Festival madness
Jodi Essery
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Hechtman and Palermo in Parc des Amériques
photo: Joseph Yarmush
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Jeremy Hechtman and Tony Palermo discuss fringe benefits and new classics
"Everything in moderation" is not the motto of your average 16-year-old. But that's just what the Montreal Fringe Festival, 16 this year, plans to live by in the future. "The thing is," says veteran fest producer Jeremy Hechtman, "the festival is getting to a point where it's too big for what our budget can manage. I felt that way after last year, but people kept telling me you can't really move backwards." The pressure to keep rolling with the good times is natural. Indoor ticket sales were up this year by 5,000, topping 25,000. But the Fringe can afford only a handful of staff to oversee everything from managing a battalion of volunteers to finding beds for the out-of-towners. Inevitably, the little things start to slide.
"It's about making sure every venue has toilet paper," says Hechtman. "I'd rather manage nine venues effectively than manage 11 venues badly. I'd rather take really good care of 75 artists than just take care of 100."
And then there's the other issue. "We don't know what we're going to do with our outdoor site at all next year," sighs Hechtman. Rained out on opening weekend and curtailed by condo owners disgruntled over late-night noise, the tent in Parc des Amériques lay virtually empty for nearly a week, then overflowed with capacity crowds. "The site's too small when we're packed, and too expensive to rent when it's not full." Hechtman's fantasy scenario for next year? "I'd like the arrondissement to give me Jeanne-Mance Park."
But for now, it's hibernation time.
"It's great," says Hechtman. "I can just hand the keys over to Tony and go home."Tony Palermo is head honcho of the four-year-old New Classical Theatre Festival, co-produced by Gravy Bath and the Montreal Young Company. Over in his court, it's more of a bigger-is-better philosophy that's in effect, with an expanded four-week, five-venue format this year. "We don't really compare ourselves to any other festivals," says fast-talking salesman Palermo. "We want to find a venue for new exploratory theatre to happen, a venue that allows directors to take the time they need to create the show they want."
Sounds like a universally appealing idea. The problem, again, is money. In the tradition of the true sales pitch, Palermo is quick to address perceived attitudes about the outfit he's running.
"We're paying all these people - not much, but I don't hire anyone. I invite people to participate. I don't hold guns to people's heads. I get comments that it's not right to pay people this amount of money." (For the record, Palermo says all the artists are getting about $500 for their time.) "But the way I look at it, if I don't do this festival, there would be 90 people this summer not doing anything. I could sit back and wait until we have all the money we need..." (About $600,000 to $700,000 for a project this size, by Palermo's calculations.) "It's that, or I do it now for a budget of $25,000."
The result, says the producer, is that his participants are passionate and less interested in the bottom line than in making good art. I know - bring on the angry letters.
"By aiming for the moon," claims Palermo, "we're trying to make it halfway. It's not always the best work our audiences have seen, but it's the best work we've produced up to now."
The New Classical Theatre Festival
Aug. 15 to Sept. 9
Well, this is the rub. While you want your fest to get recognition and for the artists showcasing their wares to get as much exposure as possible, there comes a time when the growth that success engenders, forces you to make some tough choices. This is actually a pretty enviable dilemma - after all, the Fringe Fest is thriving and, if anything, although future growth might be reigned in a wee bit (unless, of course, the municipal gov't aquiesces and offers up some cash and a primo location), it will continue to be a viable showcase for all things fun, frenetic, and above all FRINGE!!!
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Mark St Pierre
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