Monthly Donor Lorraine Shares her Love of Fringe.
“It was the excitement of the whole place, the atmosphere of everyone there for a common purpose.“
From her first Fringe experience to now, Lorraine Fagan has seen around 400 Fringe shows.
Her love of the Festival started in the early 90s. After a co-worker raved about the Festival and convinced her to come down to the grounds, she soon became a regular attendee.
“It was the excitement of the whole place, the atmosphere of everyone there for a common purpose,” Lorraine reflects. “You had the outdoor venues; you had the restaurants getting involved, the food vendors, the plays, and you never knew what you were getting. I was hooked after the first year.”
Her love of theatre didn’t stop at Fringe, either—Lorraine began exploring the local theatre seasons too, following actors or companies whose work she’d seen and enjoyed at Fringe. She’s been a strong supporter of the arts ever since.
These days, Lorraine sees between 10 and 16 shows each Fringe Festival. She takes an organized approach to her fringing: going through the Festival Guide (this very one!) to see what intrigues her—looking for favourite actors or companies she enjoys, and taking some chances on compelling new ideas.
Lorraine then builds a spreadsheet of shows to see, which she shares with friends and family—much like how someone brought her into the Fringe fold, she’s paid it forward by helping bring others down to the Festival too.
She also contributes to the Fringe itself in more than just her attendance: Lorraine is a monthly donor, helping support the Festival throughout the year.
“I just felt [that] I’ve got the funds, I’ve got the opportunity to give back to something that I’ve enjoyed so much,” she says of the decision to become a donor. “I think it’s time to do it. “
“We should encourage other people to donate because we don’t wanna lose these opportunities of opening our mind to something new, experiencing these people and seeing some of them at the start of their careers,” she adds.
Did you know Fringe is a charitable organization? Your gift could ensure we continue to connect artists and audiences now and cultivate community for years to come. Together, we will continue welcoming diverse and unjuried stories to our stages. Donate today.