It's Fringe time!

22 Jun 2025. by Drew Rowsome -
All photos courtesy of the artists or the Toronto Fringe Festival.
People Suck photos by Kristy Boyce
Emilio's A Million Chameleons photos by Dahlia Katz
Ronit Rubenstein photos by Matthew McLaren
Oh! I Miss the War photos by Kryshan Radel
All She Wrote photos by Grayson Compton

The Toronto Fringe Festival is exhilarating, packed with incredible art and adventures, but also completely overwhelming. Every year there are so many shows I want to see and, being human, so many that I am crushed to have missed. This year is no exception. As we will be unable to give each show the attention they deserve, we've invited ten shows who reached out to answer some quick questions and sell their shows. And, most importantly, the Fringe is a thriving community and eco-system, to give us some tips on what they are looking forward to in this year's Fringe. Without further ado, as they have much more interesting things to say than I do, here is the inside dish on a fabulous fraction of 2025's Toronto Fringe Festival.

Drew Rowsome: What is the title of your production and your role in it? 

David John Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Crucible, The Mousetrap): I’m the co-author, co-creator, producer, and performer of Oh! I Miss the War.

Douglas Price: The show is called Ctrl Alt Delete: An Alphabetical Musical. I am the writer/composer.

Nina Kaye: #1 Clown Comedy with Victor & Priscilla. I am one of three co-writers and the designer on the project.

Adam Francis Proulx (Family Crow, The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy, Spencer Stays Inside, Avenue Q): I’m returning to my Dora-nominated performance as Emilio in Emilio’s A Million Chameleons this year. I co-created the show with Canadian Comedy Award-Winner Byron Laviolette in residence at Tarragon Theatre.

Lauren Naus: We are Toronto-based comedy troupe $20 Sandwich and our Fringe show is called This Show Will Change Your Life. We produce and star in this hour-long transformative improv experience.

Ronit Rubinstein: My show is called Things My Dad Kept, and I am the writer and solo performer.

Avra Fainer: I’m the producer of the original musical Don’t Fall In. 

Adam Martino: I’m the founder and Artistic Director of Breakaway Entertainment. I am the creative director and choreographer of The Iron Mask. Breakaway Entertainment is a theatre production house who brought to life award-winning productions including Anatomy of a Dancer, Tales of a Cocktail, and the 2024 Toronto Fringe Patrons Pick, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant. Now returning to the Fringe for a fourth time, Breakaway Entertainment is proud to present our newest production. 

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: People Suck: a musical airing of grievances. We are the co-writers.

Emma VanderMeulen: Our production is called All That She Wrote, and I am the producer. Writer Annika Tupper and director Ally Chozik have also contributed to some of these answers.

What is your production’s synopsis or bally blurb? 

David John Phillips: Oh! I Miss the War features two interwoven monologues delivered by two aging queer men in two very different, but spiritually connected, queer times and spaces. In 1967 London, Jack, a tailor to the chorus boys of the West End, watches the decriminalization of homosexuality unfold around him. As a former rentboy, he reflects on the outlaw joy and danger of queer love in hiding and wonders what’s lost in the era of visibility. In present-day Toronto, Matt, a service bottom with failing knees, navigates the evolving queer landscape of apps, puppies, and pronoun fluency. Grappling with the disconnect between generations, he claims his space as an elder and leans into the possibilities of intergenerational queer intimacy and political legacy. Together, these stories form a tapestry of queer experience across a century, touching on hankie codes, Polari, tea rooms, back rooms, faeries, drag, kink, love, grief, work, and hope. The show is a celebration of queer world-building, a challenge to intergenerational silence, and a sensual, soulful meditation on what it means to live, love, and work across time.

Douglas Price: When the English language experiences severe budget cuts and can no longer afford to keep 26 letters, seven letters — F, K, Q, S, W, X, and Z— are summoned to a high-stakes meeting where they each must plead their case to a jury of audience members who will ultimately decide which letter will be permanently deleted from the alphabet.

