• School of the Arts Families!  Thanks to a generous donation we are offering FREE tickets* for SOTA POPS! presented shows!

    Please review our SOTA POPS! 2023 lineup below and use the form  HERE  to reserve your tickets! 

    *Free tickets are for School of the Arts students and immediate household members only!  There is a limited supply available, so book quickly*

    ALL TICKETS HAVE BEEN CLAIMED!  ENJOY YOUR SHOWS!


    ALLEN MAIN STAGE THEATRE


    Choreomania

    Choreomania: the uncontrollable urge to dance and the inability to stop. Frau Troffea danced herself through heat, hunger, and exhaustion, not stopping until forced to do so. Two months passed and hundreds had joined her in dance. Their feet bled and people dropped dead from exhaustion. There was no cure and no explanation. Choreomania is choreographed by Amya Brice, and stars Sabrina Bui, Ella Genovese, Janalyce Lane, Elyssia Primus, and Alyssa Sumeriski.

    Thu. Sept. 21, 2023 8:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 4:00PM 

    Click HERE for tickets


    Dance Evolutions

    Dance Evolutions is a world premiere featuring a cast of ten local dancers performing 14 original pieces of choreography created by Austen Kelly. Through the use of multiple styles and genres of dance, Kelly aims to create a sense of community for both the dancers and the audience members. Ultimately, Dance Evolutions showcases Kelly’s love of dance and how it brings people together.

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 12PM 

    Click HERE for tickets


    Diaspora: We Are One

    From Africa to the Americas, the indigenous people of the Latinx Diaspora were forced to leave behind their roots, traditions, and beliefs.  “Somos Sin Cara: We are without Face,” the diasporic people found themselves on new soil.  Diaspora: We Are One removes that veil of identity to highlight the cultural traditions, beliefs, and spirituality of the diasporic people through movement and dance. It shares the light of truth of who we are, and reminds all that we are one.

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 7:30PM

     Click HERE for tickets

     


    Farcical Fantasies: Episodes from a Diary

    Episodes from a Diary: where poetry, composition, and performance coalesce. Farcical Fantasies welcomes all to submit your own hilarious story (prose, poetry, short story or stand-up comedy snippet), for which we will compose music and perform it. There’s no fee to enter for the chance to win a generous librettist monetary prize, even if your piece is not selected for composition! Submit your hilarious material at https://rb.gy/9tlx1.30PM 

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 12PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    Human Resources

    Dance celebrates the visceral capacity of the human body to utilize all its resources. The body can communicate, feel, think, respond, and express without words. Human Resources is a curated showcase of work by multiple choreographers from across the country, including producer Heather Roffe, that blends music, light and exquisite movement to produce an exciting, thought-provoking event for both seasoned dance viewers and first time audience members.

    Thu. Sept. 14, 2023 6:00PM

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 6:00PM

    • Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 6:30PM

    Click  HERE for tickets

     


    rise up lights

    Zizzo, A Tribute Show

    Experience Zizzo: A Tribute Show, a sensational live performance that will leave you dancing, singing, and feeling like a boss. This electrifying production showcases the incredible talents of Rochester's own Zahyia & The Benevolent Mischief Arkestra. This tribute show is not just for die-hard Lizzo fans; It's a celebration of self-love, confidence, and empowerment. It's definitely an experience you don't want to miss. .

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 9:15PM

     Click HERE for tickets


    Reimagine

    Reimagine: Join our dancers as they perform to many different covers and remixes of your favorite songs. Our pieces cherish the integrity of the original, but take you through a new way of listening. Allow us to bring you on a journey of dance to remember the original and celebrate the remix!

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 2PM

     Click HERE for tickets

     


     

    ROC City Singers

    ROC City Singers, under the direction of Judith Ranaletta, return for their ninth Rochester Fringe Festival Performance. This dynamic regional performance group represents 19 different schools and five counties. Come see some of the best aspiring talent in the Greater Rochester area. Their compelling song and dance extravaganza features music from Moulin Rouge, Cats, Six, Hamilton, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Adele, Michael Jackson, and Billy Joel.

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 8PM 

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    ROCeltic: Hybridity, Identity, and Roving Irishness

    ROCeltic: Hybridity, Identity, and Roving Irishness showcases ROCeltic’s continuous endeavor to unearth the unique choreographic potential of Irish dance. Progressive with a traditional foundation, ROCeltic celebrates Irish heritage (past, present, and future) and strives to break down genre barriers. Composers, choreographers, and performers hail from Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. This show will surely excite, intrigue, and captivate artists and audiences of all ages.

