The 23rd annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival is underway, having had a full weekend May 29-30-31. Productions continue through June 13. I took in three productions, starting with Ingrid Garner’s A HOLLYWOOD HORROR STORY. After two previous Cincy Fringe appearances doing ELEANOR’S STORY and its sequel — both about her grandmother’s experience as an American teenager who lived in Germany during World War II — she’s back with something quite different. Her 2026 show tells the story of Maila Nurmi, who created VAMPIRA in 1954, TV’s first late-night horror show host. Garner, a talented and versatile performer, lays out the course of Nurmi’s rise (and fall) as a pop icon. Audiences get to watch her transform into the Goth character who became an overnight sensation. (Read more about this intriguing woman in my CityBeat preview: https://www.citybeat.com/arts/cincinnati-fringe-festival-2026-otr-performances-theater-guide/) The show is onstage upstairs at Know Theatre and uses a lot of video support to enhance the storytelling. Performances remain on 6/5 (7pm), 6/7, 6/9 (8:30pm) and 6/12 (8:30pm). Well worth seeing
I also caught an evening of BLOODY FAIRYTALES by storyteller extraordinaire Paul Strickland. He’s been a popular performer at numerous Cincy Fringes over the past decade; he’s also developed an extensive reputation across the U.S. and Canada for his narrative and musical skills. His 2026 offering is limited to three evenings, two of which already happened. One more is scheduled at First Lutheran Church’s Sanctuary on 6/12 (8:30pm). He’s a master of creepy, unsettling tales — with some wicked stories that are calculated to make your hair stand on end.
If you’re a fan of local history, you might want to check out WHITE WHALE, performed by Sean Mette (in conjunction with Autumn Kaleidoscope). Rooted in the true story of a Cincinnati businessman in 1877 who brought living beluga whale to be exhibited in the Queen City in the Gilded Age, Mette, a veteran professional puppeteer and actor spins a fantastic, forgotten yarn of misguided commercialism and morbid fascination. This one is also staged at First Lutheran Church’s Sanctuary, with some imaginative shadow puppetry and other clever storytelling devices — as well as a decent sound system that does battle with the church’s echoing acoustics. More performances still available on 6/3 (8:30pm), 6/7 (8:30pm) and 6/11 (8:30pm).
In past years for CityBeat, I coordinated lots of Fringe coverage. That’s no longer the case, but thanks to the dedicated folks who write for the League of Cincinnati Theatres, you can read numerous assessments of 2026 productions worth seeing. (Kudos to writers Liz Eichler, Kirk Sheppard and Chase Johnson for their tireless coverage.) By my rough count, after the first weekend’s activity, there are at least a dozen commentaries available of the festival’s 30 or so productions. Most are endorsed, but take time to read the commentaries to see if a show sounds like something you might like. More will be posted as they debut.
Make time after seeing a performance or two for a stop at Know Theatre’s Underground Bar & Cabaret for “Fringe Late Night, free themed events every evening. Reserve Saturday evening, June 13, at 10pm for the “Pick of the Fringe” awards.
For more Cincy Fringe info: https://cincyfringe.com/