EL JEFE to Premiere at Toronto Fringe Festival

EL JEFE, a new play by Toronto-based playwright and sportswriter Nate Simpson, will premiere this summer at the 2026 Toronto Fringe Festival.

The production centers on former Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding, who competed in snowboarding for Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics before later being named among the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted fugitives for alleged drug trafficking activities connected to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel under the alias “El Jefe.”

In the play, the older “El Jefe” travels back in time to confront his younger self on the eve of the Olympic Games, attempting to change the course of his life while the younger Ryan becomes increasingly drawn to ideas of wealth and notoriety.

The production is directed by Nate Simpson and Ella Berger. Berger also serves as associate director.

Jeff Clement and Josh Palmer star as Ryan and Jefe, respectively. Berger and Clement previously performed together as the improv duo Razzle and Dazzle, while Palmer has appeared in productions across Toronto.

The creative team also includes designers Dawn Simpson and Anthony Allan, with fight direction by Tom Shoshani.

Performance Information

EL JEFE will run June 30 through July 12, 2026, at Sweet Action Theatre as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Orchestrations - Top 3

1. Ethan Popp, The Rescues - The Lost Boys

28.6% of votes

2. Lux Pyramid - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

13.6% of votes

3. Anders Eljas, Brian Usifer - Chess

12.9% of votes

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