#FiercelyFringe 2017 – Part 1
It’s the most WONDERFUL TIME of the year! Happy Opening to the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival! Every year, we are constantly inspired by the core values of The Toronto Fringe Festival:
- It’s about creating art at a grassroots level.
- It’s “theatre by the people, for the people“.
- It’s about taking risks and exploring something new.
So, we asked this year’s Boss Fringe Artist Babes: How are you FIERCELY representing these values? How are you #FiercelyFringe?
After an overwhelming response, we’re thrilled to share our first #FiercelyFringe preview with you, listed in no particular order, and in two parts (because we can only get our scroll on for so long…)
We hope this gives you a more personal look at these shows and the artists behind them as you plan your viewing schedule over the next two weeks.
Be sure to follow along with us on twitter, facebook and instagram for our full #FringeTO coverage celebrating all of the people and moving pieces that make this festival so electric!
See you at the Fringe Club #FiercelyFringe friends!
– ITGR
Pineapple Club 
WHO ARE YOU?
The Pineapple Club team is comprised of Director/Choreographer Robin Henderson (of last year’s Best of Fringe hit, Dance Animal) and performers Paul Barnes, Jonathan Shaboo and Pascale Yensen.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
The Pineapple Club tagline is “Come for the comedy. Stay for the calamity”. With everything that’s happening in the world, it’s especially important to be laughing right now.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Where else would you find a mash-up of comedic dance, sketch comedy and social commentary? Pineapple Club speaks to the emotional fallout of the world’s events in 2016 through the unique lens of comedic dance, sketch comedy, puppetry and music.
CONNECT
t: @PineappleClubTO
#PineappleClubTO
Bad Baby Presents: Rules Control the Fun
WHO ARE YOU?
From a group of seasoned Fringers boasting a total of 13 Fringe tent romances collectively, Janelle Hanna’s new solo show Bad Baby Presents: Rules Control the Fun is not simply a clown show, but it does feature her clown Bad Baby, prominently. Think of it instead as a new play about love, loneliness and humans’ need for connection, as well as it being Bad Baby’s first Fringe appearance, all rolled into one.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Bad Baby has seen a lot of Fringe shows, and she is a self-proclaimed fringe expert. So she knows exactly what to do and what not to do. She knows all of the rules.
WHAT MAKES YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
What makes us FIERCE is how the play itself goes deeper, exploring themes that writer and performer Hanna feels strongly about: love, relationships, vulnerability and shame. Expect a lot of laughter and comedy at this show, but don’t expect to see only that.
CONNECT
t: @lark_and_whimsy
@janellemhanna
#BabysFirstFringe
i: @janellemhanna
Interstellar Elder
WHO ARE YOU?
SNAFU is the creators of SOLD-OUT shows ‘LITTLE ORANGE MAN (***** – VueWeekly) and ‘KITT & JANE,’ (****½ – Edmonton Journal)
We’ve been touring across Canada for the last ten years, both to all the fringes and to curated festivals like Wildside, Undercurrents, Next Stage and SummerWorks. All of our shows are weird.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
In Interstellar Elder, we meet Kitt, fierce lone geriatric astronaut adrift in a spaceship carrying cryogenically frozen human cargo. Her mission: protect the last of humankind.
“Amazingly versatile physical comedian with the BEST ENDING IN THE HISTORY OF FRINGE.” – Montreal Gazette.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
This summer, we’re touring 9 FRINGE FESTIVALS across Canada. #FringeHogs. This is my second time winning the CAFF lottery in the past three years, whereas some artists have applied for CAFF every year for the past two decades and never been drawn. If I win CAFF a third time, I expect death threats from other fringe artists.
CONNECT
t: @snafudance
#InterstellarElder
Picaza 
WHO ARE YOU?
#FiercelyFlamenco – Inamorata Dance Collective was found in 2014 by Mexican Canadian dancer, Sofía Gudiño, to explore experimental crossovers between contemporary and flamenco dance, music and theatre.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Their premier full-length work, Picaza, is an honest and visceral look into one woman’s journey to self-awareness, told through bilingual poetry, dance, traditional Latin music, and experimental compositions!