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 6PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 2PM

     Click HERE for tickets

     

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    Shock & Bizzare

    Halloween Comes Early! Straight from the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Shock & Bizzare unleash their special brand of madness, mayhem, and magic on Rochester. They’ve terrorized Fool Us w/ Penn & Teller;, Masters Of Illusion and America’s Got Talent, and now they’re coming for you! Why wait ‘til 10/31 to party like Halloween? Come in costume and get a free Trick-r-Treat bag filled with Shock & Bizzare treats. Dress to impress all the rest of the Boils and Ghouls. Two nights only!

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 8:30PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 6PM

     

    Click HERE for tickets


    Terry Fyke's Five Point Performance Company Broadway Revue

    The Five Point Performance Company, a Rochester-based premier show choir, was founded and directed by Terry Fyke. In its sixth appearance at the Fringe, the choir is thrilled to present its dynamic Broadway & Beyond Revue. The group performs regionally, most recently in 2022 at Walt Disney World and venues around Rochester, NY, including the George Eastman House and Lilac Festival. Terry Fyke, Main Street Players l linktr.ee/tfmsp l www.tfsdartsmsp.com

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 12PM 

    Click HERE for tickets

      

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    The History of Drag, Part 1

    Inspired by Mel Brooks’ film The History of the World: Part1 and Hulu series The History of the World: Part 2. The History of Drag, Part 1 is told through live comedic vignettes with a sprinkling of previously recorded material. It’s a multimedia comedic extravaganza, a celebration of what drag is and how it came to be. The world is attacking the drag community, and it’s time the drag community gave a history lesson on what drag really is

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 6PM & 8PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     

     

    The Painter

    The Painter is a colorful performance directed and choreographed by local artist Corinne Yancone. Passionate local dancers interpret the artist’s life story and lessons she has learned along the way. While the dancers perform, Corinne live-paints a large scale canvas right before your eyes! The performance is jam-packed with passion, creativity and a variety of dance styles including contemporary, lyrical and jazz. The Painter leaves its audience energized and inspired.

    Thu. Sept. 14, 2023 8PM

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 8PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 4PM

     Click HERE for tickets

      

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    The Weight of Water

    The Weight of Water is a multimedia dance project from collaborators Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, Andrea Gluckman, Paul Leary and Soma Mei Sheng Frazier. The performance features dance, video projection, poetry, live interactive electronic music, and Leary’s seven-foot musical wheel. Audiences can expect a journey through local bodies of water as the piece explores the ways in which lives are shaped by the ever-changing tides.

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 4PM

    Thu. Sept. 21, 2023 6PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     

     


    BLACK BOX THEATRE


     

    1st Impressions

    Two strangers meet—at a pet adoption home visit…entering the house on a reality TV show…as two strangers on a train. What happens next is up to you. In this theatrical comedy, three shorts play out using a branching storytelling structure. The actors poll the audience at key moments, choose-your-own-adventure style. Will these first impressions go down in history as the ultimate meet cute or as a run-in with the stranger from hell? You decide.

    Thu. Sept. 14, 2023 8:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 5:30PM

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 8:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 2:30PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     

     

     

     


    35MM: A Musical Exhibition

    A picture is worth 1,000 words—what about a song? Can a picture inspire a song or fifteen? In 35mm, each photo creates a unique song, moments frozen in time; a glimmer of a life unfolding, a glimpse of something happening. A stunning new multimedia musical which explores a groundbreaking new concept in musical theatre, this intricately woven collection of stories told through song reimagines what the modern American musical can be.

    Thu. Sept. 14, 2023 5:30PM

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 7PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    Alice In Wonderland

    While chasing the White Rabbit, Alice tumbles down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. She meets all its famous residents: the King of Hearts, Red Queen, White Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Gryphon, Mock Turtle, the Dormouse, Mad Hatter and March Hare, the Frog Footman, the Duchess, and the Caterpillar. Come and see Wonderland as you never have before! Presented by School of the Arts students, this play is sure to delight audiences of all ages.

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 5:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 16, 20232:30PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    Emotional Baggage

    Seven strangers meet in a train station. In this transitional space, they confront themselves and one another with what they carry within. This completely non-verbal piece explores movement, physicality, and dance in equal measure. With original music composed for Rochester Fringe audiences and performed live by an onstage band of buskers, this latest offering from Last Fool Productions asks: “What do we carry, and how does it shape us into the physical stories we broadcast to others?” 

