Ray Fenos — Kingston Theatre Alliance

We all know how it is: watching the It Crowd dance the night away, witnessing a force both indifferent and judgemental. We’ve all felt the push and pull of desire to join them, to be them. On August 8th, for one night only,  the Kick & Push (K&P) Festival presented The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave and granted its attendees the opportunity to decide: will you dance, or will […]

Say it with me now, don’t be scared… “Yog Sothoth!” I recently saw Theatre Kingston’s 2026 Fringe production of The Silk Lining, a one-man Lovecraftian horror play written and directed by Dan Walmsely. The show is staged as a “lecture” detailing the experiences of our leading man, Professor Isaac Vincent (Henry Korba-Babcock). He leads us on a journey into obsession incited by his coming into possession of an ancient artifact. […]

A trip down memory lane, with a fork in the road—which path will you follow, his, or hers? I recently set out to the Thousand Islands Playhouse to see their production of The Last Five Years. Written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, this tumultuous story of two lovers fighting to stay with each other through the years has long been a theater favourite. Jamie (James Daly) and Cathy (Tess […]

How can you prove what only you know to be true? How do you prove it to yourself? I recently caught the Theatre Kingston Fringe production of Speaking of Hilary, written by Elias Campbell, at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning. Stuck in a pent up wave of dissatisfaction, Hilary (Mimi Matamoros) becomes obsessive over her health concerns and conditions, diagnosing all negative feelings as physical malady. Often confiding […]

Your wedding, your way— and what a way to go! Sandy Gibson is a marriage officiate, privy to the wild wild world of weddings. I recently caught a showing of this hour-long comedy special, Making It Official, at the 2026 TK Fringe Festival. Gibson outlines his amusing career experience, guiding the audience down  the rocky road of nuptial affairs.  Running a diverse selection of gags, sketches, and bits, this entertaining […]

Set in the rural villages of Sierra Leone in the 1970s-1980s, Nancy Edwards’ Rethinking Good Intentions retraces the steps taken towards providing medicinal aid during her teaching nurse residency at Serabu Hospital. I was lucky enough to attend one of her performances as a part of Theatre Kingston’s Fringe Festival. Driven by a deep respect for the oral traditions of the Mende people, Edwards delivers her story as a one-woman […]

A propellant examination of the juvenile social psyche, The Third Law is an original, one-act play written and directed by 15-year-old Kai Kerr. The Third Law is part of Theatre Kingston’s 2026 Fringe Festival and is staged in the newly refurbished TK Studio. Winging through the halls of an allegorically ambiguous high school-slash-airport, protagonist Arya (Addie May) navigates budding relationships, neurodivergence, bullies, a hidden queer identity, and dying friendships.  This […]

A unique collaborative piece questioning the space between reception and comprehension, Speaking Vibrations is a Deaf and hearing-friendly performance exploring the many facets of identity as shaped by communication, which ran from August 7th to 9th as part of TK Fringe.  Technically innovative and exciting, this piece includes the option to watch the show with the aid of a vibrating pillow. Audience members can keep the pillow on their lap […]

Rulers, a well-loved Kingston creation written by Gord Love,  won both People’s Choice and Best Production from its turn at Domino Theatre’s Come Play by the Lake One-Act Festival this year.  During my visit to PubShed Productions’ TK Fringe presentation of the Limestone Teachers Theatre original, I learned exactly why.  Following the story of a first-time teacher’s tumultuous first day, Rulers is a heartfelt comedic musical exploring the student-teacher relationship. […]

Roller Derby Saved My Soul by Nancy Kenny is a fantastic and tender-hearted script selection for any Fringe Festival—but Theatre Kingston’s Fringe Festival has the unique advantage of also featuring Jen Buder.  A one woman show is an entirely independent spectacle: it is the responsibility of the sole performer to fill the entire theatre space all on her own. In the snug boundaries of the Tett Centre’s TK Studio, Jen […]

Don’t confuse the up-and-coming for the inexperienced: Blue Canoe’s production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown sets the stage for young performers to spread their wings. In their 20th season of hosting the Juvenis Festival, Blue Canoe has delivered a wonderful opportunity for young musical talent across Kingston to create, experiment, and test their limits on stage. Ranging from the ages of 12-17, these performers sing, dance, and deliver […]

Matt Shepherd is the leading man and creative mind behind the Kingston Fringe Festival’s upcoming show, Let Us Sit In Goddamn Silence for One Hour. This past Friday I got to speak with him concerning the show’s origins, intentions, and lingering questions.  This interview has been edited for length and clarity.  Why Fringe? This feels like the kind of show you can only see at a fringe festival; did the […]