Underground theater is finally getting some spotlight time. The Houston Fringe Festival features some of the cityย’s most promising off-the-radar theater troupes. The three-day event starts today with the kickoff of Super-author, a project headed up by BooTown members Hem and Fitz, that will be written, rehearsed and performed during the weekend with a final, finished version premiering on Sunday. Mildredย’s Umbrella will host a more traditional performance with local playwright John Harveyย’s Fade Far Away, and Scatter! ends the day with an improv comedy show. Other shows include Camella and K. T. Taylorย’s The Man Who Knows, which utilizes magic and puppets, and Nova Arts Projectย’s Bango!, a performance art piece that combines dance and impressionism. Busy Houston troupe BooTown is hosting the event and presenting Boxcar Charlieย’s Wandering Amazement Show, which is inspired by what creator/director Philip Hays learned in a clown workshop.

See these and the other hidden theater gems starting today at 7 p.m. Participating venues include Avant Garden, 411 West-heimer; Numbers, 300 Westheimer; Sacred Heart Studio, 327 Westheimer; and Mangoย’s Cantina, 403 Westheimer. The festival runs through Sunday. For tickets and a complete schedule, visit www.houstonfringefestival.org. $7 to $40.

May 16-18, 2008

This article appears in May 15-21, 2008.