The 22nd iteration of the Cincy Fringe kicked off on Friday, May 30; it will run until Saturday, June 14. Over the course of the next two weeks there will be 194 performances of 42 different productions in 34 time slots. This is an annual production of Know Theatre (1120 Jackson Street in Over-the-Rhine), the avant garde, adventuresome Cincinnati theater that prides itself on being “kinda weird.” That’s especially true during Fringe. Here’s a link to the Fringe website, the daily schedule, and how to order tickets: www.CincyFringe.com
In the past, I managed web coverage of virtually all of the annual Fringe productions for CityBeat, but that endeavor ended thanks to the pandemic and my retirement from full-time theater coverage. (I still write about theater often for the paper, but its every-other-week publishing schedule limits the kind of features and reviews I can write.) Nevertheless, I treasure these annual two weeks of zany creativity.
I saw my first 2025 production on Friday, TEATIME by Erika MacDonald, a Cincy Fringe veteran and a performer whose work has been honored locally, across the U.S. and all over Canada, which has a vibrant Fringe scene. She will have four more performances (June 1, 3, 6 and 8) at Gabriel’s Corner (Sycamore and Liberty in Over-the-Rhine). Here’s a link to my comments about her thoughtful and entertaining 60 minutes on tea and beyond. It’s definitely worth seeing.
I’ll be posting frequently about shows I’ve seen on my Facebook page, Rick Pender’s Theater Stages & Scenes. I hope you’ll check in for my recommendations!
