NPR's Comedian-Storyteller James Judd Set for 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival

Comedian-storyteller James Judd, headliner of NPR's Snap Judgment, has accidentally ended up in a whorehouse in China while working as a banned journalist, single-handedly ruined more than a half dozen good jobs (and counting) in industries ranging from journalism to law, and is a former patient-and current pen pal-of sham Manhattan dermatologist turned Attica prisoner Dean Faiello.

From June 29 to July 9, Judd's one-man show, A Minor Mid-Career Retrospective, will embody dozens of characters from his unforgettable but true experiences as he blends his unique brand of humour with autobiographical stories at the Toronto Fringe Festival.

A headliner for National Public Radio's highest rated show Snap Judgment, Judd regularly performs his stories in the series' sold-out live shows for upwards of 3,000 people, with the show's podcasts downloaded by 2.5 million listeners monthly. But the concept of the stories, which are set to music, was first developed for a Toronto Fringe appearance in 2003, and various incarnations have been performed to rave reviews at Fringe Festivals throughout Canada and the US more than a dozen times since.

Judd says the Fringe is well-suited to his brand of real-life humour and the audience connection that results from his frequently jaw-dropping but always hilarious true accounts. "At the Fringe, you don't know what to expect as a performer-or an audience member," he says. "A connection is created and the audience becomes an important part of the show."

A former member of Los Angeles based improv group-and Saturday Night Live training ground-The Groundlings, Judd worked the stand-up circuit until age 30, when he decided to go to law school to become a criminal defense attorney. (He's still licensed in New Hampshire.) An epiphany as an underprepaRed Law student making his debut in criminal court-detailed in his story The Defense Rests-propelled him back to comedy, where he opted for autobiographic storytelling instead of stand-up for a more theatrical and satisfying experience for himself and his audience.

Judd connects with his audiences as he shares stories he may classify as "spectacular public embarrassments and utter failures", but that affirm that part of being human is telling the stories that have happened to us, emphasizing that even in the face of failure, it's getting up and moving forward that matters. The show inspires as it entertains, with Audience members frequently approaching Judd after the show to share their own personal stories.

A Minor Mid-Career Retrospective, Judd's collection of autobiographical stories from the last decade, runs at the Factory Theatre Studio (125 Bathurst Street) from June 29 to July 9. Tickets are $12, with each show featuring a different collection of stories. For more information, visit fringetoronto.com/fringe-festival/shows/a-minor-mid-career-retrospective.

James Judd is a monologist from San Francisco now residing in New York City. James has been the featured performer in NPR's syndicated radio programSnap Judgment Live, performing live in cities throughout the US and for a podcast audience of 2.5 listeners monthly. He was recently the All For One Theater Festival (New York City) Artist in Residence, where he developed his newest, 75-minute autobiographic play Killer Quack. Debuting in November 2013, it has since been performed in various US cities as well as Toronto. As a comedian and comedy writer, James has worked on many entertainment projects, including television appearances on Star Search and Evening at the Improv. His critically acclaimed, award-winning, one-man, autobiographical play 7 SINS has been produced more than two dozen times in North America and internationally and has been featured on NBC's Today Show. Other productions include Funny Stories, Funny Stories 2, Starf***ers, and Breathe Normally. James' current production, A Minor Midcareer Retrospective, has been produced at the 2016 London Fringe Festival, the 2015 Midtown International Theater Festival (New York City), and Toronto's SoulO Theatre Festival. More information is at jamesbjudd.com.