New Zealand Fringe Festival 2024 Programme Launched

Returning to the capital for a jam-packed triple week span, the 34th annual New Zealand Fringe Festival is hosting a vast variety of boundary pushing local and international talent in February and March 2024, happening at more than 50 performance spaces throughout Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Festival director Vanessa Stacey states there will be a whopping "26 different genres and art forms" represented, a kaleidoscopic melting pot of "local legends and exciting international artists" — including The New Blue - A Portrait of Pixie Williams, Cinematic Light Orchestra, Māreikura Lumina: A Celestial Symphony of Sound, Light, and Culture by #19 Productions, The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast, and that's just for starters.

Encompassing more than 160 events featuring over 800 artists, the official programme will be revealed tonight in full at fringe.co.nz where tickets will also be available [update: it's live now]. We recommend securing your spot immediately, as capacity for selected events will be strictly limited...

“After a record-breaking 2023 NZ Fringe season, we’re soooo excited to share 2024’s programme, hosting an incredible lineup of local legends and exciting international artists, and featuring 26 different genres and art forms. NZ Fringe will dazzle and delight you with an array of award-winners such as Mark Pleases You from San Diego Fringe, Endhoe from Sydney Fringe, The Hilary Duff Film Re-Enactment Festival from Adelaide Fringe, the debut of award-winning play Icky, the sell-out touring party of The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast, the homecoming of The New Blue - A Portrait of Pixie Williams, album release Cinematic Light Orchestra, featuring an 18-piece jazz band and 20 string players, and the audio-visual splendour of Māreikura Lumina – to name but a few – while also welcoming our new Fringe Late Lounge Hubbub featuring lush, lyrical and late-night lunacy throughout our 23-day season!” — Vanessa Stacey, Director of NZ Fringe Festival

New Zealand Fringe Festival 2024
More than 800 artists presenting over 160 diverse events
Friday 16th February to Saturday 9th March - hosted at 50 performance spaces across the Wellington Region
Full programme and festival tickets available at fringe.co.nz

2024 NZ Fringe Festival events include:

Karen O'Leary and Eilish Wilson with Saxofun comedy at the Hannah Playhouse
Kirsten Te Rito and Jamie Berry with Māreikura Lumina music and visual art at the Public Trust Hall
Rocky Horror Picture Show film with live theatre at the Hannah Playhouse
Nicola Macri from Australia with The Hilary Duff Film Re-enactment, comedy, at the Gryphon
Barbarian Productions with U R Back, family-friendly outdoor entertainment at Martin Luckie Park
Nga Tai Kaha - The Strong Tides, Rangatahi-focused show at BATS

Press release:

Back for its 34th year, NZ’s leading open-access arts festival, The Birthplace of Brilliance, New Zealand Fringe launches its programme for the 2024 season tonight. From 16 February – 9 March, creators hailing from overseas as well as Aotearoa will be gracing stages around the capital city. In the three-week season, there will be 800+ artists presenting a huge 160+ creative, boundary-pushing and diverse events.

Festival tickets will go live on the NZ Fringe website (fringe.co.nz) tonight and will be available to purchase from the box office from the 7th of February. Just in time for a thoughtful Christmas gift or a summer treat to yourself!

NZ Fringe events will be hosted at 50 performance spaces across the Wellington Region in 2024. Events will return to some of the top theatre venues in Pōneke such as the Hannah Playhouse, BATS Theatre, Te Auaha, Circa, The Gryphon Theatre (FATG), and the Fringe Bar. NZ Fringe will also take over innovative locales for whānau-friendly events, such as Martin Luckie Park, Awhi Yoga and Wellbeing, the Wellington Waterfront and Campbell Park, Paekākāriki.

Thanks to Public Trust, one stellar production has also received the honour of presenting their show at the newly renovated Public Trust Hall. Māreikura Lumina: A Celestial Symphony of Sound, Light, and Culture by #19 Productions will play for one night only (8 February) – utilising the large space and elegant decor through a fusion of music, projections, and Māori creativity. An evening not to be missed!

Backed by its small, but passionate team, NZ Fringe could not be the festival that it is today without the mahi from the artists who registered to be involved, as well as the key festival partners: Wellington City Council, Creative New Zealand, NV Interactive, Inject Design, NZME, the Lion Foundation, and Manatū Taonga: Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

New Zealand Fringe Festival’s 2024 programme will be live on their website this evening (14 December) or via printed copies available throughout Pōneke. The festival opens 16 February and runs until 9 March across venues in Wellington. See the myriad of remarkable shows on offer at the Birthplace of Brilliance by booking your tickets at fringe.co.nz.