Tag Archives: Cincinnati Fringe Festival

June 11, 2024 · 6:16 pm

2024 Encores Announced at Cincy Fringe

CFF24_ Songs without WordsSat, June 15 at 5pm at Know Theatre
SONGS WITHOUT WORDS (or, The Mendelssohn Play) from Jennifer Vosters
Two geniuses + one actor = sibling dramedy with a classical twist.
More info & purchase tickets

Songs Without Words (or, The Mendelssohn Play) is the humorous, heartbreaking true story of one artistic soul inhabiting two very different artists. One actor brings composers Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn to life with a tour-de-force performance that wrestles gender and genius, family and fame, siblinghood and the power of art.

CFF24_The Last Witch in IrelandSat, June 15 at 6:45pm at Know Theatre
THE LAST WITCH IN IRELAND: The Story of Bridget Cleary from InBocca Performance
Was it folklore hysteria or gender-based violence?
More info & purchase tickets |

The Last Witch In Ireland: In 1895 Michael Cleary declared his wife had been replaced by a changeling whom he’d burned and buried as he waited for his real wife to be returned. Who was Bridget Cleary, the last witch burned in Ireland? Who are we women – the wife or the changeling?

CFF24_1-Man No-ShowSat, June 15 at 8:30pm at Know Theatre
1-MAN NO-SHOW from Isaac Kessler
The most theatrically anti-theatre show you’ve ever seen.
More info & purchase tickets |

WINNER: Artists’ Pick Award — Edmonton Fringe Festival
An artistic tour-de-force examining the question, “What is Theatre?” as only #CanadianComedyAward Nominee Isaac Kessler can.
“An utterly bizarre, hilarious experience. It’s a must-see.” – Intermission Magazine
“★★★★★ = #HighArt” – ChatGPT
P.S. (plz call/text me at 402-782-5338 when/if I/you need help)

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May 23, 2024 · 4:39 pm

2024 FRINGE After Hours

CFF_24 logoThe 2024 Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Free, Late-Night, Extra-Fringey Programming
Announcing this year’s Fringe After Hours events 

Know Theatre proudly presents The 21st Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival – the region’s largest and longest-running annual performing arts festival – May 31 – June 15! A 14-day celebration featuring dozens of live performances from independent artists: the Cincy Fringe is Cincinnati’s Summer Theatre Party.

Fringe is a celebration of community, and any seasoned Fringe fanatic will tell you that the nightly gatherings at the Fringe HQ after that day’s shows are over are as much a part of the Fringe as the scheduled performances.

Unlike the ticketed and tightly-scheduled nature of Fringe shows, Fringe After Hours has a casual, no-ticket-required, come-and-go vibe. Pick up a drink at the bar and socialize with other Fringe-goers and artists, or attend a night of free programming that embodies the experimental and art-driven spirit of the Fringe.

Unless noted otherwise, all Fringe After Hours events begin at 10PM. Here’s what’s on the schedule for a whole festival’s worth of Fringe After Hours at the Papa Fringe HQ, sponsored by Joe “Papa Fringe” Mock of Cutler Real Estate.

60-Second Previews (May 31 at 9 PM and June 1 at 10 PM): Every Primary Lineup production gets exactly 60 seconds onstage to pitch their show to Fringe audiences. (Sponsored by Buddy Goose & Mary Rita Dominic.)

Fringe-a-oke (June 2): It’s not your ordinary karaoke. It’s Fringe-a-oke!

Everyone’s An Artist (June 4): Customize your own Fringe t-shirt (just like our Fringe Guide cover model, Aiden!) and enjoy artist-price discounts at the bar. (Sponsored by Patrick Cusick.)

Game Night (June 5): Just like a casual game night at your friend’s house. Enjoy Fringe-themed social games like Celebrity and Telestrations!

Gay Spelling Bee (June 6): Ben and Justin Present! A fun and raucous game show where contestants spell GAY words while navigating a secret rule that makes everything even more ridiculous.

Puppet Slam (June 7): A curated night of short-form puppet acts intended for adult audiences.

Fringe Dance Party (June 8): Put on your dance shoes and boogie the night away to certified bangers on the Know’s MainStage.

