Edmonton Fringe historian keeping tabs on evolution of the festival
After 35 years in that chair, Osborn is perfectly suited for his new role, which sees him organizing disparate bits of information, along with records of key festival events and archival material (press clippings, programs). The history project has been initiated, in part, to prepare for the festival's 50th anniversary in 2031. But Osborn also has immediate goals, such as interviewing Fringe volunteers at this year's event, as well as creating a series of Fringe Heritage Moments.
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When members of the public phone the Fringe office to purchase tickets or request information for this year's event, they'll hear (while on hold) historical tidbits researched, written and recorded by Osborn. The recordings cover topics such as wildlife sightings during Fringe (skunks like the late-night shows) and famous people who have appeared at the Fringe (including Bruce McCulloch of Kids in the Hall fame and Edmonton's own Nathan Fillion, star of the popular TV series The Rookie).
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Osborn has enjoyed his role as Fringe Historian so far, but he feels a little sad when he passes his old perch in the hallway of the administration building. He always loved talking to people during the festival. He fantasizes about dragging a chair into the hall to watch longingly as patrons pass by.
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'I've always thought of myself as Radar from the TV series M*A*S*H,' says Osborn. 'The cast changes, and I'm still here.'
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Here are excerpts from an Edmonton International Fringe Festival timeline created by Gerald Osborn to mark highlights of the festival in Edmonton:
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1982: Inaugural director Brian Paisley receives $50,000 from Summerfest for A Fringe Theatre Event in Old Strathcona. Inspired by the Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first local Fringe offers 200 live performances in five venues.
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1984: The first pre-Fringe street dance takes place, featuring up-and-coming singer k.d. lang, who plays to 3,500 people — her largest audience to that date.
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1992: At The Fringe Also Rises, artists create site-specific performances utilizing spaces other than the officially-sanctioned Fringe venues, including a production of A Midsummer Night's Ice Dream at the Granite Curling Club. Festival director Judy Lawrence coins the term B.Y.O.V. (Bring Your Own Venue) and a whole new way of fringing is born.
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2000: Fringe Theatre Adventures unveils its $8.2-million fundraising plans to gut the 49-year-old Arts Barns and replace it with a 450-patron multipurpose community space, a 250-seat theatre, two rehearsal halls, plus office spaces, classrooms and workshops.
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2003: Fringe Theatre Adventures' $8.5-million theatre complex is completed in time to host the Attack of the Killer Fringe.
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2020: The 39th Edmonton International Fringe Festival is cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead, The Fringe That Never Was launches in August to bring theatre artists, musicians and guest celebrities together for 11 days of online performances.
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By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Check out the poster from the 1998 festival. Dubbed A Clockwork Fringe, the poster features tiny oranges arranged in the pattern of an eye, modelled after the eye of Jeff Haslam, long-time Edmonton actor and former Teatro artistic director. And over here, where the 1992 poster The Fringe Also Rises is hung? That's from the era when the festival's annual theme riffed on fancy books or popular movies. When passing the 1982 poster, from the inaugural outing of the festival, Osborn shares that tickets sold for a mere three dollars that year. Osborn wasn't working at the festival when it first kicked off; he joined as an audience member in 1983. 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After 35 years in that chair, Osborn is perfectly suited for his new role, which sees him organizing disparate bits of information, along with records of key festival events and archival material (press clippings, programs). The history project has been initiated, in part, to prepare for the festival's 50th anniversary in 2031. But Osborn also has immediate goals, such as interviewing Fringe volunteers at this year's event, as well as creating a series of Fringe Heritage Moments. When members of the public phone the Fringe office to purchase tickets or request information for this year's event, they'll hear (while on hold) historical tidbits researched, written and recorded by Osborn. The recordings cover topics such as wildlife sightings during Fringe (skunks like the late-night shows) and famous people who have appeared at the Fringe (including Bruce McCulloch of Kids in the Hall fame and Edmonton's own Nathan Fillion, star of the popular TV series The Rookie). Osborn has enjoyed his role as Fringe Historian so far, but he feels a little sad when he passes his old perch in the hallway of the administration building. He always loved talking to people during the festival. He fantasizes about dragging a chair into the hall to watch longingly as patrons pass by. 'I've always thought of myself as Radar from the TV series M*A*S*H,' says Osborn. 'The cast changes, and I'm still here.' Here are excerpts from an Edmonton International Fringe Festival timeline created by Gerald Osborn to mark highlights of the festival in Edmonton: 1982: Inaugural director Brian Paisley receives $50,000 from Summerfest for A Fringe Theatre Event in Old Strathcona. Inspired by the Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first local Fringe offers 200 live performances in five venues. 1984: The first pre-Fringe street dance takes place, featuring up-and-coming singer k.d. lang, who plays to 3,500 people — her largest audience to that date. 1992: At The Fringe Also Rises, artists create site-specific performances utilizing spaces other than the officially-sanctioned Fringe venues, including a production of A Midsummer Night's Ice Dream at the Granite Curling Club. Festival director Judy Lawrence coins the term B.Y.O.V. (Bring Your Own Venue) and a whole new way of fringing is born. 2000: Fringe Theatre Adventures unveils its $8.2-million fundraising plans to gut the 49-year-old Arts Barns and replace it with a 450-patron multipurpose community space, a 250-seat theatre, two rehearsal halls, plus office spaces, classrooms and workshops. 2003: Fringe Theatre Adventures' $8.5-million theatre complex is completed in time to host the Attack of the Killer Fringe. 2020: The 39th Edmonton International Fringe Festival is cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead, The Fringe That Never Was launches in August to bring theatre artists, musicians and guest celebrities together for 11 days of online performances. 2021: During Together We Fringe, pêhonân, an Indigenous-centred venue is established at the former Roxy on Gateway to celebrate the work of Indigenous artists. 2025: Fringe Full of Stars debuts featuring 223 productions across 40 venues, with 1600 artists from Canada and around the world.