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
One of this year’s Culturally Diverse Projects at the Fringe, this group of twelve multidisciplinary artists is #FiercelyFringe, building everything in their grassroots show from scratch and pooling their creative resources to learn from each other and create something completely new.
CONNECT
i: @inamoratadance
#Inamorata2017 #Picaza
Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons
WHO ARE YOU?
The Howland Company with Slow Blue Lions
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
(1) It’s about love, and law saying you can’t say more than 140 words/day; (2) It’s the healthiest, most citric, show in Fringe; (3) It’s funny and touching, also has a couple of tips for mostly silent relationships.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
(1) women directing and producing*, each for first time; women AD and intern; *producer won Cayle Chernin Award for theatre production’; (2) show is by first time playwright Sam Steiner and comes from UK Fringe.
CONNECT
f: /TheHowlandCompanyTheatre
t: @TheHowlandCo
i: @thehowlandcompany
#lemonslemonslemonslemonslemons
Welcome to the Bunker
WHO ARE YOU
Portius Productions is a brand new company that aims to explore the opportunities different theatrical spaces offer for experimentation with audience immersion and interaction, with an emphasis on all things nerdy. Its inaugural show, Welcome to the Bunker! is written, produced, and performed by Clare Blackwood and Ryan F. Hughes, and is an immersive zombie apocalypse comedy set in a bunker deep below the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
This is a show for nerds, comedy lovers, and anyone who wants to laugh at two weirdos trying and failing to lead an apocalypse orientation for the survival of humanity.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
We’re pushing the boundaries of how to involve audiences inside of a traditional theatre space, taking them out of their pre-armageddon comfort zones, and maybe singing welcoming songs to them. That is, if the zombies don’t get to them first…
CONNECT
t: @bunkertofringe
#bunkerTO
Macbeth’s Head
WHO ARE YOU?
I’m Kyle McDonald, the founder of Malfi Productions, whose mandate is: to produce entertaining and interesting film, television, theatre, and literature by merging tradition with innovation for an audience who craves emotional and intellectual risk. We’re dedicated to injecting classical material into something contemporary and relevant.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
How many people can say they’ve seen a disembodied head with magical powers running around on a dessert trolley while threatening to destroy all of Shakespeare’s work?
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
We’ve gotten this show on the road with pure love: from the illustrator who did our amazing artwork, to the composer who made original music, to our photographer who’s shot us free of charge. Also, there is little to no set, and we’re relying only on our wits to tell the tale of this maniacal head! And, the script is half in original verse, which seems like a pretty bold move in the age of one liner TV scripts!
CONNECT
t: @malfiproduction
#macbethshead #malfiproductions #longlivethehead
Perfect Couples
WHO ARE YOU?
We’re an indie theatre collective dedicated to generating bold new work. We are passionate about stories from underrepresented voices, and providing opportunities for emerging artists to flex their muscles.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Our fringe show, Perfect Couples, is a good example of this. Written, directed, designed and performed by emerging artists, the show is distinctly millennial. Yet, refreshingly, it’s never reductive or patronizing— there’s not one mention of twitter or selfies. Perhaps more defining as a millennial piece is that it talks about mental illness, which is rampant among 20-somethings. The play is a twisty trip down visual artist Valencia’s unravelling, and we see how her struggle with mental health impacts her relationship and community. Women-driven, queer, sexy as hell…
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Perfect Couples by Mitchell Janiak is both witty and dark. It takes advantage of what Fringe provides— an opportunity to take risk and tell stories that aren’t heard often enough.
CONNECT
t: @PencilKitProd
i: @PencilKitProductions
f: /PencilKit
Monsters By Nature
WHO ARE YOU?
We are Kindling Collective! We take an intersectional feminist perspective to classical works. Our show Monsters By Nature was created in a similar fashion to how Frankenstein made his creature, by piecing together classical and self-written texts, punk and folk music.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Audiences explore what makes them feel empowered by their inner monster and reflect on their perceptions of people that they fear.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Monsters by Nature owns the term Fiercely Fringe by its bravery to examine the roots of our fears. It’s terrifying to watch pieces that force you to look into what makes you a monster. But it’s also empowering to do so. At rehearsal last night I thought how fulfilling it feels to be in a room with 6 fierce women, an electric guitar, and bare hearts telling these stories of characters that have remained relevant through the ages. We can’t wait to meet you in the midnight.
