toronto fringe

Toronto Fringe Festival is back this summer and here are the must-see shows

Toronto's favourite experimental theatre festival, Toronto Fringe Festival (est. 1989) will be back for its 36th encore next month.

From July 3 to July 14, 77 alternative dance and theatre performances will grace a total of 16 venues across the city, including bars, theatres, community centres and galleries.

Several free events and performances will be held at the Fringe Patio (292 Brunswick Ave) and KidsFest Club (620 Spadina Ave). 

Tickets for individual shows are currently on sale for $13 to $18 for adults. Passes are also available for those interested in attending multiple performances. The best part: all revenue from ticket sales goes directly into the pockets of independent artists and performers.

This year's program has a little something for everyone. From comedies, to dramas, to musical theatre, to dance, to storytelling, to improv, here are five shows that you won't want to miss. 

86 Me: The Restaurant Play

While there is no shortage of comedies on this year's program, "86 Me: The Restaurant Play" is a standout. 

The play is set in a tanking Kensington Market pub that has recently been acquired by a major corporation. Fittingly, Kensington's own, Supermarket will be the show's host. 

The relationship dynamics between the bar's erratic staff are the focus of this comedy. Luke Kimball of "The Umbrella Academy" and "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" plays the optimistic protagonist attempting to bring everyone together and turn the tide. 

The issues of corporatization and the disappearance of community-centric urban spaces are tackled with humour by acclaimed director, Jackson Doner. With certified star power and no scene breaks, this take on dinner theatre is not one to miss. 

BEING CELINE

"BEING CELINE" is a musical theatre piece starring Canadian actress Laura Landauer, who is known for her impersonation of Celine Dion. 

According to the Toronto Fringe Festival website, "BEING CELINE explores Celine's success, heartbreak and dreams while at the time staying true to her Quebecois roots and maintaining a quiet, simple, unaffected life." 

This parody of a Canadian icon will take place at the Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace (16 Ryerson Ave) and is sure to have you in stitches.

Remembrance

"Remembrance" is the brainchild of choreographer Kay-Ann Ward that fuses several artforms—including traditional Afro-Caribbean dance, poetry and musical genres like Dance Hall. It tells the story of a young Caribbean woman who channels her ancestral spirituality to help her through a crossroads in her life.

The Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace (16 Ryerson Ave) will host this sure-to-be moving performance.

The First Jew in Canada: A Trans Tale 

In "The First Jew in Canada: A Trans Tale" S. Bear Bergman weaves his own lived experience as a transgender, Jewish man with the story of Jacques La Fargue, a trailblazing figure in Canadian queer history, who arrived in Canada in 1738. 

"The First Jew in Canada: A Trans Tale" is showing at the Al Green Theatre (750 Spadina Ave) and promises an educational entertainment experience. 

Before We Go

The apocalypse is nigh in Toronto in Cecilia Serafina's "Before We Go." Like a choose your own adventure book, the untimely end of a cast of so-called ordinary characters will be determined by input from the audience each night. 

Based on the Netflix series "Carol & the End of the World" and the film "Last Night," "Before We Go" urges audiences to"pay attention to the little things like it's the last thing you’ll ever do."

This interactive and thought-provoking comedy is on view at the Tarragon Theatre Solo Room (30 Bridgman Ave) and is definitely not one to miss. 

Make sure to check out Toronto Fringe's website for the festival's full program and details on more highly anticipated shows.


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Toronto Fringe Festival is back this summer and here are the must-see shows