\nBy Ashley Steed<\/strong><\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Four years ago, after the inaugural Hollywood Fringe Festival, I wrote a piece for LA Stage<\/a> about the experience. Using the stages of love as metaphors for my (and hopefully the greater LA theater community\u2019s) experience and relationship towards Fringe, I predicted that this was a true love, and one that would grow. Just after the first Fringe, I moved to London and only recently moved back to Los Angeles — thus missing its evolution. I returned to the Fringe for its fifth anniversary with clear memories of that magical first year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n So, in continuing with the stages of love theme, is the Hollywood Fringe Festival a life-long love, or has it waivered? Well, that first year I said that in order for HFF to last, it would only do so with passion and commitment -\u2013 not just of the amazing staff (Ben and Stacy Hill, et al) but also of the greater Los Angeles theater community. That passion and commitment have grown, which is how I know this love is here to stay.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are noticeable differences since the first year, so here are a few things worth noting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0Previews<\/strong><\/p>\n This definitely helps shows get their footing, but reviewers should take them with a grain of salt. I saw many previews that were simply not ready; in contrast, shows that had great previews got word-of-mouth momentum behind them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n My advice to performers \u2013 treat previews as an opening, be sure it\u2019s the best you can make it. You want to get a buzz started immediately. A bad preview can greatly hinder your fringe success. If you really need to test it out on a preview audience, test it before fringe. Women<\/em> came in after successfully performing in New York and thus were well prepared (along with other things, this is one reason why it won so many awards).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tent<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first year we had a narrow outdoor area with a tiny bar setup in the corner and about 6 small tables. I even found a picture of it on the Internet. In 2014, the bar was much larger and more seats that often fill up, and a tent to house the Fringe Cabaret. I\u2019ve heard stories of the magical year of the tent of 2011 so I\u2019m not sure how this one does in comparison, but I was a fan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Audiences<\/strong><\/p>\n Audiences \u2013 We have them! Well, they\u2019re growing. I think there was only one show where there was just a handful of us. The vast majority of the time, houses were nearly full. Granted there were many fringe participants doing comp swaps so many audiences were comprised of other Fringers. However, I definitely remember times the first year being the only one or one of two in the audience, so this is a huge improvement and one that needs to keep growing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Youg(ish) People<\/strong><\/p>\n Not only were there a lot of young audiences but the vast majority of the performers\/Fringers where young companies. This is why I love fringe festivals; it gives young\/new companies a chance to test the waters, to present new ideas. If they fail, oh well. If they succeed, it\u2019s a great launching pad.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n Smart phones weren\u2019t as common in 2010. I certainly didn\u2019t have one and it was during the first Fringe that I got into twitter. Now everyone has a smartphone and twitter is substantially more popular, I\u2019ve definitely noticed a difference in people\u2019s approaches to social media. Many of the shows I saw were simply because I was invited via twitter. Or some shows had a huge amount of buzz on the #hff14 hashtag so I would get tickets.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is also nice that for the fifth year, Ben Hill introduced an app. I had time to kill in between shows, so looked at the app to what was playing at that moment nearby and thankfully stumbled upon a great show. I was also able to easily read reviews while out and about and I could look up where a venue was.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Shows<\/strong><\/p>\n There was a noticeable difference in the types of shows on offer. The first year, the vast majority were established (mostly autobiographical) solo shows. We then, surprisingly had quite a number of international folks coming from the UK, New Zealand and Australia. In other words \u2013 people who do multiple fringe circuits. There was a handful of ensemble work, but not much. There were also very few LA based companies \u2013 the ones that started at the first fringe have gone on to be respected practitioners in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This year, ensemble companies dominated and LA based practitioners were in abundance. Even the solo shows I saw used the medium in new and inventive ways. This to me suggests a wave of young practitioners dedicated to the craft and who are looking for different ways to tell stories (while making it work on a shoestring budget). I foresee the fringe becoming a breeding ground for innovative work.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Losses<\/strong><\/p>\n On a sadder note, where people have had time to adjust, I feel I\u2019ve had to catch up \u2013 the first time I saw the sign for Bryan\u2019s Bar at Fringe Central, I had a moment of silence to remember Bryan Burgess (in whose honor the bar is named, and who suddenly died at the end of the first Fringe). I wasn\u2019t close to him but most definitely missed his presence. His grinning face was always a joy to see behind that first tiny Fringe bar.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Likewise, my dear friend, mentor and much-loved champion of LA theater, Lee Melville \u2013 who died last year \u2013 was also sorely missed. He had been my main theater buddy the first fringe; he\u2019s also the reason why I\u2019m a writer. You never realize how distance affects mourning until you\u2019re thrust back into the place where memories are harbored.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/stageraw.com\/oldStageRaw\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/promoted-media-optimized_539888e6233e8.jpg\")
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