The countdown is over. The 14th Annual Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe opens today (Sept. 3-18)! The performing arts Festival is one of Canary's biggest publicity campaigns. The next 16-days will bring a marathon of dance, theater, music and more all over the city. Running right alongside all the shows and special events is the media takeover.
Nicholas Gilewicz over at the Official Festival Blog featured a round up of today's leading stories in a blog post aptly titled, "We have killer press." It's true. News of the Festival is beyond all over. Watch artists on TV, hear the inside story on the radio, read about artists and performances generating buzz in print, on the web, and even in space… Okay, well maybe not that last one.
In short, the Festival is mammoth and the press coverage is monumental. (Hey all you reporters, thank you in advance for all of your work!) If you want to dig in to Live Arts and Fringe but don't know where to begin and need some help navigating your way, check out some of the media coverage below for tips!
>>>City Paper cover story is more like a cover package: A.D. Amorosi interviews Charlotte Ford about CHICKEN, Mark Cofta on all the Billy Shakes, a piece on all the undead (so many undead), Shaun Brady on Bang on a Can and Release, and more.
>>>Peter Crimmins had a big feature on WHYY this morning about how the Festivals feature not only artists who've been in Philadelphia for a long time, but also artists from elsewhere who've chosen to make Philly home. Interviewees include Eun Jung Choi, John Rosenberg, and Quinn Bauriedel.
>>>Shaun Brady writes a huge story in the Daily News on the experimental side of things, focusing on Danny Yung, Cankerblossom, Jester's Dead, and more.
>>>Wendy Rosenfield recommends family-friendly shows for the Inquirer, including Cankerblossom, Bang on a Can Marathon, Scorch, and more.
>>>Philadelphia magazine's website has a slideshow of 11 of your favorite Festival performers.
>>>Also at the Inky, Ellen Dunkel writes up "some of what looks hot on the creative front." Too many to list, so just click through to read her picks.
>>>Daily News: Jonathan Takiff interviews Joe Blake, former DN reporter turned playwright and writing teacher, about his Philly Fringe show A Separate Sun.
>>>The Reporter out of Lansdale has a nice article on the Festivals, focusing on Montgomery County artists who are performing in Philly Fringe. AND an interview with Pia!
PS: You should be reading the Festival blog on the regular. We are! The blog features show tips, performance videos and photos, the latest press, insider interviews with Live Arts and Fringe artists, Festival volunteers and supporters, and pretty much anything else you can think of arts-related. Bookmark it: www.livearts-fringe.org/blog.
PSS: Below is a trailer for Nichole Canuso Dance Company's TAKES. The installation is beautiful. Come see for yourself!