Nina Kaye: "Silly fun! Oscar Wilde meets the Marx brothers!" Gender-bending historically inaccurate clown siblings Victor & Priscilla (Julie Vanderlip and Eric Amaral) from Alumnae Theatre & Theatre Gargantua return in a new razzle-dazzle romp directed by award-winning Kyra Keith. Will our zany duo quit vaudeville to become upper-crust toffs of the Ton? Or will their fantabulosa drama mama Sophy (Dora-nominated Michelle Gram) and clever Bunbury cousins (Parker-Elizabeth Rodenburg, in three roles) win them back into the family troupe? The well-researched script by multi-award-winning playwrights (Aaliya Alibhai, sisters Nina Kaye and Natalie Kaye) uses authentic queer secret code Polari from the Victorian-era to explore themes of LGBT2SQIA+ history, adding deeper layers to this delightful show full of song, dance, drag, witty wordplay, slapstick, and puppets.

Adam Francis Proulx: Emilio runs a chameleon circus, just like his father did, where a million different chameleons do amazing acts. But what happens when it all goes wrong? A puppet-filled musical comedy for the whole family about embracing what makes you special and letting your inner sparkle shine.

Lauren Naus: Therapy is pricey. Self-help books collect dust. But for the cost of a Fringe ticket, you can get something better: our comedians, one audience member’s life story and 60 mins of unscripted transformation.

Ronit Rubinstein: What would you do if, twelve years after losing someone you love, you discovered that they’d documented every moment of your life? In triplicate? And does it count as hoarding if the thing hoarded is memories? From an award-winning playwright and veteran storyteller comes a hilarious, irreverent, and moving solo show about her dead dad, the unexpected ways grief evolves, and the wildly impractical ways we show love.

Avra Fainer: Don’t Fall In is a queer, spooky, and emotionally charged new musical about what happens when a story refuses to do what it’s told. Kara, a stressed-out student at a school for story-brewing, accidentally tumbles into their own unfinished fairytale after a mysterious vial of ink corrupts the narrative. Now inside a surreal world of discarded drafts and warped tropes, Kara must rewrite the story – or risk being erased by it.

Adam Martino: In the smoke-choked backrooms of 1920s Toronto, where jazz and bootleg liquor flow like an untamed river, The Man in the Iron Mask is reborn as a Prohibition-era musical. Twins — one, a ruthless crime lord draped in silk and sin; the other, a prisoner lost in the underbelly of King St — are bound by fate and a secret buried in blood. As speakeasy ballads and brass-fueled anthems drive the tale, a band of aging gangsters, once the city’s kings, unite for one last job: a coup against tyranny. In this dance jukebox musical, justice and jazz collide in a high-stakes battle where the mask must fall.

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: This hilarious and all-too-relatable musical theatre song-cycle dares ask the question: WTF is wrong with humanity? After two hit productions in Melbourne, Australia, the 2015 Best of Fringe and Mirvish Award winner is coming home to Toronto. By Peter Cavell (Second City) and Megan Phillips (The Anxiety Show), directed by Jessica Sherman (Dear Evan Hansen), with cast from Come From Away, Evil Dead, and Avenue Q.

Emma VanderMeulen: Currently in development in Makeshift Company’s The Spark Project, All That She Wrote is a brand new musical that drops us into a world obsessed with true crime, where we examine the meaning of justice, queer friendship, Twitch live-streaming, retribution, and U-Haul lesbians. All That She Wrote was awarded 1st Runner-Up for The Adams Prize for Musical Theatre this year by the Toronto Fringe.

Why is your production the must-see show at the Fringe?

David John Phillips: I’ll just quote from a few comments from previous audiences: “As a young queer man this show gave me more hope for the future than I’ve felt in a while. Bravo!!” “When Oh stares into the audience and thanks the new guard for keeping gender in the public conversation, we cried. We’ve never heard that spoken aloud from across the generations. We’re all in the same tapestry of queer resistance and diaspora. Thank you.” Oh, and Oh! I Miss the War won the Sean Meehan Award for Identity in Theatre “for connecting and disconnecting the old and the new of a queer world” at the 2025 International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival earlier this year.

Douglas Price: There’s going to be choreography with pizza. If that’s not a must-see, I don’t know what is. I should add, we have a stellar cast, a stellar behind-the-scenes team and members of the audience will be directly involved. Also the ending could change every night.

Nina Kaye: #1 Clown Comedy with Victor & Priscilla fits everything Fringe, theatrical, and queer into one 60 minute show. Clowns! Puppets! Drag! Song! Dance! Queer history! Slapstick! Witty wordplay! We even have a PWYC date for those on a tight budget.

