Not into Britney? Check out the Rogue Festival

By Donald Munro
The Fresno Bee

(Updated Friday, March 5, 2004, 5:35 AM)

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"We're the Iowa of fringe festivals," says co-organizer Marcel Nunis.

This year's Rogue, which runs today-Sunday and March 12-13 in the Tower District, more than doubles to 40 the number of performing groups that participated in the 2002 festival. New this year: a main stage at Club Fred, joining the established main stage at Starline, for performances up to one hour. Shorter performances up to half an hour will be held at The Rogue Cafe at Veni Vidi Vici.

No show costs more than $6. In keeping with the egalitarian nature of the festival, all proceeds go directly to each performing group. No tickets are sold in advance: first come, first served. A Rogue Ready Pass, for $50, provides admission to 12 shows.

Two new components have been added using the philosophy of what organizers call "BYOV" (Bring Your Own Venue): Rogue Film, which will present independent films at a private home; and an art-gallery trio of Rogue's Galleries: 637 Salon, Ashtree Studio and Recycom. More than 2,000 people attended the festival last year. With more venues, organizers hope for even bigger crowds this year.

"The growth this year has actually taken us by surprise," says Nunis, who's worked with about a dozen volunteers over the past nine months putting together the festival. "This year there's a lot of buzz."

The model is simple: No jury decided who performs. The talent calls the shots. Performers provide a brief program description for the Rogue Map and assign themselves a content rating for those looking for family-friendly entertainment. (Club Fred is an over-21 venue.)

From one hour to the next you might find yourself listening to acoustic guitar, laughing at outrageous improvisational comedy, riveted by jangly belly dancers, absorbing the rhythms of postmodern experimental music, settling back to mellow folk songs or contemplating a "found objects puppetry extravaganza."

Buzz is a big factor at a fringe festival. Nunis suggests that you pick one or two shows you really want to see -- and then take a chance on some unknowns. Audience members are encouraged to write reviews of performances on the festival's Web site. Who knows? At a fringe festival, you just might be watching the next big thing.

"It can be a springboard for performers," says co-organizer Lisa Repasky. "The more shows you see, the more chances you have to see a gem."

Among the hot tickets the second weekend, Repasky says, will be performances from L.A. singer Terra Naomi and London comedian D. Kien Lim.

Nunis notes that there's something for everyone at the festival -- even for those performers in town who are providing a jolt of competition.

"We've invited Britney Spears," Nunis says with a laugh. (Spears performs today at the Save Mart Center.) "She can walk around the Tower, maybe get married."

The reporter can be reached at dmunro@fresnobee.com or 441-6373.