BorderLight Theatre Festival Fills Playhouse Square with Four Days of Performances

Wed 7/24-Sat 7/27

Cleveland’s BorderLight Theatre Festival had its first event in 2019 and then ran into the headwinds of the pandemic — and survived. It went virtual in 2021 and had an all-fringe festival. This year’s festival takes place July 24-27 and will feature four international artists, more than 40 fringe shows and some workshops, across a huge range of performance disciplines on 20 stages in and around Playhouse Square. Some that are family-friendly (yes, there’s a face painting event) and others that takes risks; some are ticketed and some are free.

There’s standard theater and interactive events, dance, music, circus performances, poetry, spoken word, storytelling, acrobatics, a film installation, and even “Afghan kite making,” as well as various combinations of disciplines. Many of the performances deal with serious issues such as LGBTQ and minority rights and mental health; others are strictly entertainment. There’s even a ‘”Peek-a-Booth,” an art vending machine theatergoers can enter to choose the name of an artist and a menu of actions connected to that artist.

In light of a dangerous and chaotic election coming up, we’re especially interested in Election Day by well-known local writer Lee Chilcote and directed by Cleveland theater mainstay Jimmie Woody. Its cast will address such issues as gun violence, immigration, sexism, police brutality and —on the Ohio ballot in November and key to our future — gerrymandering. The synopsis says, “Ohioans tell their life stories on the way to the voting. Booth. Are we really so different? Exploring our common humanity amidst political differences.” Alas, yes, today we ARE so different — on all of the listed issues — and it’s hard to find “common humanity” with people who don’t believe in YOUR humanity. It will be interesting to see where Chilcote finds reconciliation.

On opening day, the City Club of Cleveland hosts a free forum with several of the artists outdoors on Playhouse Square’s US Bank Plaza at noon. Register here. \

At the same location at 6pm, Fancy Dancer Kenneth Shirley, one of the participants in the City Club forum, will present Indigenous Liberation, an event of song, dance and storytelling. His intertribal group will share such traditional powwow performances as Jingle Dress, Hoop, Chicken Dance, Flute and Grass Dance. That’s free. They’ll be followed on the plaza at 7:30pm by Cleveland’s WizBang Circus, a vaudeville-style ensemble directed by the duo of Pinch and Squeal. There’s a suggested $10 donation.

There are also multiple ticketed performances taking place in various Playhouse Square. Most repeat on subsequent evenings, although opening night features a one-night-only performance of Sancho & Me in the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre, telling the story of 18th-century British abolitionist Charles Ignacio Sancho.

There’s also an opening night party at Cibrèo Privato from 9-11:30pm to meet the artists and fellow theater lovers. It’s free with a suggested $10 donation.

There’s too much going on over four days to talk about all of it. But those with kids might want to take note of Family Day on Saturday July 27, an afternoon (noon-4pm) packed with performances and interactive activities at the Idea Center. Here’s where the face painting comes in. But there’s also the chance to kids to drum, decorate masks, learn fight choreography or circus skills, and make a kite.

Also of note; a silent disco on US Bank Plaza Friday from 9-11pm, and a closing night party with awards on Saturday from 9-11:30 at the Hermit Club with a performance by Cleveland’s Blakk Jakk Dance Collective and music for dancing spun by Cleveland DJ Red-I.

Get the full schedule and event tickets at borderlightcle.org.

Cleveland, OH 44115

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