PERFORM AT FRINGE
To LifeWhy Scranton Fringe?
Become Part of Our Community
Supportive Environment
We offer a welcoming space where you can experiment, grow, and share your unique voice. Our team is dedicated to providing the resources and encouragement you need to succeed.
Engaged
Audiences
Perform for curious and enthusiastic audiences eager to experience new perspectives and bold storytelling. Our community values creativity and embraces the thrill of the unexpected.
Creative
Freedom
At Scranton Fringe, we value artistic diversity and encourage you to push boundaries. We celebrate daring ideas and unconventional performances.
Opportunities to
Connect
Dive into a buzzing hive of creative souls, where artists, creators, and industry pros mingle. Team up, soak up wisdom, and spark inspiration in a lively atmosphere.
Broader
Awareness
Reach audiences in Northeast Pennsylvania and beyond. We’re close to NYC & Philly, and our festival provides a platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their talents on a wider stage.
Joy, Celebration & Fun
Experience an energetic atmosphere filled with joy and celebration. We prioritize making the creative process just as enjoyable as the performance itself.
Let your creativity shine in a community that’s as passionate about the arts as you are.
What We Look For
Bold Works for Brave Audiences
At Scranton Fringe, we believe there’s a place for everyone, but not all productions are a good fit for our festival.
Shows should be Production Ready; while we are happy to be a sounding board on your way to the stage, we are not an incubator. Shows must be ready to go.
Each performance should engage our audiences within a tight 45-60 minute run-time without intermissions.
We embrace a dynamic range of genres, from theater and comedy to film, cabaret, dance, stand-up comedy, improv/sketch, puppetry, magic, musicals, immersive theater, circus, solo shows, and children’s programming.
We’re on the lookout for performances that challenge the norm, spark curiosity, and ignite conversation. We’re also drawn to performances that push boundaries, invite audiences to see the world from new perspectives, and encourage daring creativity. We love to see you explore themes that celebrate cultural diversity, champion the power of community, and delve into the richness of personal narratives.
We relish a broad range or storytelling styles:
We offer a platform for both emerging and established artists to shine. Whether you’re an up-and-coming talent or a seasoned pro, if your show has the power to inspire and entertain, we want to see it on our stage!
What are we NOT looking for?
Performances less than 45 minutes or productions that have been performed recently in Northeast Pennsylvania will not be selected for the Scranton Fringe Festival.
We are also not able to accommodate a series of short, unconnected works that have long intermissions or multiple scene changes.
If you are a live musician or band, we would be happy to discuss pop-up opportunities during the festival instead of ticketed stage performances.
And you MUST PERFORM THE SHOW YOU SUBMITTED. No exceptions!
How It Works
Fringe ArtistSTEP 1: You APPLY
Applications for 2026 open on Feb 9 and close Mar 31, 2026.
There is no fee to apply.
Be thorough! The more detail you provide about your show and tech needs, the better we can match you with a venue. DOUBLE CHECK YOUR CONTACT INFO so we can stay in touch. Check out the FAQs below for even more info before you apply.
STEP 2: WE DECIDE
Shows for the Scranton Fringe Festival are curated, and not all submissions are guaranteed a stage.
Productions will be notified by May 15th, 2026 if they have or have not been selected for the festival.
STEP 3: make it official
After selection, all productions must sign a contract and pay the entrance fee.
Production fees for 2026 are as follows:
$85 per performance (small/medium venues) $125 per performance (large venues). And every production can review their total costs before signing the contract.
STEP 4: PRODUCTION GETS GOING
We produce the festival, you produce your show. Then we meet up in Scranton for real good times.
Scranton Fringe will work with you and your team to schedule one tech rehearsal prior to your opening, and for any available preview or press performances.
What We Provide
What You Provide
HELPING YOU GET THERE:
We will provide training and various resources for you to market your shows, such as media contact lists, PR templates, and preview performance gigs.
We are also happy to provide two ‘Office Hours’ sessions via Zoom before the application deadline. Team Fringe will give a short presentation on producing a show for fringe, and then we’ll answer your questions about the festival and your application. Come back here at the time below and click that date to join.
Important 2025 Dates:
Office Hours
Mar 16, 3pm
Mar 24, 6:30pm
CLICK DATE to join ZOOM
Deadline To Apply
Mar 31
Acceptance Notification
May 15
Contract Signed & Fee Paid
June 2
Marketing & Festival Program Materials Due
June 27
2026 Festival Dates:
October 1 – 10
Money Matters
We want both you and the festival to succeed
Scranton Fringe is proud that all applications for Scranton Fringe continue to be FREE.
However, Scranton Fringe does charge you a production fee if you are accepted to perform.
For 2026, production fees are:
Small or Medium Venues
$85 per performance
Large Venues
$125 per performance
Production fees may be higher if your production requires specialty tech.
Box OfficeTickets are set at $15 per patron/seat, per show.
Total ticket sales for your show will depend on the venue size and your marketing efforts.
