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Welcome to the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival. One of the biggest Fringe Festivals in North America returns in person this year. As always, it brings fans closer to the arts than ever. There is something for everyone, as the best performers from across Canada and beyond come together to showcase a diverse array of performances. Throughout the last two years, Canada’s artists have helped carry us through the pandemic. We are grateful for this perseverance and in return, we are giving back to artists by supporting the arts across the country, including this unique celebration. As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I would like to thank the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre as well as everyone else who helped bring this year’s event to life. Enjoy the shows!
The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez
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It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to the 2022 Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Fringe Festival is back in person. This festival hosts performing companies from around the world, showcasing comedy, drama, dance, music, improv and more, all presented on stages in and around Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District. The Fringe is that special place where many budding actors, directors and playwrights get their first chance to develop their artistic talents and skills in front of an audience. It is also a festival that welcomes experimental theatre from seasoned professionals, allowing Winnipeg audiences the chance to experience some very special performances. Everyone who has participated in the Fringe should be very proud because they have helped this festival become North America’s secondlargest Fringe and a model for changing the way we see theatre. Congratulations to the performers, staff, volunteers and sponsors for all the work they do to make this outstanding event possible. And thank you to all the Fringers over the years who have supported this festival. I wish everyone a wonderful week and a very successful festival.
The Honourable Andrew Smith
Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage, Government of Manitoba Welcome to the 2022 Fringe Festival! I am sure you are as excited as I am that the Fringe is once again including in-person events. You can be Fringey on your own couch with a virtual performance but nothing beats the energy and excitement of a live show. Winnipeg’s summer festivals are highlights of the year for so many people and after the last couple of years, I know folks are keen to get together, grab a beverage, and exchange reviews in Old Market Square. There are hundreds of volunteers who work to make the Winnipeg Fringe Festival one of the best in the world. I want to thank each and every one of you. I also want to recognize all of the hard-working and talented performers and those who work behind the scenes — in the venues and on the free stage — who devote themselves to their art. On behalf of the City of Winnipeg, I want to wish everyone — performers, audiences, organizers and even the reviewers — a great Fringe. Warmly,
Mayor Brian Bowman
The City of Winnipeg
Like many of you, the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF) has been through a lot since 2020, but also, like many of you, we are returning stronger and more focused than ever before. We have offered more support to our member festivals over the last two years and we are ready to return to in-person festivals, as well as digital offerings. CAFF has over 30 Fringe Festivals spanning Canada and the United States and we exist as an organization to unite, support, empower and strengthen our member festivals in order to cultivate and foster independent artistic exploration for artists and audiences across North America. CAFF members return 100% of the ticket price to the artists and all festival companies are selected either by lottery or on a first-come/first-served basis. We know many of you have missed being together in community and we are so looking forward to our festivals being able to offer that space again, to our artists and audiences alike. Some artists have been waiting since 2020 to perform and we are grateful to finally be able to give them that chance. Please come and support them in your hometown and beyond if you can. Share the love of the shows you see with friends and family and support your local Fringe Festival, because we now all know that the world is definitely a darker place without them. Thank you to all the artists who have shown great tenacity in this difficult time and to all the festival producers and teams who have hung in there to ensure their Fringe is still a platform for those artists. And THANK YOU to the audience who donated, supported, watched digital work and didn’t forget us. Happy Fringing,
Lucy Eveleigh
