Last year, they opened our eyes to a world of sin in the University Theatre Building.

This year, a collection of student artists at CU is urging adventurous spectators to look "Beneath the Wrapper" of arts and entertainment at this year's Fringe Festival, a display of student work in the fine and performing arts that begins today and continues throughout the weekend -all Fringe events are free to the public.

This year's theme "Beneath the Wrapper" follows from last year's Fringe theme -the seven deadly sins -by looking beneath the surface of art.

It also exemplifies how art is "not just a visual experience - it incorporates the other senses," said Liz Brent, vice president of CU Onstage (the University performing arts student group who hosts Fringe each year).

Six "flavors" comprise the themes encompassing this year's collection of works: sweet, spicy, bitter, smooth, sour and fresh. The themes are displayed prominently on the posters and flyers promoting Fringe, which Brent designed.

Brent said the theme addressed how theater is seen as a "form of entertainment with sugar-coated appeal" while really representing an outlet to examine one's "place in society, global relationships, relationships with other people."

"Taste encompasses lots of motifs in the performing arts," said Brent. "You can have bitter poetry, smooth poetry -art can be very flavorful and sense-oriented."

"Anything with food evokes emotion," said Joey Andenucio, CU Onstage president, "And 'Beneath the Wrapper' transpired from that -taking the wrapper off, seeing what's underneath. It lets the audience choose [how] to feel about the piece."

The talk of different flavors only gives a hint of the variety of projects on display at Fringe, which includes a film festival, a fashion show, a student dance concert and a drag show.

One of the innovative projects at this year's Fringe Festival comes from Aaron Eisenberg, who will perform a magic show incorporating video sketches.

Though this is the third year Eisenberg has performed a magic show for Fringe, "the main difference is that I'm integrating video sketch comedy -like 'Chappelle's Show' or the 'Saturday Night Live' Digital Shorts -into the magic onstage," he said.

One of the video sketches is a "CSI" -style parody where onscreen investigators search for a "murder" victim: a card with a corner torn off by an audience member, said Eisenberg.

"What inspired me the most was sitting at home with friends, hanging out," he said "finding what [other college kids and I] laugh at and trying to incorporate it into the show."

Liz Brent is taking advantage of the multi-sensual theme with her "The Scent of Goodbye," a performance piece that "makes use of scent, and how scent is connected to experiences," she said.

"I've been researching how scent and odors can be used in performance," said Brent. "It's another way of bringing the audience into the piece."

Similarly, CU Onstage Webmaster Ben Whitehair said his contribution to the Interactive Theater Project performance piece "Punchin' Inequality in the Face" related to the theme of "Beneath the Wrapper" by examining the challenges college students face while trying to balance work and school:

"Under the surface, you don't see financial issues everyday, but they are always there," he said. "When you get an eviction notice, class becomes a second priority -when you have to decide to go to work or go to school, it becomes a totally different college experience."

The Interactive Theater Project is a "theater troupe that uses progressive methods of interactive civic, social and political theater to address social justice issues," said Whitehair, and "Punchin'" is a "collaborative theatrical piece" addressing such issues.

Whitehair said the work on display at Fringe represented a chance for people to stop "judging a book by its cover":

"Open it up, read a few chapters," he said. "Art can be way of getting to the core of who people really are."

Fringe will also be offering a new feature to the Festival this year: a comedy showcase, featuring four CU standup comics and a headlining improv troupe.

"[The showcase] is not like a play -we just show up, have a mic and go from there," said Evan Duggan, director of the show and a member of Left Right Tim, the improv group headlining the showcase. "I think it'll bring people to Fringe who wouldn't necessarily go -it's a fun thing that's easy to do."

Not only does Fringe provide an opportunity for students to display their artwork and performances, it also presents a chance for aspiring performers and artists to find an outlet for their self-expression.

"One of the nice things about Fringe is getting people involved who haven't performed before," said Joey Andenucio. "There are a lot of freshmen and non-majors in a lot of the pieces, and it's nice to see them highly involved in something they love."

Fringe also allows the public a chance to see what students in -or out - of the arts are thinking about and creating.

"I love that Fringe gets so many people involved, with so many backgrounds in art," said Andenucio. "You can see everyone's version of what art is, and see it all in one building, at one festival - it lets the audience find the best thing about Fringe."

Contact Adam Rowan about this story at 303-443-6272, ext. 113, or by e-mail at features@coloradodaily.com

ON THE NET For more information and a full schedule, please visit: www.cuonstage.org.