CONNECT
i: @kindlingcollective
f: @kindlingcollective
t: @kindlincollec3
#kindlingcollective #whatareyouafraidof
13 Ways the World Ends
WHO ARE YOU?
Good Morning Apocalypse is a comedy troupe from South Ontario, formed in 2015.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Why see our show? For one thing, we have a hour-long revue about all the ways the world will end, and not once does someone mention Donald Trump. Nothing about what’s happening in the U.K. either, since we couldn’t find a rhyme for “Brexit.” There’s zombies, but not enough to get you all zombied out. At one point someone plays the saxophone – badly. There’s a killer robot, and a killer plague, and a lovely little sketch about how all the bees are dead and we’re next. Mostly it’s full of people who go through their days with a vague sense of dread, and who also have opinions about which of the Mad Maxes is the best Mad Max.
WHY ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
This is the kind of show that can only happen at Fringe, and we’re fiercely proud of it.
CONNECT
t: @ApocalypseGood
i: @GoodMorningApocalypse
#13WaysTheWorldEnds
White Wedding
WHO ARE YOU?
I’m a female writer / director who is trying to combine those skills for the first time with a new play called “White Wedding”! I’ve had a lot of luck in the past as both a writer and director and now I’m trying to bring those two sides of my brain together with an incredible group of creative individuals!
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
White Wedding explores really recognizable feelings in a new way. Instead of asking what happens as a wedding, White Wedding asks what happens in a hallway above a wedding. What private conversations and secrets are told? Who makes out with who? Who ends up drinking themselves into a sad quiet corner somewhere? Why do we celebrate stupid emotions like love again?
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
We are creating theatre in a found space firstly because we think it’s a cool thing to do, but also because it’s a necessity. Re-imagining theatre for new spaces for today’s audiences is what will bring in new audiences, make people feel invited to the art form, and open up the stage to something new, something novel, something fierce!
CONNECT
t: @PortAlbertPro
i: @portalbertproductions
Bendy Sign Tavern
WHO ARE YOU?
Sex T-Rex is a comedy collective that has been in the Toronto Fringe since 2013!
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Bendy Sign Tavern is our most Fiercely Fringe show yet- a site specific puppet show where six-legged barflies trade actual Fringe reviews and you can order a pint from a puppet!
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
We’ll have rotating fringe guests from our favourite shows. Throw in live music and Sex T-Rex’s signature wit and you’ve got a real tour-de-fierce.
CONNECT
t: @sextrex
f: /sextrexcomedy
MUTTS OR: 101 LIBATIONS
WHO ARE YOU?
The Gracie May Theatre Company, named after the creator’s late childhood dog, is devoted to creating new Canadian content. The company refuses to take any political stand and holds no beliefs whatsoever. The founder, Joey Monahan, currently resides in a fortified compound near Georgetown, Ontario.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
MUTTS OR: 101 LIBATIONS is a unique comedy, not for the faint of heart. As dark as it is funny, the story follows two hopeless, helpless, and hapless drunks who steal dogs and return them for reward money to support their addiction. After taking a service dog and causing the death of a blind man, the two find themselves at odds with each other when one wants to continue their lifestyle and the other decides to stop.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
It has been created and is being performed by a small group of local artists. Although the play itself never states a location, it is very much a Canadian, and specifically a Torontonian piece. It has been made with the intention of making people laugh and hurt at the same time, because in life sometimes something can be humorous and heartbreaking at once.
CONNECT
i: @GracieMayTC
f: /GracieMayTC
t: @GracieMayTC
#MUTTS
The Stories of Lantern Tales
WHO ARE YOU?
I am a storyteller.
Encountering the storyfire in 1981 at the age of 28, when I hitchhiked 70 miles from St. Catharines to Toronto to hear my first storyteller, Trinidadian Paul Keens-Douglas. I became interested in composing original tales, especially stories inspired by my childhood in the Ottawa. Valley. I am a violinist/fiddler and featured in festivals across Canada and abroad.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Composed in traditional forms The Stories of Lantern Tales are unique, shaped by a childhood spent in the countryside of Black Bay Road. They are an excellent opportunity for listeners to meet the devil, a 4 tonne traction engine with a soul, 12 sea serpents and a cedar canoe pulled by six Ottawa Valley beavers.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
The distillation of images and experiences that came from growing up as a child in an isolated Ottawa Valley countryside, wandering alone along endless trails in the woods, the silence of a winter moon.