Adam Francis Proulx: Emilio’s A Million Chameleons recently celebrated a month long Off-Broadway run at the SoHo Playhouse. Music by Chris Tsujiuchi (A Strange Loop, Cocktails and Candy Canes, Porchside Songs, A Very Cristical Christmas Cabaret, The Rocky Horror Show, Unravelled, Parade, Box 4901, Onegin). Won Best Family Show and the Impact Award at Orlando Fringe 2025. All About Solo NYC called it, “A must-see for families looking for a theatrical experience that is as fun as it is meaningful.” We have four shows only.

Lauren Naus: This Show Will Change Your Life is a unique experience. No two shows are the same, and depend entirely on the audience that is there that night. You get to be a part of the experience which makes you enjoy the ride all the more.

Ronit Rubinstein: I’m biased, of course, but I think that Things My Father Kept is really beautiful. It strikes a balance between comedy and heartfelt emotion that I think makes the sad stuff more meaningful. From the workshops I’ve done so far, it seems to be a piece people really connect to. My dad was a special person, who lived through some incredible things so the stories I tell about him are memorable, and really touching.

Avra Fainer: Because it’s everything you want in a Fringe show: bold, weird, heartfelt, and entirely original. Don’t Fall In is packed with chaotic magic, big vocals, swordfights, and surprising tenderness – all told through a lens of queer longing and creative breakdown. Plus, how often do you see a fantasy musical set inside a cursed cauldron of story drafts?

Adam Martino: Because we believe it’s everything Fringe should be — bold, original, and edgy. The Iron Mask fuses historical fiction, classic literature, and Prohibition-era Toronto into a genre-bending theatrical experience driven by jazz, grit, and high-stakes drama. We think it’s a must-see for fans of musicals, lovers of crime dramas, and anyone craving something daring, theatrical, and totally fresh. The Iron Mask isn’t just a show: it’s a spectacle. 

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: People Suck was the top-selling show of the 2015 Toronto Fringe, and I think we can all agree that people nowadays suck a whole lot more than they did in 2015, right? That's why we're bringing this expanded 90-minute version home to Toronto, performed by a lineup of legit Canadian musical-theatre rockstars. Come hear us poke fun at the increasing suckiness of our stupid world through glorious song.

Emma VanderMeulen: All That She Wrote sets itself apart because of its large scale and ambitious writing. With a cast of twelve, a four piece band, and a nearly sung through score, this musical aims far beyond what is expected at the Fringe. Surrealist direction by Ally Chozik and choreography by Mara Turenne transport the audience to a curated world which blends the judicial, digital, and inherently queer world of Kris (Blue Free Cooper) and Gemma (Amariah Faulkner) to convey a story with more twists and turns than you would expect. Astonishingly, this is Annika Tupper’s debut as a writer; but the maturity of the story and score invoke a sense that they are an established creator. Its fully orchestrated score (music directed by Nicholas Mustapha), large ensemble cast, and sophisticated approach to rhythm and harmony will have you reconsidering what a show in development can accomplish.

What will most surprise audiences about your show? 

David John Phillips: I think that it’s funny. And thematically dense. And gracefully structured. And emotionally vulnerable and politically important. And funny. Really. It’s a laugh riot.

Douglas Price: I think people will be surprised by how deep and emotional the show gets. When it starts out, it’s easy to assume the entire show will be light and silly; these are, after all, letters of the alphabet. But we soon discover that each character is experiencing some sort of universal struggle and I think people will be surprised to see themselves in each of these characters.

Nina Kaye: Audiences can expect to laugh, but the story about queer characters set in the Victorian era when homosexuality was illegal is surprisingly touching as well. And Dora-nominated puppet designer Michelle Gram’s “super magical” creations.

Adam Francis Proulx: This ain’t your gramma’s puppet show. Sure, it’s full of fun characters and cabaret flair, but what surprises people most is the emotional depth and wide-ranging appeal. It’s got inventive design, high-energy music, and a truly memorable lead performance, all while staying totally family-friendly.

Lauren Naus: Audiences will be surprised by the range of emotions improv can access during our time together. Our show’s main focus is to make our audience laugh, but improv doesn’t always have to be funny. It can be sad, vulnerable, or contemplative. We invite our audience to step into our show with an open mind and be prepared to join us for whatever journey we build together.

Ronit Rubinstein: Maybe how funny it is? Yes, it’s a show about grief, but it’s also a good time. There are also some surprises built into the show, but I can’t go spoiling those ahead of the festival.

