Mechanics Lane will be coming alive throughout festival time!
Check out the full precinct program and get your tickets below.
Proudly brought to you by Castlemaine Fringe Festival, Goldfields Libraries and Mount Alexander Shire Council.
Supported by Castlemaine State Festival.

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Castlemaine Fringe Festival Opening Night!!!!
Friday, 17 March, 6.00pm – 11.00pm
Mechanics Lane
FREE
Come on down to Mechanics Lane, tell your friends and bring your dancing shoes! CFF launches into this year’s festival with the opening of our 30 years of Fringe exhibition in the Phee Broadway Theatre/ Castlemaine Library foyer, smooth sounds from That Gold Street Sound, plus special guest DJs and dance acts along Mechanics Lane. A night not to be missed!
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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30 years of FRINGE exhibition
Friday, 17 March – Saturday 8 April
Closed Sundays except for theatre shows
Phee Broadway Theatre/Castlemaine Library foyer
FREE
Opening event Friday, 17 March, 6.00pm – 11.00pm
Castlemaine Fringe is 30!! Check out the photos and festival memorabilia from Fringe festivals from 1992 to present, with live music from the original Fringe Samba band!
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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THRIVE with ADHD
Monday, 20 March, 7.00-8.30pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$20
GET TICKETS HERE
Thrive with ADHD as a creative! This workshop is designed to help those who have ADHD, or think that they might have ADHD, learn new tools for addressing procrastination in their lives and businesses.
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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Carmel Bird
Thursday, 23 March, 6.00pm – 7.00pm
Phee Broadway Theatre/Castlemaine Library foyer
FREE (BY REGISTRATION ONLY AND AVAILABLE SOON)!
Carmel Bird is one of the stars of Australian literature and thanks to the Untapped project, some of her most influential and classic books are again accessible to a new audience. Carmel will share insights into her re-invigorated books and the Untapped project, thiat is keeping great Australian Books in print!
Presented by Goldfields Libraries

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Open Mic
Thursday, 23 March, 7.00pm-10.00pm
Mechanics Lane
FREE
Open Mic is a long-standing Castlemaine tradition!
Turn up, sign up and play a 20-minute bracket alongside some of Castlemaine’s finest musical talent!
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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Castlemaine Fringe Reactivate Stage
Saturday March 25th
from 5pm – 12Midnight
https://www.castlemainefringe.org.au/events/reactivate-street-party

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Pillow Fight
Saturday 25 March and Sunday 26 March, 4.00pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$25 full/ $18 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
Fresh from touring NZ following a successful Melbourne Fringe premiere, Pillow Fight is an exhilarating deep dive into the complexity of consent. Rob and Hen have sex, but in the morning, details of the night begin to blur. They disagree: Was the sex consensual? Realising that whoever is in control of the story is in control of the truth they scramble to find it, resetting the stage to retrace what happened again and again. Can they navigate through memories of the night to prove what really happened? MA15+
Presented by Mount Alexander Shire Council and The Anchor

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Grease’ Tap Dance workshop and performance
Saturday, 26 March, 6.30pm-9.00pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
FREE Workshop (6.30pm)/ $10 performance (8.30pm)
GET TICKETS HERE
Learn a tap dance from 6.30-8.00pm and then perform on stage at 8.30pm! All levels welcome including beginners. Bring your own shoes and costume! Are you a Danny, a Sandy, a Rizzo, a Teen Angel or one of the Pink Ladies?
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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Melbourne International Comedy Festival Class Clowns Regional Heat
Monday, 27 March, 4.00pm-6.00pm workshop; 7.00pm performance
Phee Broadway Theatre
FREE Workshop/ $10 performance
REGISTRATION AND TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON!
Class Clowns is the MICF national development program for young people aged 14-18. Register for the creative workshop with professional comedians to hone your talent and build your self-esteem; then perform to a live audience! It’s FREE to enter and all students need is a 3-5 minute original act in any comedic style.
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival and MICF

