Just Can't Not

Tiwa Topia made a whole stained‑glass thesis about how to put Black skin into stained glass, using experimental techniques so light can do the heavy lifting. Tiwa flipped the usual “light-to-dark” idea and sculpted where the light hits to get depth and warmth for darker skin tones — clever, stubborn, and gorgeous. Tiwa’s show is at The Yards (at the Public Market) with a closing ceremony on Saturd...

We're putting the spotlight on The Old Ball Game — Jared Engel's live-scored baseball silent films, coming to the Rochester Fringe Festival at the George Eastman Museum's Dryden Theater on September 26 (11am and 1pm). Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/dcb9dc3d-75d9-40df-a90b-866e439dbafb/ I chatted with J...

We're shining a spotlight on our show — Dustbowl Fairies' gothic murder-mystery The Cloven Pendulum — where we investigate the death of Hazel, our beloved (and taxidermied) ram head, and you can be part of the whodunnit Sept. 24–26 at the School of the Arts Black Box; grab tickets at rochesterfringe.com. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! ht...

We're previewing the ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL and plugging EGO AND THE ORACLE — come see us at the Blackfriars Theater on September 25 at 10 PM and September 26 at 8 PM (tickets $20 at rochesterfringe.com). I sit with Jim from Jim's Big Ego and Sean Peters as we walk through the show's vibe: think musical divination — part fortune telling, part musical improv, and part group therapy, all rolled i...

The main thing right up front: we run the Bop Shop — a record-store-turned-listening-room where live music actually matters, and we're bringing a stacked lineup of Fringe shows to that cozy 50–60 seat space during Rochester Fringe (Sept 15–26). I'm Chris Lindstrom and I sat down with Tom live at The Bop Shop to have a wide ranging conversation around music, live performance, passion, and nerdery o...

We’re here to chat about "Sorry 4 Da Weight" featuring Drew Jemison, Dre Gray, and Mike Gamble, alongside a surprise guest host and standout featured performers, 9/21-9/24. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b572f4e6-326b-4029-947f-b22aaa1aa9b4/ Each show will be a wild ride of laughter with a unique mix o...

Brian Byrne takes Chekhov’s tiny one‑act On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco and turns it into a funny, physical solo show. We talk about how the piece started as a half‑hour slot in Pittsburgh and has been stretched, tinkered, and clown‑ified into a roughly 50‑minute tour of petty pomposity, midlife grumbles, and absurd lecture mishaps (yes, it’s literally a guy giving a lecture who goes off the ra...

Leah McGuire’s spoken-word show Between Flesh and Faith is playing at the ESL Rochester Fringe on September 24 at 6:30pm at the Rock Cinema Theater — get tickets for $5 at rochesterfringe.com (seriously, five bucks — cheaper than my emotional support latte). Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2fe6e2be-1e59...

We’re putting the spotlight on Lake Ontario: a body in light — Alyssa Marzoff DeWitt’s big photo-and-performance project about Lake Ontario and how climate change is quietly (and not-so-quietly) remaking it, so if you care about water, weather, or just dramatic sunsets, this is the one to see. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://playe...

We're previewing the Rochester Fringe Festival and I’m hyping Pippa White’s two shows — Voices from Ellis Island (Sept 16 at 8pm and Sept 19 at 1:45pm) and Voices from the Resistance (Sept 19 at 3:30, Sept 23 at 5:45, Sept 24 at 7pm) — all at the JCC in downtown Rochester; tickets are $15 at rochesterfringe.com. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador...

We're previewing Ruby's High School Reunion — a rollicking, interactive high-school-reunion-meets-improv show where you actually get to become one of the classmates and help rewrite the evening on the spot. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/6b1e898f-b578-403d-b1f1-eee94fe2d2ad/ I’m hanging with Dennis Por...

We're putting Blackfriars Theater front-and-center as the spot you absolutely don't wanna miss at the Rochester Fringe Festival — it's an intimate downtown venue doing 100% local, ambitious theater and serving up a wildly varied Fringe slate that literally has something for everyone. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivat...

