WHO WE ARE
FringeArts is Philadelphia’s home for contemporary performance, presenting progressive, world-class art that expands the imagination and boldly defies expectations.
FringeArts was founded in 1997 as the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, with the intention of providing opportunities for contemporary performing artists to connect with audiences in an exciting social environment. The first Festival took over Philadelphia’s Old City for five days, and featured 60 performing groups that presented their work in theaters, nightclubs, galleries, alleys, abandoned buildings and at least one parked car.
FringeArts continues to present the Fringe Festival each September. Today, Philly Fringe is a 4-week celebration that fills the city’s neighborhoods with more than 1,000 performances by national, international and Philadelphia-based artists of all disciplines.
Year-round, FringeArts presents an equally compelling line up of performances at its stateof-the-art venue on the Delaware River Waterfront—a renovated historic pumping station. The FringeArts campus features an adaptable theater space that can be reconfigured for numerous experiences and can accommodate seating for up to 300 guests; a multipurpose studio space; our partner restaurant, Fringe Bar, and the Haas Biergarten.
As the city’s lead experimenter in the arts, FringeArts exposes audiences to unpredictable dance, theater and music performances by accomplished and emerging innovators who are pushing the boundaries of art-making and redefining the artistic landscape worldwide.
FRINGEARTS 2024 CELEBRATING A LEGACY
In 2024, FringeArts bid farewell to Founder Nick Stuccio and welcomed CEO & Producing Director, Nell-Bang Jensen.
In this transitional year, FringeArts looked back on 27 incredible years of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, while looking forward to our next chapter.
On October 15th, following a nation-wide search, we welcomed new CEO & Producing Director, Nell Bang-Jensen! Bang-Jensen, who has directed and created theater in Philadelphia and at FringeArts for the past fourteen years, joins the organization after a successful tenure as Artistic Director at Theatre Horizon in Norristown.
At a time where there is less and less support for artistic risk, it’s imperative to recognize FringeArts for the gem that it is and the potential it has to continue to put our city on the map. I’m honored to keep building on this legacy to make FringeArts a space where local, national, and international artists are celebrated, and everyone’s invited. Nell Bang-Jensen
2024 PHILADELPHIA FRINGE FESTIVAL
The Philadelphia Fringe Festival puts worldclass local artists in conversation with their national and international peers on Philadelphia stages.
The 2024 FringeArts curated program honored the roots of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, presenting new pieces by artists whose pioneering works have defined FringeArts over the last 28 years. Beloved local companies and longtime FringeArts partners like Pig Iron Theatre Company, Nichole Canuso Dance Company, and Lightning Rod Special were presented alongside national and international Philly Fringe mainstays including Elevator Repair Service, Reggie Wilson, and Trajal Harrell.
A record number of Fringe Festival Artists and companies put on independently produced shows in this year’s festival!
# of Shows
343
FRINGE FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
# of Performances
1,057
# of Tickets Sold
30,702
# First time Fringe Buyers
5,015
Gross Total Ticket Sales
$507,501
# of Ticket Buyers Who Saw 3+ Festival Shows
1,178
# of Artists, Performers, & Behind-the-Scenes Staff 2500 |
# of Unique Ticket Buyers
9,602
| # of Venues
110
FRINGE FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
A record number of Fringe Festival Artists and companies put on independently produced shows in this year’s festival! The festival expands its geographical reach and engages new audiences, while continuing to serve loyal fans. We saw artists coming to FringeArts for Artist happy hours and ArtistsU workshops, and our Audience Choice Awards, “The Fringies,” were presented at the Barrymore Awards. The Philadelphia Fringe Festival is the theatrical event of September, reaching every type of performer in the city.
# of Hub Shows 181
# of FFA Shows 162 | # of Hub Performances 432 | # of FFA Performances
524
Gross Hub Sales $139,753
Gross FFA Sales
$218,372
# of Curated Shows
8 |
# of Curated Performances
87 |
# of Curated Tickets Sold 6,003 | Gross Curated Sales
$149,376
FRINGEARTS CURATED
LINEUP
Nichole Canuso Dance Company: The Garden: River’s Edge
Elevator Repair Service: Ulysses
Pig Iron Theatre Company: Poor Judge
Lightning Rod Special: Nosejob
Holland Andrews
Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group: POWER
Trajal Harrell with the Zürich Dance Ensemble: The Köln Concert
Opera Philadelphia: The Listeners
FRINGE FESTIVAL REACH
78
Media Mentions
TV, Radio, Print, Online
19,163,565 Media Audience
TV, Radio, Print, Online
152,400
Social Media Reach
Facebook + Instagram
August + September, 2024
121,453 Website Visitors
PhillyFringe.org + FringeArts.com
August + September 2024
CURATED FRINGE ACCOLADES
Barrymore Buzz
Two FringeArts curated shows were Barrymore recommended!
