Philly Fringe: 7 free shows to see at the festival

From dance to theater, comedy to live music, visual-art presentations to movie screenings and more, multiple entertainment options abound every night at the Fringe Festival, through Sept. 24.

With so many things to choose from, where is a Fringe rookie to start?

Why not first take a glance at the roster of productions that can be enjoyed entirely for free? FringeArts more than knows that culture needn't be just for the rich kids, which is why the festival always includes a slew of great shows that won't put a dent in your wallet.

More information for each show can be found at fringearts.com or by calling 215-413-1318.

Omeletto: Like Hamlet,

Only Scrambled

If you're seeking to enlighten yourself with a classic that throws in a little humor to lighten the mood, this commedia dell'arte theater production is it. Local group Ombelico Mask Ensemble transforms Hamlet from tragedy to comedy, creating a show that's full of raucous laughter, masked characters, and the beautiful Italian and French languages interwoven with an English script.

6 p.m. Sept. 15-17 & 22-24. Liberty Lands Park, 926 N. American St.

Feed

Performance group Applied Mechanics creates plays that no two people will see the same way, with immersive sets that require audience members to wander around and choose which stories they want to hear and see. Think of it as participatory theater. The group invites you to whet your appetite as a cast of three explores all aspects of food, from where crops are grown to the recipes, rituals, and history behind the food we eat.

Various times, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, next Friday; and Sept. 18-19; Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St.

Raphstravaganza:

The Kinetic Experience

BMX meets acrobatics meets urban street dance in this contemporary, circus-style performance curated by 2013 Pew fellow and hip-hop artist Raphael Xavier. The show is set to a score composed by saxophonist Bobby Zankel and has notable performers, including contortionists and former Cirque du Soleil members. The four 30-minute choreographed performances, designed to pay tribute to the soul of the city, are being held right outside of City Hall.

Noon Saturday, City Hall Courtyard, 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd.

4-Minute Booth

Stare into the eyes of a companion or perhaps even a stranger for an uninterrupted four minutes. Think you can do it? The 4-Minute Booth, the brainchild of two Philadelphia artists, encourages you to take the challenge, which, studies have shown, can result in an increased release in the "love hormone" oxytocin. The mission behind the interactive installation is to facilitate connections between strangers and to engage people in intimate social interactions.

8-11 p.m. Sept. 19, 23, & 24. Haas Biergarten at FringeArts, 140 N. Columbus Blvd.

Clothing: Stories from the Closet

Award-winning printmaker and mixed-media artist Linda Dubin Garfield will lead a conversation around the meaning of our wardrobe, how we choose to wear it, and how clothing does and does not define us. In doing so, Garfield will provide an array of art materials to encourage you to bring out the artist within you to create and share stories on this topic.

Noon Sunday and Sept. 18; 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Book Trader, 7 N. Second St.

Habitus

The Delaware River's Pier 9 gets a massive makeover during the Fringe Festival with an immersive installation from internationally recognized visual artist Ann Hamilton. Operated on a pulley system, a large-scale display of curtains will take over the space, inviting visitors to propel the fabric to create a spellbinding and fluid field of drapery.

Noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays-Sundays; noon-8 p.m. Thursdays. Municipal Pier 9, 121 N. Columbus Blvd.

Hosts: Life, Death + the Absurd

Carol Wisker creates a multimedia installation that invites the viewer to explore culture, science, and politics through all of its intricacies. Wisker creates sculptures encased by medallions of raw cotton that form a thick casing or "host" and incorporate an array of objects, such as bullet casings and rubber tubing. To add a sonic layering to Wisker's visual display, the installation can be paired with an optional soundtrack created by two local composers.

1 p.m. Sunday; 8 p.m. Sept. 17 & 7 p.m. Sept. 18, 3rd Street Gallery, 45 N. Second St.