Through the imagination of the listener those experiences live again.
Death Meets Harlequin
WHO ARE YOU?
Unspoken Theatre was founded in 2011 by sisters Nina & Natalie Kaye, and focuses on new writing with a classical influence. We have produced over a dozen new plays by local women writers.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Our short comedy, Death Meets Harlequin tackles big themes with a light heart, using archetype, music, dance, Commedia dell’Arte, and physical comedy to infuse our attitude on life and death with a little optimism.
Our cast and crew are Festival veterans, with credits at Alumnae Theatre’s New Ideas Festival and Big Ideas Festival; SoCap Theatre’s Short Short Play Festival; InspiraTO; and the Toronto Fringe.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Death Meets Harlequin offers something for everyone. A deeper meaning for the philosophical thinkers; bright costumes and silly songs for the kids; great new writing for the lovers of literature; a touching family story for the ones who cry and laugh at once; and a circus pre-show by Deflying Feets for anyone else!
CONNECT
t: @TheatreUnspoken
#FringeKidsFest
#FringeFemmeTO
#deathmeetsharlequin
The Diddlin’ Bibbles Live in Concert!
WHO ARE YOU?
Lesley Robertson and Matt Shaw are “The Diddlin’ Bibbles”, a comedy band making their Toronto Fringe debut. Co-written and directed by the hilarious Dana Puddicombe, “The Diddlin’ Bibbles Live in Concert” tells the story of Rose-Marie and Jessop Bibbles, a sex-positive and spiritual singer-songwriter duo, who have travelled from small-town Wisconsin to Toronto to perform at the Toronto Fringe Festival – their lifelong dream.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE COME SEE YOUR SHOW?
Their show, “The Diddlin’ Bibbles Live in Concert” is part sketch comedy, part live concert, part mockumentary, part metatheatre, and part love story. Think: Flight of the Conchords meets Christopher Guest’s A Mighty Wind meets #the6ix.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
This show is “fiercely fringe” because it’s a new play written and designed specifically for the Toronto Fringe Festival, St. Vladimir Theatre, and Toronto audiences! The entire show is a self-reflexive comedy spoofing the experiences of the Toronto Fringe Festival, the arts, and the city of Toronto.
CONNECT
w: www.thediddlinbibbles.com
f: /thediddlinbibbles
i: @thediddlinbibbles
t: @DiddlinBibbles
Madeleine Says Sorry
WHO ARE YOU?
Prairie Fire, Please was founded by Aaron Jan and Madeleine Brown, lightweights with no taste whatsoever in alcohol. We welcome you to judge our poor choices – we’re likely already judging yours. Madeleine Says Sorry is the company’s inaugural production. Will it be our last? Depends how bad the hangover is…
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Where else can you see a 6×4 foot poster-shrine of David Suzuki, and a magical cardboard Apologemeter X that descends from the heavens?
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
How are we #FiercelyFringe? We collectively had three very successful fringe shows last year. Rowing, Silk Bath, and Knots. This one is nothing like any of those shows. Our process has been entirely funded by popsicles. We never start rehearsal on time. Our director cannot afford underwear. We are one of the most diverse teams in the Toronto Fringe! #FiercelyFringe
CONNECT
t: @MadeleineSaysTO
i: @madeleinesaysto
Pillow Talk
WHO ARE YOU?
We are a group of comedians, actors and creators who met while attending the Second City Conservatory Program. Shortly after graduating, Charlotte Cattell and Olivia Brodie-Dinsdale reconnected to start a sketch duo, the O.C. After their successful show at Montreal Sketchfest they thought there would be no better idea than asking their friend and fellow creative, Adam Martignetti to join them in making a completely original sketch revue.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Pillow Talk is not what you would expect from a traditional sketch revue, we wanted to keep things real and make it more than just making people laugh. We tackle those intimate and vulnerable moments in life that people wouldn’t normally talk about openly. Pillow Talk, doesn’t imply the usually sexual connotation. I mean, we would like to think we are pretty darn sexy!