Pig Iron Theatre Company: Poor Judge
From the second Dito entered the stage I had full body chills. This piece was absolutely incredible every single moment.
Nosejob: A Lightning Rod Special Production
Extraordinary piece of work with exceptionally talented actors taking us on a wild ride that the audience will not soon forget!
Barrymore Winners
The 2023 FringeArts curated production Rose: You Are Who You Eat was the recipient of two 2024 Barrymore Awards: Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical (John Jarboe) & Outstanding Original Music (Emily Bate, John Jarboe, Daniel de Jesús, Pax Ressler, and Be Steadwell)!
YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING BLUE HEAVEN
A FringeArts Comedy Festival
February 15–18, 2024
Audience: 478
5 ticketed events • 20 participating artists
The lineup included Edinburgh Fringe Festival hit shows from local artist Kelly McCaughan (Catholic Guilt) as well as touring artists Martin Urbano (Apology Comeback Tour), Courtney Pauroso (Vanessa 5000), and Ike Ufomadu (Amusements).
HAND TO HAND
Circus Festival
May 31–June 2, 2024
Audience: 402
4 ticketed events • 22 participating artists
Students from Circadium Circus school presented Begin Again, an original work of contemporary circus directed by Ty Vennewitz. Local circus artists presented worksin-progress at Test Flights.
LATE NIGHT + MORE
Jan — June, 2024
Audience: 1,1913
14 ticketed events • 38 participating artists
Partnerships with The Bearded Ladies Cabaret (Late Night Snacks: Leftovers) and Cannonball (Cannonball Crash) featured performances by local artists. Touring artists Dynasty Handbag and Zach Zucker played to sold out houses in one-night-only performances.
WE HAVE GONE AS FAR AS WE CAN TOGETHER
Word Premiere Performances
November 1–9
More than 5 years in the making, this Pew-funded World Premiere was created in collaboration by artists Helga Davis, Charlotte Brathwaite, Sunder Ganglani and Cauleen Smith with musicians Alexis Marcelo, Anaïs Maviel, Tarus Mateen, and Jade Hicks.
A cast of 8 local choir singers (Geovanni Diaz, Veonous Jacques, Malcolm Richardson, Shakira Jackson, Katy Avery, Ben Perri, Brandi McLeod, Deanda Wilson) performed in the project.
5 sold out performances engaged 641 ticket holders in this participatory work.
In a time when so many feel disconnected, this work at FringeArts stands as a beacon of hope, encouraging us all to find our voices and celebrate the beauty of togetherness.
Melissa Simpson, WXPN
FRINGEGALA
Celebrating Nick Stuccio + the Future of FringeArts
On October 19th, artists, supporters, friends, and fans gathered at FringeArts to celebrate the indelible legacy of Nick Stuccio and his contributions to FringeArts over his 27 years of visionary leadership. Curators and hosts John Jarboe & Dito van Reigersberg took attendees on an unforgettable adventure through the wilds of Philly Fringe history.
Performers included Pig Iron Theatre Company, Nichole Canuso, Miguel Gutierrez, Geoff Sobelle, Jackie Soro, Andrew Simonet, and the Paul Green Rock Academy. Familiar faces from pivotal moments in Philly Fringe history reminisced about the monumental impact FringeArts has had on the Philly arts scene since the first Philadelphia Fringe Festival in 1997.
Transition Fund
FringeGala was instrumental in raising money for our transition fund. Donors generously contributed funds in honor of Nick’s legacy, supporting the future of FringeArts. Donations to the transition fund totaled $799,911, surpassing the goal of $750,000.
