FronteraFest producers have announced that its 2021 celebration of emerging performing arts will be cancelled.
Organized by Hyde Park Theatre in collaboration with ScriptWorks, the five-week showcase typically begins in mid-January. The 2021 festival would have been FronteraFest’s 28th.
“Despite our best efforts to create a reasonable facsimile of the festival for these extraordinary times, we were unable to arrive at a safe solution that would make both artistic and economic sense,” said Christina J. Moore, FronteraFest Producer and executive artistic director of ScriptWorks. “One of the core values of FronteraFest is creative freedom, but it’s a value that is at odds with the restrictive environment of COVID-19 risk.”
Centered at Hyde Park Theatre, the festival spotlights short-form and long-form live performance of all kinds — theatre, dance, music, improv, comedy, and performance art. Its Bring-Your-Own-Venue segment is for site-specific work and the popular Mi Casa es Su Teatro is a one-day event of performances in private homes.
“FronteraFest is one of Austin’s greatest arts incubators,” said Ken Webster, artistic director of Hyde Park Theatre. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for new playwrights, directors, and actors to try out new work, revive old work or simply refine existing pieces. We are deeply saddened that we have to cancel the festival this year.”
Organizers says that FronteraFest 2022 will take place provided conditions are safe to proceed at the time.