    Thu. Sept. 14, 2023 7:30PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 6PM

    Click HERE  for tickets


    It's Up In The Air

    It’s Up in the Air! is a fun, fast paced interactive comedy cabaret spoofing the airline industry. Book your ticket for a one way flight to Rio de Janeiro and meet the crew: Skip Jones, a good ole southern boy; Mary Lou Rogers, a midwesterner who is young at heart; and Kevin Kennedy, a caustic New Yorker who tells it like it is. Before we ascend, of course, there is a flight delay (isn’t that always the case), but rest assured we will be airborne soon. So, come out and earn your wings.

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 5:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 1PM

    Click HERE for tickets


    Just a Little Scary Show!

    As ghost stories go, this one is Just A Little Scary!  It is the tale of how Ted Baumhauer got to meet Leon “The Wizard” Rehan, who passed away in the Great Blizzard of 1888 after his final show. Every year, Leon’s home town of Caribou has a show in his honor, featuring a variety performer.  Little did Ted know what he was getting into! All profits will be donated to Camp Good Days & Special Times.

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 11:30AM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 11:30AM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 11:30AM

    Click HERE for tickets

     

    Mind Reader

    After the success of his debut show ExperiMENTAL, Steven Nicholas returns to Rochester with a brand new mind reading experience. The show begins entirely in your imagination, and you might not even know it’s happening. Nicholas reaches beyond the walls of the theater, involving people who haven’t even come to the show. Minds are read, questions answered, and realities twisted.  We can’t tell you exactly what will happen, but we can promise you things you’ve never seen before.

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 9:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 8:30PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 4:00PM

    Thu. Sept. 21, 2023 7:00PM

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 7:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 5:30PM

    Click HERE for tickets

    Only the Dead

    The year is 1917, and The Great War has been raging on for three years. As each day passes, it becomes less likely that the war will end soon. Evy Clark-Carew is a young woman in Essex, who struggles to distract herself while her husband James is away at war. When James suddenly shows up, appearing lost and confused—an emptier version of himself, Evy is overjoyed to see him, though she can’t help but wonder why he was released on leave after only two months since his last break.

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 1:00PM

    Thu. Sept. 21, 2023 5:30PM

    Click HERE for tickets  

     

    Tremble On The Mountain

    After apocalyptic visions, a family ascends to the top of a mountain to await the end of the world—but they will be tested severely before God’s truth is revealed to them. Written by Brad Craddock, author of Pink Ribbons, Learning Targets, The Elites, A Fighting Girl’s Guide to Politics, and Something Wicked, this tragedy examines the extent of our faith and hope for redemption. Directed by Jillian Christensen.

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 7:00PM

    Thu. Sept. 21, 2023 8:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 7:00PM 

    Click HERE for tickets

     


     

    CLUB SOTA


     

    6th Dimension Comedy

    A night of avante garde comedy from some of the best experimental comedians in New York City. Featuring Matthew Silver (MTV, Adult Swim), Andrew Steiner (Glasgow Comedy Festival), Steve Girard (Floaters Dot Com) and Alden Skeadas (Bathroom Reviews). Join us for a night you will never remember to forget.

    Thu. Sept. 14, 2023 7:30PM

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 9:00PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 6:30PM

    Click HERE for tickets


    Afternoon Seance With The Fantastic Fox Sisters

    You’re invited to a seance. Guided by Leah Fox of the infamous Fox sisters-—originators of the Spiritualism Movement in Rochester, NY—you’ll hear Leah’s story and commune with spirits from the beyond. This interactive one-woman show is written and directed by Brad Craddock, author of Something Wicked, Pink Ribbons, The Fighting Girl’s Guide to Politics, Learning Targets, and The Elites.

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 7:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 9:00PM

    Thu. Sept. 21, 2023 7:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 6:00PM

    Click HERE for tickets


    Comedy on Deck Comes Inside

    Spouses decide to try standup. The pandemic stops them when they’re just starting. They get sick of that and invite people to their backyard for an open mic. Comics and spectators show up. Comedy On Deck becomes a local fixture! In this third year of Comedy On Deck, the audience chooses its favorite comics from each night. Comedy On Deck Comes Inside features two shows with some of the city’s funniest and most popular comics—each performance has a different lineup.

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 1:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 9PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    Desperadoes: A Comedy about the ‘Wild West’ of Job-Hunting

    Howdy, pardners! If you’ve been downsized from your livelihood by some “high-falutin’” employers, is this the tonic for you! Come on down to the funniest new play from Jim Harney (creator of Diary of a Substitute Teacher). Step into the hilarity and craziness associated with navigating the pitfalls, people, and perspectives of corralling a new job.