Fringe-Con (June 9): Celebrate Fringe Fandom with creative cosplay and our annual Fringe D&D LIVE – it’s a roleplaying adventure with an audience!

Fringe Olympics (June 11): Team up with your Fringe pals and test your mettle in Feats of Fringe! Revel in the silliness, the glory, and the camaraderie of fellow Fringe-lympians.

Smoke & Queers Burlesque (June 12): A queer-led, co-ed burlesque, drag, and performance art group that encourages all weird & wild expressions of self, gender, identity, and sexuality.

Improv Night with Kevin Bauer (June 13): Late night improv comedy, with a performance by professional improvisors and an open jam so YOU can join the fun!

Flashlight Cabaret (June 14): An evening of unforgettable entertainment, lit entirely by audience flashlight. (Sponsored by Karen “Auntie Fringe” Brinkman, Esq.)

Pick of the Fringe Awards and Closing Night Party (June 15 at 9:30 PM): Party with us one last time as we celebrate the closing of the festival and honor the Picks of the Fringe!

Visit cincyfringe.com for full details of the ticketed lineup events and to purchase tickets or multi-show passes, learn about volunteer opportunities, and plan your path through the festival.

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

The 19th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival is made possible by a generous partnership with our neighbors, the Art Academy of Cincinnati and 3CDC.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Know Theatre is also supported by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network. 

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May 15, 2024 · 10:27 am

Gideon Productions Presents NO PASSENGERS World Premiere as Part of Cincy Fringe Festival

CFF24_No PassengersGIDEON PRODUCTIONS
PRESENTS
NO PASSENGERS

WORLD PREMIERE AS PART OF THE CINCY FRINGE FESTIVAL
WRITTEN BY MAC ROGERS
DIRECTED BY JORDANA WILLIAMS

JUNE 2 – 9 @ THE KNOW THEATRE

Gideon Productions, the company behind the Cincy Fringe hits God Of Obsidian (2017 Linda Bowen Full Frontal Pick) Musical Chairs (2018 Critic’s Pick Award), This House Will Never Let Us Go (2019 Critic’s Pick Award), and Be My Thief (2022) will present the World Premiere of playwright Mac Rogers’ (The Honeycomb Trilogy; the global hit podcasts The Message, LifeAfter and Steal The Stars) horror-inflected marital drama NO PASSENGERS, running from June 2-9 at The Know Theatre as part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. The production will be directed by Jordana Williams (Witness and Are You Afraid of the Dark on Audible; The Honeycomb Trilogy; Steal the Stars) and will feature Rebecca Comtois (Viral; Crystal Skillman’s Geek! with Vampire Cowboys), Mac Rogers (NYIT Outstanding Lead Actor Nominee for The Adventures of Nervous-Boy with Nosedive Productions), and Kristen Vaughan (Frankenstein Upstairs, The Honeycomb Trilogy, NYIT Outstanding Lead Actress Winner for Benefactors).

What are the proper condolences when a guy’s ex-wife just died but he’s standing next to his current one?

It seems impossible that Maddie Cardinal–literary giant and inveterate provocateur–is gone. Her ex Alan certainly isn’t handling the news well. He blows up his life, career, and second marriage to Diane, whose research into an obscure 19th Century spiritualist and medium may offer his only chance at clarity and closure. NO PASSENGERS is a haunted, darkly funny marital drama about the lengths people will go to resurrect the past.

NO PASSENGERS will run June 2 at 4pm, June 5 at 6:45pm, June 6 at 6:45pm, June 8 at 2:15pm and June 9 at 4pm, as part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival at The Know Theatre (1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH). Tickets ($18) may be purchased online at www.cincyfringe.com. The show will run 60 minutes with no intermission.

MAC ROGERS (Playwright and Alan) is an award-winning playwright and audio dramatist. His sci-fi thriller podcasts The Message, Steal The Stars, and LifeAfter were downloaded over 7 million times.  He recently co-wrote Quiet Part Loud for Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw, and adapted the Harrison Ford classic Witness for Paramount and Audible.  His feature film First Time Caller (available now on Tubi) was praised in the New York Times. His plays God of Obsidian, Musical Chairs, and This House Will Never Let Us Go were all Cincy Fringe award-winners. His plays include The Honeycomb Trilogy (New York Times and Backstage Critics Picks and winner of the NYIT Award for Best Premiere Production), Viral (winner of Outstanding Play at FringeNYC 2009), and Universal Robots (nominated for four New York Innovative Theatre awards). Mac’s plays have earned acclaim from The New York Times, The Guardian, Time Out New York, The New York Post, and many others. 

