This is a great topic and one that is core to what I hope fringe can build upon and create here in DC…more paid work…a self-producing environment….not just for 11 days in July but year round. Was the first fringe in DC a fluke – hell no...will the 2nd year be harder – you bet you! Will we have return customers - yes! both in audiences and participants…we have already had ticket buyers give to our EOY appeal – that is a good sign. We did collect names/address/emails and give them to the artists in the festival as well – theatermania is amazing! Will the press react the same to the fringe this year…we will have about the same number of shows…each group will pitch their shows as well to the press (we just to the over all marketing for the fringe)…the volume will be there….the excitement and energy of fringe can not be ignored. Sure it won’t be brand new…but please realize that the festival is just a platform/system that is created it is the work that is brought to the fringe by the participants that is important…not the fact that we can organize things well…. I have received some great, creative...and thoughtful applications for fringe 07….the overall voice of the work will shift a bit in 07 and this is what I think/hope the press will react to – that DC theatre artists can create new & exploratory works of theatre….and live here…(we were 80% local last year..and we are looking at the same for 07). Is it a constrained event….I guess so…but it also about creating and sustaining a culture so it seems to reach further than that. And in response to: “No, fuck that. Let's stop glorifying the plight of the starving artist, shall we?” Amen!

That is huge for this area. The Meads have a center!

Hello - there are 96 groups total in the Festival. I would say in about 20 ( this is just my guess - not and offical count) have formed production companies for the Festival. The best part was how some would change their names a few times during the process. It is really just awesome - as this is what a fringe festival is all about!