IndyFringe 2022: What's new, what to know and how to buy tickets
The IndyFringe Theatre Festival is back in 2022 to deliver a robust lineup: More than 400 artists will give 285 performances of 63 productions that champion experimental work and up-and-coming artists.
The festival runs from Thursdays through Sundays from Aug. 18 through Sept. 4. This is the second year that parcels out IndyFringe in chunks instead of holding it on 11 consecutive days. Last year, the change eased the schedule for artists and organizers earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic. CEO Justin Brady said it's sticking around because it offers more options for those who travel to Indianapolis and allows the staff time to make adjustments and market shows.
The shows will take place across six stages at three locations off Massachusetts Avenue. Those are: IndyFringe's Basile and Indy Eleven theaters, 719 E. St. Clair St.; The District Theatre's Main Stage and Cabaret spaces, 627 Massachusetts Ave.; and the Basile Theatre and auditorium at the Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St. Masks will be required indoors.
Here are the highlights, what's new and how to buy tickets.
What to know about the 2022 festival
A few highlights: Among the shows, which run 45 to 60 minutes each, are:
plays that speak to our current times, including political conspiracy ("QAnon the Musical!") and a "liberal hippie" and "Republican Redneck" who search for Bigfoot ("LeLand Loves Bigfoot");
dramas that explore deeply personal topics, including Black women's experiences ("Fly Blackbird Fly/Voices We Can't Unhear") and the effects of the opioid crisis ("Love Over Dose")
several dance concerts by companies including Indianapolis Ballet, Dance Kaleidoscope, Ballet INitiative and Crossroads Dance;
comedy, with reflections on middle-age ("Deadpan Jan: My Life is Not a Sex Party or Is It?") and a game show that nods to "Family Feud" ("Glad Libs with your Hostess: Jan Shirley Ann"), among several others.
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New format for choosing shows: This year's selections are based on an adjusted set of rules. In the past, the first to apply have filled the available slots, Brady said. But for 2022, the IndyFringe team used a lottery system with a few tweaks. To increase equity, 50 applications were chosen from the lottery, with 10 coming from a pool of what the CEO called "amplified voices" — creators who are traditionally underrepresented. Staff curated an additional 10 shows, and a few from the waitlist made it to the festival after more slots opened up, he said.
An art marketplace: Saturdays will be especially big this year thanks to the new Art Bizarre near the IndyFringe theaters. Expect to see vendors selling visual art, sculptures, oils paints, watercolors and other offerings. You'll have more time to visit and grab a drink at the beer tent, thanks to the increased amount of time between shows this year — which is now 45 minutes instead of 30, Brady said.
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How to buy tickets
General admission is $20 for adults and $14 for students and children. If you want to experience the full nature of IndyFringe and see multiple shows, then an $85 Flex Pass that buys you five shows is your best bet. Rush tickets are $12 and will be released daily during the festival. Visit indyfringe.org to buy tickets or call 317-210-4639.
The kick-off party — with speedy show previews and live music — is free, and tickets are required. It takes place Aug. 17 in the Arabian Room at the Murat, 510 N. New Jersey St.
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Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IndyFringe theater 2022: What to know and how to buy tickets
