Get To Know The 2025 Fringe Festival Artists: Edition #6
SO! MANY! SHOWS! And it turns out that a month goes faster than anyone could have predicted! Help yourself out and get your Fringe ball rolling by reading on! Hear from some of our AMAZING Fringe Artists about themselves and their shows, and learn what to see next!
Penis Envy, Becky Bondurant
September 12-14th
FringeArts: Hello! Thanks for being on the Blog today! Its an absolute delight! Would you like to introduce yourself?
Becky Bondurant: Becky Bondurant of Tidewater Virginia, based in Richmond, VA. I found Fringe by way of classes I took with monologist Mike Daisey who permed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival some years ago.
FringeArts: Amazing! Our grand Fringe scheme is to create the widest reaching web of Fringe Artists ever! And TAKE OVER THE WORLD! so thank you for being a part of that! So! Tell us about your show!
Becky Bondurant: Penis Envy is my attempt to save my daughter from the effects of my internalized misogyny. It’s a solo show that unpacks my fascination with Freud and his theories while critiquing them. It’s the story of my queer sexual awakening, my coming of age as an artist and a mother, and my daughter’s awakening into girlhood under the Orange Regime.
FringeArts: Wow! You’re fitting a whole lot into 60 minutes! We’re ready for it! Your art seems to come from many angles, tackling many areas. Could you tell us a bit about how you came to this wonderful and certainly challenging life that is being an artist?
Becky Bondurant: I always been an artist, since childhood. But I floundered as a young adult trying to find my voice and medium. It took me many years to bring my art into the public sphere and now, in middle-age, I have lived and failed enough to know that this work is good–larger than me–and should be shared with the community. For me, it’s sacramental, bringing art before an audience. It’s humbling but, also, fulfilling.
FringeArts: Certainly! And we feel very lucky that this life has always been a part of you! We’re lucky to be a part of your audience! So, you talked about the many personal areas of interest that led to the creation of Penis Envy. Could you tell us, has there been anything PARTICULARLY exciting about creating this show?
Becky Bondurant: Since I first brought Penis Envy to Philly Fringe one year ago, I’ve performed the show in venues ranging from corner cafes to state-of-the-art theaters. My favorite part of the process has been watching the show evolve as I have grown my performance muscles and adapted to different audiences. The memories that will stick with me are those moments after a show when I see the faces of people I knew from my past, friends from high school or college or other parts of my life, who came to witness my work.
FringeArts: I love that we get to see such a live evolution unfold in the Philly arts scene! Especially within the Fringe! How special! Are there any shows that you are particularly itching to see this month?
Becky Bondurant: I am interested in Changing my Major to Joan by Boris Dansberry (I mean, Schiller, Shaw and Nirvana? Yes please).Falling: A Disabled Love Story by Aaron Pang peaks my interest –sexuality and discomfort are themes I explore in my work and love to see others grapple with as well. The Dirty Shirley show for the combo of storytelling and cabaret and Benjamin Franklin Sex Party by Sarah Knittel because it looks HOT.
FringeArts: An amazing selection! We hope we’ll run into you at some of these shows! Ok… Finally, my last question… and its a big one: What Musical Instrument Best Represents you?
Becky Bondurant: The Accordion.
FringeArts: Fabulous! More people should be accordions! And harmonicas! Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today! We are TRULY excited to see Penis Envy Unfold!
Happy to be here!, Jan Damm
September 12-17th
FringeArts: Hello! Thank you for joining us today! Would you like to introduce yourself to the Blog and it’s readers?
Jan Damm: My name is Jan Damm. I’m a circus artist, clown and creator from Brattleboro, VT. I’ve toured all over the world with circuses such as Ringling Brothers and Big Apple Circus. Last year I came to the Philly Fringe because it gave me an opportunity to produce my new solo show, a far more personal statement about circus, creativity, risk, and vulnerability. Now I’m returning to participate in Cannonball and present the new and improved show!
FringeArts: Hooray! We are so happy to have you on the Fringe this year! Could you tell us a bit about your show?
Jan Damm: This show is a whirligig tour of everything I’ve learned about circus and performance from 30 years of being on stage and in the ring. It has comedy, slapstick, acrobatics, juggling, original props and stunts, as well as pathos and my own personal story all packed into an energetic 45 minute spectacle! I try to answer: Why is risk necessary to the circus? How can you combine spontaneity and acrobatics? And what happens when you lose the plot at the height of the Big Top?
Ben Grinberg said: “Happy to Be Here! combines incredible circus spectacle with a vulnerable and universally relatable story from a seasoned powerhouse performer, leading to a truly cathartic performance experience. I love this show and I can’t wait to see it again at Cannonball!”
FringeArts: Kind of a meta-exploration of the circus! Which is very exciting! Our audiences will certainly have circus on the brain this month, with the variety of circus acts (including yours!) offered! Everyone will be excited to think about circus in a new way during your show! You said that you’ve been a circus performer for 30 years! Can you tell us why you chose to pursue this life?
Jan Damm: The moment onstage when you need to bring every aspect of yourself; skill, training, heart, intelligence and generosity to create the best possible version of your performance for that audience in that moment. Nothing else like it.
FringeArts: Too true! Incomparable! What parts of this specific show give you that feeling? What’s been the best part of working on “Happy to be Here”?
