July 30, 2024
Owen Hope/Philadelphia Fringe Festival
Theater company Elevator Repair Service will perform its take on James Joyce's 'Ulysses' during the 28th Philadelphia Fringe Festival. The monthlong event features more than 300 performances.
The Philadelphia Fringe Festival's 2024 lineup has more than 300 contemporary performance arts productions, including a one based on the James Joyce novel "Ulysses," a guided tour through a historic Philly building and several world premieres.
The 28th annual event takes place from Sept. 5 to Sept. 29. The performances are taking place at various theaters in Philly, including FringeArts' venue 140 N. Columbus Boulevard.
Theatre company Elevator Repair Service is putting on its take on "Ulysses" in the festival's opening weekend, with the production described as "a fast-forward tour through Joyce's funhouse of styles."
World premieres include "Nosejob" by Lightning Rod Special, a subversive satire about sexual politics in a 2010s Catholic university, and "Poor Judge" by Pig Iron Theatre Company, a "live music mixtape" conceptualized by Philly native Dito van Reigersberg.
"The Garden: River's Edge" from the Nichole Canuso Dance Company takes six audience members at a time on guided tours through the historic Arch Street Meeting House. There are encounters with dancers on the way.
And in a performance called "POWER," choreographer Reggie Wilson and The Fist and Heel Performance Group tell the story of Rebecca Cox Jackson, a free Black woman in 1850s Philadelphia who founded a Shaker community in the city.
"We're thrilled to be putting Philadelphia-based artistry in conversation with cutting-edge work from across the country and across the world," said Mikaela Boone, FringeArts' programmer and artistic producer. "In their own distinct ways, each of these artists investigate, deconstruct, and reimagine cultural phenomena that — sometimes surprisingly — speak to our current moment."
In addition to the curated program, three different "hubs," or independent satellite festivals, will extend Fringe Festival to other parts of Philly. Cannonball, Circus Campus and Glen Foerd are all offering their own programs.
A presale for FringeArts members began Tuesday, July 30. General admission tickets go on sale Thursday, Aug. 1. Their costs vary by show.
