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FRINGE , from Page 1 Strategist James Donio . The threeday event centers around the idea of showcasing “ fringe theatre ” performances that are experimental in style and / or subject matter .
This year ’ s Fringe Festival hosted 19 such performances , which were conducted in 13 venues throughout downtown Hammonton that were all confined to a centralized , walkable radius .
Corsi said the festival allows the Eagle Theatre to show local theatre aficionados that there is a lot of quality art being performed throughout the region that may not fit the genres or traditional styles they ’ re accustomed to seeing .
“ We ’ re not mainstream … We will get a little edgy at times with plays like Closer and Glengarry
Glen Ross , and musicals like Heathers . We ’ ll push the envelope . But this allows us to take it to that next level and kind of show our patron base and the people that want to come into town that this other type of art does exist ,” Corsi said .
Patrick Cathcart attended the New Jersey Fringe Festival for the first time after frequenting more widescale fringe events like the Philadelphia Fringe Festival , which spans a large portion of the city and lasts for more than two weeks every September .
Cathcart said it was a unique experience to see a Fringe Festival in a smaller , more intimate setting because it better conveyed the level of passion artists are channeling into each performance when they are performing in front of a modest-sized crowd .
“ It ’ s definitely more inclusive and it has a bigger impact when you ’ re watching it with only 30 or 40 other people . It just makes you feel like you ’ re seeing something special because it ’ s for less people ,” Cathcart said .
The performances that were hosted throughout the New Jersey Fringe Festival ranged from 20 to 90 minutes in length and touched on an eclectic range of subject matter , such as “ The Most Awkward Live Life of Peabody Magoo ”— a raw and saucy
Wednesday , August 8 , 2018 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
NJ Fringe Festival filled downtown with arts , food & drink
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comedic play produced by Love Drunk Life that explored and expressed the unfortunate love life experiences of an awkward boy with an even more awkward name .
The play was written by Love Drunk Life Creative Director Brandon Monokian , who belongs to one of the 72 production companies that submitted work in the hopes of being included in this year ’ s festival .
Monokian said it was nice to see such a unique and diverse artistic scene in a small-town setting , where it can often be difficult to find such works .
“ It ’ s nice to bring it to places where you ’ re not necessarily going to see something like this because it really expands the idea of what is possible through theater and through entertainment ,” Monokian said .
The New Jersey Fringe Festival also featured plenty of free entertainment courtesy of Hammonton-based event planning company Grandaire Booking , which assembled more than 20 musical acts to perform in a beer garden on South Second Street , as well as many vendors , street performers and performance artists that collectively helped create a fun , energized and offbeat vibe that was palpable for three days throughout the weekend .
Grandaire Booking co-founders Jose Martinez and Maribeth Capelli said the New Jersey Fringe Festival provides an opportunity for many highlytalented and unique musical artists to perform , and that they were grateful to the Eagle Theatre for their contributions .
The hallmark of the New Jersey Fringe Festival and many of its performances is that they are considered unconventional and are oftentimes not easily accessible by mainstream audiences . However , Corsi said that hasn ’ t stopped the festival from rapidly building a reputation in Hammonton and beyond .
“ I ’ ve been to venues for seven different shows and everyone one of them were packed ,” Corsi said .
With three successful New Jersey Fringe Festivals now in the books , and a growing demand among the region ’ s production companies seeking to participate in the event , Corsi said he envisions the festival continuing to grow until it becomes a mainstay among downtown Hammonton ’ s annual events .
“ I think it already is starting to develop a name for itself … We went from having 18 submissions to 40-something last year and now 72 this year . People want to perform here and that ’ s good ,” Corsi said .
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