Sweet Briar’s First Fringe Festival

Fringe-tastic! Just Fringe It! Viva la Fringe! Fringe-a-licious!

Those are just a few of the signs that greeted people to campus when they attended Sweet Briar’s inaugural Fringe Festival, held January 31 through February 3, 2008. The idea started as a question by Professor Nicholas Ross: How could SBC combine artistic events and make them more accessible to everyone? If there was a way people could make one or two trips to campus and see several events, then that would solve their dilemma of having to pick between individual events throughout the semester.

The SBC Fringe Festival was inspired by the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, an international festival that celebrated its 61st year (during which they featured 31,000 performances of 2,050 shows in 250 venues, and sold 1.6 million tickets). Ross had heard and read about this almost month-long festival that celebrates artistic freedom and is well-known for its political, cutting edge, and sometimes controversial presentations in theatre, comedy, music, dance, and art exhibits. He thought that if SBC could do its own version of a fringe festival, featuring several performances over a long weekend, it may generate a lot of community interest and would also bring the campus together in celebration of the arts and its own immense creativity.

So the brainstorming began, and after meetings galore, a plan was formed. Performances were scheduled to anchor each day, and then requests were made to the entire campus to submit events of their own. The festival ended up with a schedule that boasted exhibits in seven locations featuring 25 arts events. The spectrum included instrumental and vocal music in classical, folk, rock, jazz, and musical theatre; dance; comedy; choreographed horseback riding; readings; theatre; and a tour of Sweet Briar House led by a young historic interpreter costumed as Daisy Williams. Professionals and amateurs comprised of faculty, staff, students, and guest artists came together to present hours of entertainment that took place all over campus.

Made possible by funding from the Lectures and Events Committee, there was also phenomenal support by numerous departments, clubs, and individuals who went above and beyond to make the festival a success. Not without snags expected at any large undertaking (especially on the first try!), everyone just made it work, whether it meant an impromptu course in proper harp storage, Dean Green helping to move a piano, or adding an extra tour because of large turnout. Encouraged by the first attempt, Ross plans to make this a biennial event.