Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival guest producer Katt Campbell’s versatile experience in the theatre industry is a cornerstone to her work. Campbell has worked in the business for the last decade, taking on roles such as improv performer, stage manager, and, now, producer.
“It’s actually pretty helpful because I’ve already got a knowledge base on so many different areas of the festival,” she says of her experience. “It just takes all the guesswork out. And it also makes it really easy to relate on a more personal level with all of the individuals [at Fringe].”
It’s an exciting time for artists in Victoria, says Campbell, whose 30th birthday coincides with the 30th year of the festival.
“This is my 13th year with the festival, and I’m really proud and happy to be part of the 30th year of it,” says Campbell. “It’s a really big deal and I feel really lucky.”
Campbell says that overseeing the organizational aspects of the festival can be far more artistic than initially meets the eye.
“This year I’ll actually finally get to see some shows,” she says with a laugh. “In past years, I usually volunteer so much, or I was working in a position where I couldn’t get away. This year my job actually really kind of entails going and seeing more shows.”
One of the shows to see is Perpetual Wednesday, a two-person comedy following Walter and Bruce (played by Anthony Arnista and Jacob Trillo), who have killed someone as the show begins. The two characters in Perpetual Wednesday were created during a theatre-school project; Arnista says their teacher, who “didn’t always say positive things easily,” was in awe of the duo’s talent.
“We were like, ‘Oh, this is a good thing, maybe we should keep doing it,’” says Trillo.
The two actors say that turning the writer in themselves off when it comes time to take the stage doesn’t really happen.
“They’re kind of one and the same,” say Trillo. “Oftentimes when we write something, when we actually get up and physically do it, it’s like ‘Whoa, that’s boring’, or, ‘Oh my god, that doesn’t really work.’ So one doesn’t really end or begin, you know?”
The duo says being together off stage is almost as fun as it is on stage.
“It’s essentially just about these two guys that run this shammy magic show; just classic physical comedy,” Trillo says of Perpetual Wednesday. “We always kind of joke that these characters are just us turned up to 11. There’s a lot of truth in that relationship.”
The two enjoy being on the road and performing together, but it’s not without a bit of homesickness. Arnista says what he misses most about being away from his hometown of Portland, Oregon is vegetables.
“If you go out to any place and try and find a meal for under $10 that has a fresh vegetable with it that’s not potatoes, I challenge you,” he says. “You’re going to be eating a lot of burgers.”
Victoria Fringe Festival
Various prices and locations
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