Fringe Preview 2012: Something Different

Anything goes at the Fringe. Literally. Anything. So why go for the straight and narrow when you can hop on a bus or participate in a months-long biotech internship?

You think we’re kidding.

One in a Million (a micromusical)

Fringetastic



Friday, July 6, 8:45 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 1:45 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 10, 3:15 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 15, 12:00 p.m.



Randolph Theatre (736 Bathurst Street)

We think the reason this show is being referred to as a “micromusical” is that its story, about “four very determined fellows on a quest to get to the egg,” takes place on a microscopic scale. The term certainly doesn’t refer to the creative team. Sam Sholdice has put music to veteran Fringe playwright Ron Fromstein’s “conceptual” comedy, and they have a full live band, plus a cast of seven Canadian musical theatre and comedy stalwarts, including Jeff Giles (Buddy in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story), Aurora Browne (Throne of Games, CTV’s Comedy Inc., Plan 9 From Outer Space: The Musical), and Blair Irwin (The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan), who plays the object of biological desire.

(Steve Fisher)

The Princess of Porn: The Musical

Me and Snow White



Wednesday, July 4, 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 11:00 p.m.

Monday, July 9, 4:45 p.m.

Wednesday, July, 11 6 9:15 p.m.

Thursday, July, 12 1:45 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 14, 7:30 p.m.



Randolph Theatre (736 Bathurst Street)

It’s a play that combines pornography, fairy tales, and musical theatre. If you can’t find something appealing about this show, you’re either a giant prude or are just trying to be difficult.

(Chris Dart)

[ZED.TO] ByoLogyc: Where You Become New

The Mission Business



Wednesday, July 4, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 5, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 6, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, July 9, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 14, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 15, 7:30 p.m.



The Annex Wreckroom (794 Bathurst Street)

Give one-and-a-half hours of your time to [ZED.TO] ByoLogyc: Where You Become New and reap the benefits on and offline for the next four months. This creation of The Mission Business—a collective of creators of theatre, digital media, and game design—is the latest in immersive theatre in Toronto. It’s part of an alternate-reality game, in which participants can receive alerts, updates, and missions from the fictional biotech corp ByoLogyc. The project is making its public debut every day throughout Fringe. ByoLogyc’s latest product, ByoRenewal, will have repercussions that last long after the end of the show.

(Carly Maga)

Camp Schecky: A Play on a Bus

Sassy Roo Productions



Wednesday, July 4, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 5, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 6, 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 14, 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 14, 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 15, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 15, 3:00 p.m.



Honest Ed’s Parking Lot (581 Bloor Street West)

On the heels of her success at last year’s Fringe as a part of the cast of Swoon!, Nicki Gallo returns with a show that gathers audience members on a big yellow school bus before taking them on a trip back to a formative (and possibly traumatic) time in life. For those who were deprived of a proper camp experience, this a chance to meet an eccentric cast of camp counsellors and see what sort of tomfoolery happened on the bus ride alone. As Gallo is a veteran of Second City, expect loads of hilarious improv, and don’t be surprised to find yourself joining in on one of those requisite camp singalongs.

(Kevin Scott)

Dina: The Burlapped Crusader

Footpath Productions



Thursday, July 5, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 2:15 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, July 9, 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 7:00 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 11:30 p.m.



Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace (16 Ryerson Avenue)

It’s taken a few years for Fringe, but audiences seem to have finally learned to silence their phones before the show starts. Now, Claire Acott’s titular vigilante is breaking the fourth wall and urging people to unlearn their good manners. The Burlapped Crusader will actively encourage audience members to tweet and text at her (and her stage management team) during the course of the show. Even if you aren’t in the audience, you’ll be able to participate by following @Burlap_Crusader, as Dina attempts to lead a crowdsourced local revolution against “congestion, pollution, smartphones, and one angry mayor.” (Yes, we wonder at that smartphone contradiction, too.)

(Steve Fisher)

Gay Nerds

Misnomer Theatre Company



Wednesday, July 4, 10:30 p.m.

Friday, July 6, 5:15 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, July 10, 5:45 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 4:30 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 14, 4:30 p.m.



Factory Mainspace (125 Bathurst Street)

A spin-off from the newish web series of the same name, Gay Nerds finds the two titular geeks—Sam (Ryan Kerr) and Ralphie (Robert Keller)—stuck in a Fringe play with their homegirl Lana (Kirsten Dahlin Nolan). The trio are forced to create a story out of nerd culture references or risk being trapped on stage forever. The poster for this play has a picture of two penis-shaped lightsabers. That alone should be enough to sell you.

(Chris Dart)

jem rolls: TEN STARTS AND AN END

Big Word Performance Poetry



Thursday, July 5, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 10:15 p.m.

Tuesday, July 10, 6:15 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 10:15 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 6:45 p.m.

Sunday, July 15, 7:45 p.m.



George Ignatieff Theatre (15 Devonshire Place)

A Fringe perennial, Jem Rolls doesn’t talk so much as let words flow freely from his mouth. The publicity material promises “a lyrical evocation of the joys and possibilities of language,” including a threat to unleash the longest tongue-twister in Canadian history. Given his rapid-fire ability to play with the English language, we’re sure whatever unfurls will be a humdinger.

(Jamie Bradburn)

The Soaps

The National Theatre Company of the World



Friday, July 6, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 7, 4:00 p.m.

Monday, July 9, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 11:15 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 9:15 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 15, 2:45 p.m.



St. Vladimir’s Theatre (620 Spadina Avenue)

The National Theatre Company of the World is back for a second year of nightly improvised soapy action. The backdrop is the War of 1812. What sudsy intrigue and lust lurks on the battlefront and amid a colony about to be invaded? A late addition that isn’t in the printed Fringe guide, this show is marked as one of the festival’s fundraising shows.

(Jamie Bradburn)

Tick

Lallygag Theatre



Thursday, July 5, 8:15 p.m.

Sunday, July 8, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, July 9, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 11, 2:15 p.m.

Thursday, July 12, 4:00 p.m.

Friday, July 13, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 14, 5:45 p.m.



George Ignatieff Theatre (15 Devonshire Place)

Originally presented at the 2010 Edmonton fringe festival, Matthew McKenzie’s play has been revamped to reflect its current surroundings. Instead of a 10-year-old girl leading the fight against a local curfew, it’s now the story of a 10-year-old girl leading the fight against the closure of her local library, a branch undoubtedly targeted during the Ford administration’s budget circus. McKenzie’s previous Toronto fringe credits include 2010’s SIA.

(Jamie Bradburn)

This post originally stated that Aurora Browne had appeared in Game of Thrones. She has appeared in Throne of Games. We regret the error.