    Thu. Sept. 21, 2023 6PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 3PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    Port-A-Globe Punch and Judy

    Port-A-Globe Presents Punch and Judy ShowPunch and Judy is a traditional British puppet show, starring the mischievous Punch and his wife, Judy. Punch tries to teach his baby to walk, with disastrous results. Then he tries to get it to stop crying, with disastrous results. The police come (with disastrous results). In the end, all is well ...but only in the end. Audience participation is highly encouraged!

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 12:00PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 12:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 202312:00PM 

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    Stand Up Through The Ages

    Stand-Up Through the Ages is back once again!  Eight comedians, from their early thirties to mid eighties, share their unique and hilarious observations, proving that whatever your age, life is definitely a laughing matter. The popular performers from previous sold-out shows return, bringing original jokes galore.  Enjoy the wit of Kelsey Claire Hagen, Tori Hosier, Charlie Frusci, Miriam Zinter, Bob Holzwarth,  Dan Mulcahy, John Sekol, and host Phyllis Reed.

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 6:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 6:00PM

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 7:30PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 7:30PM 

    Click HERE for tickets  

     

    Suggestibility

    Improv and hypnosis work together to entertain and amaze.  Improv is acting on audience suggestions without any preparation, and hypnosis is a state of mind in which you are more suggestible. In this performance, there are no actors and no stooges—what you see and experience is real. The show is built on audience participation.

     

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 4:30PM

    Fri. Sept. 22, 2023 9PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     

    Supersized Comedy

    Stand-up comedy, feel-good songs, and interactive characters are what these curvy, funny ladies from NYC are serving up hot! Weight is at the heart of their comedy, but you’ll leave feeling lighter than ever. Cast: Mary Dimino (winner Best Solo Show NY International Fringe Festival, Comedy Central, winner Best Female Comedian MAC), Carolann Valentino (winner Best of Show Canadian Fringe, VH-1, ABC). “Hilarious, dynamic women”—Broadway World.  “What energy, empowering!”—Melodies USA

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 3:00PM & 7:30PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 3PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     

    Tabletop Gone Mad

    What happens when you mix improv, tabletop roleplaying games, and everyone’s favorite word game? The answer: Tabletop Gone Mad, a new fully-improvised, hilariously unpredictable storytelling experience from Twice Rolled Tales. Players and audience members create a TTRPG adventure from nouns, adjectives, and possibly the odd body part, and for just over an hour, players rollick through the madcap scenario. With millions of possibilities, every performance is guaranteed to be unique!

    Thu. Sept. 14, 2023 6:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 1:00PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 4:30PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     

     


     ENSEMBLE THEATRE


    Mounting Washington: The Story of a Mountain & a Miracle

    What goes up…and up…and up…and up…Acclaimed storyteller/comedian Penny Sterling (Spy in the House of Men, Parents & Children/Husbands & Wives, ShMILF Life) returns to the Rochester Fringe Festival with this hilarious, heartfelt, inspiring, and improbable-yet-true tale of her quest to ride in the “World’s Toughest Bicycle Hillclimb” up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, and the miracle that happened to her at the top. That almost killed her.

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 4:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 8:30PM

    Click  HERE for tickets

     


    Once Upon A Cabaret

    Join the School of the Arts Vocal Department on a musical field trip through their favorite storybooks.  Current students and alumni perform various songs from fairytales new and old.  From your favorite golden age princess songs to the newest Disney hit, SOTA students take you on a fantasy adventure (maybe to Neverland!) and back. 

    Sat. Sept. 23, 2023 4PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    That's What She Said: Broadway Diva Power Ballads

    This powerhouse cabaret celebrates life’s journey combining Broadway power ballads originally sung by women with personal and inspiring stories to blow the roof off the theatre. With songs from Cabaret, Chicago, Wicked and more, Rochester native and seasoned entertainer Nick Rogers returns to ROC after two successful runs of this cabaret in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Enjoy show tunes, engaging stories, charming humor and a voice as smooth as silk!

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 7PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 8PM

    Click HERE for tickets

     


    MOVEMENT CENTER


    A Nerdy Gay Juggling Show

    Fresh off the hit Cirque du Fringe Afterglow, juggler Jacob D’Eustachio returns with a new solo show. Directed by Fringe favorite Matthew Morgan (Shotspeare, Flippin Metal Circus), A Nerdy Gay Juggling Show promises to be filled with unique juggling and irreverent humor. What do you do when you began juggling to express your queer longings as a closeted teen, but are now out of the closet? Why keep juggling? Find answers to this and more in this intimate, immersive show.

    Fri. Sept. 15, 2023 7:00PM

    Sat. Sept. 16, 2023 1:00PM & 5:00PM

    Sun. Sept. 17, 2023 2PM

    Click HERE for tickets