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THRIVE as an artist: What does it take
Tuesday, 28 March, 6.00-7.30pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$25 full/ $18 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
A panel of Castlemaine artists and change makers seek to take a lighthearted, honest, personal and at times, vulnerable look at this question and respond to others from the community. Please submit questions via postcards (available at Castlemaine Library) and post them in the ‘Strawberry Thief’ mailbox while you’re there!
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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Castlemaine Currency Project – What Next
Tuesday, 28 March, 8.00-10.00pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
FREE REGISTER HERE
In May 2022, three artists ran an economic experiment with the release of $10k worth of Castlemaine coins.
Jodi Newcombe, Dale Cox and Ann Ferguson will present on the project, its outcomes and potential futures!
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival
Supported by Get Lost

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Parallax – Megan Beckwith
Wednesday 29 March, 7.30pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$25 full/ $18 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
A thrilling 3D glasses, dance-digital mash up experience. Artist Dr Megan Beckwith returns to Castlemaine with a contemporary dance work that integrates human movement, animation and 3D illusions. Parallax finds its way back to us following Megan’s creative development residency in 2019, supported by Punctum Inc. through the Phee At Home and Seedpod programs. Trigger warning: features strobe lighting.
Presented by Mount Alexander Shire Council

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Noise making workshop
Wednesday March 29th
DEAD 4-5.30pm

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Open Mic Youth
Thursday, 30 March, 4.00-6.00pm
Mechanics Lane
FREE
It’s Open Mic but just for under 21s! Show the oldies the future of performance in a safe and supportive environment. All styles welcome!
Hosted by Scott Sanders – for details call 0401 411 881
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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Macbeth – Murder on the Dancefloor
Thursday, 30 March, 12.00pm and 7.00pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$25 full/ $15 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
A modern twist on Shakespeare’s tale of horror and revenge with cabaret and drag, all set in a glitzy nightclub! Witness the full horror of Macbeth’s murderous rampage as he ruthlessly follows his quest for power, killing anyone who stands in his way!
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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The Black Cat
Friday, 31 March, 7.30pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$25 full/ $20 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
A quintessential production of a classic tale by Edgar Allan Poe. Macabre and terrifying with rich, sumptuous language that is the hallmark of gothic literature. Brought to life by Glendon Blazely’s evocative music and Mark Penzak’s compelling acting.
Presented by Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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FREEZA presents
Live @ the Lane + Afro Beat/Hip Hop Dance
Saturday April 1st
12pm-6pm

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Soggy
Sunday, 2 April, 1.00pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$21 full/ $15 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
Help Soggy find some water, coz he’s as thirsty as a whale in the desert! Grab your hula-hoop and a glass of water and enjoy this storytelling adventure of acrobatics, dance and the importance of clean water! Great for primary aged kids and sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Presented by Scratch Theatre and Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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Moist
Sunday, 2 April, 8.00pm
Phee Broadway Theatre
$34 full/ $29 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
This racy and Hilarious spectacle is sopping wat as it takes you on a deep dive into dico-fuelled distopia! Watch the cast of Himbo’s get soaking wet as they navigate epic circus feats and non-stop clowning. Irrepressibly Happy, camp, entertaining and definitely not to be missed!
Presented by Scratch Theatre and Castlemaine Fringe Festival

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Move With Me
6pm Tuesday 4th April, 7.30pm Wednesday 5th April
Phee Broadway Theatre
$25 full/ $15 concession
GET TICKETS HERE
We all move through the world differently.
Our bodies tell the stories that we cannot help but share when we move. We know that in communication less than 10% of what we understand comes from the words used, the rest is observed from the body and from the tone and rhythm of voice. This performance finds beauty in the unique ways we express ourselves.
Presented by Mount Alexander Shire Council and CreateA

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Mechanics Lane is halfway between Castlemaine Goods Shed and Western Reserve, in the heart of town. This little gem includes the Phee Broadway Theatre and Castlemaine Library and will be hosting a smorgasbord of theatre, dance, visual arts, live music, talks and workshops through festival time.
Please visit www.castlemainefringe.org.au for the full Castlemaine Fringe Festival program, happening between 17 March and 2 April, 2023.
Also visit www.castlemainefestival.com.au for the full Castlemaine State Festival program, happening between 24 March and 9 April, 2023.
Castlemaine Library has a regular program of events you can check out here.