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Written by 3 real people about real experiences, Pillow Talk couldn’t be anything more than “Fiercely Fringe”! We are people with anxieties, fears and the notion that ghosts are real! But what is more fierce than displaying those moments for everyone to see.
CONNECT
f: @Pillowtalkfringe2017
t: @PTFringeTO17
i: @pillowtalkfringeto
Lysistrata
WHO ARE YOU?
how.dare.collective. is making their debut at this year’s Toronto Fringe. The brainchild of two-time Las Vegas Burlesque Hall of Fame performer-choreographer St. Stella and writer/director Kay Brattan, their mandate is to create theatre for the underdog – representing the underrepresented. The Lysistrata company is made up of experienced and talented performers from both the theatre and burlesque communities, and some of whom are well-known in both scenes, such as Sebastian Marziali (El Toro to the burlesque & boylesque community).
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Lysistrata brings an appetizing take on classic Greek comedy to the contemporary audience. Brattan has used her own words to combine three different translations of Aristophanes’ work, and through the combination of slam poetry, songs and striptease, this will be a retelling of the story the likes of which has not been seen before, with the two mediums blending to embody and convey the messages of the piece (such as female empowerment, peace not war and, of course, equality).
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
With this show, we bring together the varied talents of our diverse company to tell this story in a fresh, powerful and memorable spectacle. Bring on the glitter and good times!
CONNECT
i: @LysistrataTO
t: @Lysistrata_TO
#LysistrataTO
#SlamPoetrySongsAndStripTease
#GlitterAndGoodTimes
The Miserable Worm
WHO ARE YOU?
We are Let Me In, a theatre collective spearheaded by Justine Christensen and Patrick J. Horan. We seek to remix, alter, satirize, and break “classical” plays, thrusting them into a contemporary landscape.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Our show, The Miserable Worm, exposes gendered expectations often ingrained in old works, bringing to light new colours from Chekhov’s “untitled play”, which our show is based off of. The story is made new through gender-bent casting; particularly by placing a woman in the title role of the smarmy playboy Platonov.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Let Me In’s The Miserable Worm is Fiercely Fringe because it draws in and implicates the audience into the action. As soon as they walk through the doors of the Annex, each audience member becomes a guest at the Platonov Estate. They are privy to the events and intimacies of a fatal night of hard drinking and painful nostalgia. Oh, and it’s going to be really funny.
CONNECT
Lover Lover
WHO ARE YOU?
Subverting Something is a company founded by Veronika Gribanova and is now based in Toronto and New York. Our mandate is our name. We’re almost half serious.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
A lesbian and a straight man walk into a bar: a love story. It’s complicated. Lover Lover is a story about the limitations and possibilities of love. This site-specific play is an intimate conversation between strangers in a public space. At Nightowl, a bar in Little Italy, audience members can have a drink and watch the story unfold. Allow us to subvert your expectations.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Lover Lover explores issues that aren’t often discussed in a public setting. Questions of sexuality, identity, and polyamory, as well as of vulnerability and intimacy, are brought to light. We have risked placing emotion at the centre of our work and we are telling the truth as we understand it, which is both an obligatory and subversive act.
CONNECT
i: @subvertingsomething
t: @subvertingsome
#loverlover
For the Love of Pie
WHO ARE YOU?
I’m the daughter of a French Canadian mother who taught me the importance of butter and extravagance. For the Love of Pie, my play, showcases a lot of that French “je ne sais quoi”! Montrealers and Chicagoans were dazzled by the show nominating it for Best Solo Theatre Production (Montreal Fringe) and naming it one of of the 5 Best Bets of the Chicago Fringe (TimeOut Chicago).
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Why see it, Toronto? Because sometimes we take ourselves too seriously and need to be reminded that life is not as easy as pie and why not embrace failure as opposed to suppressing it.
HOW IS YOUR SHOW FIERCELY FRINGE?
It’s fiercely fringe because, well, it’s just me writing, producing and playing three very extravagant characters leading over the top ridiculous lives and my challenge is to make their story resonate with the audience.
CONNECT
t: @PieGeorgiaPeach
#FortheloveofpieTO
HEXEN 
WHO ARE YOU?