JORDANA WILLIAMS (Director) has directed many plays by Mac Rogers, including CityBeat Critic’s Picks This House Will Never Let Us Go, God Of Obsidian, Musical Chairs, and Ligature Marks, as well as The Honeycomb Trilogy (NY Times and Time Out NY Critics’ Picks), Universal Robots and Viral. She also directed Mac’s podcast thrillers Steal the Stars, a 2018 Audie Award finalist, Give Me Away, and The Earth Moves, as well as Witness for Paramount/Audible and Are You Afraid of the Dark? for Nickelodeon/Audible (2024 Webby winner). Other favorite directing work includes Kill Shakespeare at NY Comic Con, Sean Williams’ Almelem, Vince Gatton’s Alexandria, and The Particulars at FringeNYC.

REBECCA COMTOIS (Diane) previously worked with Mac Rogers and Jordana Williams on the Cincy Fringe award-winners This House Will Never Let Us Go, God Of Obsidian, Musical Chairs, and Ligature Marks, as well as Viral (Winner of FringeNYC’s Outstanding Production of a Play) and The Honeycomb Trilogy (NY Times and Time Out NY Critics’ Picks).  Other roles with Gideon Media include Patty in Steal the Stars, Liz/Robin in Give Me Away and Rebecca in Ask You Father.

KRISTEN VAUGHAN (Maddie) is a three-time New York Innovative Theatre Awards nominee for Lead Actress, winning for Jane in Benefactors (Retro Productions). This is Kristen’s fourth Cincy with Gideon Productions, and with Gideon in NYC she was Amelia Cooke in The Honeycomb Trilogy and Victoria Frankenstein in Frankenstein Upstairs.  www.kristenvaughan.com

Critical acclaim for Gideon Productions:

“Television is where you find complicated storytelling. Film is the home of epic sci-fi trilogies. Giant aliens are expensive. Mac Rogers’s “Honeycomb Trilogy,” a titanic story about humanity in crisis wedged into a small theater in Queens, laid waste to these truisms, and provided giddy, cerebral fun along the way.” The New York Times 

“With a minimal but imaginative set, two very talented actors, and a powerful passionate script, God Of Obsidian is not to be missed.”  The Sappy Critic

“A sexy, subtle, and startling exploration of apathy versus desire.” CityBeat on This House Will Never Let Us Go 

GIDEON PRODUCTIONS crafts gripping plays that explore what’s strange about being human and what’s human about being strange, using familiar genres and cultural touchstones as a springboard to something wholly unexpected.

www.gideonth.com
www.cincyfringe.com

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April 18, 2024 · 6:18 am

WAITING FOR LAURA at 2024 Cincy Fringe

CFF24_Waiting for LauraOscar Winner Laura Dern is invited to the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, but will she
show up?

Local artists Ben Miller-Jones (Cincinnati) and Justin King (Columbus) are teaming up under their production company “Ben & Justin Present” to launch the world premiere of their new play WAITING FOR LAURA at the 2024 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. The show is about two friends anxiously awaiting an interview with Oscar Winner, Laura Dern. Ben and Justin not only wrote
this show, but are also starring in it as fictionalized versions of themselves, excited to meet their real-life hero.

It’s not only Ben and Justin who will be waiting to see if Laura Dern shows up, but also, the rest of Cincinnati, Ohio. As part of the production of this show, its producers have reached out through various channels to Laura Dern and her production company “Jaywalker Pictures” in hopes that she might be available for a cameo at one of the performances. In fact, there’s a production note in the script that calls for the producers to reach out and strictly states that “…under no circumstances are the actors, Ben and Justin, allowed to know if Laura Dern is available for a performance” and gives stipulations for how the show might slightly change in the event of the celebrity cameo.

“We’ve always been fans of Laura Dern and we’ve written this play as a love-letter to one of the most iconic actresses out there.” says Co-Creator Ben Miller-Jones.

