Rhythm Spectacular The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast! My Greatest Period Ever

6 Theatre Award Presented by: Cathedral Square Winner: Bus Boy Half hour hamlet Paradise Lost Risscht! The Little Match Girl Salty Visual Arts Award Presented by: BDO Winner: Toni Wilkinson - The Park Holiday Feelings The Paths Themselves Become Unstable The Daedelus Project - ENDS -