We're previewing the Rochester Fringe Festival 2026 — and the main thing you need to know right now is that Penny Sterling is bringing her show HAVE I EVER TOLD YOU ABOUT to the Focus Theater (Sibley Building) on September 20 at 5pm and September 23 at 7pm — grab $20 tickets at rochesterfringe.com, and yes, go to as many shows as you can because we mean it. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not...

Get ready, folks! We're diving into the world of the Rochester Fringe Festival with the fabulous Lauren Kee, who's bringing her one-woman show "Deal Breaker" to the stage on September 19th and 20th. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/22ce3fa6-9308-4ef4-b46b-4b146369080b/ This isn't just any show; it's a he...

Sketch troupe Thank You, Kiss is doing two live shows at the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival — Friday, September 18th and Saturday, September 26th at 7pm at the Focus Theater (Sibley Building) — grab tickets for $18 at rochesterfringe.com and come laugh with them. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2cd87f09-...

We're putting a big neon spotlight on THE MOTHMAN COMETH at the ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL — it’s an immersive, interactive horror‑comedy where Richie Schiraldi plays the Mothman and guide you, yes you, through games, rituals, and spooky shenanigans in the dark. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d97553f7-b...

We’re previewing Deep Fields — Synambient’s site-specific ambient show at the Strasenberg Planetarium, happening Sept 17–19 at 7:30pm as part of the Rochester Fringe (the whole festival runs Sept 15–26) — snag tickets at rochesterfringe.com ($19.99) if you want to come float with us under the James Webb images. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador....

We're previewing the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival and hyping Cloudy with a Chance of Science — on Wednesday, September 16 at 7pm at the School of the Arts, tickets $15 at rochesterfringe.com, so please come hang out with us. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8c996717-0a91-49fd-bf2f-221f240ad740/ I’m Chri...

Mass Drag — a new, joyful musical by James Lapata about queer theology, church history, and a mysterious burial gone rogue — is playing at the Rochester Fringe (Sept 15–18 at the Biltmore) and, believe it or not, it’s already sold out. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/98d7de81-7c1f-4986-a93c-3de3225d004f...

THE GATOR digs into how people turn real-life violence into entertainment and conspiracy, and I sat down with its writer Brennan Sauer to preview the show at the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b7a19023-1fc0-4eb4-beb4-83d26ca079d8/ THE GATOR follows a group of young men ob...

We're hyping Illumina — a free, outdoor, audience-driven art-and-theater piece at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) that literally needs you to make the show happen. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/60733d30-522c-40bd-ae97-09d85f8eb8ae/ We chatted with Heather Chang and Kate Sweeney from Monro...

We're kicking off by saying loud and proud: the ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL is coming and UNCLE SHOEHORNS BIG EASY is playing — catch them Sept 19 at 9:30pm and 11:00pm and Sept 20 at 11:00am at the BILTMORE BAR AND LOUNGE in downtown Rochester. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/62e44d4c-5e9a-449e-9836-8ca6...

We're previewing the Rochester Fringe Festival and putting a spotlight right up front on Invisible No More — a free, multidisciplinary rededication ceremony at Mount Hope Cemetery on Saturday, September 19 at 2:00. Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e99f4b5c-2242-41af-8cb2-aad8762d0bf4/ I chatted with Ryan...

We kick things off with the main point: we’re previewing the ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL and hyping LAMAR THE THERAPIST’s one‑man show PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT — happening Sep 17 at 7pm and Sep 19 at 6pm at THE MUCC. I’ll tell you straight: tickets are $15 at rochesterfringe.com, which is way cheaper than a Rochester parking ticket and probably more enlightening. Check out the episode on Just Can...

Get ready, folks, because we're diving into an emotional rollercoaster with a tribute show celebrating the 15-year anniversary of Adele's groundbreaking album "21"! Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org! https://player.captivate.fm/episode/850cf9c8-e367-4d86-a1e9-1974cb9ce8f2/ That's right, on September 17th, we’re gathering at the Center Stage...