Variety, diversity and "fringiness" are the hallmarks of Fringe Festival performances — from theater to dance to music, from visual art to kids' shows to burlesque. If you like the latest in cutting-edge performance art, the KC Fringe is for you.

(Click here to view '08 participants by show type or got to a specific show type page:

The Gypsy and the General (theater) All ages

3 Sticks Theatre Company

Defeated by the enemy, the General and her entourage traverse fantastical lands as the Gypsy spins their fortunes through electrifying music in this physically daring ensemble-created show.

Shakespeare In Love & War (theatre) PG

Alan Tilson

50 Shakespeare monologues, covering the comedies, histories, tragedies and romances and including 3 sonnets from Shakespeare's canon. The monologues have been collected and memorized over a 40-year acting career. They are scenes that have been either prepared for acting class, performed or inspired by actual Shakespearean performances.

other

May We Live in Interesting Times (music) all_ages

Andrew Woody

Cherry\'s DeLuxe Burlesque and Variety Show (dance) mature

Annie Cherry and Lucky DeLuxe

Lucky DeLuxe and Annie Cherry return from their travels in the Far East solely to bring you the spectacular spectacle that is \'Cherry\'s DeLuxe\', a burlesque and variety show, featuring glamorous, exotic, and hilarious honeys…

other

Sleeping Beauty (theatre) all_ages

Berezovsky's Marionette Theater

The Wishing Well Girl (word) PG

Beth Marshall Presents

other

La Putain Avec Les Fleurs (more) all_ages

Beth Marshall Presents "La Putain Avec Les Fleurs."

A "Junk Melodrama" set in 1940s France. "Theatre Des Funambules," a troupe of vagabond performers, with its avant-garde band, Bric-a-brac, presents the story of the world's greatest clown and his journey to become a real man. An explosion of song, dance, pantomime, clowning, puppetry - and a Big French Bear! An explosion of vintage song, dance, pantomime, clowning and puppetry!

other

Space Music Ensemble (music) all_ages

BROTHER IOTA

Brother Iota improvises music on the spot. The instrumental quartet creates music that is completely original and spontaneous. They perform ambient, electronic soundscapes for discriminating listeners. Experience the musings of KC's defiant voice - Brother Iota.

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Hey, Minnie The Moocher: A Tribute To the Words and Music Of Cab Calloway (music) PG

Brother John

An enthusiastic musical tribute to the famed Cotton Club era and the life of one of the great legends of swing jazz: movie star, composer, band leader and original 'Hep Cat' Cab Calloway

Ms. B.D.U. 2008! (dance) mature

Burlesque Downtown Underground

The Luscious Ladies of B.D.U. are back for their sophomore performance at Fringe! Don't miss the fun and sexiness of KC's best professional performers sharing their true talents within the mockery of the pageant world - B.D.U. style!

nudity

Fresh Looks. Fresh Talent. (art) All ages

Callus Productions/ Hair Spray Cafe

Artists' exhibition featuring photography, painting and illustration by some of Kansas City's most talented young artists. Enjoy complimentary refreshments served by hair models featuring the sexy works of Hair Spray Cafe's stylists. Music will be provided by a local DJ.

other

Checkered Past (music) all_ages

Checkered Past

other

Chair (theatre) PG

Co-Governors of Space

Chair is the heart-warming story of four people all of whom are connected in some way. Upon a trip to the theater to enjoy a chair's performance, they will come to know their love, lust, anguish and full potential as humans. All while the chair sits still on stage. Sometimes we must be still before we can realize the nature of ourselves and our art form. Brought to you by the infamous Co-Governors of Space!!!

adult

The Screw You Revue: Starring Wayburn Sassy (music) mature

Dewey Chaffee Comedy Enterprises, LLC

"The Screw You Revue" is an improvised, adult cabaret. Wayburn Sassy, a self-proclaimed "Entertainment Legend," is an equal opportunity offender brandishing audiences with his racist, homophobic and bigoted spew. Joining Wayburn on stage is his slutty sidekick Nurse Connie. Together they lead the audience through taboo topics, audience interviews, cabaret singing and games.

