Calgary Fringe preview: ‘Anything goes’ theatre

There are 150 opportunities to catch a performance at this year’s Calgary Fringe Festival, but the joy of it is, there’s no rush.

On the fringe circuit, Calgary sits uniquely positioned between Winnipeg and Edmonton, both of which are larger, busier festivals. But the more chill pace of Calgary is welcome for both audiences and performers alike, says festival producer Michele Gallant.

“We consider ourselves a boutique fringe… Edmonton is all go. Winnipeg is all go. But here you can take your time, hang out, enjoy the moment,” she said.

For the uninitiated, Fringe festivals are ‘anything goes.’ A long tradition of experimentation. A proving ground for new performers, new scripts, new ideas. Calgary’s rules are elegantly sparse: don’t break the law. Be upfront about your content, trigger warnings required.

And this year, there’s literally something for everyone.

• I’m Not Afraid to Die Anymore — a pop-rock musical memoir by Ado Nkemka
• Mini Slam — a breathless poetry showdown hosted by the Writers’ Guild, complete with a cash prize
• A Cabaret of Legends — a powerhouse tribute to Black female icons, led by 12-time “Best of Fest” winner Tymisha Harris
• Oh Mother! — one performer, one live painting, and a raw, funny exploration of grief, nudity, and divine pressure
• Wuthering Frights — unscripted improv that drops horror into a Brontë novel
• Fringe Spark! — an all-ages camp performance where kids create and stage a brand-new play in two hours
• Interactive arts labs for kids, where young audiences get hands-on with creativity
• Festival Hall takeovers, including karaoke night and trivia night
• A rowdy screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show

And that’s just the start.

Add improvs wild corners, puppets wondering aloud, site-specific installations under bridge arches, and honest-to‑God magic tricks. The festival is endless discovery.

Main Fringe venues all sit inside Inglewood, within two blocks: Festival Hall, Lantern Community Church, and the Woods Homes space. That keeps it walkable, meaningful, and memorable. Satellite shows spill into ATCO Performing Arts Centre and Arts Commons.

Tickets cap at $22 (with sliding scale and pay-what-you-can on many shows), most runs stay below 60–65 minutes, and artists or presenting organizations presenting receive virtually all the ticket revenue.

Gallant says Fringe is the perfect chance to sample different kinds of performance and figure out what sticks.

“So if you’ve never done theatre before, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m curious about a musical, or I’m curious about puppetry — then here’s your opportunity,” she says. “Go check out the selections. See what appeals to you. Go and see it. It’s only an hour out of your time. It’s only $20.”

For artists, Fringe is about testing too. The Alberta Playwrights’ Network (APN) is hosting staged readings of five, 10-minute plays.

Executive Director Trevor Rueger says the beauty of Fringe is the freedom it offers emerging writers.

“The beautiful thing about the Fringe is that you can do anything,” he said. “There are no parameters on what you can produce or say.”

For a development-focused organization like APN, that freedom removes the pressure to polish.

“We don’t usually produce — we develop,” Rueger added. “So having a forward-facing event like this matters.”

Calgary Fringe Festival
Inglewood & Downtown Calgary
Aug. 2–10, 2025
Shows run daily from late morning to late night
Tickets $22 or less | Many shows offer sliding scale or pay-what-you-can options
Full Schedule and Tickets: www.calgaryfringe.ca