TRAPPED: THE WEEKEND AND THE SEARCH FOR “LOVE” To Play Wild Project As Part Of NYC Fringe
Solo musical written, performed, and directed by AKIL.
By: A.A. Cristi Feb. 17, 2026
LIKA-WISE Entertainment LLC will present TRAPPED: The Weekend and the Search for “LOVE,” written, performed, and directed by AKIL, as part of the 2026 New York City Fringe Festival with FRIGID New York. The production will be staged at wild project, 195 E. 3rd St., New York, NY.
Performances are scheduled for Sunday, April 5 at 5:20 p.m.; Tuesday, April 7 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m.; Saturday, April 18 at 10:20 p.m.; and Sunday, April 19 at 3:40 p.m. The performance runs approximately 60 minutes. Tickets are $25.
Set on Valentine’s Day 2011, the solo musical follows CJ, who is unexpectedly confronted by his ex while also becoming stuck in an elevator en route to a life-changing meeting. As anxiety mounts, CJ questions his faith and is forced to reconsider his understanding of love.
AKIL, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, began performing at an early age, singing his first solo in church at four. He later pursued community theatre and earned a BA in Theater from the University of South Carolina, where he starred in Six Degrees of Separation. After relocating to New York City to attend The Ailey School Summer Intensive, he continued his acting career with credits including Forrest Gump (film), One Life to Live, As the World Turns, Sex and the City (television), and A Band of Angels (stage). He is affiliated with SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity Association, Broadcast Music, Inc., and the Dramatists Guild of America. In addition to performing, AKIL writes and directs, including projects such as There’s Something About Mary and What Next? Continuing the Journey for Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn. He is currently based in Atlanta.
LIKA-WISE Entertainment LLC, founded in 2006 by Akil E. Pinckney, supports AKIL’s work across performance, writing, directing, and producing. The company has also produced previous iterations of TRAPPED: The Weekend and the Search for “LOVE” and plans future expansions into additional media and ventures.
The New York City Fringe Festival, presented by FRIGID New York, is an open lottery-based festival supporting independent artists, with 100% of box office proceeds going directly to participating performers and creators. More information is available at www.frigid.nyc.
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