New works by local playwrights and artists dominated the 2016 Capital Fringe audience-chosen awards this year, announced by Capital Fringe’s Julianne Brienza:
Best Comedy went to John Krizel’s Let Trump be Trump, which posits a strange world in which real estate magnate Donald J. Trump has become President of the United States.
Best Drama went to Too Close by Luigi Laraia. Too Close, a political thriller that takes place entirely in a stuck elevator, was largely produced by employees of the World Bank.
Best Dance or Physical went to gender-bending circus troupe Steal A Step’s debut production Kick Before You Drown.
Best Musical and Best Overall both went to Pinky Swear Productions for their murder-themed bluegrass musical Over Her Dead Body.
The Audience Awards are decided by a public online vote. Brienza announced during the presentation that there were approximately 4500 votes this year. Unlike previous years, Brienza did not give out a Director’s Award to a production. Rather she announced several awards for individuals and companies that have been important to the festival’s development.
The Award of Epicness went to Dan Logan, recognized for a $1.5 million donation in support of the the new Logan Fringe Art Space.
The Community Connector award went to Union Arts DC, for their ongoing fight to provide low-cost spaces for DC artists.
The new Most Inspired award goes to long-timer Fringers banishéd productions. As founder Carmen C. Wong wrote in her farewell piece for DCTS, their festival production of , she took me back so tenderly , is slated to be their last before the company dissolves.
Brienza also announced plans for two new theatres, one 200 seat, and one 100 seat, to be built at the Logan Arts Space, though no timeline was given.
It’s not over – Extension Week shows announced
Finally, this year’s crop of extended shows were publicly announced, including award winners Too Close and Let Trump Be Trump. Each extended show will get one or two extra performances at the Logan Fringe Arts Space. The extension runs July 28th through July 31st.
Here are the ticket links.
- Amelia Earhart…IN SPACE!
- Play Cupid
- SuperNOVA
- The Greatest Science Fiction Show (no one’s ever seen)
- The House of Yes
- A Midsummer’s Burlesque Dream
- Let Trump Be Trump
- Aliens, Nazis and Angels
- Too Close
- Dark Times at Grimesville High
- Crazy in America
- Rain Follows the Plow
- Coping
