What do sex and Excel have in common? How would you rate your love life? What the hell could a 24-year-old know about dating? Being only halfway through her 20s, Danitza has seen enough. 4.5 Stars explores the good, the bad, the ugly parts of dating, Danitza’s obsession with rom coms, and – her incredibly detailed but never publicly shared – sex spreadsheet.
Legendary songs from the collections of legendary artists, and the stories behind them. International award-winning vocalist and performer Tymisha Harris (Josephine) sings us through the generations of black female vocal legends, and shares stories of their impact on her personal journey.
“A stunning display of song and history“ – 5 STARS, Edmonton Journal
“BEST OF FEST” – Orlando Sentinel
Willow Rosenberg (she/her) invites you into her kitchen and bakes you cookies while sharing stories centred around some of her favourite recipes. You will feel like you are truly just spending time in your friend’s kitchen as Willow discusses her queerness, Judaism, ADHD, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome & chronic pain, and relationship with her mum, of blessed memory. Always bringing it back to her lifelong passion for baking.
After fleeing a controlling relationship and a lifetime of family pressure, Maddie begins rebuilding her life from the ground up. Through music, memory, and moments of quiet courage, she learns to break old patterns and choose herself for the first time. A musical about healing, identity, and finding your own light.
A new work with all-original songs, poems, and script by Thandizo Joy. Blending her Malawian heritage with poetry, rap, RnB, and musical theatre, she delivers a story about growth, resilience, and confronting parasitic patterns. What sends us on roads away from our community, and what happens when we take the long road back to them
A Victorian seance gone awry.
Part comedy, part scare, this 60-minute show created and performed by these ‘hilarious hosts’ (Common Ground Arts, Edmonton) is sure to deliver you a spine-tinglingly silly spirit-filled story.
In a rural farmhouse, the dysfunctional Cain family is rocked when eldest brother Andrew reappears after a week-long disappearance from which he should have never returned. He is genial, kind, and harmless — and his siblings are terrified. As tension rises, this gothic horror exposes the rot underneath a patriarchal family.
Award-winning comedian Aliya Kanani is going through the same existential crisis you are — out loud.
Join her for an uproarious, heart-on-sleeve rollercoaster as she barrels into awkward confessions, spirals through self-discovery & zigzags with a delightful ADHD energy, sharing tales from studying meditation in India to accidentally joining a cult in Texas.
Something sinister stirs in the shadows. A classic mystery is about to unfold: a group of intriguing, often eccentric characters gathers in a remote, isolated location—each bringing secrets, suspicions, and stories of their own. But when one of them turns up dead, the tension rises. Whispers turn to accusations, alliances form and fracture, and paranoia takes hold. Someone in the room is a killer… and they’re not finished yet. Can you solve the mystery before the characters do—or will the truth stay buried?
Sarah vient de perdre sa mère. Y’a pu rien qui va. A doit r’tourner dans son patelin pour faire face à son revenant.
Un conte fantastique inspiré par les grands vents salins pis les couchers d’Soleil su’l fleuve Saint-Laurent avec un accent pogné entre le Bas-Saint-Laurent, la Gaspésie pis Ottawa.
@redberettheatre
Cyril doesn’t like old people, which is a shame, because he is one. When he learns his estranged granddaughter, Lily, has her big break with her thrash metal band, Abscess, he and his octogenarian friend Neville are determined to show up and support her. Neither of them will ever be the same again.
« A Headbanging Good Time » – Saskatoon Star-Phoenix
From 21 x Fringe Fest award winner Tim Motley (Dirk Darrow):
Experience the wonder of world-class wizardry in a realm of messenger owls, robed wizards, & talking snakes! Witness feats of sorcery… with jokes! Ages 7+
★★★★ “Seriously impressive” -The List (UK)
★★★★ “Charms your red and gold socks off” -Winnipeg Free Press
“
A natural comedian and illusionist” -Yahoo Entertainment
Big laughs. Catchy songs. Joyful chaos. BELT is a family-friendly musical where every show feels like opening night, because it is! Experience unforgettable characters, spontaneous dance moves and original songs that are sure to get stuck in your head. BELT is perfect for fans of live music, musicals, comedy, improv, or anyone looking to have a good time.
The story of a young woman who is challenged by simple questions about whether to leave or to stay. The conflict of her choice transforms her into a storyteller, which results in her confronting the truth at the core of her journey. A compelling story about choice, loss, and the cost of starting over.
“How did you do that?” Is the exact question that will be asked and answered in this Sleight of Hand Card Magic show.
As seen on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, sleight-of-hand artist Clark Payne presents the greatest card magic from a century of deception.
What if you lived your whole life afraid of being forgotten? In “Completely Forgettable”, a hilarious and deeply vulnerable solo show, one woman reflects on the moments, relationships, and regrets that shape a life. Blending comedy with personal storytelling, this intimate performance explores grief, acceptance, and the strange ways we hold on.
