2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival: Details, highlights and more

2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
L–R_ Stephanie Weeks, Scott Shepherd, Dee Beasnael, Christopher-Rashee Stevenson (upstage), Kate Benson, Maggie Hoffman. in ‘Ulysses’.
Marika Kent

This September, the 28th Annual Philadelphia Fringe Festival will take over the city once again, and the line-up for 2024 spans over 300 diverse productions throughout the four-week activation.

The (many) stages will be set from Sept. 5 to 29, with tickets open to the public on Aug. 1.

“This year’s curated program honors the roots of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival while looking towards the future, presenting new pieces by artists whose pioneering works have defined FringeArts’ programming over the last 28 years,” said Mikaela Boone, FringeArts’ Programmer and Artistic Producer in a statement.

2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
Alice Yorke, Lee Minora, and Ciera Gardner in ‘Nosejob’.Emilie Krause

“We’re thrilled to be putting Philadelphia based artistry in conversation with cutting edge work from across the country and across the world. In their own distinct ways, each of these artists investigate, deconstruct, and reimagine cultural phenomena that—sometimes surprisingly—speak to our current moment.”

Some highlights to look out for this year?

The official release cites world premieres by Lightning Rod Special and Pig Iron Theatre Company along with a new interactive opera titled ‘We Have Gone As Far As We Can Together.’

Lighting Rod’s ‘Nosejob’ takes place in the early 2010s at a Catholic university, while Pig Iron’s ‘Poor Judge’ is “part Hollywood audition, part woeful tale of lost loves, and part spy story”—all performed by a local supergroup of actor-musicians.

Elevator Repair Service will also present their ‘New York Times’ Critic’s Pick ‘Ulysses’ at the festival, and Fringe favorite Nichole Canuso will return for a new iteration of ‘The Garden.’

The former features seven performers taking on James Joyce’s historic piece, while the latter is an immersive guided experience for only six audience members at a time.

2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
‘The Garden: River’s Edge’Christopher Ash

Additionally, FringeArts will welcome performances from internationally-acclaimed artists Holland Andrews, Reggie Wilson, and Trajal Harrell. On top of in-person performances, this year’s Fringe will include 14 digital events. The Festival Hub program will also be back in 2024 featuring Cannonball, Circus Campus Presents, and the new Glen Foerd Hub.

Cannonball will feature over 100 different programs, including the first-ever Black Circus Week (Sept. 6 to 11), Circus Campus will boast 12 different circus and variety shows and Glen Foerd will offer unique and affordable experiences to engage with the arts and the environment.

To find out more information on the 2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival and to purchase tickets, visit phillyfringe.org