There’s always excitement inherent in attending each year’s Toronto Fringe Festival, which brings together a selection of performances – all chosen by lottery(!), no audition required – for a week of drama, humour, and more than a bit of music. Founded in 1989, the Toronto Fringe Festival is a ground-breaking platform for indie artists. Shows in the festival aren’t curated, instead trusting in a process of pure-luck lottery, as much likely to generate amateurish duds as it is to select a future Tony winner. (Yes, this has happened.)
At Toronto Fringe, all ticket revenue is returned directly to the artists, the festival itself only keeping enough in fees to cover its staff and box office system. Inspired by the Edinburgh Fringe, the Toronto Fringe has quietly earned a reputation for impressive shows, which often go on to earn full-staged productions on major stages across Canada and worldwide. Past favourites include the hilarious Jaws parody/homage Giant Killer Shark: The Musical and Atomic Vaudeville’s moving, off-kilter Ride the Cyclone.
The humble annual festival has similarly been the proving ground for a decent number of hits, ranging from the Tony Award-winning The Drowsy Chaperone (1999), which started off as essentially a private joke between Bob Martin and Don McKellar, to Boy Falls From the Sky (2019), Jake Epstein’s delightful one-man show describing the ups and downs of life as a would-be Broadway star. Kim’s Convenience (2011) was a “Patron’s Pick” before making its way to television and many, many, repeat productions nationwide.
As the Festival wraps up, all eyes are on this year’s “Best of Fringe”, where many a show – and audience member – hope to find the next Kim’s Convenience or Drowsy Chaperone. Best of Fringe is a three-day, jury-selected showcase running July 18 to 20 at the Meridian Arts Centre in North York. The programme features five boundary-pushing, crowd-winning shows handpicked by jury from over 100 Fringe performances – an opportunity to catch again the shows you loved from the Fest, or to experience them before they disappear (possibly forever!).
Individual tickets are $25 and are now on sale. Details below, recaps courtesy the Festival:
David Lynch’s Seinfeld (Goop2 Productions). Written and directed by Paul Aihoshi, Guy Bradford, Colin Sharpe.
An original episode of Seinfeld that descends into a Lynchian nightmare. Starring a cast of current and former members of the Second City, the Sketchersons, and the Bad Dog Theatre Company, comes a surreal reimagining of Seinfeld through the dreamlike, disturbing lens of David Lynch.
Iris (says goodbye) (Mixtape Projects). Music and lyrics by Ben Kopp; book by Margot Greve.
A haunting, bittersweet original musical about memory, farewells, and the liminal space between dreams and letting go. In a giant, endless airport where souls await their final departure, Iris has been granted the rare opportunity to return to earth and live another life. Each night, audience members will determine Iris’s journey by selecting eight acts of 20 to be performed in the order they are selected—meaning every night is a completely unique performance!
My Pet Lizard, Liz: The Shakespearean Existential Crisis That Led to his Ultimate Demise (The Lost Scribe Collective). Written and performed by Shaharah “Gaz” Gaznabbi.
When an out-of-work actor pours his heart—and Shakespeare monologues—into his beloved pet lizard, things take a turn for the existential. Part one-person show, part tragicomedy, and 100% absurd, this hilariously heartfelt story explores grief, burnout, and what happens when your emotional support animal starts having an emotional crisis of his own.
Playground, A New Family Musical (Catchy Tune). Music and Lyric by Jack Grunsky
Story created by Olivia Daniels, Elly Barlin-Daniels and Amanda Freedman
Based on the songs of Juno Award-winning children’s singer-songwriter Jack Grunsky and suitable for children four to 12, Playground is a joyful family musical performed by an intergenerational cast aged 20 to 80, including veteran performer Joe Matheson.
Things My Dad Kept (Mom & Pop Productions). Written and performed by Ronit Rubinstein.
A touching solo piece about memory, love, and the unexpected ways we carry those we’ve lost. After discovering her dad had kept everything she ever made—from childhood drawings to stories—she begins to unpack not just objects, but the life they represent. While often funny, it’s not a comedy; it’s a beautiful, deeply relatable exploration of grief, connection, and the stories we tell to keep people alive
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Friday, July 18:
7 pm – Iris (says goodbye)
9:30 pm – David Lynch’s Seinfeld
Saturday, July 19:
12 pm – David Lynch’s Seinfeld
2:30 pm – My Pet Lizard, Liz: The Shakespearean Existential Crisis That Led to his Ultimate Demise
6 pm – Playground
8:30 pm – Things My Dad Kept
Sunday, July 20:
12 pm – Playground
2:30 pm – Things My Dad Kept
6 pm – My Pet Lizard, Liz: The Shakespearean Existential Crisis That Led to his Ultimate Demise
8:30 pm – Iris (says goodbye)
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Tickets are available online at www.tolive.com, by phone at 416-366-7723 and 1-800-708-6754, and in person at the Meridian Hall box office (1 Front Street East) and the Meridian Arts Centre box office (5040 Yonge Street), Monday to Friday, 1 pm to 6 pm.
TO Live box office phone and email support operates 1 pm to 6 pm Monday to Friday. Online sales operate 24 hours a day.
