PHILADELPHIA — As the 17th annual Fringe Festivalcomes to a close, FringeArts (formerly the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe) is embarking on a bold new chapter: expanding programming to include a year-round series of high-quality local and national dance, theater and music performances in a brand-new contemporary arts center on the Delaware River waterfront. Tickets to FringeArts’ inaugural season performances are available now by calling 215-413-1318 or visiting fringearts.ticketleap.com.

“Our performing arts center will serve as a cultural anchor, amplifying the vibrancy of Philadelphia as a renowned artistic center and unparalleled place to live, work and visit,” says FringeArts President and Producing Director Nick Stuccio of the new building at Race Street and Columbus Boulevard, which will soft-open this fall to showcase its state-of-the-art 240-seat theater. “It has always been our plan to create a permanent home for a robust year-round series of experimental contemporary performances. We’ve demonstrated that there is a real audience that wants to see this type of work not just during the festival, but every week of the year.”

FringeArts’ debut season kicks off with 2011 Festival hit Elephant Room (Oct. 10-20), an illusionist’s realm where mind and sense part ways. The show’s three magic-makers — Dennis Diamond, Louie Magic, Daryl Hannah — promise to entertain, distract, confuse, confound and mystify. Called “delightfully daft” by The New York Times, the show returns to Philadelphia after a well-received U.S. tour.

The season continues in November with Svadba-Wedding (Nov. 2-3 and 6-7), a Serbian a cappella opera that ends in a Balkan feast with live music from the West Philadelphia Orchestra. This American premiere by composer Ana Sokolović is a co-presentation with Opera Philadelphia. Also in November, acclaimed Philadelphia theater maker Thaddeus Phillips presents the world premiere of 17 BORDER CROSSINGS (Nov. 13-17), exploring artificiality of borders, geographical conundrums and contradictions.

Finally, in December, FringeArts presents the remount of Pig Iron Theatre Company’s beloved 2011 Festival show, Twelfth Night, or What You Will (Dec. 6-22), which the Philadelphia City Paper called “pure magic.”

After this fall’s soft opening, a spring 2014 grand opening will showcase the building’s studio space, permanent festival hub, outdoor plaza, administrative offices and restaurant/bar.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

To purchase tickets, call 215-413-1318 or visit fringearts.ticketleap.com.

Elephant Room
Oct. 10-11, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12, 8 p.m.
Oct. 13, 2 p.m.
Oct. 17-18, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19, 4 and 9 p.m.
Oct. 20, 2 p.m.
Dennis Diamond, Louie Magic, Daryl Hannah
In the winter of 2010-11, writers Steve Cuiffo, Trey Lyford and Geoff Sobelle set out to research the performative techniques of magicians. They were taken under the wing of Dennis Diamond, Louie Magic and Daryl Hannah, who granted them access to the Elephant Room. Forever changed by what they witnessed, the authors persuaded the magicians to showcase their craft. In this fantastical Elephant Room, illusionists invite audiences into a most secret society, a realm where mind and sense part ways. The trio promises to entertain, distract, confuse, confound, amaze and mystify. (Premiered at the 2011 Live Arts Festival.)

Svadba–Wedding
Nov. 2-3 and 6-7, 7 p.m.
Presented by Opera Philadelphia and FringeArts
Svadba–Wedding is a Serbian a cappella opera fusing operatic and folk music and telling the story of Milica, a bride-to-be, and her five bridesmaids on the night before her wedding. The American premiere of composer Ana Sokolović’s production will offer audiences an immersive operatic experience, as ticketholders will join in an authentic Balkan wedding celebration after the performance, featuring traditional cuisine and live Balkan dance music from the West Philadelphia Orchestra. Svadba–Wedding launches Opera Philadelphia’s Opera in the City, an annual series that will offer fully staged operas in unexpected venues around Philadelphia.

17 BORDER CROSSINGS
Nov. 13-14, 7 p.m.
Nov. 15, 8 p.m.
Nov. 16, 2 and 8 p.m.
Nov. 17, 2 p.m.
Thaddeus Phillips
Director Thaddeus Phillips returns to explore artificiality of borders, geographical conundrums and contradictions. What do arbitrary lines do to people? Families? Nations? The environment? Civilization as a whole?

Twelfth Night, or What You Will
Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
Dec. 7, 2 and 8 p.m.
Dec. 8, 2 and 7 p.m.
Dec. 10-13, 7 p.m.
Dec. 14, 2 and 8 p.m.
Dec. 15, 2 p.m.
Dec. 17, 7 p.m.
Dec. 18, 2 and 7 p.m.
Dec. 19-20, 7 p.m.
Dec. 21, 2 and 8 p.m.
Dec. 22, 2 p.m.
Pig Iron Theatre Company
Alternately absurd and heartfelt, Twelfth Night, or What You Will is replete with practical jokes, gender confusion and mistaken identity. Girl washes up on beach, disguises herself as boy. Girl, disguised as boy, falls in love with Duke. Woos lady on behalf of Duke. Lady falls in love with girl-disguised-as-boy. Longing ensues. As does the imbibing of enormous quantities of alcohol, plus outrageously melodramatic breakdowns to “the saddest music in the world.” (Premiered at the 2011 Live Arts Festival.)