Theater, dance, cabaret, spoken word, music and creativity are on the docket at the second annual Legacy’s Stage Fringe Festival this Labor Day weekend.
More than 50 original performances are taking place at various stages in Chico.
Legacy Stage, a nonprofit theatre organization, launched the Fringe Festival in 2019 as part of its mission to produce and sustain professional theater in Butte County. The organization is also known for presenting annual Shakespeare in the Park productions.
“We have so many talented performing artists in our community, the opportunity to perform their new works, their existing works, give them space and just help provide that format for expression …”- Erin Horst, Legacy Stage co-founder
It was founded by Erin Horst, along with Jami Witt Miller and Lara Tenckhoff, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was challenging because theater is so community-based, and typically has a large group of people gathering in public spaces, which was not allowed to happen for a while,” Horst said.
Legacy’s origin sets it apart. Unlike most theater companies that launch with a venue and resources in place, Legacy started without a traditional stage or support system. What first seemed like a limitation has since defined its distinctive approach.
“What we found overall is it sort of liberated us and gave us the ability to think more creatively about how we produce, and it enabled us to support our artists, our actors and our designers more financially,” Horst said.
Inspired by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Fringe Festival in Chico offers an inclusive platform where diverse performer all kinds to showcase their work.
The festival provides a stage for people who might otherwise lack the chance to present fresh, experimental or unconventional pieces. Horst hopes audiences will see at the festival they’d never encounter in a traditional theater.
“We have so many talented performing artists in our community, the opportunity to perform their new works, their existing works, give them space and just help provide that format for expression in the community,” Horst said.
This year’s theme is "Make Space." The festival will take place across five different stages and showcase an array of art mediums.
“I think it's an idea of just making room for bold voices and news stories and making space for different kinds of expression to take center stage,” Horst said.
Legacy Stage is responsible for one of the acts, which is the world premiere of "Burn Ban," a horror musical set in a remote Northern California campground.
“There's no cell service. None of our characters can connect with the outside world. And so it follows this family and their friend Bill, as they're trying to seek this weekend of reconnection,” Horst said.