Avra Fainer: It’s funnier than you expect – and also more emotional. The show dives into tropes and tears them apart, but it never loses heart. Audiences may come for the spectacle, but they’ll stay for the nuance, the music, and the real human feelings beneath the fairytale mayhem.

Adam Martino: What will most surprise audiences about The Iron Mask is how it blends classic literary inspiration with modern theatrical storytelling. It’s not just a period piece or a musical: it’s a bold mix of dance, narration, live music, and noir drama, where power is as seductive as it is dangerous. Audiences may be surprised to discover though that beneath the glitz of speakeasies and gangster glamour lies a deeply emotional, politically charged story that challenges ideas of control, manipulation, and identity—revealing that the real villain may be the mask we never realize we're wearing. 

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: People Suck translates your pet peeves and daily annoyances into beautiful, hilarious, and all-too relatable songs. And just when you think you can't laugh any more, we'll hit you right in the feels with a ballad that will make you blubber like a baby. Come for the laughs, stay for the validation.

Annika Tupper: People will be surprised by the direction the show goes in. It is campy and queer and cute for the first half of the musical, but things take a dark turn and only spiral from there. People may also be surprised by the sociopolitical elements taken into consideration within the piece. All That She Wrote is set in Saskatchewan, where anti-trans rhetoric and the continued violence towards Indigenous people is ever present, and these aspects did not go ignored in the creation of this piece.

The Fringe “content advice” section contains trigger warnings but also, for some, enticements. What would you like an audience to be prepared for when seeing your production?

David John Phillips: Well, my content warning reads “Nudity and frank talk of sex. But not at the same time.” I think more than the brief nudity, the most possibly unsettling thing is the description of a masochist’s erotic desire – the allure of pain and subservience, and the super-powers such desire can provide.

Douglas Price: They should be prepared for some great music, great singing and lots of alphabet jokes. We don’t have any kinds of strobe lighting or loud noises. We do have some coarse language and audience participation. Audience participants will be chosen before the show and will know exactly what to expect.

Nina Kaye: #1 Clown Comedy with Victor & Priscilla, rated PG, is welcoming and warm, with performers greeting audience members as they arrive at the theatre during the pre-show. You might become attached to these lovable characters even before they appear on stage. The show is in the round, prepare to see and be seen by other audience members. For that reason, we invite you to show up in costume or with historical touches to your wardrobe, Bring a touch of steampunk, Victoriana, or cosplay into our playfully historically inaccurate 19th century styled production. 

Adam Francis Proulx: Unlike a lot of the Pucking Fuppet Co. productions, this one is entirely family friendly - no murder whatsoever, even. But that doesn’t mean that audiences shouldn’t expect sly humour, cheeky chameleon cabaret acts, and a Nathan Lane-esque host doing his best to keep it all together.

Lauren Naus: Everything in our show is made up on the spot. There might be some colourful language and spicy moments. Nothing overly offensive or extreme that you wouldn’t see on network TV.

Ronit Rubinstein: Well, as far as content warnings, of course there will be discussion of the loss of a parent, and grief. There are allusions to WWII, but nothing graphic. There is also some minor audience participation, but it’s all stuff the whole crowd does together, or can volunteer for. As far as enticements . . . there’s at least one whimsical surprise, and possibly even a celebrity appearance. And as I promise at the start of the show, “for every sad, there shall be a funny.”

Avra Fainer: Expect a thrilling blend of spooky vibes, magical mishaps, and bold theatricality. The show features big vocals, dynamic original music, fast-paced scenes, bold costumes, haze effects, and striking visual storytelling. It’s a full-sensory ride through a corrupted fairytale world – strange, sharp, and brimming with chaos.

Adam Martino: The Iron Mask includes themes of violence, betrayal, and power struggles, with scenes of imprisonment and a non-graphic murder. It also explores emotional topics like loss, identity, and difficult moral choices. The show features loud music, stylized fight scenes, and intense emotional moments. Expect a thrilling ride through a world where even the truth wears a mask. 

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: You will see the world's suckiest characters, doing the suckiest things possible. No topic is too taboo. Be prepared for lots of bad language, blasphemy, and a catchy queer cabaret number about the politics of oral sex.

Emma VanderMeulen: Discussions of colonial violence, discussions of sexual assault, depictions of violence, heavy strobe lights, and more swearing and dirty jokes than you would expect.

What do you hope an audience will feel when experiencing your production? 

David John Phillips: Hope, love, a sense of grounding in our shared history.

