JESTER! to Make World Premiere at Hollywood Fringe Festival

Midwest Coast Collective will present world premiere of JESTER!, a tragically comedic play with a five show run throughout June at The Broadwater Black Box for the 2026 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Written by Sydney Michael Hollingsworth and directed by Zoe Redlich, JESTER! transports the audience to a zany medieval world with pervy motel clerks, hot diner waitresses, and dancing rats.

Employing a mix of contemporary and classical language, the play tells the tale of a struggling Jester who strives to leave behind a life of peasantry in search of fulfillment and comedic fame. Depressed and near giving up on her dreams, she leans on her roommate slash Best Friend for support. Their relationship grows more complex by the day, while sparks fly between her and the Barkeep at the local Tavern. At the Castle, the Royals are dealing with scandals of their own. Everyone has a secret, and the web that is woven of wealth, power, and lust is a tangled one indeed. The play ultimately asks: how do we find creative success and happiness in a messed up world like ours?

The cast will include Jestie - Sydney Michael Hollingsworth, Reya - Gillian Quimby, Sam - Farah Marwan, Court Jester - Aidan Merck, Queen - Lindsay Seim, King - Bailey Barton, and the ensemble will include Madeleine Smith, Gabby Huggins, and Joe Blaugrund.

This ensemble piece is a new work from playwright Sydney Michael Hollingsworth, who also stars in the play and is producing it with Midwest Coast Collective, a new theatre group formed by herself and fellow producer/actor Bailey Barton.