Scranton Fringe will return 70% of your ticket sales to you.
The remaining 30% covers Festival costs like venue rentals, tech equipment, box office, marketing, and insurance.
Fringe subsidizes many of the costs associated with presenting work at the festival so you can produce your work affordably.
TOTAL TICKET SALES
Eventotron
Eventotron is the event management platform that we – and MANY other Festivals – use to help organize applications, register artists, sell tickets, and much more!
To apply for Scranton Fringe, you’ll need a free Eventotron account. It takes just a few seconds, and again, it’s free!
Then, after you upload all the info about your show/production for Scranton, you can also apply it to scores of other Festivals and venues worldwide.
Frequently Asked
Questions
A Fringe Festival is a celebration of independent, diverse, and boundary-pushing performing arts. The movement began in 1947 with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which has since grown into the largest annual arts festival in the world. Today, Fringe Festivals exist across the globe, providing platforms for theater, comedy, dance, storytelling, and more. The Scranton Fringe Festival embraces this spirit, bringing together artists and audiences for a vibrant, risk-taking, and community-driven experience.
The Scranton Fringe Festival takes place every fall, typically in late September/early October.
We accept a wide range of artistic work, including:
If it can be performed or shared in front of an audience, we’re open to it.
Not at all! While live performance is a core part of what we do, Scranton Fringe proudly supports film as part of our programming. Our “Taking Up Space” film series highlights independent film and video work that explores themes of identity, place, and power. We’re especially interested in original work from underrepresented creators. Films may be programmed as stand-alone screenings or part of multimedia events.
Scranton Fringe performances happen in a wide variety of venues, including:
We love working with artists to bring bold ideas to life, whether it’s a traditional stage play or a show happening in a shop window.
Founded in 2015, the Scranton Fringe Festival has become a cornerstone of the region’s cultural scene, now offering programming year-round in addition to our flagship fall festival. Each year, artists and performers are invited to apply for a chance to be part of the festival. While we receive more applications than we can accommodate, selected productions are offered performance slots in curated venues across Scranton.
Scranton Fringe primarily operates on a self-producing model — meaning artists are responsible for creating and presenting their work, while our team provides key support, including venue coordination, front-of-house staffing, ticketing, and marketing assistance. Artists retain full creative control and receive the majority of their ticket sales. There is no fee to apply; however, a modest participation fee (based on venue size and the number of performances) is charged for accepted productions to help offset a small portion of the festival’s overall operating costs.
The festival is curated by a diverse team of artists and organizers from our region and beyond. In addition to self-produced shows, Scranton Fringe also directly commissions or produces special works each year — both during the festival and through our ongoing programming. Whether you’re just getting started or have years of experience, Scranton Fringe offers an exciting, supportive platform for bold, original storytelling.
Not at all! Scranton Fringe welcomes artists from across the region, the country, and even internationally. We’re especially excited to work with creators who want to connect with a passionate, engaged audience in a welcoming, artist-friendly environment.
Scranton Fringe handles ticketing and box office for all shows. Artists keep 70% of their box office earnings.
We provide the following to artists/producers within our annual Festival:
Scranton Fringe is fiercely artist-centered — we’re here to help you succeed.
Possibly. Scranton Fringe regularly invites local and regional press, bloggers, and content creators to attend the Festival. Please note we cannot guarantee press coverage for every show, and we do not control or influence any critique that may be published.
Yes! You’re welcome to sell merchandise (books, shirts, zines, music, etc.) and promote other creative projects or upcoming performances during the Festival. We will ensure each venue has space designated for artists to do just this. Scranton Fringe does not take any percentage of your merch sales, nor do we manage those transactions. All sales are handled directly by you or your team. Please note that any tax obligations or legal requirements related to your sales are your responsibility. Please be respectful of your venue and fellow artists!
Most Fringe productions are between 45 to 75 minutes, though we accept shorter and longer works on a case-by-case basis. If your piece runs under 30 minutes or over 90, we recommend clearly explaining why in your application and how you envision it fitting into the Festival schedule. Double bills and nontraditional formats are also considered!
Applications for each year’s festival typically open in late winter. To be notified when the next round goes live, join our email list at scrantonfringe.org or follow us on social media.
Yes! While most productions in the festival are self-produced by participating artists, Scranton Fringe also directly commissions or produces select works each year. These projects may be featured during the annual festival or as part of our year-round programming.
Opportunities for commissioned or directly produced work are limited and typically offered by invitation or through special project calls. However, we’re always looking to connect with bold, visionary artists. Feel free to share your work with us by emailing [email protected] or applying to the Festival — it’s a great way to get on our radar!
Still have questions?
No problem! Reach out to us anytime at [email protected] — we’re happy to help you decide if Fringe is right for your work.
WaitlistApplications for 2025 have closed, but enter your email below to join the waitlist – you’ll be the first to know when the applications open for 2026!
Talking to the Box Office...
