Fringe Festival caters to kids

The Fringe Kidsvenue (Palmerston Library) — If your family is crazy busy (if? of course it is), the Fringe is forgiving. At any given time during the festival you can whip out when you’ve got an hour and soak up a little theatre. This year’s eight 45-minute plays for the young set hit the full range of subject matter: we’ve got environmental awareness, adapted fairy tales, magic and fart jokes. Better get that one out of the way first. In Fart Factory: The Musical! a little girl named Jordana Freshadent must get Canada to fart in order to save it from a massive stink bomb. And her mom doesn’t think it appropriate for little girls to pass wind. Another gender issues tale comes in the form of Cinderlad. He’s a poor little guy who must do lots of chores and aims to pass three tests to win the hand of a lovely princess. Catch also the Pied Piper, Solar Stage’s musical production of the familiar tale, which just finished up in June at the North York theatre. Also playing: the whimsical The Three Magic Wishes; audience participation-geared Kalvin the Great!!!, The Little Park, which is full of magical creatures; Morro and Jasp Go Green, an environmental tale told by clowns; and the international story Nephetiti & Sweetie go to the Zoo. Some shows are geared for kids as young as three. The Fringe runs from July 2 to 13, all Kidsvenue tickets are $5. The full schedule is online at fringtoronto.com. 416-966-1062.