Karen Lange, Tracy Ehrbacher and Aubri O’Connor. (Headshots courtesy of District Fringe)
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Earlier this year, the Capital Fringe Festival announced its abrupt closure after two decades in the nation’s capital. In response, a coalition of D.C.-based theatre artists have joined forces to produce a new “small but mighty” independent theatre festival, District Fringe, with its inaugural festival to be held in the summer of 2025.
“For so many years, Capital Fringe was truly the only place where a nascent company or independent producer could put their work in front of an audience for less than $1,000 with all tech and space included,” said Karen Lange, artistic director of Pinky Swear Productions and one of the artists pioneering the District Fringe effort, in a statement. “It is a huge loss for the next generation of D.C. performing artists, which is why we decided to come together and work on a new event that will fill that void: District Fringe.”
With the arts community under threat by the Trump administration, festival producers—who include Lange, Theatre Prometheus co-artistic director Tracey Erbacher, and Nu Sass Productions co-founder, co-producer and artistic director Aubri O’Connor—intend District Fringe to stand as a reminder that artists remain “uninhibited, unafraid and unstoppable in the face of the current political climate,” Lange said.
This festival will be juried, unlike previous festivals, and focused only on local artists. The producers are not seeking federal government grants from “an administration determined to quash freedom of expression,” Lange said. “In these times, art is more important than ever, and we need to elevate rather than suppress the voices of artists. Our festival is excited to welcome shows that showcase the incredible diversity of artists in this region. Ultimately, we want the art to reflect the city we live in.”
District Fringe has received a $20,000 seed donation. Fundraising efforts are underway to bring the new concept to life this summer. More information regarding venues, festival dates and artist submissions is forthcoming. Applications for festival submissions were launched on Tuesday, March 25, with plays to be accepted through April 7.
Pinky Swear Productions is a women-focused company that debuted to critical acclaim at the 2009 Capital D.C. Fringe Festival. They have produced a variety of shows, from the popular “Cabaret XXX” series to the site-specific “Use All Available Doors,” an ode to D.C.’s public transit system. They are three-time winners of the Best Musical award and one Best Overall Audience Award at the Capital Fringe Festival. Pinky Swear seeks to elevate and empower women onstage.
Centered around compassion, courage and care, Theatre Prometheus invites artists and audiences to engage in queer and feminist art, both new and classic. They enkindle exploration and revolutionary empathy through practice, performance and the nurturing of a person-first artistic community. #BringTheFire
Nu Sass Productions promotes marginalized genders in all aspects of theatre, especially in those roles traditionally dominated by cis men. They explore how disregarding prescribed genders can change the overall experience for the audience, and function as a critical foothold in the theatre world for artists who face discrimination and lose opportunities based on their gender, age, body type, or race. Above all, Nu Sass aims to create engaging, thought-provoking art while being a responsible local and global citizen. Nu Sass Productions was founded by Aubri O’Connor and Emily Todd in 2009.
