What the Fringe?!

The podcast dedicated to all things fringe theatre. Host Lauren Hance visits with fringe artists to discuss their endeavors and gain insight into their process.

What the Fringe?! is a arts podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 89 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts What the Fringe?!, a arts show with 89 episodes published.

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  Episode #30

  WTF with Darren Lee Cole of SoHo Playhouse + 2026 Best of Fringe Awards

  Sep 24, 20261h 11mS3

  It’s our last episode for 2026- that means AWARDS and a special guest, Darren Lee Cole, Producing Artistic Director of SoHo Playhouse NYC! Darren’s theatre life began with a kidnapping, sort of, when his eighth-grade English teacher marched onto football practice with a clipboard and drafted a group of boys into the school play, and fringe has followed him ever since. Today, SoHo’s International Fringe Encore Series gives festival standouts from around the world their next step to off-Broadway. We end the episode with Darren helping Lauren hand out the 2026 What the Fringe?! Best of Fringe Awards! This episode is a bit longer, but WTF, it’s well worth the time! Find SoHo Playhouse online at: www.sohoplayhouse.comand www.fringeencoreseries.com Keep up with SoHo Playhouse on IG& FB: @sohoplayhousenyc Find What the Fringe?! IG: @whatthefringe_productions Online: ⁠www.whatthefringeproductions.com ⁠ YouTube: What the Fringe Editor: Renowned Media Music: Orchestra of Sound Logo: Ruby Makes Things ___________________________ Episode Breakdown [0:00] Introduction [5:36]- Darren’s Theatre Origin Story [9:01]- The Value of Theatre Education [18:20]- The Beauty of the Fringe Community [25:00]- The Vision of SoHo Playhouse NYC [30:05]- SoHo Playhouse Upcoming Season [39:58]- The Future of SoHo Playhouse [43:26]- Best of Fringe Awards 2026: An Evening with Dame Granny Smith Nun Slut Outside In Don Toberman Ping Pong Champ Just To Be Close To You Small Minded Watership Down the statue of liberty is nora from a doll’s house by henrik ibsen Big Stuff The Van Gogh Shogh Steve Burns: Alive You and me (and Whoever Comes Next) [1:07:50]- Ending Fringe Story ___________________________

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  Episode #29

  WTF with Brenda Fashugba of Lagos Fringe

  Sep 17, 202642 minS3

  Local fringe festivals are one of the best ways to provide a platform for artists. This week we visit with Brenda Fashugba, co-founder of Lagos Fringe in Nigeria. Since its inception, the festival has been supporting the work of local artists, from helping fund their fringe expenses to providing show development advice to artists. And also hear about how a toilet epiphany turned into a chance of a lifetime, WTF?! Find Lagos Fringe online at: www.lagosfringe.com Keep up with the fringe on IG: @lagosfringe And with Brenda on IG and FB: @brendauphopho Find What the Fringe?! IG: @whatthefringe_productions Online: ⁠www.whatthefringeproductions.com ⁠ YouTube: What the Fringe Editor: Renowned Media Music: Orchestra of Sound Logo: Ruby Makes Things ___________________________ Episode Breakdown [0:00] Introduction [4:27] From Computer Science to Theatre [8:46] Building a compassionate arts community [12:53] The Obama Leaders Africa Fellows [17:50] Creating space for women over 40- The Usual Suspects Podcast [19:28] How Lagos Fringe supports Artists [28:42] Mentor artists and providing platforms [36:50] Ending and Awkward Fringe story ___________________________

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  Episode #28

  WTF with Kat Kuo

  Sep 10, 202637 minS3

  Improv! Music! And Posters! Oh My!! This week Lauren visits with fringe friend Kat Kuo. Kat lives in Rochester, NY, where she began a musical improv troupe, and is a big supporter of her local Rochester Fringe. Not only is Kat a hilarious improviser, by day she is a graphic designer and photographer, and gives some insight into why these elements are vital to promoting your fringe show. And, WTF kind of improv will Kat and Lauren get into during the interview?! Find out now! Find out more about Kat and Mouth Harpo: Mouth Harpo on IG: @mouthharpo Kat Kuo: IG & FB @katkuo.design and @katkuo.improv Find What the Fringe?! IG: @whatthefringe_productions Online: ⁠www.whatthefringeproductions.com ⁠ YouTube: What the Fringe Editor: Renowned Media Music: Orchestra of Sound Logo: Ruby Makes Things __________________ Episode Breakdown [0:00] Introduction [3:55] Storytelling through many avenues [10:22] Parenting, Improv, and Making Space for Art [12:46] Why performance photography matters and making posters that pop [23:30] The Origins of Mouth Harpo, Kat’s Improv Team [26:09] The Secret Sauce Behind Musical Improv [33:007] Ending Joke: The Legendary Sock Solo __________________

