What the Fringe?!

HAPPY WORLD FRINGE DAY 2026! 32 fringe artists from around the world join us to celebrate the best community in theatre, each with a show to pitch and a story you won't forget. Saturday, July 11 is officially World Fringe Day, our annualcelebration of everything that makes fringe theatre extraordinary: creativity, accessibility, and a genuine love for live performance. Every year we open submi...

Can love overcome shame? Our guest this week is Canadian Fringe artist and storyteller Kristi Boulton, who has made it her signature creative expression to share some of her most shame-inducing stories and use love and forgiveness as catalysts for healing and humor. We also talk about WFT is so amazing about improv and Canadian Fringe.     Find Kristi Boulton online at: www.kristiboulton.com Keep...

How long does it take to build a world-class arts program? House of Oz has been championing and supporting Australian artists for the past five years, and has become one of the standout producers at the Edinburgh Fringe. This week, we sit down with Georgie Black, founding patron and creative director, to discuss how she built House of Oz and her passion for ensuring artists receive the support the...

“Nun? Slut? It’s a spectrum. We’re all on it.” This showdescription is what hooked me into seeing Claire Robin’s “Nun Slut.” And after seeing it, I am a true fan. Claire shares how her spirituality and faith in God led her to create this holy yet controversial piece. And we talk about WTF she did to become a fringe sensation with her debut solo show.   Keep up with Claire on IG @clairerobin.nunslu...

Creating a career in fringe is doable; it often just takes time. Multi-award-winning fringe artist Jimmy Hogg has spent the past 20 years touring the Canadian fringe circuit building a name and career out of telling stories. Jimmy and Lauren chat about creating art you love, and WTF is the best reason to hang out in a pub.   Keep up with Jimmy IG: @jimmyhoggthepotatoking FB: @MrJimmyHogg   Find Wh...

Can you use fringe to build a body of work? This week, we visit with Marcel Cole, who has embraced this model to help him build his own “Marcel Cole Catalog of Plays.” Marcel is the creator of the multi-award-winning show “SMILE: The Story of Charlie Chaplin,” amongst others. We chat about his background, current work, and WTF is so great about bad work.  Keep up with Marcel IG: @theatremarcel and...

What do WWII and Vampira have in common? This week's guest, Ingrid Garner. Ingrid spent twelve years touring Eleanor's Story, based on the real life experiences of her grandmother during WWII. This year she is bringing something new with A Hollywood Horror Story, inspired by 1950s icon Vampira. It feels like a 180, but you might be surprised. Ingrid and Lauren talk about the longevity of a...

Do you really need a PR Agent for Fringe? Well, it all depends on your goals and the festival. This week, we chat with Annabelle Mastin-Lee, a PR Client Manager at Mobius Industries, a PR and marketing agency based in London specializing in theatre, dance, circus, and FRINGE! Annabelle will demystify all your PR misconceptions while she and Lauren figure out WTF to do when Phoebe Waller-Bridge int...

OK, hear me out…. a musical about the Holocaust, but gay. While this may sound like a pitch from The Producers, our guest this week, Michael Trauffer, has crafted a stunning and beautiful solo musical that explores the oppression of gay men in post-World War II Germany. Michael and Lauren talk about creating historical fiction, making work that is uniquely you, and WTF you should do when someone f...

At the ripe age of 7, Tyler West found his calling: to be a clown. While other clowns have a mask they can take off, Tyler’s dwarfism does not allow this. The beauty of fringe is that the artist gets to define who they are, and in Tyler’s newest show, Small Minded, he delves into all things clown, and gives us a peek into his life as a person with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Tyler and Laur...

This week, we enter the afterbirth! No, we haven’t changed to a medical podcast, but we get into all the messy and beautiful details of Anne Zander’s clown show, “Mother: A Postpartum Comedy.” Lauren and Anne talk all things clown, devising, and motherhood as a fringe artist. And these fringe besties take a deep dive into WTF is so fun about playing in your room by yourself as a grown a** woman.  ...

Fringe is all about making a big impact with limited resources. Chris Sainton-Clark specializes in the thriller/mystery genre and is able to create that cinematic feel of the genre with limited technical resources. Chris and Lauren also talk about WTF is so appealing about a collaborator who is brutally honest.     Find Chris online at: www.christophersaintonclark.com   Keep up with Chris: IG: @ch...

