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Battle Royale Improv Tournament

Three teams enter, one team leaves. Who survives? That's up to the audience. The Focus Theater is proud to brin a Fringe favorite, the Rochester Fringe Festival Battle Royale Tournament, with multiple years of sell out shows, get your tickets fast. The winner from each show will advance to the Tournament of Champions, where fame, fortune, and the praise of adoring fans awaits them, and a cash prize which don't hurt too much either!

Length: 75 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Comedy

Comedy Is A Drag

Life's a mess, so why not laugh about it? Comedy is a Drag brings the unstoppable Aggy Dune to Rochester Fringe for a night of razor-sharp wit, outrageous stories, and unapologetic glamour. Blending stand-up, drag, and pure camp, Aggy turns everyday chaos into laugh-out-loud brilliance. Bold, biting and wildly entertaining, this is the comedy event you don't want to miss. Grab your tickets now!

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: The Duke at The Mercantile on Main
Genre: Comedy

ComedySportz Buffalo

ComedySportz is improvisational comedy played as a sport! Two teams of professional comedians compete in a fast-paced, short-form improv match filled with games, songs, scenes, and jokes inspired by audience suggestions. A referee calls fouls, Loyal Fans vote for their favorite team, and a Voice declares the winner. Best of all, it's clean, family-friendly comedy that's fun for all ages.

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

Conspiracy Council

You are formally invited to the next meeting of the Conspiracy Council. At this meeting, five special guests will pitch their favorite conspiracy theories, and you, our audience of Council initiates, will be able to pick your favorite conspiracy to be crowned the new “canonically true” conspiracy! Come watch, laugh and ponder the mysteries of the vast network of conspiracy theories created by your friendly, local, global Conspiracy Council!

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

Dads for Democracy

D4D returns to the Fringe stage for re-election. Eno, JP, JFT and Keith form this improv coalition. Running on a platform of characters, concepts, silliness and whimsy, they are sure to win over their base. Rally around for a performance of long form improv inspired by our constituents. *This show will likely contain no political elements and the name and description are merely a play on a theme.

Length: 50 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Comedy

Eno and Dan French DEUX

Eno and Dan have gone French ... again! Prepare yourself for a multimedia comedy mashup. Join comedians Eno and Dan as they share their love (and questionable knowledge) of French culture. Watch as this madcap duo explores the language, the food, the music of France. Prepare for a night of sound, movement, and slapstick silliness as Eno and Dan hope to capture the je ne sais quoi of it all. Comedy ... eh?

Length: 45 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Comedy

Game Show! Game Show! Game Show!: A Games Show

Winner of the Hollywood Fringe Award for Immersive & Games. In "Game Show! Game Show! Game Show!" a mischievous host pits one side of the audience against the other in a riveting showdown! Be ready to leave your seat and compete in over 40 games, from trivia and physical challenges to custom-built video games made just for this show. Charge your cell phones! Hailed by one audience member as "one of the best shows I've ever seen!"

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Multidisciplinary

Guilt & Mirrors Improv Troupe

Get ready to meet the bold, the bizarre, and the unforgettable in "She’s a CharactHER!" a brand-new show from Guilt & Mirrors Improv Troupe, the comedy queens known for their spicy, irreverent, and quirky humor. These quick-witted comediennes spin outrageous personalities and larger-than-life scenes inspired by audience suggestions and everyday chaos. You’ll fall in love with Guilt & Mirrors … they’re always original and honestly hysterical.

Length: 55 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Comedy

Have I ever told you about...?

Did Penny Sterling ever tell you about the snowball fight that lasted three days? What about how rum raisin ice cream got her out of trouble with the KGB? No? Then you need to see "Have I Ever Told You About ... ?": stories, songs & stuff from Rochester's favorite transgender storyteller! Even though Penny has performed four other autobiographical shows at Rochester Fringe, there's still lots of strange and hilarious adventures she's yet to talk about ... until now!

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Spoken Word

Jackboxxing

Join your favorite local improvisers and comedians to duel it out in the digital sphere. Your weapon is your cellphone, and the arena is inside the world of JACKBOX. But the fun isn't only for our competitors; the audience can sway the vote and help determine who is the champion. This is a free event and is happening TWICE at The Focus Theater ... Please join us!