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  Episode #27

  WTF with Erica Fee of Rochester Fringe

  Sep 3, 202640 minS3

  From fringe performer to fringe founder. This week we sit downwith Erica Fee, the founder and CEO of ESL Rochester Fringe. We talk about Erica’s Edinburgh Fringe debut success to building a world-class fringe festival in her hometown. We chat about why fringe is here to stay and learn WTF is the grossest thing Erica is willing to do for the festival she loves so much. Find out more about Rochester Fringe online at: www.rochesterfringe.com Keep up with the festival: IG & TikTok: @rochesterfringe FB: ESL Rochester Fringe Festival Find What the Fringe?! IG: @whatthefringe_productions Online: ⁠www.whatthefringeproductions.com YouTube: What the Fringe Editor: Renowned Media Music: Orchestra of Sound Logo: Ruby Makes Things ___________________________ Episode Breakdown [0:00] Intro[4:30] Falling for Fringe at Edinburgh[10: 45] Moving from Actor to Producer[13:15] Making Your Own Work in an Age of Screens[18:19] The Rochester Model, Explained[22:47] How the Fringe Helped Revitalize Downtown Rochester[39:00] How a Local Fringe Impacts Local Artists [35:10] Ending Story ___________________________

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  Episode #27

  WTF it’s an Edinburgh Special

  Aug 26, 202626 minS3

  Show Description : If you haven’t had enough of Edinburgh Festival Fringe, here’s your one last chance to take it all in. What the Fringe?! is thrilled to be recording live at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year. This episode was semi-curated by What the Fringe?! We received over 500 pitches this year. We narrowed it down to our top 125 shows, then invited every artist who pitched their show to us directly (not through a PR agent). Then it was a race to the Google form to see who could sign up first. We are thrilled to feature their shows and fringy stories. Part 1 Dogberry & Verges Are Scared | @dogberryandvergesarescared Mindreading and Other Freaking Wonders | @christianlavey Betsi | @herstorytheatre Extra Lives: The Interactive Video Game Concert | @extralivesmusic “Planet of the Grapes" | @blackoutpete Part 2 Earth to Squiggy: A Lenny & The Squigtones Musical | @earthtosquiggy The Joker and The Thief | @dylanandwill Artificially Intelligent Procrastinating Pundit | @denzildoescomedy If We Really Were Witches | @ifwereallywerewitches Irene Woo: Golden Child | @theirenewoo Casual Receptionist of the Quarter | @nicole_gula When We Were Young | @whenwewereyoungtheplay Part 3 This Is How I Got Arrested... after smuggling drugs across the border but never actually getting caught with any drugs | @azaeliaslade & @thisishowigotarrested Henry VIII and his Groom | @omftheatre Hater | @brava_guava Robin Grainger: Lemonade | @robin_grainger The Manchester Revue Saves the World! | @manchesterrevue Shhh! (A Wordless Comedy) | @langspotvn Cricket & The Freebugs | @thefreebugs Find What the Fringe?! IG: @whatthefringe_productions Online: ⁠www.whatthefringeproductions.com ⁠ YouTube: What the Fringe Editor: Renowned Media Music: Orchestra of Sound Logo: Ruby Makes Things [0:00] Intro [00:56] Dogberry & Verges Are Scared | @dogberryandvergesarescared [02:25] Mindreading and Other Freaking Wonders | @christianlavey [03:06] Betsi | @herstorytheatre [04:37] Extra Lives: The Interactive Video Game Concert | @extralivesmusic [06:14] “Planet of the Grapes" | @blackoutpete [07:34] Earth to Squiggy: A Lenny & The Squigtones Musical | @earthtosquiggy [09:29] The Joker and The Thief | @dylanandwill [10:43] Artificially Intelligent Procrastinating Pundit | @denzildoescomedy [11:23] If We Really Were Witches | @ifwereallywerewitches [12:17] Irene Woo: Golden Child | @theirenewoo [13:03] Casual Receptionist of the Quarter | @nicole_gula [15:01] When We Were Young | @whenwewereyoungtheplay [16:26] This Is How I Got Arrested... after smuggling drugs across the border but never actually getting caught with any drugs | @azaeliaslade & @thisishowigotarrested [17:13] Henry VIII and his Groom | @omftheatre [19:12] Hater | @brava_guava [19:40] Robin Grainger: Lemonade | @robin_grainger [20:32] The Manchester Revue Saves the World! | @manchesterrevue [21:36] Shhh! (A Wordless Comedy) | @langspotvn! [23:27] Cricket & The Freebugs | @thefreebugs [25:18] Ending

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