The Creation Coffin is a Toronto based company that focuses on progressive work, emerging artists and female creators. The cast and crew of Hexen are all recent Randolph Academy Alumnae.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Fringers should be sure to see Hexen because it is a savage critique on the society that we have constructed for ourselves, through a powerful, sexy and feminine lens.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Hexen is truly “fiercely fringe”. The show and our site-specific venue are designed to make you feel like you’re deep in a forest. Because of this we did the majority of our rehearsals outdoors and we have benefited greatly from the inspiration that nature provides. Stylistically, Hexen is quite pioneering – we would describe it as a “deconstructed musical”, something we have never seen done before but are fiercely experimenting with for this year’s Fringe Festival!
CONNECT
f: /thecreationcoffin
i: @thecreationcoffin
#hexenfringe
Wanted
WHO ARE YOU?
Sue Morrison is a world-class teacher of performance-oriented Clown and Bouffon.
Mélanie Raymond has been working and training at DynamO Theatre (acrobatical theatre) for 15 years.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
The performance has been described as like having a conversation with a best friend that you didn’t know you had. The arc of the show is affected by the qualities that the performer brings to the theatre each night, and the qualities of the audience, and how those interact. The audience is part of what happens each night and no two shows are the same.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
This is outsider theatre. This is bottom-up, grassroots theatre. The collaborators developed the script through a process of question and answer, call and response between the outside eye and the inside eye… a bricolage brought to life using the language of twelve masks. There is a universality to the experiences that the performer encounters and explores.
CONNECT
t: @guayoyo_ca
i: @guayoyo_ca
#WantedTF
RISE/FALL 
WHO ARE YOU?
Malcontent Theatre Company is a diverse, grassroots indie company made up of performers from students to seasoned professionals. We are committed to inclusiveness and challenging standards.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
RISE/FALL is an immersive, site-specific production that has the audience divided by a wall. A unique show happens on each side, and occasionally interacts with the other side. The wealthy percentage of society has gained control of the government and banished anyone of minority to the other side of a wall.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
This production is fiercely Fringe because we are an independent group of local artists, who are playing around with new theatrical concepts and tackling political issues with no holds barred. We are creating a show unlike anything any of us have ever seen, and are taking a huge risk with such a complicated concept. This deals with subjects that are close to everyone’s hearts, including segregation, prejudice, racism, homophobia, and Trump’s America.
CONNECT
t: @MalcontentTC
#RiseFallFringe #BreaktheWall
The Night Hart Crane Kissed Me 
WHO ARE YOU?
We are Spindrift and our combined talents include: acting, writing, directing, magic, music and stage combat! We put all of these to use in our very first Fringe outing, The Night Hart Crane Kissed Me.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
What’s a Hart Crane you may be asking? Answer: a sailor-loving, hard-partying poet who burned through the burlesque houses, vaudeville theatres, boxing matches and speakeasies of Jazz age New York before blazing out at 32. His grave merely says: Lost At Sea.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
We chart his final hours, explore how his life and art intersect with our own, and attempt to invoke the feeling of encountering his poetry for the first time using all of the rad methods mentioned above. This summer we invite you to get #KissedByHart
CONNECT
t: @spindrifttc
i: @spindrifttheatreTO
Ten Creative Ways to Dispose of Your Cremains 
WHO ARE YOU?
We are Theatre Rhea and Neoteny Theatre.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Yes, it may have the longest title ever, but most importantly it’s a millennial love letter dedicated to the misfits of the Peter Pan Generation. Lucy and Bennett, our two main characters, are lonely but are given the chance to connect. Written by Rose Napoli and directed by Carly Chamberlain, be sure to visit us in the backspace of Theatre Passe Muraille, just down the street from the tent!
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Our characters are just like the people who come to the fringe. People who exist on the periphery, and find a connection by being on the outside. The show itself may be about nothing. Or it may be about everything. But it’s definitely about an urn of ashes and six popsicles.
CONNECT
#CreaminsTO
t: @TheatreRhea
The Life Henri 
WHO ARE YOU?
