Fringe Festival Will Push the Boundaries

There will be nothing conventional about Westmont’s upcoming theater event. In fact, much of the Westmont Fringe Festival will take place outdoors and in areas surrounding Porter Theatre. About 60 performers will take part in 12 different pieces Thursday through Saturday, April 20-22. Performances will be at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 10 p.m.

Tickets prices are $5 a day for three performances, $10 dollars for two days and six performances and $15 for all three days with 10 performances. Each performance will be completely different, and locations will vary.

Erlyne Whiteman, artistic director, describes the festival as dance, theater and performance art with a combination of music, light, props and film projection. Westmont students, faculty and guest doctoral student-artists from UC Santa Barbara will all be performing.

Though Westmont has held Fringe Festivals the past two years, Whiteman says this will be Westmont’s first true Fringe since it ventures outside the confines of Porter Theatre. Presentations will occur place at the giant rock above Porter theatre, the kiosk in front of the theater, the green room and a portable stage outside the theater as well as inside on the main stage.

“In New York, the Fringes tend to be attached to larger festivals with mainstream dance and theater companies,” says Victoria Finlayson, choreographer and dance instructor. “The Fringes take place in alternative spaces with more adventurous dance and theater pieces. They are more freewheeling, daring and edgy.”

For reservations and more details, contact Karna Humbert at (805) 565-6040. Themes and specific sites and events will be noted on the kiosk in Porter Theatre. For driving directions or a campus map, please visit our Web site at www.westmont.edu.