$203,340
$210,545
$352,000
2024 SUPPORTERS THANK YOU!
Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation
Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation
The Virginia Brown Martin Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation
Anton Foundation
Donald Baines
Emily Bittenbender
Cat, Annie, & Steven
Bohnenberger
Crystal Brewe
Richard E. & Diane Dalto
Woosnam
Chris Deephouse & Donna Hunt
Tobey and Mark Dichter
Joe Forkin
Tony Forte and Ryan
Hummel
Sandi Foxx-Jones
David and Linda Glickstein
Carole Haas Gravagno
Richard & Margaret Greenawalt
Shelley Green and Michael Golden
Susanne Gueydan
Gail Harrity
Christie Hartwell
Henry Hockeimer
Eve Hyppolite
Virginia and Harvey
Kimmel
Carol Klein & Lawrence
Spitz
Kevin and Sarah Kleinschmidt
Jackie & Eric Kraeutler
Nancy Lanham
Joe Kluger and Susan
Lewis
Michael Lillys
The Lindback Foundation
Sissie & Herbert Lipton
Tom Lussenhop
Masters Group Design
Marty Maynard
Tom and Linda McCarthy
Hank, Calder, & Cole
McNeil
Susan Muller
Peter & Eleanor Nalle
David Seltzer and Lisa Roberts
Salem Shuchman and Barbara Klock
Franklyn and Cintra
Rodgers
Darryl Ridgeway
Robert Saligman
Charitable Trust
the Scholler Foundation
Angel Franqui and
Deborah Solo
Judy Space
Larry & Ann Rosen
Spector
Carol Klein and Lawrence Spitz
Lynne Y. & Bert Strieb
Ginny and Jason Susini
Judith Tannenbaum
Joe Torsella & Carolyn
Short-Torsella
Richard Vague
Lee van de Velde
Ed & Anne Wagner
Karol M. Wasylyshyn
Bonnie & William White
Janet Yaseen Foundation
Lisa & Stuart Young
FRINGARTS STAFF + BOARD
STAFF
Nell Bang-Jensen CEO and Producing Director
Amy Kurzban General Manager
Melissa E. Bridge Director of Finance
Devi Bass Patron Services and Operations Manager
Mikaela Boone Programming Director
Amanda Drayton External Affairs Associate
Kristen Ruthemeyer Hammer Director of Production
Melissa Negro Director of Marketing & Communications
Kelly Orenshaw
Associate Production Manager
Simon Rabinowitz
Independent Artist Program Manager
Nick Rahn Head of Audio
Carolyn Schlecker Senior Adviser Operations
Ayla Taffel Head Electrician
Meg Vennell Finance & Administrative Associate
BOARD
Mark Dichter Chair
Anthony P. Forte Vice Chair/Secretary
Lisa P. Young Treasurer
Donald Baines
Nell Bang-Jensen
Crystal Brewe
David Hoffman
Eve Hyppolite
Virginia G Susini
David Lipson
Tom Lussenhop
Jake Reardon
Darryl Ridgeway
Theresa Spencer
Karol Wasylyshyn
Paul Wright
PHOTO CREDITS
Front Cover: 2024 Fringe Festival Opening Night Party.
Photo by Johanna Austin.
Inside Front Cover: FringeArts. Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 2: Nick Stuccio + Nell Bang-Jensen at FringeGala. Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 3: (Top) Elevator Repair Service: Ulysses
Photo by Johanna Austin.
(Bottom) Nosejob, A Lightning Rod Special Production. Photo by Kevin Monko.
Page 4: Nichole Canuso Dance Company: The Garden: River’s Edge. Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 5: 2024 Fringe Festival Opening Night.
Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 6: Reggie Wilson/Fist + Heel Performance Group: POWER. Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 7: Trajal Harrell: The Köln Concert
Photo by Reto Schmid.
Page 8: Holland Andrews. Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 9: John Jarboe: Rose: You Are Who You Eat Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 10: (Top) Stamptown Variety Hour
Photo by Bob Sweeney.
(Bottom) the cast of Begin Again. Photo by Andrew Walton.
Page 11: We Have Gone As Far As We Can Together
Photo by Malick Welli.
Pages 12 + 13: FringeGala. Photos by Johanna Austin.
Page 15: FringeGala. Photo by Johanna Austin.
Page 16: FringeArts. Photo by Johanna Austin
Page 17: Jackie Soro performing at FringeGala. Photo by Johanna Austin.
Back Cover: Martha Graham Cracker & Jarbeaux perform at FringeGala. Photo by Johanna Austin.
