Artist Annex, a new series of free workshops at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Fest premiers this year, produced by Scixxy’s Greater Shows, creators of local indie and absurd theater. Community leaders and experts are coming together to present topics of interest to performers especially, though the series is open to all.

Presenters include artists, producers and business people from Utah and beyond. Presentations on making a small business of your art, promoting and marketing your work, diversity and community and more will be presented free of charge at Fringe Fest, in a parallel venue within Trolley Square.

Program:

Friday, July 28 

7:30pm: Importance of Local Community and Grassroots Theater: presented by Élise C. Hanson of Kallisti Theatre Company. There is something quite special about Salt Lake City, aside from our craft beer scene and love for funeral potatoes. Salt Lake is one of the community theater capitals of the world. Unlike professional theaters which vie for equity actors and semi-professional theaters which (particularly around here) rely on the same safe, overdone plays that won’t offend their rich patrons, community theaters scratch and toil and strive to put something unique and original and accessible to actors and audience alike. In this little valley nestled in the Rocky Mountains, there is space for everyone and so, so much to see.

Saturday July 29

3:00 pm: Avante-Garde Audiences, presented by Cin MC and Ben Brinton of Deaf and the Musician. The most important part of your show is the audience. Be including, be welcoming, be inviting, give the audience what they want. The Deaf & The Musician, Cindy & Ben, explore the rewards and challenges of accessible, safe, sustainable and community engaged performances.

6pm: Shakespeare for Modern Audiences, presented by Élise C. Hanson and Wendy Dang. Shakespeare remains as relevant and entertaining to today's audiences as he was five hundred years ago, but there is certainly a skill to presenting Shakespeare's particular language and archaic turns of phrase to a modern audience. Some may think they don't understand Shakespeare or that his words are for the highly educated or intellectual, and it is the duty of skilled actors and directors to show that Shakespeare and classical works are for absolutely everyone.

7:30pm: Diversity in Artistic Spaces, presented by Wendy Dang. How to and why to have a diverse cast, crew and production across the board.

Sunday, July 30

3:00pm: The Fundamentals of Fear: How to Be an Effective and Valuable Actor for Haunted Attractions, presented by Gabe Allred of Fear Factory. The how and why of haunt acting, a type of performance work you may not have considered. Learn to be a monster!

4:30pm: Puppetry 101, presented by Shelby Rickart of Puppets in the City. The basics of puppetry, with a focus on using puppets on non-traditional and adult formats.

Monday, July 31

7:30: Artistic Underground’s Weekly Open Mic at Alliance Theater

Friday, August 4

4:30pm: Meet the Venues, presented by Jay Perry of Alliance Theater, Andrew Early of Mark of the Beastro / Beehive Social Club, Julie-Anne Liechty of Lightree Studios. Meet the proprietors of soem of Salt Lake’s indie venues, discuss what they’re offering and what they’re looking for. Open forum.

6:00pm: Making a Business of Your Arts, presented by magician, anthropologist and presenter Paul Draper. Discuss the ins and outs of making your performance into a successful business, presented by one of the best-known performers of Salt Lake City.

7:30pm: Get Booked! How to get Gigs of All Sorts, presented by Paul Draper. From cold-calling to networking, find ways to get those paying gigs that keep us afloat!

9:00pm: Lords of Misrule presents Court of Hearts, (Mutual Aid Theatre), presented by RJ Walker and Cast. The latest Lords of Misrule production exemplifies the new form of mutual aid theater, an interactive play based on Alice in Wonderland, with a chaotic twist! Donations raise funds for charity.

Saturday, August 5

3:00pm: Making a Business of Your Arts, presented by magician, anthropologist and presenter Paul Draper. Discuss the ins and outs of making your performance into a successful business, presented by one of the best-known performers of Salt Lake City.

4:30pm: Marketing and Promotion for your events, presented by “Bean” Kat Aleman of Y’allt Entertainment. Everything you need to know to sell those tickets!

6:00pm: Immersive and Interactive Theatre, presented by Jen Ogle of Out of the Shadows Theater Group and Mynheras Theater and Immersive Arts. This will be a panel discussion on immersive and interactive performances, their role in the theatrical world, and how performances have changed.

9:00pm: Lords of Misrule presents Court of Hearts, (Mutual Aid Theatre), presented by RJ Walker and Cast. The latest Lords of Misrule production exemplifies the new form of mutual aid theater, an interactive play based on Alice in Wonderland, with a chaotic twist! Donations raise funds for charity.

Sunday, August 6

3:00pm: Busking 101, presented by Kim Angeli of Busker Fest. Learn the ins and outs of busking in Salt Lake City!

4:30pm: Marketing and Promotion for your events, presented by “Bean” Kat Aleman of Y’allt Entertainment. Everything you need to know to sell those tickets!

7:30pm: Compliment Deathmatch, moderated by RJ Walker. You heard us! Competitive compliments, for a prize. A wholesome way to end the Fringe Fest.