Live theatre takes over downtown Kingston
Get ready for theatrical performances to bring a new energy into the downtown core with shows happening in storefronts, parks, theatres… and some not-so-common performance locations.
Two different downtown theatre festivals will be starting this week: the Kick and Push Festival and the Storefront Fringe Festival will both be launching at the amphitheater behind City Hall on Thursday, July 18, 2019.
Put on by the Kingston Theatre Alliance, the Kick and Push Festival runs for three weeks across eight venues in Kingston’s downtown core. Going into its fifth season, this year’s Kick and Push Festival will take place from Thursday, Jul. 18th, 2019 to Sunday, Aug. 11th, 2019. Shows will take place in The Grand Theatre, Battery Park, Cedar Island, and the Kingston Public Library.
The Kick and Push festival describes itself as an unconventional and immersive theatre experience that “aims to push the traditional concept of what theatre is, or could be” through showcasing innovative and boundary-breaking experiential theatre.
“At the heart of this festival is the belief that theatre should bring people together, offer surprising new experiences and, above all, be fun. Our 2019 season will bring music, magic, and puppetry to Kingston’s downtown, including two compelling indigenous narratives, curated for us by Anishinaabe artist, Waawaate Fobister,” Kick and Push Artistic Producer Liam Karry said in a press release. “A Kick & Push ticket is a passport into the imagination of Canada’s most acclaimed cultural innovators. I promise you will never forget what you discover there.”
Part of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, the Kingston Storefront Fringe Festival is a Theatre Kingston collaboration with local theatre practitioners in creating a series of engagement activities for those of all ages (check individual show details for age appropriateness). The eight-day festival will take place from Friday, Jul. 19, 2019 to Saturday, Jul. 27, 2019. Six out of the eight 2019 productions are coming to Kingston after sold out runs across North America, with the other two being entirely new. In total, 18 unique shows will be put on in three empty storefronts: 330 Princess Street, the upper level of 130 Clergy Street East, and lower level of 130 Clergy Street East. There will also be a launch party for the Storefront Fringe Festival where many of the acts will be announced on Friday, Jul. 19, 2019 starting at 8 p.m. at The Alibi.
Both the Kick and Push Festival and Storefront Fringe Festival will launch their seasons with a Summer Festival Kick-off Party on Thursday, July 18, 2019 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Springer Market Square Amphitheatre. The event will feature Canadian singer and songwriter, Matthew Barber, as well as a free preview of Storefront Fringe shows.
Kick and Push Festival tickets will be available online at thekickandpush.com and through the Grand Theatre Box Office, by phone at 613-530-2050 and online at kingstongrand.ca.
Kingston Storefront Fringe Festival tickets and passes are available in advance at the Grand Theatre. During the festival, tickets are available at the door of each venue, at the Alibi, or the festival ticket tent at the corner of Clergy and Princess Streets.