ORLANDO, Fla. – Fear not, Fringe fans! The arts festival is back with Orlando Fringe’s 2023 Winter Mini-Fest, which promises a series of curated shows—old and new—packed into just four days.
The event, which runs from Jan. 12-15, will christen the newest theater venue to come out of the Central Florida arts scene: Fringe ArtSpace. It’s a move that brings the festival full-circle, back to where it first started on Church Street.
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“I think it’s a really amazing space that we are able to offer these artists and I think (audiences) can definitely see what we’ve done with this space and how we’ve made it our home,” festival producer Tempestt Halstead said.
It’s also where patrons can expect to see both shows that gained a lot of buzz in years’ past and shows that never premiered at the Orlando Fringe Festival before, according to Winter Mini-Fest producer Lindsay Taylor.
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“We have everything from dance and burlesque to mentalism to stand-up to musicals,” Taylor said. “Honestly, truly (it has) everything, and that’s kind of the intention of the curation of it is to make sure there’s a wide variety of shows. So there really is something for everybody.”
Taylor said she and the Orlando Fringe team wanted to build a festival that highlights two of the strongest pillars of the arts community: inclusion and accessibility. Unlike the Orlando Fringe Festival that happens in May and is determined by a lottery, the shows selected for January’s abbreviated festival are not chosen by chance.
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“(Winter Mini-Fest is) intentional programming to introduce audiences to shows they may not have been introduced to,” Taylor said. “I think if you like a lot of different types of genres of shows, truly roll the dice. This is a curated festival again. So it really is like the best of the best from all over.”
With everything from international artists to the Visual Fringe art market each night to a day dedicated to kids’ shows and activities, the Winter Mini-Fest is the place to explore and expand your artistic palette.
“That’s what the heart of Fringe is. (It’s) trying something new and taking chances on different types of art. So this is the perfect place to do that all in the same building,” Taylor said.
All patrons must purchase a $3 button and a ticket to attend any show. The button is a one-time purchase. The festival team has also designed the show schedule to accommodate SunRail times, so guests interested can take the train to the productions.
To catch a sneak peek of all the shows coming to the Winter Mini-Fest, join Orlando Fringe Festival officials at the free grand opening of the Fringe ArtSpace Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets to the festival, click here.
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