Gerald Osborn - Official Fringe Historian

You know him. You love him.

For 35 years, Gerald Osborn has been the voice of Fringe Theatre. As our longest serving staff member and beloved Office Manager, Gerald would be the first to greet you with a jaunty “Fringe Theatre!” if ever you called our front desk.

Of course, Gerald is so much more than a friendly voice on the other end of the line selling you a ticket to the next hot show in town.

He’s also a prolific playwright and theatre collaborator. He spins a dazzling yarn. And he truly understands how storytelling connects us in community.

He’s a bit of a legend, our Gerald.

Which is why we’re buttons-bursting proud to announce that Gerald Osborn has stepped into the full-time job of Official Fringe Historian, the first of its kind here at Fringe Theatre.

“Finally, my official position matches all the lines in my face,” laughs Gerald. “I might as well get some sort of reward from all these!”

With nearly four decades of Festival experience and 19 Fringe plays under his belt (that have been produced at Festival 27 times!), Gerald is the keeper of our collective Fringe Theatre history.

“Memories. We all have them. And Fringe memories are some of the best ones out there. But after 44 years of Fringing, even the best memories start to fade. I guess that’s where I come in, connecting with patrons, getting them to share their festival recollections while they still can. And once we get to chatting, those stories may ping us in all sorts of surprising directions, unearthing even more crazy Fringe memories. It’s going to be a blast!” he muses.

“The other day I was setting up my new desk when I discovered stacks of vintage photos and archive material and I realized:  It is quite possible that I am the only one who remembers where these bits of history come from. That’s a lot of responsibility. And I can’t believe how young I look in some of those photos!”

Gerald has many big projects ahead of him in his new role, including building a timeline of Fringe history that will be shared on our website.

“You’ve got to know where you came from. I think that’s vital,” he says. “It will be exciting to discover all the parallels and patterns that have played out through the years. When Fringe began, there were the established theatre companies and there was us, the rebels, creating our magic on a shoestring. Now, we’re several generations removed from those early years.  For a significant number of people, there has always been Fringe which makes us part of the establishment I guess. But make no mistake. That rebel part is still very much alive and we’re still creating magic on a shoestring.”

“Fringe evolves,” he continues. “It’s experienced by many people in different ways, which presents a curious Rashomon-like challenge in telling our story. When I was doing research for the Fringe timeline I discovered two different versions of where the term “Bring Your Own Venue” came from, and who originated it, though I know both people I chatted with were there in the same room when the concept of the BYoVs came to be…I’m guessing at The Next Act.”

Stay tuned to our blog and social channels, and if you haven’t yet, be sure to sign up for our Fan Club newsletter – we’ll be sharing Gerald’s many projects in the months to come.

“Spinning a good yarn is always great fun,” he says. “Sure, we all remember the big stuff so sometimes the little stuff gets pushed to the side. But I’m gathering it all, going for the truth and for the legend. Remember, in the world of Fringe, anything goes. Which is as good a way as any to pursue this historian gig, because, like a good piece of theatre, it opens your mind up to so many possibilities.”

The role of Official Fringe Historian is made possible thanks to the Donors, Sponsors, and Funders who generously support Fringe Theatre.

In 2020, Gerald celebrated his 30-year working anniversary with Fringe Theatre. His colleagues, family, and friends honoured his historic achievement by raising more than $10,000 to establish an endowment fund to support future Fringe playwrights through the Gerald Osborn Playwriting Award.

The recipients of this special award, so far, are local Fringe playwrights: Rebecca Merkley (2022), Delia Barnett (2023), and Laren Steppler (2024). Each Artist has received $500 to encourage and support plays they created for the Edmonton Fringe Festival.

Will you ensure Artists like Gerald continue to be the artistic voice of our community? When you give a gift to the Gerald Osborn Playwriting Award endowment fund, you ensure Fringe playwrights like Gerald continue to connect with audiences and celebrate the power of storytelling. Make a gift online now and please include a note that your gift is meant to support the Gerald Award.