Douglas Price: We certainly want them to feel joy. And if, at times, they feel empathy for what the characters in Ctrl Alt Delete: An Alphabetical Musical are going through, that’s great too. Overall, we want our audience to experience just a really fun 60 mins at the theatre.

Nina Kaye: I hope the audience feels the love in the room. There has been a lot of joy working with this team and these characters. I think the central theme of the plays with Victor & Priscilla is acceptance and belonging. These cross-dressing clowns are messy, passionate, moody, over the top, flawed and imperfect: but they are always lovable. I hope the theatre audience has the feeling of found family when they join us. 

Adam Francis Proulx: I think people leave Emilio’s A Million Chameleons with a feeling of joy. It is meant to make us all embrace our inner sparkle - the thing that makes us special.

Lauren Naus: By interviewing an audience member and doing the show based on their life story, we hope the audience will not only laugh, but resonate with it on a deeper level. We have been told in the past that our improv show was like therapy, and we think that being able to laugh at yourself, and see yourself in the improv makes the laughs hit even harder.

Ronit Rubinstein: Of course, I hope to entertain audiences, and make them laugh. The show might also kick them in the heart, but only in the most loving, supportive, and metaphorical way. But, more than anything, I want audiences to find their own way into the material. I’m telling stories about my dad, and our family, but experiences of loss and grief are pretty universal. I’d love to spark memories of the audience’s loved ones, of their particular quirks and stories.

Avra Fainer: Moved. A little wrecked in the best way. Like they just walked through someone else’s dream and came out changed. We hope they feel seen, stirred, and just a bit haunted.

Adam Martino: We hope the audience feels electrified, unsettled, and deeply moved. Audiences may feel the thrill of a heist, the tension of betrayal, and the heartbreak of loss—but ultimately, we want them to leave questioning the forces that divide us and the power we all have to unmask the truth.

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: A deep sense of relatability.

Annika Tupper: I hope people feel seen, curious, and horrified by what they witness. They’ll have a freaking blast, but will probably feel a little bad about having fun once it’s over. I don’t think audiences will expect the questions they’ll have about their relationship to justice and how it relates to the greater “justice” system at hand.

What is the most exciting element about being part of the Fringe?

David John Phillips: There’s something about being one part of a huge collaborative event that’s just thrilling. We’re all doing this together.

Douglas Price: For us, it’s the chance to share our work while at the same time connecting with other Toronto-based musical theatre creators. It’s such a cool thing to be part of the Alliance for Canadian Musicals and get to hang out with others who are just as passionate about new Canadian musical theatre as we are.

Nina Kaye: There are so many clown, drag and puppet shows this year, along with a new award from What The Festival to recognize excellence in this category. We are lucky to be one of the shows in the running for the new Strange Maker Award.

Adam Francis Proulx: I have been touring fringe festivals for over a decade now and I love it. I love the audiences, the wide array of shows to see, the party atmosphere. I particularly love coming home to do Toronto Fringe because it’s nice to sleep in my own bed while doing shows for a change. This year I’m on the cover of the program and on all the subway ads and stuff. I am particularly excited about inevitably seeing my photo defaced in some crude manner.

Lauren Naus: The most exciting element about being a part of the Fringe is getting to bring our show to a wider audience. We are thrilled to be able to put up the show for people that might not have seen a lot of improv before and share the joy of this art form.

Ronit Rubinstein: I love the sense of community and adventure that comes with the Fringe. Getting to meet other artists from all over the world, having audiences take a chance on your show just because someone at the Fringe tent told them to check it out . . . It’s so rare to experience a week and a half of people being this excited about indie art. It’s thrilling to be a part of it!

Avra Fainer: Fringe is where bold work lives – where artists take risks and weirdness thrives. It’s a space where stories like ours, told from the heart and outside the box, can actually land in the laps of people who need them. That’s magic. Especially for queer creators trying to tell the stories we’ve never seen.

Adam Martino: My favourite part of performing at the Fringe Festival is, first and foremost, that it is an incredible artistic incubator. It offers emerging creators a rare and vital opportunity to develop bold, original work: pushing boundaries, breaking rules, and ultimately driving innovation in our industry.  

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: Getting to share our offensive little musical with the world, being part of the vibrant and diverse Fringe community, and seeing all the brilliant work so many of our dearest pals have been making.

