The Toronto Fringe Festival returns for its 35th iteration, with 100 shows in over a dozen venues between July 5 and 16. For theatregoers, it’s a way to gorge your appetite for performances of all kinds, from magic shows and comedy to traditional and experimental theatre, dance, and even more than that.
The beauty of Fringe Festivals is that participating acts are chosen by lottery. It results a true gamut of productions from Canada and beyond. Along with the 100 ticketed shows, there are free events and performances at the Fringe POSTSCRIPT Patio at the Tranzac club.
A Few Of The Highlights…
With so many shows, it’s impossible to give a true picture of the kinds of performances audiences can choose from. Here’s a small sampling.
Our Little Secret; The 23&Me Musical
Noam Tomaschoff, writer & performer; Rose Bochner, director; Ryan Peters, composer; Russell Citron, producer; Ben Deverett, music arranger
“I am not your biological father.” A real life discovery fuels this blend of comedy, drama and music in a variety of styles. Toronto native Noam Tomaschoff wrote the play after discovering that his parents weren’t quite who he thought they were as a result of a DNA test. As someone who identified strongly with what he thought was his Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, he learned his blood was largely Irish — and not Jewish at all. Noam’s film Tankhouse, starring Richard Kind and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), was released in 2022.
Dancer (A Musical In Ten Furlongs)
Jim Betts, playwright and lyricist; music by multi-award-winning composer Marek Norman; Emmy-Award Nominee Stacey Tookey directs and choreographs; Mark Camilleri, Musical Director; JB Nelles, Set and Costume Designer; Dora Award Winner Lighting Designer Steve Lucas
Based on the life of legendary racehorse Northern Dancer, this work brings together a high-concept musical with high-energy ballet. Dancers portray the Northern Dancer and the other horses to tell the story of a small but feisty colt, rejected at first, who went all the way to becoming the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. Keanu Uchida stars as Northern Dancer, with Sterling Jarvis as his groom, Bill Brevard, and Daniel Kash as Canadian tycoon E.P. Taylor.
Ancient Dying Chinese Dialect
Chantal Lim, creator & performer; Ken Hall, director
Filipina-Chinese comedian enlists the audience’s help in keeping an ancient dialect alive. Ken Hall (Netflix’s Umbrella Academy) directs a journey about language and love, and celebrating our roots. Chantal Lim’s career as a storyteller began over Zoom in 2020, and she’s hit stages from Toronto to Vancouver, Asia and Ireland since then.
Emo Majok: African Aussie
Emo Majok, comedian
The Award-winning South-Sudanese-Aussie comedian Emo Majok makes his Toronto Fringe debut this year with a new show he’s written and touring across the country. His performance dives into the culture clash of an African immigrant in Oz, his life and journey from a refugee camp in East Africa, and other situations where he finds the humour. Born to Sudanese parents in Ethiopia, Emo and his family were forced to escape from the refugee camp that was home, walking for weeks before finding a new shelter in Kenya. From there, the family of five emigrated to Perth, Australia.
Frankenstein(esque)
Silent Protagonist Theatre; Nicole Wilson, director
This production by Silent Protagonist Theatre features a 6-foot tall puppet in the story of a man who takes the bodies of the dead from a cemetery and creates new life. The puppet is animated by the entire cast in this imaginative retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Silent Protagonist is a multidisciplinary theatre company based in Toronto, and founded with the goal of integrating elements like puppetry, clown, and mime into new theatrical works.
Maggie Chun’s First Love and Last Wedding
Written by Helen Ho, starring Jobina Sitoh & Isaac Kuk; Julia Edda Pape, director
Maggie was all set to get married and spend the rest of her life in the town of Windser, Ontario (no typo). When her middle school crush arrives in town on her wedding day, though, it throws her for a loop, and a sudden change of heart. Maggie Chun’s First Love and Last Wedding by Helen Ho was the 2023 New Play Contest Winner, sponsored by The Aubrey and Marla Dan Foundation.
The Woman Who Ate Falafel
Epic Productions Studios; Fatma Naguib, writer & performer
Challenging social injustice and stereotypes, themes of identity and belonging become fodder for oth insight and comedy in this one-woman show about a Middle Eastern woman’s path from Egypt to Canada. The physical journey is accompanied by empowering self-discovery in this blend of true life detail and comedy. Actor, comedian and content creator Fatma Naguib is based in Toronto. Her previous credits include a role on Netflix’s Newton’s Cradle or heard her voice as queen Amanitore in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI game, among others.
The Details
The launch party kicks off on July 4 at the Tranzac club, hosted by the Pearle Harbour, with a headlining performance by Broadway baby turned country crooner Graham Scott Fleming.
Tickets can be purchased online or at one of two Festival Box Office Booths in the west or east end, but not at the door. Some conditions apply. Passes and tickets to all Fringe Festival shows available [HERE].
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