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Bad Auditions By Bad Actors

RIT Players presents Bad Auditions by Bad Actors, written by Ian McWethy and directed by Charlie Solari. This hilarious and relatable comedy brings to life the chaos and absurdity of the audition process. With a brilliant blend of witty dialogue and over-the-top characters, the play takes a lighthearted approach to exploring the universal experiences of aspiring actors and the mishaps that occur when talent meets incompetence.

Length: 30 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Little: Theatre 1
Genre: Theatre

Best Films! RIT School of Film and Animation

Enjoy the very best animation, fiction, documentary, and experimental films made by students during the 2022-2023 academic year and selected by the faculty of Rochester Institute of Technology’s famed School of Film and Animation. Witness the future of media in one evening of delightful and diverse entertainment from a new generation, born in this century.

Length: 240 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Little: Theatre 1
Genre: Visual Arts & Film

Best in Show

In this classic mockumentary, a host of eccentric dog owners gear up for the canine showdown of their lives—the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Emmy Award winners Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara star alongside Christopher Guest, Fred Willard, Parker Posey, and Micheal McKean, bringing us another send-up in the spirit of Guest’s other films: Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, and This is Spinal Tap.

Length: 88 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: Spiegelgarden
Genre: Visual Arts & Film

The Best of the Focus Theater

From uproariously laughter-inducing improv shows to side-splitting stand-up showcases — The Focus Theater consistently aims to highlight the talents of our local comics, improvisers, and entertainers through performances that leave you filled with merriment and mirth. This show features some of our best artists from this past year. Come join us for some unique formats along with some special guests as the staff picks the best of 2023 to show at this year's festival.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater
Genre: Comedy

Big Queer Comedy Show

It’s here! It’s Queer! It’s Fringe's only all trans and nonbinary comedy show! Tootsie hosts an all-star lineup of comedic talent, starring high-energy headliner Ang Buxton, local legend Penny Sterling, drag icon Kyla Minx, the “3rd funniest person in Rochester” Gabby Garcia, the it-larious Mx. Jen Dern and future Fringe favorite Frances Tierney. You’ll laugh so hard, rainbows might shoot out of your *ss! Cis/het folks welcome, but attendance may cause homo FOMO.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater
Genre: Comedy

Black Deaf Male: Who Am I?

Written and performed by Fred Michael Beam, Black Deaf Male: Who Am I? examines what it’s like to exist at the intersections of several identities, and the ways his lived experiences don’t always align with the labels that the rest of the world uses to define him. Standing alone on stage, Beam signs a heartfelt monologue, as we hear his signed words spoken by an off-stage interpreter. The show is a lively reminder of art’s ability to place its audience in another’s shoes.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Little: Theatre 1
Genre: Multidisciplinary

Black Mass

B L V C K M Ʌ S S: MIDNIGHT MASS is a celebration of blasphemy and sin, combining irreverent disregard for typical religious mores with chaotic, consistently poignant ritual acts—carried out by a clergy comprised of internationally renowned multidisciplinary performance artists. Nothing is sacred. Anything may happen.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Spirit Room: The Spirit Room's Conjure Box
Genre: Multidisciplinary

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

In this Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel to Black Panther, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M'Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupito Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

Length: 161 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: Spiegelgarden
Genre: Visual Arts & Film

Blowing Off The Lake

Where do folk myths come from? Playwright Martha Schermerhorn is fascinated by the legendary ghostly lady in white, who wanders by bodies of water looking for her lover, her child, or...? A mother, a daughter, and a rover weave through a doomed psychosexual triangle, brought to life by local actors Judy Molner, Christopher C. Conway, and Laura D’Amico in a filmed performance directed by Maria Brandt. It’s a tale of abandonment, secrets, and loss.

Length: 15 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: Spiegelgarden
Genre: Visual Arts & Film

Boo! A Madea Halloween

Powerhouse Tyler Perry wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this eighth film in the Madea series. This time Madea lands in the midst of mayhem when she spends a haunted Halloween around the corner from a ghoulish frat party, fending off killers, paranormal poltergeists, ghosts, and zombies while keeping a watchful eye on her wild teenage great-niece. Get a jump on your Halloween fun tonight!