Award winning Artist Adam Bailey: creator of Fringe hits The Assassination of Robert Ford and Adam Bailey is on Fire, and director of The Enchanted Crackhouse .This year I’m doing The Life Henri, a play about dead painter Henri Rousseau. It includes a slideshow and we’re selling wine.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
It’s a really intimate experience that’ll sweep you away. We got four stars when we tested it in Edmonton and it deftly touches on some modern issues like bullying. Plus, slideshow!
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
Henri Rousseau should be the patron saint of Fringe. An outsider artist, spends years unlocking the key to success, overcoming poverty and incarceration along the way. Also, I mash his story with a 1970s horror movie and somehow that makes it all very touching.
CONNECT
i: @still_your_friend
t: @stillyourfriend
w: www.stillyourfriend.com
#thelifehenri
Traffic Jams
WHO ARE YOU?
Resilience Theatre. We are a feminist theatre company dedicated to telling women’s stories and those of the underrepresented. This is our first production and hope this opportunity will allow us to make connections and create more content that young people can relate to that illustrates their experiences.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Five-word pitch: woman attacks depression with ukulele! See this show because it’s funny, relevant, and sometimes uncomfortable. It deals with issues many young people are facing, particularly artists, and highlights the different ways mental illness can surface within one person.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
This show came from a late-night phone call between two friends about mental health and artistic struggles. We refused to wait for this story to be told, so we’ve brought it to the stage ourselves. Mental illness is tough to talk about, even for us, but by taking the risk to show this battle, we can contribute to a dialogue on mental health.
CONNECT
f: /resilienceTO
t: @resilience_TO
i: @resilience_to
#trafficjams
Love and Information 
WHO ARE YOU?
The play is by Caryl Churchill, will be directed by Andrea Donaldson and performed by the 5th term students at Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts. Our show is essentially 50 mini shows packed into one.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Contemporary issues regarding knowledge, communication, and our capacity to love and be loved are beautifully represented. We explore these issues in the most unique ways, incorporating movement, song, and even silence. There is so much to take away from this beautiful painting of humanity.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
As the actors, we have been very thankful for the process. Every day we go into rehearsal and are utterly moved by our discoveries. We dive into various human behaviours, points of view, sexualities and cultural differences. When something doesn’t work, we ask ourselves why, and approach it from a different angle. It has been the most incredible journey for us, and we cannot wait to share it with Toronto.
CONNECT
#RALoveandInformation #LoveandInfo #LoveandJan #JanLovesInfo #RAPA
The Resurrectionists 
WHO ARE YOU?
House of Rebels Theatre started in 2014 as a podcast audio drama company, that has since expanded into interviews and original stage plays. In the 2016 Toronto Fringe, we produced King of the Castle, and are excited to bring another exploration of morals and humanity to the Randolph Theatre this year!
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
The Resurrectionists tackles one of the western world’s best-kept, darkest secrets. Grave-robbing in the 19th century was a rarely-reported crime that occurred anywhere people studied medicine. Shortages of bodies with surpluses of students lead to creative, criminal solutions to the growing demand. This play examines Canada’s habit of hiding it’s less-savoury history, and why we keep letting ourselves do so.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
The Resurrectionists is co-produced with Theatre Parallax. We are companies interested in theatre that is provocative AND entertaining – and we don’t believe those are mutually exclusive qualities. We want to have our art, and like it too.
CONNECT
t: @RebelsTheatre
i: @RebelsTheatre
w: www.rebelstheatre.com
Kassandra aka Joyia, Fringe Concert Series 
WHO ARE YOU?
My name is Kassandra, aka Joyia, and I’m a musician. I’ve made it my mission to make unique music, which represents myself. I make all of my songs in both acoustic and electronically produced versions. I make music that combines R&B with a bit of an electronic sound. I’ve coined my genre as “soultronic,” and want to bring the genre to life in my own unique way.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
I’m part of the Fringe concert series on July 9! True songwriting and composition has always been my passion, and I’ve been building up a new repertoire over the last few months. For the first time, I’m making music that I feel is 100% me, and it’s the most liberating feeling ever.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
I create art for the reason art was created. It’s a freedom of expression, a chance to connect people. It’s finally giving me a chance to share my true self with people. It’s been a long journey of self-discovery, and I can finally say that the music I make truly represents me.
