It’s a bit like the fusion between the seduction of a siren song and the ominous rumble of unpredictability barreling from up ahead. At least for me it is. It begins tomorrow… the ninth edition of the Rogue. Invariably, it stirs something within… always does. One can almost smell it in the air… the stir of creative possibilities rising… … the eyes brighten with a whimsical twinkle setting the heart pounding just a little harder. I suppose any mass concentration of creativity has always had that effect on me. Excuse the cliche but it makes me feel alive.
For so many years before the Rogue began I would venture up to the Fringe in San Francisco… to catch my “fix” so to speak. Always returning wild eyed and invigorated by what I experienced. My enthusiasm raised to a near evangelic pitch with the sharing of what I experienced, often prompting condescending head shaking “poor sod” smiles amongst my friends. Now, and for the last nine years the “fix” can be had in our very own back yard. Now they’ve had a taste… now they know for themselves a bit of what I was raving and ranting about.
The Rogue like every festival of its ilk possesses it’s very own unique personality. Ask any of the touring fringe performers who have traveled from far and wide to be here for the next 10 days and they will attest to this fact. This personality radiates through the community from whence the festival was born. It comes from the “home team” whether it be performers, organizers and last but never least… the audience. It is a testament to the community in Fresno that many of these performers return time and time again, wooing new talents here as they preach the gospel of the Rogue on their travels.
To me the Rogue is an elixir… a tonic to the wonders of the possible. A creative infusion reminding me that mediocrity is never an option. Whether I experience a show that has been honed to the exquisite or one that misses the mark I always come away appreciating the effort and learning (in the realm of my craft) just as much from one as the other… especially if it is original.
So, go out to the Rogue. Be infused… and perhaps you will catch a taste of what I speak of.