LGBTQ+ performers will take the stage at Philadelphia Fringe Festival 2024

By
Liz Declan
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A scene from the play "War and Play," where three actors are on stage, each dressed in colorful, distinct costumes. On the left, an actor in a blue jumpsuit and black hat stands with one hand on their hip, looking upwards and appearing to sing or speak. In the center, another actor wearing a yellow top with blue embroidery, a green skirt, and yellow tights holds up a bright yellow ball, smiling as they look at it. On the right, the third actor is dressed in a red and white blouse with a red headscarf and a multicolored striped skirt, smiling at the other two. In the background, a clothesline with a gray sweater and black gloves hangs above them, suggesting a domestic or whimsical setting. The overall mood of the scene appears joyful and playful.
Danielle Levsky, Mariko Iwasa and Ania Upstill in 'War and Play.' (Photo: Bjorn Bolinder)

The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, hosted by FringeArts, is returning Sept. 5-29 and will feature shows and events presented by hundreds of local, national and international performing artists. Events will represent a range of performances, including dance, comedy, spoken word, theater and more.

The festival is open to any artist with a show and venue who meets the festival’s deadlines, so not all events have an LGBTQ+ focus or are produced and presented by LGBTQ+ artists. However, LGBTQ+ art and artists are an essential part of this festival, and this community has long been part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival’s 27-year history.

Below is a roundup of some LGBTQ+ performances taking place this year. (Editor’s note: To read a full interview with one of this year’s performers, Quentin Charles Williams — who will perform his solo show, “Where Sunflowers Dance,” Sept. 26-28 — check out this week’s Portrait.)

“DELIVERY BOY” (Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. and Sept. 6 at 5 p.m. at Maas Building Studio, 1320 N 5th St.) Philadelphia-based playwright and producer Jaden Alvaro Gines is presenting “DELIVERY BOY,” a seriocomedy exploring lower-middle class America and the American Dream at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. The performance will also reveal insights into mental illness and generational trauma, connecting these experiences to the societal and economic context in which they exist. Tickets are $25.

“My Big Fang Vampire Wedding” (Sept. 5-8 and Sept. 12-15 at 8 p.m. at Ulana’s Nightclub, 205 Bainbridge St.) REV Theatre Company presents “My Big Fang Vampire Wedding,” an immersive cabaret show featuring Count Dracula and his singing brides at their wedding reception. This event also incorporates music by the local Philadelphia queer band Downdresser, which includes Mike Collins, Samuel Harper, Viola Pasquerello, Mattie Wentz and Diana Williamson. Tickets for this cabaret event are $30.

A theatrical scene from the play "My Big Fang Vampire Wedding" features four performers on a metal scaffold. Three of them, dressed in elaborate white wedding dresses with lace details, have pale faces and dramatic makeup, evoking a ghostly, vampiric appearance. They lean or sit on the scaffold, appearing languid or mysterious. The fourth performer, positioned centrally above them, wears a black corset, thigh-high stockings, and a small top hat, with exaggerated white face makeup and dark eyes, extending their arms outward in a dramatic gesture. The lighting casts ominous shadows, adding to the eerie, gothic atmosphere of the scene.
Rudy Caporaso, Riley Irvine, Tabbie Wismer and Stevie Reynolds in “My Big Fang Vampire Wedding.” (Photo credit: RA Radford)

“Iris’ ‘I’M OKAY’ Tea Party” (Sept. 14 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. at Sawubona Creativity Project, 1935 E. Passyunk Ave.) Paper Doll Ensemble is hosting “Iris’ ‘I’M OKAY’ Tea Party” at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival this year. This absurdist tragicomedy is created and performed by Grayce Carson, co-founder of Paper Dolls, and will challenge common notions of chronic illness with comedy and levity. Tickets for this interactive performance are $5.

“Poor Judge” (Sept. 11-13, 15, 17-20, 22 at 7 p.m.; Sept. 14 and 21 at 8 p.m.; and Sept. 15 and 21-22 at 2 p.m. at The Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St.) “Poor Judge,” presented by drag queen and Pig Iron Theatre Company co-founder Dito van Reigersberg, is a dance-theater cabaret show that weaves together a story of lost love, espionage and Hollywood auditions. “Poor Judge” will also feature the music of Aimee Mann and is directed by Pig Iron’s new artistic producer, Eva Steinmetz. Tickets are $20.

This image is a promotional poster for the dance-theatre cabaret titled "Poor Judge," presented by Pig Iron Theatre Company. The poster features a group of performers, all dressed similarly in colorful, patterned shirts and wearing long, blonde wigs and glasses. They are standing in a line, looking directly at the camera with serious expressions. The title "Poor Judge" is prominently displayed in bold orange letters, with a subtitle indicating that the show features the music of Aimee Mann. The event is part of the 2024 Philly Fringe Festival, running from September 11-22, 2024, and is presented by FringeArts in association with the Wilma Theater. The background of the poster has a retro, muted tone, giving it a vintage feel.
The show poster for ‘Poor Judge.’ (Photo: Courtesy of Pig Iron Theatre Company)

“War and Play: A Clown Odyssey of Survival” (Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. at Maas Building Studio, 1320 N 5th St.) Danielle Levsky is presenting a wonderfully unique interactive clown show titled “War and Play.” The show will use humor, theater, and storytelling to explore the Russian invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the interplay of joy and grief and the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Eastern Europe. Tickets are $25.

“Carmilla: A Dance with Death” (Sept. 26-28 at 8:30 p.m. at The Louis Bluver Theatre at the Drake, 302 S. Hicks St.) Next Life Theatre Company is presenting “Carmilla: A Dance with Death,” a dance-theater play based on the novella “Carmilla” by Joseph Sheridan le Fanu. This play tells a unique queer love story through a vampiric nightclub lens. This is also the very first production of the Next Life Theatre Company. Tickets are $5.

This image features Michael John Ciszewski, a performer, standing against a neutral gray background. He is wearing a sleeveless, shiny black top and light brown pants. His expression is intense and focused, with beads of sweat visible on his face and arms. He holds a martini glass upside down above his head with one hand, while his other hand is clenched in a fist, creating a dramatic and dynamic pose. The lighting highlights the contours of his muscles, and the overall mood of the image is tense and energetic.
Michael John Ciszewski in a promotional photo for ‘IF MEMORY SERVES.’ (Photo: @IAmZekeD)

“IF MEMORY SERVES” (Sept. 26 and Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. and Sept 27-28 at 8:30 p.m. at Christ Church Neighborhood House, Harding Room, 20 N American St.) Michael John Ciszewski will present his solo show, “IF MEMORY SERVES,” at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival this year. Impressively, this show was long-listed for the Queer Performer’s Award at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the very festival that inspired the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Tickets for this comedic solo performance are $25.

“BLACK WOOD: WINTERBORN” (Sept. 5-8, 11-15, 18-22, and 25-29 at 8 p.m. at The Latvian Society, 531 N. 7th St.) Gunnar Montana Productions is presenting “BLACK WOOD: WINTERBORN” throughout the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, and extending into October. This thrilling performance, telling the story of forbidden love and a murderous coven, is a sequel to “BLACK WOOD” and will be presented for the first time ever during this event. Tickets are $49.

Philadelphia Fringe Festival will take place Sept. 5-29. For more information and a full list of events, visit phillyfringe.org.

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