CONNECT
t: @joyiamusic
Life Records 2: Side B 
WHO ARE YOU?
I’m Rhiannon Archer & I wrote/perform Life Records 2. This company is just me & I named it after my late dog Beefy. He was really great!
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
2 words: IT’S FUN! Everyone should see Life Records 2. Unless if you hate fun, then maybe just stay home.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
7 words: Because I’m Fierce & in the fringe! I’m really putting myself out there in order to connect myself and the audience with one another.
CONNECT
t: @rhiannonarcher
@LifeRecordsTO
i: @rhiannonarcher
A Flea in Her Ear
WHO ARE YOU?
Pulse Theatre’s “A Flea in Her Ear” is a modern adaptation of one of the greatest vaudevilles ever! We made the characters quirkier, the relationships more sensual, the show more exciting! A splendid cast, terrific creative team, a visionary director.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
The energy, the sexiness, the colorfulness, the playfullness- our show is funny and entertaining! All the original comedy gold, plus hippies and furries, and just a touch of…well, let’s not spoil the surprises! Even if you do know the original script – you don’t know this show!
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
A part of Pulse Theatre’s mandate is working with immigrant artists and diverse performers – “visible and audible minorities”, and we did just that – our talented cast and crew depicts the wonderful diversity of Toronto’s theatre scene. A fierce comedy with a powerful ensemble and crew, and beautiful promo art by the amazing Derrick Chow! Our Flea roars like a tiger!
CONNECT
#afleainherear
The Balding 
WHO ARE YOU?
Jeff Gandell is a Montreal writer, storyteller, actor, musician and teacher. I tell stories that aim to make people laugh and feel a greater connection to the emotional landscape of the universe.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
The Balding is a hilarious story about a twenty-year-old man who’s convinced he’s going bald because he’s still a virgin. In his quest to find romance, he falls down a rabbit hole of dangerous car accidents and property destruction. It’s a show about learning to love the fleeting nature of all our lives. Basically, the lighter side of mortality and decay.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
It’s funny! The rawness and vulnerability of the protagonist will make audiences concurrently laugh and feel better about their own insecurities. Plus, there are a couple of raucous rock n’ roll numbers. And it’s a masterfully constructed story that will leave audiences breathlessly anticipating what comes next. Come on!
CONNECT
t: @jeffgandell
i: @jeffgandell
Recall
WHO ARE YOU?
Seven Siblings Theatre utilizes the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique to create the Theatre of the Future, Fantastic Realism. We’re presenting a sci-fi thriller that pushes the boundaries of government control. Written by genre-shattering female playwright Eliza Clark, the show is centered around a mother and daughter relationship holding their ground as the government tries to “RECALL” potentially dangerous or psychopathic children.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
Clark dives into a troubled child’s mind and examines emotional understanding as the two desperately try to start fresh. The world of this play is a truthful and surreal depiction of our future society.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
This Fiercely Fringe show not only gives us sci-fi in theatre, something you don’t see often, but gives women the lead narrative in what is usually a male domain. Plus… we have violence, blood, guns, mature language, a shopping list of food props, sci-fi machinery, and a sick sense of humour. We’re fierce as f$%k.
CONNECT
t: @SevenSiblingsCo
#RecallTO
On The Inside 
WHO ARE YOU?
My name is Michelle Thoms and I’m the writer and director of On The Inside, a play about a young woman caught in the vicious cycle of Canada’s Corrections System. It doesn’t stop there though, it’s also about humanity and the lengths people go to survive.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CATCH YOUR SHOW?
People should watch this show because it raises questions about solitary confinement, society and about the grey area that sits between professionalism and caring.
HOW ARE YOU FIERCELY FRINGE?
We are pushing the envelope by taking a true story and extending and exploring further questions that surround it. Questions like: Why is the rate of women of colour increasing at a dramatic rate in Canadian federal prisons? Why is self injury increasing in women’s prison? Is “othering” used in the prison system and to what extent? As well, On The Inside is taking a risk because it is being presented as a docutheatre production.
CONNECT
t: @ontheinside17
i: @ontheinside17
*Submissions have been slightly edited for clarity and length.
But wait! There’s more!
For more #FiercelyFringe, continue here.
inthegreenroom 