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Debuting during the 2009 NZ Fringe Festival, The Fringe Bar (formerly Blue Note at 191 Cuba St.) dedicates itself to showcasing the best in comedy from here and around the world.

With 13 unique shows spread out over 22 days The Fringe Bar is set to become the raucous epicenter of a ribtickling, knee slapping comedy revolution. From stand up, improv, spoken word, and the Fringe specific talk show The Chit Chat Lounge which anchors itself every night at 10pm, Wellingtonians' will be plugged into the electric funny bone of the Fringe!Debuting during the 2009 NZ Fringe Festival, The Fringe Bar (formerly Blue Note at 191 Cuba St.) dedicates itself to showcasing the best in comedy from here and around the world.

With 13 unique shows spread out over 22 days The Fringe Bar is set to become the raucous epicenter of a ribtickling, knee slapping comedy revolution. From stand up, improv, spoken word, and the Fringe specific talk show The Chit Chat Lounge which anchors itself every night at 10pm, Wellingtonians' will be plugged into the electric funny bone of the Fringe!Spearheaded by 2008 Billy T winner Steve Wrigley and Canadian import Derek Flores, The Fringe Bar aspires to be the future home of comedy in Wellington.

"When I got here two years ago the comedy community welcomed me enthusiastically and so I thought I have to give back to the scene." Says Derek on his reason for dedicating an entire venue to comedy. "We will continue through out the year to support and encourage comedy in the capital with fearless hopes of how high we can achieve."

With this ambitious start The Fringe Bar, along with Derek and Steve, hope that a new audience comes to appreciate the vast quality and diversity of New Zealand comedy as well as coming to embrace the talent that play the trade here in Wellington.

The Fringe Bar is proud to announce its line up for FRINGE 09!

Every Sunday night we have "IMPROV JAM" with some of the best players in Wellington taking the stage.

Mondays we are joined by the comedy festival for "COMEDY UNPLUGGED", where you can see comedians test raw and rough versions of upcoming shows. The artist will have access to both the audience and a panel of experts for feedback. For the three weeks of the Fringe, Tuesday to Saturday we bring our weekly showcase.

Week one has Jamie Bowen bringing his multi musical mayhem to the fringe bar in "JAMIE BOWEN LIVE" followed by Rebecca De Unamuno in "SINCERELY YOURS" a totally improvised love story.

Week two we change pace and begin the evening at 6pm with a 13 minute show "LUXURY AND DELUSION", This acclaimed piece from the 2008 Dunedin fringe is great start to a hard nights fringing. Then stick about for a few drinks and join "THE LEMON BARLEY TRIO" for some hot drinks and spoken words in an hour of comedy, poetry and music featuring 2006 Billy T Award nominee Jerome Chandrahasen. 2009 Billy T award Nominee "DAVE WIGGINS", the clean comedian, presents his hilarious show from last year's comedy festival %100 Human %0 Whale after 8pm.

Week three rounds out with a wallop. Wellington comedy legend Cori Gonzalez Macuer joins us early in the night, then the funniest three women in the 04 present "THE COMEDIETTES". Jim Stanton, Sarah Harpur and Raw Comedy Quest winner Emma Olsen smash into comedic variety with sketch and stand up.

And the season ends with Fringe Bars' proud presentation of Benjamin Crellin as he heads off on a national tour of his new show "APOCALYPSE SOON!"

And every night of the fringe we have the "CHIT CHAT LOUNGE" with Derek Flores and Vinyl Burns. Finding a new home at the The Fringe Bar, Chit Chat will continue being the information station and social hub of the Fringe in 09.

We want to thank all our performers and all our sponsors for getting on board with this project and look forward to making Kiwis' laugh hearty through this supposed financial downturn.

DEREK FLORES and STEVE WRIGLEY

www.thefringebar.co.nz
www.myspace.com/fringenz

Press Release: New Zealand Fringe Festival

04/02/09