adult

SEX DRIVE: of a gay nature. (theatre) mature

DV8

Enter a witty and titillating theater collage on gay male sexuality. From first-time love to sordid brief affairs, themes of self discovery and eroticism are explored.

adult

Up In Arms/ It Sure Is Risky (dance) all_ages

Four Worlds Dance

Currently based in New York City, Four Worlds Dance presents contemporary dance that relies on the collaboration and communication between artists of the highest caliber from the worlds of music, language, visual arts, and dance. FWD excites audiences and transforms the stage by an intimate and visceral encounter between diverse artists as they create new works in perfomance.

IT'S A STATE OF MIND (dance) all_ages

FUNKBABIES

'It's A State Of Mind' brews all art forms into one 'FUNK.' The FunkBabies: Organic meets digital. This show consist of music, singing, dancing, drama and innovative technology. A not-to-be-missed extravaganza.

adult

The Coppelia Projet. (theatre) all_ages

HEIDI STUBBLEFIELD

THE COPPELIA PROJECT is a clown ballet that is based (loosely) on the ballet Coppelia which is(even more loosely) based on a story by ETA Hoffman called THE SANDMAN. This creation revolves around a doll maker and doll he makes that is so beautiful, he refuses to finish her so to keep her for himself. The beauty he sees in her gives her life and spirit. Threatening circumstances require the doll maker to part with his beloved creation and force him to create more and more to no avail at recreating her beauty. The story questions our perception of beauty and deformity. It tip toes along the line of grotesque and buffoon to ballet and surrealism.

The Bovine Comedy (theatre) mature

Holy Cow! Improv Comedy Troupe

A student improvisational comedy troupe based out of Rockhurst University, Holy Cow! The Bovine Comedy is a set of audience participation games and improvised sketches. Adult themes and language.

adult

Improv at the Fringe! (theatre) all_ages

Improv at the Fringe!

other

Jade Osborne (more) all_ages

jade Osborne

An edgy experimental collaboration of aerial dance, acrobatics, video and live musical performance featuring Kansas City's premier aerial fabrics collective.

Lesbian Love or Forbidden Fairytales (word) mature

Joyce Slater

Tales of forbidden love in life and fantasy.

adult

Lonely Planet (theater) PG

Julia Moriarty

Steven Dietz's powerful drama about dealing with living in the age of AIDS

adult

Light, Movement, Shadow, Sound (dance)

Kacico Dance

Kacico Dance is collaborating with Rebecca Bryant, dancer and choreographer, and Don Nicols, percussionist and composer, both on the faculty of Missouri State University, on a contemporary dance production to be premiered at the Kansas City Fringe Festival, July 2008. The initial creative theme is Light, movement, shadow, sound. From the initial theme, the piece will develop among three Kacico choreographers, Michelle Diane Brown, Artistic Director of Kacico Dance, Lindsay Spilker Tate and Shandi Miller, Kacico dancers, with Rebecca Bryant and Don Nichols. Additional Kacico dancers will perform with the already mentioned artists. The theatrical/technical challenge set forth is to use minimal lighting and sets that can easily be assembled and disassembled for touring purposes. This might include 6-8 lights on floor bases, hand-held lights, and fabric back drops or props that catch the light and shadows with the dance happening around and within the lights and set. The 60-minute performance will h

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Kansas City Improv Thunderdome (theatre) mature

Kansas City Improv Thunderdome

This 'mini' Thunderdome pits four teams of local improvisers against each other in a three-day battle. Each team will get 30 minutes to prove its worthiness. Audiences will decide which team shall move on to the championship match on Saturday.

adult

Kaye Johnston Trio (music) all ages

Kaye Johnston

Fresh approach to original music featuring harmony vocals with mandolin and guitar.