(This show is in French with English captions.)
L’amitié ne tient parfois qu’à un fil.
L’amitié ne dure parfois qu’un instant.
Mais lorsqu’un tandem tient la route…
Lorsqu’une paire s’inscrit dans le temps…
Comment s’assurer qu’ils sont sincèrement amis?
Sont-ils liées par leurs affinités… ou plutôt par l’habitude?
Three giant mutant crabs crawl out of the polluted deep and claw their way into the big human city—with songs, dances, romance, and the occasional murder. It’s slimy, sexy, and wildly catchy. Join the crustacean cabaret and catch the most infectious new musical at Fringe.
A one-trans-woman dark comedy memoir about growing up in the Catholic Church and a JROTC military high school and the pervasive ways those places affect a trans identity. CRACKS is as vulnerable as it is funny. Through a hybrid of storytelling, stand-up, and theatre the audience is taken on an emotional roller coaster of navigating gender identity, substance abuse, and finding joy.
BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE & HEADPHONES.
Choose your path. Do not feel the need to explain what you chose or why.
An experiment in collective witnessing and private decision-making. A performance about Black hypervisibility and the right to be opaque.
Rory has found himself the perfect fiancée – Serenade, who ran away five years ago against her parents’ wishes. He gets to enjoy book club with Mrs. Shan, his almost in-law, & does not have to deal with a pesky woman. Or so he thought… Serenade returns – new degree, new self, new partner, & a plan in tow.
Under the mountains you will find the mines, and in the mines you will find the hardworking dwarves. And in these mines, with Goldie and Tumble guiding you, you will find laughter, love and g-g-g-ghosts?!? Bring a flashlight (literally) because in this fantasy clown show we turn the lights off and leave the lighting to the audience.
Award-winning South Sudanese-Australian comedian Emo Majok brings his hit show African Aussie to the stage with raw storytelling, sharp wit, and unforgettable laughs. From refugee beginnings to international comedy stages, Emo shares hilarious and heartfelt stories about culture, identity, family, and life between two worlds. A powerful, funny, and authentic stand-up experience.
From the creators of the 17x sold-out Fringe hit A Sexy Pigeon Show!
Experience the history of queer resistance like never before! Honk your heart out with three queer geese at the gay club and PrEP for a protest after it becomes illegal to touch grass.
Join the flock and learn about the notwithstanding clause, building community, and maybe even do a little arson.
Featuring your very own mayor: Bark Sutcliffe.
The multi-award wining team behind Generic Male returns with a spectacular fusion of movement, illusion, and dynamic physicality that is both breathtaking and hilarious. HOME[sic] unpacks the fragile, shifting nature of home. Twins in the womb debate the existence of their mother. A couple adrift in a boat fall in and out of love. A man carries his home, the world and the audience on his back.
Homecumming follows a woman who loses her orgasms… and loses herself. While orgasms are the inciting incident (and an entertaining one), they’re really an invitation into a much larger conversation about mental health, depression, shame, and self-worth. This is not a play about sex (maybe a little) — it’s a play about healing. Inspired by real life, Homecumming explores the taboos surrounding female sexuality with honesty, humour, and tenderness. Her journey is messy, funny, sexy, vulnerable, and painfully relatable.
Award-winning comedian Cassie Cao (CBC, Crave, JFL) returns to Ottawa with a brand-new solo show. The only show about love and politics that can get your mom and white boyfriend to finally agree!
A Chinese immigrant travels from Hong Kong to Vancouver while unraveling the fracture between her two names, two languages, and two homes. Blending poetic monologue, bureaucratic absurdity, and pandemic memory, this solo performance explores racism, exile, and identity. How do you begin again when you are still arriving?
What’s worse? Waiting for something good to happen, or waiting for something bad? Find out in this Godot-inspired tragicomedy about three office rivals trapped in their company break-room with half a bottle of liquor and a goldfish. Following its 2025 Toronto premiere with Bygone Theatre Presents, TNTD is proud to take you back to the office for another round of performance reviews… literally.
Feel human connections in Canada’s most intimate magic show. Created by Jin Li, a featured performer with 17 years of experience across the world, including the world-renowned Magic Castle Hollywood, and trusted by luxury brands like Bvlgari and Vacheron Constantin. After a string of sold-out shows in 2025 and 2026, Jin brings « InTouch » to Ottawa Fringe. Experience magic right in front of your eyes, even in your own hands.
After SOLD-OUT runs across Canada in 2024 & 2025 British comedian and storyteller Jimmy Hogg (The Potato King) returns to Ottawa Fringe with a NEW SHOW.
