The Edmonton Fringe kicks off next week — what goes into a hit show?

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For regular folk, Alberta’s status as a rat-free province is little more than a fun fact. But for a theatre artist like Dayna Lea Hoffman, the province’s legendary boast was a story idea, and eventually, a sold-out show at the 2023 Edmonton Fringe Festival.

Called Rat Academy, the two-person show follows two undocumented rats, Fingers and Shrimp, as they dodge magpies on the mean streets of Alberta. Its journey from a creative kernel to a Fringe hit serves as inspiration for other artists who dream of taking their own idea from whimsical wondering to stage-worthy production. Not only was the show held over last year in Edmonton, Rat Academy is now in the midst of a Canadian tour visiting festivals from Toronto to Saskatoon.

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Co-created by Hoffman and Katie Yoner and directed by Joseph McManus, the hour-long show — which leans into physical comedy — is back in Edmonton for five performances at the 2024 Edmonton Fringe, the 43rd annual outing for the festival.

The Journal spoke to Hoffman, 25, about what it takes to create a show from scratch, including tips on getting the most from your teeny-tiny budget. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Can you trace the roots of your experience with this play?

A: I was in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the University of Alberta, graduating in 2022. We did a clown course that ended up being impacted by COVID and rather than creating a performance, we had to create a video. I had just learned Alberta had no rats (Hoffman is from British Columbia). I was intrigued and decided to create a clown based on a rat and to make a mockumentary. That’s how the character Fingers was created.

We applied to the Play The Fool Festival in 2022, and (festival director) Christine Lesiak mentored us on a 30-minute show. We had an amazing audience response, so we did another version at Nextfest in 2023 that was 40 minutes long. Then we combined the two versions, included audience interaction, and debuted this hour-long piece at the 2023 Edmonton Fringe.

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Q: How have you financed this show?

A: In the early stages, our budget was maybe $1,000. We also got a small amount of money from Play the Fool and from Nextfest, and received an Edmonton Arts Council grant.

Our costumes and our set were scavenged. My big, furry black and white coat was given to me by Mike (Kennard, a local clown and assistant drama professor at the University of Alberta). We found Katie’s fuzzy coat at a thrift store. We spent maybe $10 on costumes to begin with but as we got bigger and better, we outsourced. In the beginning, we needed a trash can and a giant rat trap for the element of spectacle. (Local designer) Tessa Stamp cut us a wooden palette and we covered it in plywood and painted it. So maybe $100 for the first set.

Q: What was one of the big challenges for you?

A: We were in a BYOV (Bring Your Own Venue) in 2023, so we had to pay for a venue. We got the cheapest venue we could and that was Holy Trinity. We budgeted carefully, based on selling 30 per cent of the seats. But we were soaring after the first show. And after that, we didn’t have to do anything for advertising. It spread by word of mouth. During holdover, we had the Westbury, which has about 300 seats. And we almost sold out there, too.

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Q: What’s it been like to take the show on the Fringe circuit for the 2024 season?

A: Well, we had a 33-hour drive to Toronto and we were also selected there for holdover for one extra show. Then we got in the car and had two days to get to Winnipeg.

Q: One Toronto critic called Rat Academy “the perfect Fringe show.” What makes it a classic Fringe experience?

A: I think Fringe is meant to be daring, innovative shows that get you up out of your seat. I love shows that are every so slightly clown-y. I love integrating the audience – so many shows do that – and I think the Fringe excites theatre-goers in that way. I’ve learned that Fringe is community and it’s best represented when you’re in the house, feeling like you’re all together doing it, and everyone is a part of it.

Q: Do you have any advice for others who want to mount a Fringe show?

A: Do something that’s meaningful to you. A huge tenet of clown is having a good spine, meaning a message. It makes it powerful for you and I think it translates to the audience, even if you are dressed in a rat costume. You have to be your biggest fan.

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Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival

When: Aug. 15-25

Where: Old Strathcona, Edmonton’s French Quarter, 124 Street and more

Tickets: On sale Aug. 7 at fringetheatre.ca

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