Wilmington Gets Its Fringe On

Just when you thought you’ve heard about all the fun arts happenings Wilmington has to offer, something new comes to town! On October1-4, 2009, the city offers its very first Fringe Wilmington Festival, with a preview party on September 30. The festival will boast performance and visual art, as well as a 24-hour filmmaking competition. The presentations will take place at various locations, including The Baby Grand, OperaDelaware Studios, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, as well as other venues along Market Street.

What is a Fringe Festival? The festival gets its name from one that started 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Several alternative theater companies performed on the “fringe” of the Edinburgh International Festival, and a tradition was born. Today, fringe festivals can be found in New York City, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Houston. These festivals offer opportunities for artists and performers to showcase material that might not be seen otherwise, because of its edgy, offbeat or “alternative” quality.

Some highlights of Fringe Wilmington include Robin Gelfenbien’s My Salvation Has a First Name, a Wienermobile Journey, OperaDelaware’s performances of “Black Horses” and “The Stronger” and Project Capoeira’s exciting Afro-Brazilian dances.

Tickets for individual performances are $10 or less, and all-access packages are available starting September 1, 2009.

See http://www.fringewilmingtonde.com/

Call for Children's Group Auditions at DuPont Theatre

By Guest Blogger, Diana Milburn
Diana is local musician and Manager of Audience Development at the DuPont Theatre

It's turning out to be a season of unique opportunities here at the DuPont Theatre. This is the first of two or three coming down the pike. I can't wait to tell you about this one, and there will be more, so stay tuned, Broadway fans!

Not since the boys of St. Edmond's Academy joined the cast of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in 1996 have local performers been invited to share the stage with a national Broadway touring company at the DuPont Theatre. On Saturday, September 12, the producers of THE WIZARD OF OZ come to Wilmington to hold auditions for a group of twelve local Munchkins to round out the October cast that opens our 2009-2010 season.

Here's some info on the company: "The selected children will be from an existing group of 12 and will be chosen by the National Tour talent representatives based on the best overall group talent. No individual children and/or partial group will be selected nor allowed to audition. Deadline for mandatory registration for the audition is Friday, September 4."

It’s an incredible opportunity for young aspiring actors/actresses to follow their yellow brick road. For group leaders seeking additional details, email me at Diana.L.Milburn@usa.dupont.com.

So come on out and "sing it high - sing it low" to be on stage at the DuPont Theatre.

Choral Groups Announce Audition Dates

Two local choral groups---one for children, one for adults---have announced dates for their 2009-2010 season auditions. Love to sing? Check out the below info from Wilmington Children's Chorus and the Delaware Valley Chorale. And good luck to all!

The Wilmington Children's Chorus invites children in grades 3 through high school to audition for the "Singing Ambassadors of Wilmington". Audition Workshop & Select Choir Auditions: Wednesday, September 9. This workshop is open to all interested singers and is an opportunity to review audition material with WCC staff. Auditions for returning WCC members will be held following the workshop. Call 302.762.3637 to reserve your spot. General auditions are granted by appointment: Saturday, September 12 & Sunday, September 13.

For further details, visit www.wilmingtonchildrenschorus.org.

The Delaware Valley Chorale will hold auditions by appointment September 8, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. and September 12 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of Sts. Andrew & Matthew, 719 N. Shipley Street, Wilmington, Delaware. Singers should bring two (2) copies of a prepared classical solo with piano accompaniment (demonstrating appropriate range and tone). Singers must also demonstrate music-reading ability. To schedule an audition, contact Barbara Kidd at 302.234.4866 or BMKsop@aol.com.

For further details, visit www.delawarevalleychorale.org.