While September is a big deal for sports fans, with the return of another Eagles season to a playoff run for the Phillies, this month is also a big one for the arts. First started in 1997 as a five-day takeover, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival is back for a nearly month-long spectacle of interactive experiences, gravity-defying circus arts, and intimate dance performances.
With over 300 shows scheduled throughout September, the annual festival is a golden opportunity to engage with the local arts community at a low cost. Here are a few performances on my list.
Set in Bogotá, Colombia, this play follows three sisters as long-buried secrets unravel at their father’s 80th birthday party. One of several bilingual shows at Philly Fringe this year, “La Otra” explores an honest portrayal of family dynamics through humor and magical realism. If you missed ”NICHOS” at Teatro Esperanza last year, this is your chance to see Tanaquil Márquez’s work alongside a creative partnership with Eliana Fabiyi.
⏰ When: Sept. 12-28, various showtimes
📍 Where: The Arcadia Stage at the Arden, 40 N. 2nd St.
💸 Cost: $45
This city loves puppets and we’re not just talking about Philly Elmo. With the growth of organizations like Spiral Q and the Greater Philadelphia Area Puppetry Guild, the art of puppetry is having a moment in Philly. For two nights, enjoy music and a variety of puppet performances that will make you either laugh or cry. Please note that the puppet slam is intended for an adult audience.
⏰ When: Sept. 12 & 13, 8:30 p.m.
📍 Where: Studio 34, 4522 Baltimore Ave.
💸 Cost: $30, sliding scale available
Circus arts are a Philly Fringe staple. With several clowning antics on the schedule, one to mark on your calendars is a performance from Circus Abyssinna, founded by two Ethiopian brothers. The show features jugglers, contortionists, and acrobats telling the story of young artists chasing their dreams.
⏰ When: Sept. 15-22, various showtimes
📍 Where: Icebox Project Space Gallery, 1400 N. American St.
💸 Cost: $25
It may not be the early 2000s, but the popularity of the tech, fashion, and music of that era is bringing back a lot of nostalgia for millennials. “Terms of Use” packages that nostalgia into a play that explores our relationship with the internet then and now and reconciles our childhood with the world as we know it today.
⏰ When: Sept. 24-28, various showtimes
📍 Where: The Proscenium at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St.
💸 Cost: $25
Inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic gothic horror “Frankenstein,” this work explores Philadelphia’s real history of grave-robbery and experimentation on the deceased. As the mad scientist Dr. Benjamin Frankenstein revels in his new creation, “Frankstein’s Body” shines a light on the lives of those whose parts now belong to this monster.
⏰ When: Sept. 11-25, various showtimes
📍 Where: Asian Arts Initiative Black Box Theater, 1219 Vine St.
💸 Cost: $25
Find a full schedule of performances and workshops at https://phillyfringe.org/events/. Special pricing for students, industry workers, and those under 25 may be available at checkout. The festival will run at numerous locations throughout the city from Sept. 4 through Sept. 28.
