THE BORDERLIGHT INTERNATIONAL THEATRE + FRINGE FESTIVAL Begins This Month At Playhouse Square

The BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival (BorderLight) has program lineup, which showcases an array of ticketed and free events taking place in venues spanning from Public Square to Playhouse Square July 20-24, 2022. Tickets and all-access passes are now on sale at Click Here. All street performances are free.

As one of hundreds of theatre festivals worldwide, BorderLight serves as a platform for independent artists to showcase their work and engage new audiences in a vibrant festival environment. This summer's festival is the second for BorderLight's biennial event. Its 2019 inaugural talent showcase brought thousands to downtown Cleveland.

"We're excited to present an eclectic program that has something for everyone, including stand-up comedy, puppetry, circus, scripted plays, live music, drag, self guided audio journeys, and virtual reality," said Dale Heinen, BorderLight's acting executive director.

BorderLight features a curated selection of international touring productions, and a Fringe Festival featuring all genres of theatrical performances self produced by local and national artists. Audiences can expect to experience "square to square" street and venue performances, which include theatre, dance, immersive experiences, spoken word, pop-up performances, and more. The following describes a sliver of acts:

Perhaps, Perhaps...Quizas by Chula the Clown (Mexico): Critically acclaimed work from Mexico City. This is a poignant, hilarious, interactive clown piece about loneliness that will perform at Westfield Insurance Studio in Playhouse Square.

Oasis (Israel) - US premiere: Oasis tells the story of Noel, a young Frenchman in the 1950's sent for reserve military duty in the dunes of Algeria, very far from home. Award-winning drama playing at the Helen Theatre in Playhouse Square.

Bees (Australia): Bees is a joyful interactive work in which children are welcomed into the bee world of community, communication, wonder and imagination. Sponsored by Cleveland Public Library, with free performances at the Eastman Reading Garden.

Poncili Creacion (Puerto Rico) - World premiere: Produced by Near West Theatre, this Puerto Rican duo (twin brothers) are known worldwide for their creative, energetic street performances. Free performances will take place at Public Square and at US Bank Plaza.

Khuraki: Khuraki celebrates the beauty of Afghan culture, music, and food through theatrical portraits of strong women who have recently become Americans. Performances include authentic Afghan food and will take place at Old Stone Church on Public Square.

The Walks by Rimini Protokoll (Germany): An app that connects people around the world in a local experience via the fundamental human action of walking.

"BorderLight is a celebration of multiple identities, nationalities, and ethnicities, with a program that features international, national, and local performances. These include South Asian dance, work based on Ukrainian and Yiddish folk traditions, Latino theatre, LGBTQ-themed work, and performances by beloved local companies like Dancing Wheels, among many others," offers Heinen.

Under the guidance of public health advisors, BorderLight will follow prevailing CDC guidelines for safely gathering.

For full BorderLight Festival information, please visit BorderLightCLE.org.