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Not Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Comedy

Mouth Harpo's Final First Fringe Tour II: Electric Boogaloo

Join Rochester's only improvisational indie rock band for a night of comedic musical shenanigans! Due to their extremely hard-rocking rock-and-roll lifestyle, the members of Mouth Harpo have forgotten every song they've ever written. Once you name those tunes, they'll perform them, right in front of your salad! You might even get invited to perform a guest air guitar solo.

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

Movie Night

Haven't had time to watch your favorite movie? Been wanting to cross something off your watchlist? Then come on out to "Movie Night" and watch some of Rochester's esteemed improvisors perform a completely improvised movie remake from your suggestion. From dramas to westerns, classics to flops, this group will be sure to bring the magic of cinema to the Focus Theater stage.

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

Nerds in a Basement

DnD meets improv where a dungeon master guides improvisors through a one-of-a-kind adventure. The world is brought to life on stage before your eyes, completely unscripted. The audience helps build the characters' quest and setting. With unique and memorable non-player characters, creatures, and live skill checks, this interactive show is a must for audience members of all nerdy backgrounds. Now with live musical accompaniment!

Length: 75 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: FOCUS Theater
Genre: Comedy

The Night of 1000 Johns: An Alternative Comedy Show

What is better than one John? One THOUSAND Johns, of course! Well, we have three Johns which is close enough. John Mungovan, Johnny B. and John F. are three unique Rochester-based comedians who have been entertaining audiences throughout New York state and beyond. Hosting the show is local comedian and ordained minister Shawn Hennessy. This will be an unforgettable night of alternative comedy that you will not want to miss!

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

The Roustabouts

Some are gone and some remain but the Roustabouts are back … for the most part! Who are they, you contemplate! What do they do, you ask! Well its simple enough, before Covid they were a group of local comedians who sat down and wrote comedy sketches and made funny videos. Now they are back together and joined by some more local comedians to create a clever show of fun for all to enjoy. So take a chance and see them perform in this year’s Fringe Festival.

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

Sorry 4 Da Weight

"Sorry 4 Da Weight" features Drew Jemison, Dre Gray, and Mike Gamble, alongside a surprise guest host and standout featured performers. Known for commanding stages and delivering explosive, high-energy sets, this showcase blends sharp storytelling, fearless crowd work, and unapologetic humor rooted in real-life experiences. Expect big laughs, big personalities, and a comedy experience audiences won’t forget.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: The Duke at The Mercantile on Main
Genre: Comedy

Stage Coaches

In this one-of-a-kind comedy experience, a team of improvisers transforms audience-suggested football plays, penalties, and coaching calls into fast-paced, completely unscripted scenes. And just when things spiral out of control, a “stage coach” steps in to break it all down. Football fan? You will catch every reference. Don’t know a blitz from a biscuit? You are in the right place. Come for the comedy. Stay because you might accidentally learn what offside means.

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

Stand Up for Drag

A fabulous evening of some of the best performers Rochester has to offer including queens of drag and hilarious stand up comedians. Musical performance and stand up comedy providing all types of laughter for an all-inclusive night of enjoyment! Featuring the incredible talents of King Bey, Cindy Arena, Kyla Minx and Kevin Markman. Our mission is to bring together our community one "Stand Up for Drag" family member at a time.

Length: 60 Minutes
Tickets: Required
Venue: The Focus Theater: The Duke at The Mercantile on Main
Genre: Comedy

Thank You Kiss Presents: Please Excusememe

Satire and wit abound at Thank You Kiss (TYK) sketch comedy shows. Critics have lauded the group as “laugh-out-loud funny” with “‘hell yes’ social commentary.” TYK blends satire, sincerity, and silliness through sketch, improv, and video. Marc D’Amico, Megan Mack, John Forrest Thompson, and Beth Winslow have studied and worked at renowned comedy theatres including iO, The Second City, and The Annoyance. The group is a winner of The Missouri Review’s prestigious Miller Audio Prize for Humor.

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

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Dates

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Genres

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

Accessibility

ASL Interpreted
Closed Captioned

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Only Free Shows

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All Ages
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