A Covid-19 inspired button is the reward for donations of at least $20 to the Nanaimo Fringe Festival. (Tamara McCarthy)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

New-look event

‘It’s a big unknown:’ Nanaimo Fringe Festival takes plunge with virtual event

Aug 11, 2020 | 1:54 PM

NANAIMO — Theatre buffs starved of stage action during COVID-19 will have some options beginning Wednesday night.

Rather than close the curtains on the 2020 Nanaimo Fringe Festival, the event is pressing ahead virtually in a move organizers believe could pay off.

Five Vancouver Island based theatre productions and one from Australia will be live-streamed online, Wednesday Aug. 12 through Friday with performances starting at 7 p.m.

A wrap-up event happens Saturday night, were viewers can pick their favourite entry to be re-played.

Festival chair Tamara McCarthy concedes going virtual is a “bold choice”.

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“It’s a great question, how does theatre work online and digitally when theatre is so much about the interaction and heart beat between audience and performer,” McCarthy told NanaimoNewsNOW.

However, she said the festival should have a captive and more broad audience since many fringe festivals are cancelled this year due to COVID-19.

McCarthy said their festival is nimble and not reliant on a heavy contingent of international talent to drive a successful event.

“Because we’re a smaller festival we’ve been able to adapt to be online and our reach is boundless.”

This year’s Nanaimo Fringe Festival can be enjoyed on the organization’s website or Facebook page.

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