Kitsch Klatch: Saving you from bad art & design (more) all_ages

Keen Bee Creative

Keen Bee Creative saves you from your crafting emergencies by coming to your DIY aid! No more 'what do I make out of this crap?' Reused junk makes blow-your-mind crafts & saves the earth!

other

The String Quartets of Kevin Hiatt (music) all ages

Kevin Hiatt

Kevin Hiatt's music straddles the boundaries of classical and popular music. Over the past several years he has created a unique repertoire of short to medium length movements for string quartet in a variety of musical idioms ranging from the post new age to rock, jazz and world music rhythms. If you think modern string quartet composition is all atonal and dissonant, you will be in for a surprise when you hear the string quartets of Kevin Hiatt!

Six (theatre) mature

Kyle Hatley

An underground society offers the ultimate thrill: a deadly game of chance. But their world of strict probabilities is shaken by the intrusion of the impossible.

adult

Electra (I\'m sure this title will change) (theatre) mature

Kyle Hatley

After her mother murdered her father, Electra - chained to her mother\'s garden - waits for her brother, Orestes, to return from war and discover his Fate: Revenge. The middle act of a new adaptation of the Oresteia by Kyle Hatley.

violence

Fat (theatre) PG

Martha Maggio

'Did you know obesity is at an all-time high?' 'Wow, that's interesting. Where are we going to eat?' Find out how and why a woman copes with her weight in an original, one-woman play that's both unflinchingly honest and unexpectedly hilarious.

adult

Libertarian Rage (theatre) mature

Maximum Verbosity

Welcome to the real fringe of American politics! The original masters of double-speak and weasel-words take on the myriad ways language is used to retort, contort and distort in this irreverent collection of song, sketches and stories.

violence

Mr. Fish (music) all_ages

Mr. Fish

Mr. Fish is a band of young musicians dedicated to bringing you the rock, and a good time as well. Drawing from a diverse range of influences, their eclectic mix of doo-wop, dance, country, bubblegum pop, noise rock and experimental rock is sure to keep you on your toes. Bring your dancing shoes!

UNDERGROUNG STYLINGS (music) mature

Negro Scoe

use one from last year

adult

Dances of India (dance) all_ages

Nritya, School of Indian Dance and Music

Nritya is a versatile company of dancers who work primarily in the South Indian classical dance style called Bharatha natyam. Heavily based in both rhythm and lyricism, Bharatha Natyam involves the use of the whole body, including dramatic facial expressions, to convey emotions or perform intricate step sequences. Through combining modern spacing, themes and theatrical techniques with yoga and the traditional Bharathanatyam repertoire, Nritya produces dynamic, captivating programs which appeal to all ages.

The Three Sisters (dance) Mature

One Night Company

Do you miss Sugar Puppy? Emily Lauren graduates and friends perform neo-burlesque with satire, political commentary, acrobatics and comedy, with (of course!) partial nudity.

nudity

Dance Photography & Oil Paintings ( ) all_ages

Philip Koenig Photography

Philip Koenig's art captures the beauty, elegance and raw power of many styles of dance. The use of vivid color and thick brush strokes draw the viewer's eyes in and around every inch of the medium to massive paintings. The use of lighting and shadows that encompass the dance photography are visually stunning, you will almost swear you see the dancers moving. These photos and paintings are a compilation of Ballet, Modern, Tango and Eclectic Aerial Cirque.

Living the Questions (theatre) PG

Rachel Nelson, BardLive Productions

Welcome to the Cabaret of Questions ~ songs, stories, and poems collide with questions both personal and political. An experiment combining story, music, and movement. Final questions up to you.

variance (dance) All ages

Reach . . . A Movement Collective, inc.

Experimental dance comes to life with Reach's dancers and choreographers exploring the boundaries of performance art.

Ham and Balls (dance) All ages

Renay Aumiller and Will Schneider

A choreographic collaboration involving Renay Aumiller and Will Schneider, "Ham and Balls" depicts three different perspectives of one conversation. This process-based work involves a linear look at time from three different angles, using movement, text, props. In conjunction with at least two solo works by Aumiller and Schneider.