A three character, one clown, solo storytelling show. Join Juice as they reveal their truest self along with a fair bit of self-consciousness, self-awareness, self-centeredness, and self-flagellation. You’re in for a touch of psychotic clown with a lot of raw vulnerability that we desperately need.
From the mind of Josie Nixon, the founder of the internationally awarded EXPOSED [storytelling]
A raw, soulful journey through the music of Janis Joplin by way of a tribute concert honouring her voice and her story. Blending live musical performances with personal storytelling, Joplin: Rock on Out explores the meaning behind Janis’ songs, relational moments from her life, and the deep, messy ways her voice still resonates with us today.
Karl is an adventurous cat, exploring the garbage peaks and demolished cars of their junkyard home, but they struggle with figuring out their purpose. Introducing the audience, the junkyard tourists, to their many puppet friends, Karl will begin to figure out who they are. They’ll find adventure with those who matter to them most in a spectacle of live music and originally designed hand-puppets.
À bord du Brise-Glace, le capitaine Hubert Kizmo prend le large avec deux proches pis trois moussaillons encore verts. Isolés dans un océan glacé, ils repêchent une statue mystérieuse durant une tempête. Cette découverte révèle peu à peu les vraies couleurs de chacun : l’orgueil, la foi, l’hypocrisie, l’ignorance, l’avarice et le discernement. Une tragédie où chacun porte son propre fardeau.
Bienvenue au groupe de jeunes de l’église ! Un prêtre autiste un peu maladroit et son chien d’assistance vous apprennent à vous aimer vous-même quand personne d’autre ne le fait. Version anglaise finaliste du prix « Meilleur de Fringe » à Vancouver en 2025. Coup de cœur du public et des artistes à Charlottetown en 2024. Début en français à Ottawa !
Un accident de voiture rempli d’enfants.
Un maniaque armé d’un couteau.
Le pire cadeau de Noël jamais offert, le meilleur cadeau d’anniversaire possible, et l’amour, toujours l’amour.
Lauréat du prix Comédie la plus prometteuse (2024), et nommé pour le prix Just For Laughs–Outstanding Comedy (2023), le conteur indo-suisse Post-it Paul dévoile à Ottawa son spectacle, en version 200% bilingue!
Humphrey Beauregret, détective privé sur le déclin, tente de survivre à son existence. Son alcoolisme tenace et ses problèmes de séduction compulsive, ne suffisent pas à oublier le meurtre de son associé. Il se lance alors dans l’enquête, mais le prix sera cher payé. Est-ce la fin de Humphrey Beauregret?
In this multi-award-winning, true odyssey, Dockery negotiates the giddiness, terror, & absurdities in travel & love, as he searches for an Epiphany. Any Epiphany at all. A wildly hilarious existential storytelling adventure to Timbuktu. Best-of-Fest: Adelaide, Vancouver, London, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Ottawa, & Orlando.
“5 STARS” -CBC.
“A one-man storytelling tornado.” -The Stage, Edinburgh.
A captivating high-energy journey through hilarious stories inspired by the unique real-life experiences of stand-up comedian Freddy Proia. It is a relatable stand-up comedy show with sharp wit, genuine introspection, and storytelling that feels intimate and universal. As the title suggests, Mickey Mouse Shot Me In The Ass, is an entertaining wild ride that does not disappoint.
We hear dad jokes everywhere – on t.v., social media, family dinners, posters on the dentist’s bathroom door. Where are mom jokes? More importantly, what are mom jokes? Join Lauren and Christina as they joke about motherhood because if they don’t laugh, they’ll cry.
Life isn’t easy for the emo girl in a suburban town’s high school. That is until Devon — a senior who’s never quite fit in with the popular crowd — gets invited to her first high school party! Man this is just like the movies! But she’s seen this cliché before, and despite her dreams of having the ultimate high school experience, she can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right.
A dance show like no other. TAP DANCE. LIVE MUSIC. IMPROVISATION. CHOREOGRAPHY. A vibrant CELEBRATION of BLACK AMERICAN NEO SOUL music & dance.
« You know how, when you go swimming, your body remembers the water for a long time? After I watched Neo Soul Ties, my body kept thrumming with rhythmic excitement. Neo Soul Ties is exhilarating! »
– Colin Thomas, Fresh Sheet Reviews
ONWARDS, hurtling through the chaotic balancing act of life vs robots. Dark comedic storytelling + virtuoso singing by opera busker anarchist Bremner. Comic, angry, stupid songs, sung with 100% human artifice. A concert or a therapy session or a situationist revolution about muddling through.
« Fantastic show, outstanding singing. Sleazy. Stirring. Utterly memorable” -Sunday Times, UK
This show is about politics and is not for the faint of heart. Due to the subject matter you will be taken on an emotional journey. This show features visual, protest art, live music and audience participation is encouraged. Be warned: this show will be hilarious, impolite and weird!
