I have a strict set of criteria when applying for fringe festivals. The festival must meet at least 3 of the 4 following points.
It must be well-established and well run
It is in a big city
There is a high probability people in the city will find the show interesting.
I know someone in the city
One and two are basically a must but can be fudged a little if I have a strong case for points three and four. Let’s examine why these elements are the criteria for me.
Point 1. The fringe festival must be well-established and well-run. Let’s face it, I have limited resources and time, and I personally do not have the bandwidth to work with folks who are just starting out their fringe festival journey. Yes, everyone must begin somewhere, and many artists can work with new festivals, but I cannot. The experience that comes with a well-established festival saves a lot of work on my end in the long run.
Point 2. The fringe festival must be in a large city. Now I hail from the great city of Houston, the fourth largest city in America, so how do I determine if a city qualifies as “large.” A large city must be determined by the surrounding area, meaning it is a go-to destination for the people in that area. The destination aspect of a city means the festival will have a larger audience pool and more opportunities to publicize the show. I have seen some wonderful festivals in smaller towns where I would love to perform, but getting the word out about the show will prove to be difficult as an out of town artist.
Point 3. The people in the area will be drawn to the show. While I cannot look into a crystal ball and determine who is going to come to my show, I can do a little bit of cultural research to figure out if I have an audience base in that city. The Holy O delves into topics such as sexuality, spirituality, and trauma from church, in addition to being quite humorous and a little raunchy along the way. If I do not think there are enough people in the area that will find the show interesting, it is a no-go for me.
Point 4. I know someone who lives there. Word of mouth is one of the best marketing tools, bar-none. So, knowing people in a city with a fringe festival becomes incredibly handy because not only will the friends come see the show, they will talk it up to others, helping drive ticket sales.
The Omaha Fringe Festival ticked three of the four boxes for me: it is well-established/run, in a large city, and I believe audiences will find the show intriguing. Additionally, the staff has been incredibly kind and helpful. My first interaction with the Omaha Fringe Festival was via email with Tamar Newman, the festival director. Tamar was so incredibly helpful, I knew Omaha Fringe was a festival I wanted to go to. I am so excited to bring The Holy O to the Omaha Fringe Festival this August, and I can’t wait to connect with audiences.
Omaha Fringe Festival Performance Details:
Friday, August 11 @ 9:30 pm
Saturday, August 12 @ 8:00 pm
Sunday, August 13 @ 6:30 pm
UNO Blackbox
Weber Fine Arts Building
6505 University Dr. South
Omaha, NE 68182
Get TICKETS here.