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2016 Commencement Speaker

Erica Fee ’99

Erica Fee is the founding producer and board presi­dent of the First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival, a successful, annual, multi­disciplinary arts festival, which celebrates its fifth year in 2016. Under her stewardship, the Fringe has grown to be one of the top three most attended fringe festivals in the United States. In 2015, the Fringe drew more than 63,000 visitors and included more than 500 performances and events at 2.5 venues in down­town Rochester. The Fringe has become a powerhouse festival for new theater, comedy, music, dance, and children’s entertainment and provides broad access, with 12.0 shows in 2.015 being free of charge.

Since 2012, highlights have included the annual Friday on the Fringe featuring aerial high-rise dancers BANDALOOP, which attracted 13,000 spectators for one show; comedians Patton Oswalt, Marc Maron, and Dave Barry; immersive theater from the world­renowned Rimini Protokoll; and the import of a Spiegeltent (an early 20th-century venue).

For a decade before Fringe, Fee lived in the United Kingdom, running her own London-based theatrical production and general management company. Her many producing, directing, and performance credits include UK premieres and London and Edinburgh Fringe productions.

Fee was the first American to receive the prestigious New Producer’s Award from Stage One (Society of London Theatres/TMA), winning twice-the maxi­mum amount that it can be received. She was men­tored by acclaimed Broadway and West End producer, Paul Elliott.

At the University of Rochester, Fee was a Xerox Scholar and member of Phi Beta Kappa. She gradu­ated magna cum laude with a BA in political science and history with a minor in theater. She was a Take Five Scholar.

Fee received classical acting training from the Arts Educational Schools London. She has studied and spo­ken frequently about festival production and related topics.