Through February 28
Cleveland’s BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival debuted in 2019, and has gone through a lot of changes since then. When its first event took place in July 2019 with more than 100 performances at 11 locations downtown, it was intended to be an annual event. By the time COVID derailed all 2020 events, it had already decided to go biennial, sparing it the worst of the pandemic impact. Still, the 2021 event was mostly virtual, with livestreams, interactive online experiences and self-guided “audio adventures.” 2022 saw the return to live performances in multiple venues downtown.
This year, BorderLight is hosting its first all-fringe festival, focusing on indie artists and companies offering something outside the confines of traditional theater, with three days of performances focused around Playhouse Square August 3-5. It plans to feature local, national and international performers in disciplines such as theater, dance, circus, immersive experiences, puppetry, street theater, spoken word, stand-up comedy and more.
It’s currently accepting submissions from performers for all types. “Artists can propose work that activates new and unique spaces within the Playhouse Square neighborhood or one of our many established venues,” they say, adding that they welcome “applicants from diverse backgrounds including age, race, ethnicity, and gender identification.”
For more information, go to borderlightcle.org/apply. Application deadline is Tuesday February 28.