Jan Damm: In the show I stand on a narrow 12-foot stack of boxes with no safety. When my collaborator and I first attempted that in the studio our hearts were beating pretty fast! After decades of acrobatic experience it’s thrilling to find new ways to push my own boundaries and feel nervous again!
FringeArts: That must be exciting! After 30 years, circus still isn’t “old news” for you! I’m getting very excited to see your show! But what shows are YOU looking forward to seeing?
Jan Damm: Julia Baccellieri in ‘Strange Root’!
FringeArts: Got to get your fill of circus this month, certainly! Ok! If you were in a zombie apocalypse… who would you be?
Jan Damm: I think I would be in charge of building tree houses!
FringeArts: An important and oft overlooked job in the apocalypse! Thank god we have you! Ok! We’re looking forward to seeing you and your show this month!
Always, Sometimes, Maybe, Michele Stine
September 12-14th
FringeArts: Hello Hello! Fabulous to have you on The Blog! Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Michele Stine: Hi! I’m Michele Stine and I call Chicago my home. I’ve been living and working there for over 13 years now. I first heard about the Philadelphia Fringe Festival in 2019, when I cam out to visit and ended up seeing the most amazing bouffant show that was a part of the fringe!
FringeArts: Stellar, Spectacular, Wonderful! Thank you for joining us on the Fringe as an artist this year! Could you tell us a bit about your show?
Michele Stine: Always, Sometimes, Maybe follows a janitor who unexpectedly finds herself with an audience. With nothing but her rubbish and lot of imagination, she tries to find connection.
Using physical comedy, puppetry, dance and non-verbal storytelling, this is a warm,
accessible experience suitable for all ages and backgrounds. A funny, tender journey into what it means to be alone – and how we find our way back to each other.
FringeArts: Exciting! We’re ready to clown around with you! Tell us, what’s the best part of being an artist?
Michele Stine: The chance to tell stories, be in community with other artists, and help foster a space for people to see themselves and their experiences on stage.
FringeArts: Sounds like the ethos of the Fringe! We’re glad we have something (or perhaps many things) in common! Ok, getting a bit more specific, whats the BEST part of making this show?
Michele Stine: I’ve loved every second of creating this show. It’s a very personal one and I feel like that I’ve grown as an artist and performer by building and performing this show. I think the standout moment (so far) has been having strangers after the show come up to me and ask for a hug. There is nothing more powerful and soul touching than seeing that someone has connected with your story and work. I will cherish those moments forever.
FringeArts: And we’re going to cherish our memories of SEEING your show forever! Speaking of seeing shows, we know WE’RE seeing YOUR show, but what shows are YOU looking forward to this month?
Michele Stine: All of them! I’m so excited to see so many shows, too many to count. I’m also so excited to meet the other artists!
FringeArts: We hope you have time to see as many shows as you can POSSIBLY fit in one month! Ok, final question: if you could have anyone, truly ANYONE see your show, who would you want to share this show with?
Michele Stine: My Dad. He passed away two years ago, and I would love nothing else than to be able to show him this story and share this experience with him.
FringeArts: Thank you for sharing that with us. I think he would be incredibly proud of you. I know we are! We’re know our readers will love to be a part of your audience this Fringe!
Improv comedy: the N crowd, The N Crowd
September 5-26th
FringeArts: Hello! Thank you for joining us on the world-famous BLOG! Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?
B.J. Ellis: B.J. Ellis from Shillington, PA and still living in Shillington, Pa. (It’s a bit of a drive to Philly.) Heard about the Philly Fringe festival about 20 years ago when The N Crowd first performed. We’ve been away from the festival for a couple of years, but now we’re back!
FringeArts: Hooray! The N Crowd is back! Tell us about this years show, and your group!
B.J. Ellis: The N Crowd is a short form improv comedy troupe that has been performing weekly shows since 2005. We’ve just marked our 20 year anniversary and we are back in the Philly Fringe festival anchoring Friday nights as the place to go for some laughs!
FringeArts: We are so excited!! Ok, as an individual, I’m wondering what the best part of being in comedy is?
B.J. Ellis: I like shooting from the hip and making people laugh. Been doing improv since 1999 and was at the very first N Crowd show in 2005. I like coming in every week not knowing what I’ll do but confident I’m performing with folks who will make it funny.
FringeArts: Collaborative comedy is so wonderful! And its wonderful that you have a group you know you can trust! Now, specifically thinking about this year’s Fringe show! What’s the most exciting thing about being back?
B.J. Ellis: I’m just glad to be back. We did the fringe every year for about 10 years, stopped, there was a pandemic, and now we’re back.
FringeArts: The pandemic certainly threw a wrench in things… But, we’re very happy to have your group back! Being back on the Fringe of course means performing, but it also means seeing shows! Could you tell us about the shows that you’re excited to see this month?
B.J. Ellis: I am going to try to see as many shows as possible at Sawubona Creativity project.
FringeArts: Amazing! We’re looking forward to their shows as well! Okay, last question. If you could have ANYONE, living or dead, famous or civilian, who would you want to see your show?
B.J. Ellis: Nathan Fillion… if you know, you know.
FringeArts: We certainly don’t know, YET! Maybe this is a little inside joke our readers can figure out by going to see The N Crowd? You’ll have to go and see to find out!
Don’t forget to head to PhillyFringe.org to plan your 2025 Fringe Festival, September 4th-28th!
