What the Fringe?! – Details, episodes & analysis

WTF we completed the first season! As What the Fringe?! comes to a close for 2024, Lauren sits down with Amelia Peterson, director and developer of Holy O. The ladies dish on Amelia’s most recent projects in Knoxville, Lauren’s 2024 fringe season, and the WTF Awards (who knew)! What the Fringe saw 49 shows this fringe season and has a few awards to give out before we take a short break. Don’t worry, What the Fringe?! will return in 2025 with a whole new roster of artists and advice for your fringe journey.

Learn more about River & Rail Theatre

Follow What the Fringe?! on Instagram @whatthefringe_podcast

Visual artist Ruby Arnold of Spec Theatre shares her insight on WTF design and visual aesthetics are essential to the creation of fringe shows. Ruby has been working with Spec since 2016 as a designer and creative contributor, creating posters, props, puppets, merchandise, and more. Spec Theatre is well-known across the Canadian fringe circuit and has a reputation for presenting outrageous and thought-provoking shows that explore contemporary society.

Keep up with Ruby on Instagram @rubymakesthings

Learn more about Ruby's creative endeavors on her website. (We love Ruby's work; she was the creative drive behind the WTF logo. So, WTF are you waiting for? Hire her already!)

Learn more about ⁠Spec Theatre⁠.

WTF would hot dogs and dead guys help make a couple of theater makers become a fringe favorite? Today, Jake Mierva and Danylo Loutchko of an alleged Theatre Company tell us all about their fringe journey and how fringe has helped them push the boundaries of creativity to make shows that connect with audiences.

Learn more about an alleged Theatre Company

Keep up with an alleged Theatre Company on Instagram and Facebook @allegedtheatre

Timothy Kelly and Rachel Ropella were undergraduate theatre students who, on a whim, said, "WTF, let's apply for the Minnesota Fringe." After a few short years, the duo turned into Melancholics Anonymous. Due to the company's massive success at the Minnesota Fringe, Melancholics Anonymous has become a staple of the Minnesota theatre community. Hear all about their story and their newest show, Beanie Baby Divorce Play, which will debut at the 2024 Minnesota Fringe.

Learn more about Melancholics Anonymous on their WEBSITE.

Keep up with their antics on social media on Instagram @MelancholicsMN and FB at Melancholics Anonymous

We sit down with Martin Dockery, arguably one of the best fringe performers in North America, to talk about making a living as a full-time fringe artist, WTF fringe is so important, and all about his newest shows.  Martin is a Brooklyn-based artist who spends much of the year touring his 12 one-person shows and 7 two-person plays. He’s performed at over 100 fringe festivals, winning 50+ awards along the way.

Find out more about Martin on his WEBSITE

Keep up with him on Social Media on Instagram @martindockery1 and Facebook @martindockery

Happy World Fringe Day! We did something super fringey and put out an open call to our fringey friends. Today’s episode features 14 different productions complete with the best fringe stories and advice!

Check out all of the productions on their websites and follow them on Instagram! Better yet, go see the shows!!! WTF are you waiting for?!

Dear Annie, I Hate You | @dearannie_ihateyou

Non-Player Character: Live Virtual Reality Musical | @brendanAbradley

Bangs, Bobs & Banter: Confessions of a Hairstylist | @gravity_theatre

That's So Magically Meta | @magicallymeta

Whore's Eye View | @oldprosonline

CRISPR: The Musical! | @crispr_the_musical

Main Street Players | @terryfykemsp

Do This One Thing for Me | @dothisonethingforme

Art Of Selling Out | @JackiThrappp

Cirque Us Stories  | @thecirqueus

Whatever Fate Decides | @whateverfatedecides

Colored Silk: A Civil War Odyssey  | @colored.silk

Meet Me in Buenos Aires | @florencia_iriondo

A Letter To Lyndon B Johnson Or God: Whoever Reads This First | @xhloeandnatasha

Reference articles concerning Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s veto of state-wide arts funding.

Orlando Weekly Article

NPR Report

CBS Miami Deep Dive

If you like WTF's theme music, you will love today's guest! Paul Snider of Orchestra of Sound (and creator of our theme song) is joining us to talk all things fringe and being a working artist. He is one fascinating dude and you will learn so much from him.

Connect with Paul on his WEBSITE.

Keep up with his production on Instagram @theorchestraofsound and on Facebook at Orchestra of Sound

Get more than just a peek behind the curtain in Kimberly Prentice's new solo show, Unseen, which won Best One-Woman Show at the 2023 United Solo Theatre Festival. Utilizing the journey of dressers and other backstage workers, Unseen reaches into deeper truths of WTF it feels like to be unseen. Kimberly Prentice is a writer/actor/singer/dancer/producer who has also been a Broadway dresser for over 25 years. Not only does Kimberly give us the dish on her newest Fringe show, but she also gives us a glimpse into what it's like working in the theatre industry in New York City for decades.

If you have been to the Midwest, you know it is delightful, and if you haven't, WTF are you waiting for?! The Omaha Fringe Festival is making its way in the Midwest and is well worth your time. The Omaha Fringe strives to bring the different members of the Omaha theatre community together for one open-access and inclusive festival where theatre artists can experiment with new works, and audiences can experience new theatrical movements. The Omaha Fringe Festival 2024 runs August 8-11.

Learn more about the Omaha Fringe Festival.

Follow the Omaha Fringe Festival on Instagram @omahafringefestival and on Facebook at Omaha Fringe Festival.

WTF is the best way to deal with trauma? With humor of course! Maarika Freund discusses her show PEACHES: THE PLAY and how she was able to process and then turn the most traumatic experience of her life into a comedy. Plus, hear how Maarika became one of our fringe besties.

Maarika co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in the web series “Millie & Midge,” has had her work featured at the L.A. Comedy Festival, and is the creator of PEACHES: THE PODCAST, which is being developed into a television series. Maarika is a founding member of My Voice, My Choice, an initiative that successfully changed the Canadian Criminal Code on October 26th, 2023, in order to secure better rights for victims of s*xual assault.

*A note to listeners: this episode contains discussions of s*xual violence. If this is not for you at this time, please let this episode pass, and we will catch you next time.

Learn more about Maarika on her WEBSITE.

Keep up with Maarika on Instagram @peaches.thepodcast and @maarikaisfunny

If you need assistance with s*xual violence, please reach out to:

Ending Violence Association of Canada

RAINN in the US

The Survivors Trust in the UK