Emma VanderMeulen: Getting to be surrounded by so much new work and seeing just how much the Fringe uplifts these artists has been so inspiring. Makeshift’s whole mission is developing and producing original Canadian musicals, and it’s really special for us to be a part of the Fringe and especially in Derrick Chua’s Alliance for Canadian Musicals.

What are up to three other shows that you’re looking forward to seeing at the Fringe and why?

David John Phillips: Pornstar(i), because it promises to use queer sexuality and pleasure to explore “identity, acceptance, and the complexities of breaking free from societal expectations.” Temple of Desire, because it promises to use queer sexuality and pleasure to “reclaim a pre-colonial world where the divine and the sensual unite with splendour and power.” Things My Dad Kept, because, years after it happened to me, I’m still in awe of the creative, unsettling, archetypal power that the death of one’s father can release.

Douglas Price: Potato Potato. It’s such a great title and one of our cast members, Taj Crozier, is in it. People Suck. Again, a great title, and a member of our collective, Michelle Nash, is in it. Almost Ever After. We’re big fans of Andrew Seok’s work and we are really inspired by his ability to bring fresh/new work to Fringe every year. We’re excited to see what he’s got this year.

Nina Kaye: Frat Haus: Evicted looks like delightfully silly drag king fun. Sweet & Sultry Burlesque, blending comedy, burlesque, clowns and drag, has a fun rotating cast including artist to watch Srutika Sabu (part of the Victor & Priscilla team at Alumnae Theatre) and Ken Hall (from Umbrella Academy) who is always a joy to watch. Oh! I Miss The War is a solo show about queer history that, like our show, uses Polari, a rich, creative, theatrical, historical queer slang.

Adam Francis Proulx: I always struggle with this because I don’t want to leave out any of my friends... and often my friends (who have been at this for a while) aren’t the ones that need help anyways. But here goes: The Zucchini Club by Alexander Mantia. Alex actually helped me sew the puppets from Emilio’s A Million Chameleons and I’m so excited he’s started down his own solo show journey. People Suck: a musical airing of grievances. Not only are my friends Megan Phillips and Pete Cavell remounting their hugely successful musical, but I’m so excited to see my dear friend Liana Bdéwi featured in this particular cast as well. She is my puppet co-star on season 2 of The Fabulous Show with Fay and  Fluffy now out on Family Jr. A Sexy Pigeon Show. I know absolutely nothing about this show, but this is exactly the kind of Fringe title that I’m here for. Also, a blanket “yes” to any show with a cheeky pun, drag element, or questionable animal-human hybrid.

Lauren Naus: Judge Mintz. An improvised daytime judge program featuring many up and coming comedy stars and even established Canadian comedy icons. They aren’t listed in the fringe program so word of mouth is the best way to ensure people see this incredible show. David Lynch’s Seinfeld. I think the title sells the show itself. From the twisted minds of some of our favorite comedians in Toronto and starring some of our most talented and chaotic friends in the Toronto comedy community. An episode of Seinfeld that devolves into a Lynchian nightmare. Sweet & Sultry is this super fun burlesque and drag show where clowns and comedians get sexy on purpose—and somehow it totally works. It’s playful, it’s funny, it’s a little spicy. Every show has a different lineup of talented folks from Sweet Action Theatre Company, so you never know what you’re gonna get. You’ll laugh, you’ll maybe swoon, and you’ll definitely want to come back.

Ronit Rubinstein: I can’t wait to see Laura Anne Harris’s Have Fun Kids; it’s a tremendously beautiful piece about losing a friend to suicide, which I was lucky enough to catch a preview of. Just in case one solo show about grief isn’t enough . . . we’ve taken to calling our combined shows “Griefapalooza." Every performance will be unique, and anyone who has seen her previous work knows how charismatic and talented a performer Laura is. I’m also really looking forward to Mosa McNeilly’s piece In the Diving Bell, which is a site-specific work happening in an art gallery. Mosa is combining clown, dance, and large-scale visual art to tell a story about the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. Now, that I have to see. I love Mosa’s visual art, and I suspect her live performance will be even more powerfully compelling.