Jesus Christ, King of Comedy (theatre) mature

Sacrilicious

If you thought Mel Gibson's "Passion" was funny, wait until you see the one, the holy, "Jesus Christ, King of Comedy." It's the hilarious rise and fall and rise again of one of the greatest entertainers who ever walked on water. Learn the true story behind the myth: Was he a man, messiah or meshugEna? Based on the best-selling novel.

adult

"Without words" (dance) PG

Seamless Dance Theater, Inc.

The show will revolve around the idea that although we have phones, text messaging, emailing, etc. you still cannot replace the effect that human physical contact has on our relationships. It is a vital part of our lives that we take for granted, therefore miss out on one of the most important aspects of life: human touch.

The Warriors (dance) All ages

Solace Dance Collective

SDC proudly presents their debut of Jered Solace's "The Warriors," celebrating the impact of music and dance on those who have positively impacted our society. With their unique marriage of live vocal music and somatic dance technique, a story unfolds of America's past and the critical roles that key people have played in society's 'advancement.

IMPROSCAPING (dance) PG

Susanne Carter of Carter Productions

IMPROSCAPING is a sexy, funny, original one-woman extravaganza that tracks the evolution of one woman's body image through time. The 60-minute show includes six dance improvisations woven together to create a visual landscape for the audience. Susanne Carter of Carter Productions is the performer and creator of IMPROSCAPING, which includes the unusual use of props, costumes and a musical score. The sound score provides a humorous background and includes interviews with Susanne's chiropractor, photographer, costume designer, hair dresser and ballet teacher. Such themes as obsession with body weight, bad hair days and fear of bikinis are explored for adults of all ages and gender. IMPROSCAPING is personal, edgy, touching, and funny and is appropriate for intimate settings such as described by the Kansas City Fringe venues.

other

IMPROSCAPING (dance) mature

Susanne Carter of Carter Productions

IMPROSCAPING is a sexy, funny and original dance/theatre extravaganza performed by Susanne Carter. Obsession with weight, bad hair days, and fear of bikinis, tracks Susanne’s body image though time. At odds with herself, Susanne creates six dance improvisations from the hilarious to the sublime. Unusual props and costumes underscore recorded interviews with Susanne’s chiropractor, hair dresser, photographer and more. Ridiculous antics using a strong movement physicality highlight this edgy and whimsical 60 minute production.

Collisions (theatre) PG

Tara Lane Productions

A fender-bender ignites long-simmering frustrations in members of the 'Greatest Generation' and underemployed 20-year-olds in a coffee shop. The generation gap is not wide enough to contain the force of their collision.

adult

The Alley Cat Revue (more) mature

The Alley Cat Revue

The Alley Cat Revue is St. Louis' premiere and only weekly burlesque revue with performers who have been featured in shows internationally! From singing, dancing, fire breathing, aerial acts, and comedy, the Alley Kittens are sure to tease and tantalize with feline finesse! Meow!

nudity

The Alley Cat Revue (more) mature

The Alley Cat Revue

nudity

The Makeshift Militia (theatre) PG

The Makeshift Militia

A refreshing break from the improvisational comedy mainstream, this irreverent and outrageous troupe delivers its trademark experimental long-form improv. See one of the freshest and most exciting improv troupes in Kansas City!

adult

The Angel Intrudes (theatre)

Theatre of Relativity (ART=EMC2)

Annabelle and Jimmy Pendleton are about to elope when an angel intrudes, creating hell on earth. Theatre of Relativity (ART=EMC2) is back with this robust comedy on love and immortality. European theater in KC - Devilish!

other

W.A.D. (music) all_ages

W.A.D.

W.A.D. consists of two bass players and a drummer, mixing all types of styles and genres to create an eclectic and fresh sound. On stage, the band eliminates boundaries as the members encourage each other to explore the possibilities of the unknown dimensions of music, mixing structural concepts with free improvisation.

Willie's Wenches (theatre) PG

Willie's Wenches

We're Willie's Wenches, a freaky five-some reviving those fine Shakespearean traditions of slapstick, swordplay and bawdy humor (including: puppet combat, sci-fi teenage hijinx, and spontaneous musical numbers) as we go 'undercover' in hilarious retellings of Willie's works!

adult