“The show is labeled as ‘a fantasy’ and what’s more of a fantasy than getting to meet a Hollywood celebrity who means the world to you?” adds Co-Creator Justin King.

Ben & Justin Present is a production company best known for creating 3 seasons of The Gay
Spelling Bee for YouTube. BJP is self-run, not for profit, and full of delusion, much like its creators. WAITING FOR LAURA is camp. It’s comedy. It’s Waiting for Godot if Godot was an Oscar-Winning gay icon.

For tickets and show dates, visit https://cincyfringe.com.

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April 9, 2024 · 5:13 pm

2024 Cincinnati Fringe Festival Announces Lineup

CFF_24 logoThe 2024 Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Celebrating 21 Years of Extraordinary Live Performance in Over-the-Rhine
Announcing this year’s incredible Festival Lineup! 

Know Theatre proudly presents The 21st Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival – the region’s largest and longest-running annual performing arts festival – May 31-June 15, 2024! A 14-day celebration featuring hundreds of live performances from independent local, national, and international artists, the Cincy Fringe is Cincinnati’s Summer Theatre Party.

This year we march onward carrying the torch of creative community care and radical self-expression with:

  • 26 Primary Lineup Performances!
  • 35+ Productions! (Including 4 FringeDevelopment projects, 5 Special Events, and Kids Fringe) to entertain at 5 venues across Over-the-Rhine: Know Theatre, Art Academy of Cincinnati and Gabriel’s Corner.
  • Kids Fringe Performances on Weekend Afternoons!
  • Free Nightly After Hours Events in the Know Theatre Underground Bar!

TICKETING INFORMATION

  • 50% of all Box Office revenue is given to the Producing Fringe Artists.
  • Single tickets to the 2024 Cincy Fringe are $18.
  • The All-Access Pass ($300) is good for one entry into as many productions as one person can see.
  • Our 6-ticket Flex Pass ($90) can be used in any combination of shows and is transferable among individuals.
  • All passes are currently on sale at cincyfringe.com

Primary Lineup Details

This year’s Primary Lineup totals 26 productions and features new work from 12 local creators, 12 productions from across the country, and 2 international artists from Toronto, Canada.

With 12 world premieres, 12 regional premieres, 1 national premiere and 21 producing companies that have never-been-seen-before in Cincinnati, audiences are guaranteed to experience something extraordinary! 

The 2024 Cincy Fringe Festival Primary Lineup

1-MAN NO-SHOW
Isaac Kessler
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The show that gave Oscar Wilde a nosebleed!

A Migration of Crones
Performance Gallery
Cincinnati, OH
A migration of crones toward authenticity through movement and sound.

A Perfect Day Away
Dead Cat Productions
Cleveland, OH, Athens, OH & Chicago, IL
Dylan loses his cat, gains a delivery guy, & uncovers his past.

As If You Will Remember
Gerry Grubbs, Pauletta Hansel, Rachel DesRochers, Katie Chal, Rob Keenan, Adam Petersen, & Michael Burnham
Cincinnati, OH
Words, Music and Dance Exploring Dementia’s Love and Loss

Bloody Mary
Kelly Collette
Cincinnati, OH
A demon is summoned, and is forced to go to high school.

BODIES
Can’t Stand Sitting Productions
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
One man explores body insecurities through live body painting.

CANCEL THIS MUSICAL
Wesley Zurick
New York, NY
Identity politics? Yikes. Social media? Ew. Musical? I’M INTERESTED!

CASTAWAYS
Silver Linings Productions
Cincinnati, OH
Gilligan’s Island meets Waiting for Godot in memory care.

Cyrano on the Moon
Arcane Arts
Hayward, WI
Fifteen years after his death, Roxanne writes about Cyrano’s afterlife.

Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl In Hitler’s Germany
Ingrid Garner
Los Angeles, CA
The Award-Winning WWII memoir performed by the author’s granddaughter.

Esther Made Me Do It
Nell Adkins and Elizabeth Sacktor
Lexington, KY
A heart-felt comedy about best friends auditioning for a Purim shpiel.

Gender? F*ck!
Rachel Baker
Cincinnati, OH
Gender is a performance, and I’m being booed off stage.