Length: 43 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: Spiegelgarden
Genre: Visual Arts & Film

Bossing

"Yelp!" It's the sound a puppy makes when you step on its tail. It's also the sound of keyboard warriors letting the world know their thoughts. It's easy to type something cringeworthy with no face to face interaction, but what if you were in the room with the people receiving the reviews? Join our panel of local small business owners for a hilarious night of real life feedback, as they read out loud their most memorable and "favorite" reviews. This show will have you leaving five stars!

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: Salena's
Genre: Multidisciplinary

Brick City Boppers Showcase

The Brick City Boppers are RIT's finest swing dance club! They perform in a variety of different dance styles, including Lindy hop and Charleston. This performance features social dances, choreographed dances, and a group dance.

Length: 30 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Little: Theatre 1
Genre: Dance

Bushwhacked Backyard Bonfire

SOLD OUT FOR 2023! Back by popular demand, those madcap ladies of Bushwhacked have brushed off their hats, aired out the tent, and gotten back to their roots. Join them to give summer the send-off it deserves with a night of campfire revelry under the moonlit sky. With your sassy input, this show will surely be filled with laughter, ridiculous bonding activities, and “s'more.” (Nothing says Fringe like open flames and two irresponsible improvisers.)

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: Spiegelgarden
Genre: Comedy

Camp Bushwhacked

Welcome to Camp Bushwhacked! Your camp counselors, Shawnda and Ronda, are ready to take you on the hilarious journey of a highly interactive summer camp experience. You’ll be guided through an entire summer of fun in a mere 60 minutes! Just back from their first international performances on the Emerald Isle, the ladies of Bushwhacked are more than ready to crack on! Bushwhacked shows are an annual Fringe sell-out - get your tickets today! Only 12 tickets per performance.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: Spiegelgarden
Genre: Comedy

Camp Bushwhacked: Boozy Edition

This boozy edition is SOLD OUT for 2023! Welcome to Camp Bushwhacked! The Boozy Version! Enjoy two adult beverages as your camp counselors, Shawnda and Ronda, take you on the hilarious journey of a highly interactive summer camp experience. You’ll be guided through an entire summer of fun in a mere 60 minutes! Just back from their first international performances on the Emerald Isle, the ladies of Bushwhacked are more than ready to crack on and get fluthered!

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: Spiegelgarden
Genre: Comedy

A Cappella Hour: Brick City Singers, Eight Beat Measure and Encore

Three of Rochester Institute of Technology’s a cappella groups come together for an hour of fun vocal music! Brick City Singers boldly goes where no other a cappella group goes. Eight Beat Measure raises the heat with exciting performances and powerful tunes. Encore entertains audiences with lively energy and fun-loving stage performances.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Little: Theatre 1
Genre: Music

A Cappella Hour: Proof of Purchase, Vocal Accent, Surround Sound and Kaminari

Four of Rochester Institute of Technology’s a cappella groups join forces to provide an hour of great vocal music! Surround Sound is RIT’s premiere Barber Shop group. Kaminari is an all-gender group that performs all genres of Japanese music. Vocal Accent is the most recent soprano/alto group, and Proof of Purchase—also known as POP—is the original all-gender group.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Little: Theatre 1
Genre: Music

Catharsis Time 2.0

Catharsis Time is back and better than ever! Join us this year for two performances as twenty local storytellers share real-life stories. Many of these snippets of truth have never been uttered before. You're in for a treat whether you laugh, cringe or cry, as some of Rochester's best bare their souls in front of a live audience.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater
Genre: Comedy

Charming Disaster's Musical Séance

Charming Disaster’s Musical Séance is part concert, part spirit divination, part guided tour of what may lie beyond the mortal veil. The playfully macabre goth-folk duo take on phantoms, poisons, witches, monsters, mediums, and more of their favorite things in this performance of original songs and mysterious onstage rituals. Just in time for spooky season, Charming Disaster invites you to get haunted with them – exploring the dark side with tongue in cheek and cocktail in hand. Seance kit included!

Length: 85 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: Spiegeltent: Spiegeltent
Genre: Music

Chinese Dance Showcase

RIT's new dance club brings traditional Chinese dance forms to Fringe for the first time, with performances of fan dance, lion dance, and much more. Take this opportunity to see dances from a rich culture of stylized performance.

Length: 15 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Little: Theatre 1
Genre: Dance

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Dates

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Genres

Comedy
Dance
Kids Fringe
Multidisciplinary
Music
Spoken Word
Theatre
Visual Arts & Film

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ASL Interpreted
Closed Captioned

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