What happens when a language barrier becomes one of your greatest strengths? Andrea Barello was born and raised in Italy, but now calls Los Angeles his home when he is not traveling the world clowning around. Andrea and Lauren talk about authenticity, the healing power of art, and WTF happened when vulnerability led to the most beautiful audience interaction.   Keep up with Andrea on IG: @algobaru...

This week we hang out with Levani, a fearless multidisciplinary artist from San Diego, whose theatre blends satire, spectacle, and social critique. From interactive shows about grief and corporate greed to sharp spoofs on online masculinity, Levani’s work shows how fringe artists are driving some of the most urgent conversations in performance today. And we uncover WTF is so special about that Nik...

Remember when you used to play with dolls or soldiers, because play was something that helped you learn about the world you lived in? Why do we lose that skill as adults? Maybe we just need someone to tell us it’s OK. This week’s guest, Soleil Kohl, is a Denver based clown who has a background in early childhood education. She shares about her solo shows, and WTF it is so important to reclaim our...

Mark Vigeant is a multi-disciplinary, award-winning comedian whose most recent solo play, The Best Man Show, was one of the best-reviewed shows at Edinburgh Fringe 2025. Mark and Lauren talk shop about creating solo shows with audience participation, the beauty of male vulnerability, his new show Out There, and WTF he didn’t do to get a special on Dropout TV.   Find Mark at: https://markvigeantcom...

While fringe may give off vibes that it’s anything but mainstream, there is an entire network of people helping fringe festivals become the best they can be. Holly Payton-Lombardo, Managing Director of World Fringe, gives us a peek behind the curtain of those working to make festivals great. She knows all the people, connects all the people, and absolutely loves artist people! If you don’t know Ho...

Every voice deserves a platform, and Alex Howarth is out here making sure that actually happens. Whether he is devising a show with a person with disabilities, bringing a beautiful script to life, or sharing an important piece of theatre on the floor of the UN, he is a champion for all, giving underrepresented voices a space to tell their stories. WTF Alex, why are you so amazing?!   Learn more ab...

Two words describe our guest, Charlaina Thompson: Passion and Joy! Charlaina is the creator and director of DUST , which is the story of one man’s unforgettable journey, examining generational trauma, resilience, and survival and based on the true story of the Lofthouse collierty coal mining disaster. Charlaina and Lauren also discuss the beauty of theater and WTF live theatre is an amazing place...

Clowning and storytelling have a way of sneaking past our defenses, and Yoz Mensch knows exactly how to use that to their advantage. In this episode, we talk about finding your artistic voice, building solo work at the Fringe, and telling queer stories that don’t rely on a big coming-out moment. But really, my biggest question is: WTF kind of conditioner do you use? Yoz, your hair is amazing.   Le...

Our first-ever ventriloquist, David Salter, joins the podcast to talk Shari Lewis, Green Apples, Cats, and why ventriloquism absolutely belongs on fringe stages. In 2025, David’s solo fringe hit An Evening with Dame Granny Smith won Best Variety Show at the Adelaide Fringe and played to sold-out houses at the Edinburgh Fringe.   And WTF?! This is not a kids show. This delightful apple is here to i...

Casey Jay Andrews is a multi-disciplinary fringe theatre artist willing to take huge risks for the sake of the art. This week, we talk about last-minute creative choices, finding inspiration everywhere, and why making the work you love is at the heart of Fringe theatre and independent performance. From visual storytelling to intimate solo shows, this conversation is about curiosity, emotion, and c...

Welcome back to season 3 of What the Fringe?! We are starting with an artist who performs at the highest level, riding a bike on stage for the entire 65-minute show. Connor Delves stars in “CADEL: Lungs on Legs,” which chronicles the riveting true story of Cadel Evans, the first and only Australian to win the Tour de France. Connor and Lauren also chat about the day the snow machine broke on the s...

What happens when figuring out QLab sends you down a rabbit hole, leading you to create the wildest fringe show ever? In this final episode for the season, Lauren sits down with long-time Edinburgh Fringe performer, Chris Grace to talk about his experimental show 27 Hours, where he performed a new show every day of the Edinburgh Fringe. They also talk about WTF makes fringe the most artistic time...

Stories pull at emotions we didn’t know were there and shape the way we see the world. Penny Sterling realized later in life that she wasn’t just a performer or a stand-up comedian; she was a storyteller. By the end of this episode, you too will know WTF makes Penny so delightful! This episode touches on themes of se*ual violence. If this is not for you at this time, please feel free to let this e...