(Also… trigger warning because Trump makes an appearance)
A true-ish story of Greer, a Queer wobbling along the STRAIGHT path to parenthood. With Fab, a witchy best friend, Billie the emotional support bear and sassy sperm donor Steve, Greer’s quest serves laughs, tears and the warm fuzzies. This merry band of queerdos deal with fertility doctors, legal contracts and negative pregnancy tests. Will Greer’s dreams of a rainbow conception come true?
Come along with Fingers and Shrimp, the last rats in Alberta, and learn how they survive in a world that hates them. Fingers, the street rat, is completely alone. Or so he thinks, until he discovers Shrimp, an escaped lab rat. Inspired by Alberta’s 1950s anti-rat propaganda, this physical comedy duo will have you clutching your tail!
Robin Hood: Outlaw. Adventurer. Icon. And, for one Fringe only, a Glove.
It’s got puppets. It’s got action. It’s got tax collecting. Cancel all other plans: this June, all you need is glove.
Roominant follows Miko as she works through a rejection. Withdrawing into her internal world she comes face to face with some odd shadow beings and a friendly robot called Moi. Together they work through her past experiences and internal wiring to get her through this rough patch.
In February 2023, an apartment building in Ottawa was destroyed by fire. In a matter of hours, Claire Biddiscombe lost her home and most of her worldly possessions. In this interactive show, brought to life through a variety of storytelling techniques, she explores her loss and the shifting landscape of her grief, from shock to acceptance, harrowing to hopeful.
Find the point where science, magic, and luck intersect, and you can control fate… or can you? What would you be willing to sacrifice to have it all?
Two friends meet in a park during a solar eclipse. One of them claims to have discovered a sure-fire way to win the lottery. But nothing in life is free. To achieve this guarantee of a win, someone will have to die. This play takes a darkly humorous look at the themes of affordability, sacrifice, and sharing. (No cats were harmed during the creative process.)
Small Fish is a living room dance routine gone nuclear. Glenys Marshall (beautiful libra woman) and Maggie May Harder (little boy running around with scissors) have combined their skills of sketch, improv, stand-up and music to create a show like mama used to make.
★★★★.5 – Winnipeg Free Press
OVER 3K TIX SOLD
« the most exciting thing to happen to Ottawa since Confederation » – Apt 613
Watch the sexiest, most melodramatic improv show of your life! Critics’ Choice winner Diane Jorge (2025 Orlando Fringe) turns someone’s life into a hilariously high-energy telenovela. One performer. Every character. A brand-new story each night. No two shows are ever the same!
« Don’t wait until mañana; grab your tickets ahora… » – Orlando Weekly
What is love? Is it romance, or something deeper?
Love is the invisible thread connecting us across race, country, distance, time—even death.
It appears in unexpected places—in strangers who become kin, in lifelong friendships, in deep bonds between souls. Through music and storytelling, this performance journeys through the seasons of our lives—the love that endures.
What do you do when you’ve followed your dream but the dream is no longer enough? “The Persistent Stain” is a second-wave Canadian punk band that’s been slogging it out on the small touring circuit for decades. Now they find themselves in their 50s still pursuing the dreams of their 20s. As they struggle through yet another gig in yet another nowhere town, Joey Blank and Maxie Staines ask themselves: Should they stay, or should they go?
It’s 1804, that rascal Napoleon rules the waves, and the British Navy’s favourite tactical island has gone adrift. Can its hapless crew survive an increasingly preposterous Odyssey? Can they endure sirens, sea monsters, and the Welsh? With a shanty in their hearts and nary a thought in their heads, The Rock That Boated is sailing to – well, somewhere! It’s a very nearly true story, after all.
Public displays of affection! Mass shootings! Drugs, deities – it’s the first day of class, and Prof. G. explains why you can’t send naughty photos to your classmates and why it’s important to out-run the criminology students. In this original one-act performance, you’re a student again, and Prof. G presents his survival guide for community college. A dark, insightful comedy.
Who is the Yodeling Ranger? An Imposter? A Hero? A Fool? Or proof that even the most frivolous act of music can be life-saving? Veteran performer Tor Lukasik-Foss debuts this brand new work for this year’s Ottawa fringe, an energetic fusion of music and storytelling, loaded with the same ‘spellbinding charisma and passion’ as his 2024/5 Fringe hit NEW WAVE YOUR BEHAVIOUR.
A DIY micro-poem musical about a second-gen Burundian queer who, through constant questioning of their belonging, decides to choose their own pleasure in everything until it catches up to them. Then, they learn to balance it with the rhythm of their heart, and some drumming too… will this make it all worth it?
Une adaptation libre du film underground danois de 1931, Et øjeblik eller et andet réalisé par Torben Rasmussen. L’histoire touchante de deux enfants qui se retrouvent dans un monde bien plus grand qu’eux.