Avra Fainer: I’m seeing around 20 shows so there are a lot I’m very excited for. A few standouts: People Suck: A biting and hilarious musical theatre song-cycle that skewers everyday humanity. With top-tier talent, it promises both gutsy comedy and musical polish. I’ve heard it’s sharp, bold, and laugh-out-loud cathartic. Apothecary: A magical, feminist musical set in a timeless sanctuary where women care for one another across generations. The concept is deeply moving, and the creative team is stacked with Fringe veterans. I love stories that blend care and complexity. Iris (says Goodbye): A genre-bending musical with audience-driven structure and a haunting setting. The idea of a soul choosing its next life in a liminal airport space is so inventive, and I’m fascinated by shows that reinvent themselves every night. Almost Ever After: A romantic musical inspired by Love Actually and set to a lush, original pop-rock score. It looks like a smart, sweet, and sharply contemporary take on modern love – and I’m a sucker for big emotions and catchy songs.

Adam Martino: It’s nearly impossible to choose only three. That said, Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl, People Suck: a musical airing of grievances, and All That She Wrote definitely stand out. They are all exciting pieces of escapism theatre that are equal parts fun, exciting and leave audiences with an incredible message. But honestly, there are so many exciting shows this year, the list could go on forever.

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: Apothecary: we loved their last show, Every Silver Lining, and are so excited to see their latest creation. Don't Fall In: we caught a sneak peak of their songs last week, they're lovely. And their creative team is a kind and enthusiastic bunch. Killy Willy has a great premise. A musical performed by whales? Sign us up! (Plus they saved our butts by loaning us a guitar capo in our hour of need, so we will love them forever.)

Emma VanderMeulen: I am super excited to see Potato Potato by Emma Golden. She is a classmate of mine, and I have seen this show grow since its conception in our Writing for Musical Theatre class. I am so excited to see just how much it has continued to grow in the Fringe setting, and I know it’s going to have audiences absolutely cracking up. I’m also really pumped to see The Zucchini Club. Makeshift Company’s artist in residence, Jessa Richer, worked on the music for the show, and I am personally a big fan of a good puppet show. Alexander Mantia, the creator of The Zucchini Club was also a huge support for us during our run of The Calling at the beginning of the year. Finally, I can’t wait to see Killy Willy. We’re big fans of First Born Theatre, and we’ve interacted lots over the course of the Fringe, both being runner-ups for The Adams Prize and rehearsing in the same venue. Their show is unlike anything I’ve ever heard of and I’m so excited to dive in! Pun intended.

Is there anything that you’d like to add about your show?

David John Phillips: Buy tickets! See it early in the run so you can tell all your friends to see it, too. ASL interpreted performance on July 6 at 1:45.

Douglas Price: Our show is gonna be 60 mins of non-stop fun, music and mayhem. It’s like the alphabetical version of Survivor; each letter is gonna fight tooth and nail to keep their jobs and it’ll all come down to a jury of audience members who will be tasked with making the final decision.

Nina Kaye: We’re delighted to be performing at VideoCabaret’s Deanne Taylor Theatre in Leslieville in their inaugural year with Toronto Fringe. We feel our show fits perfectly with their lengthy past programming of playfully historical cross-dressing clowns.

Adam Francis Proulx: This show’s had quite the journey — from development at Tarragon to an Off-Broadway run, and even a touring school production from Neptune Theatre in Halifax. It’s a show that continues to grow and resonate — and I’m so excited to share it again here at home.

Lauren Naus: Individually our performers have performed with The Second City Toronto, won The World’s Biggest Improv Tournament, performed and taught improv internationally across Europe and North America, and more. If you’re not sure about improv, don’t worry, you’re in good hands.

Ronit Rubinstein: We have some PWYC tickets. And every single performance in the run is a relaxed performance. So if cost, or concern about the sensory experience were giving you pause, please know that you are wanted at our show. And a lot of other Fringe shows, too. Happy Fringing!

Avra Fainer: This isn’t just a show about stories – it’s a show inside a story, with all the mess, magic, and meaning that implies. If you’ve ever felt like you were living inside a draft that wasn’t quite working: this one’s for you.

Adam Martino: Breakaway Entertainment strives to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling by creating musicals where dance takes center stage. Our productions use movement as the primary narrative force, supported by music and minimal scene work to craft bold, powerful theatrical moments. We believe this unique approach is what sets us apart within the rich and diverse lineup of this year’s Fringe Festival.

Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips: Buy your tickets now, our entire run, as of June 16, is over 25 percent sold, and we will sell out.

Emma VanderMeulen: If you are sensitive to depictions of violence or strobe lights, tread lightly and consider our content warnings, but bear in mind that we also want to shock and disturb audiences for the sake of the story, not gratuitously.