I’m Finally Going to Ask Elizabeth Hopkins to the Homecoming Dance and Nothing’s Going to Stop Me, Not Even the Ghost of My Dead Grandmother Who Watches Me Masturbate
Queen City Flash
Cincinnati, OH
A “Choose Your Own Adventure” Romantic Comedy About Second Chances.

Knight, Knight
Madeleine Rowe
Minneapolis, MN
Knight & horse. Sword & stone.  Love & loss. A wild medieval romp.

Le Spectacle De Merde (“Welcome to our Sh*t Show”)
Megan Flynn & Teresa VanDenend Sorge
Troy, NY & Cincinnati, OH
Aging. Adulting. Good luck trying not to slip in it!

Meet Me at the Bathtub: The Short Life & Tumultuous Times of Charlotte Corday
Samantha Joy Luhn
Covington, KY
A bathtub assassination immersed in the tempestuous French Revolution.

Mounting Washington: The Story of a Mountain & a Miracle
Penny: For Your Thoughts
Rochester, NY
The true story of a miracle…that almost killed me.

No f*cks given. None taken. All done.
Pamela L Paek
Los Angeles, CA
A darkly comedic TEDesque talk on our complicity in humanity’s demise.

NO PASSENGERS
Gideon Productions
Queens, NY
Alan and Diane hold a seance to resurrect Alan’s ex-wife.

SeaMAN
2 Sleepy RatGuys (Amica Hunter & Bruce Ryan Costella)
Portland, OR, & Orlando, FL
A one-man-show, by two. Like The Lighthouse meets Gilligan’s Island.

Singing Into The Dark, 1933
Big Empty Barn Productions
New Orleans, LA
In a ruined theatre one man recreates a forbidden show.

Songs Without Words (or, The Mendelssohn Play)
Jennifer Vosters
Chicago, IL
Two geniuses + one actor = sibling dramedy with a classical twist.

Strong Bear
Jack Fogle
Cincinnati, OH
A Palestinian-American family, their grief, and a teddy bear.

The F-Files
Solasta Theatre Lab
Cincinnati, OH
A choose-your-own-adventure exploring the assumed paranormal.

The Last Witch in Ireland: The Story of Bridget Cleary
InBocca Performance
Cincinnati, OH
Was it folklore hysteria or gender-based violence?

Waiting for Laura
Ben & Justin Present
Cincinnati & Columbus, OH
Two friends anxiously wait to interview Oscar Winner, Laura Dern.

The 2024 Cincy Fringe Festival Special Events

Absurd It Through the Grapevine: Paul Strickland
Paul Strickland Presents
Covington, KY
Paul Strickland’s new weird-lightful acoustic-blues-infused story/song concoction.

Alphas: Origin Story – A Comedy Variety Show
Alphas Comedy
Cincinnati, OH
A joyful women’s variety show with improv, sketch, music, & dancing!

Methtacular!
Steven Strafford
Athens, OH
A funny and harrowing musical romp through meth addiction.

The Stork Files: True Stories of Adoption, Abortion, and Having No Choice
Julie Coppens
Cincinnati, OH
Unswaddling secrets. Terminating shame. Bearing witness. Fostering community.

trueFRINGE 2024
True Theatre
Cincinnati, OH
True stories told by the Fringe Artists who lived them.

The 2024 Cincy Fringe Development Productions
One-night only productions of works in development.

Cracks
Claire Lochmueller
Chicago, IL
Trans comedian explores her Catholic military upbringing- a heartfelt journey.

Ford’s Escape (or a Honda’s Civic Lesson)
Zamudio Theatre & The Milford High School Drama Dept.
Milford, OH
A high school roadtrip turns into high school road R.I.P.

Tea Sips and Tells
Leila Kubesch
Cincinnati, OH
Powerful solo performance: Triumph over adversity, hope for all.

Webcam
Kirk Sheppard
Cincinnati, OH
A play about intimacy, loneliness, and sex work.

The 2024 Cincy Fringe Kids Fringe

The Emu that Ate Cincinnati (and Other Curious Tales)
Autumn Kaleidoscope
Cincinnati, OH
A puppetry show where curious and even curiouser tales abound! 

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

The 21st  Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival is made possible by a generous partnership with our neighbors and the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Know Theatre is also supported by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.

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