Philippa Williams is stepping in for 25th St Theatre’s artistic director, Anita Smith, who is on leave this summer. Smith has been artistic director of Twenty Fifth Street Theatre since 2019.

           

  Williams, a Saskatoon actor and staff member of the company will be the interim manager this year. “What surprised me emotionally is how much easier it’s been then I expected because of how excellent the support has been from the community. We draw our shows on the lottery system and it was really, really inspiring I suppose, or what the right word was but our lottery just received so many people that applied and so many Fringe legends that heard from their friends that this was the place to be. I’m guess I’m so grateful that people see our Fringe the way we see it.” Williams said.

 

  The 2025 Fringe Festival will be a little different introducing a new venue, there will 23 shows across the usual venues that have become Fringe staples from The Refinery, The Cosmopolitan, The Broadway Theatre and BYOV at the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan site. “Mind of a Snail is back and I met Jimmy Hogg today and this man has one Best of Fest like twenty times and I met him today and he said ‘This is my first time in Saskatoon Fringe but people keep saying I got to come’” Williams exclaimed.

 

  This year’s inclusion is Bring Your Own Venue (BYOV) that will include two shows that will be at the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan site. Williams explained the Fringe lottery program and what inspired this inclusion and hopes it will be a great litmus test.. “It’s our first time venturing into the wild west of BYOVs. Edmonton Fringe has so many of them and we’re just dabbling in one this year. Basically with the lottery being so successful and so many artists wanting to be here, Shakespeare reached out to us about having the availability to program on their Raynor Whiteside Financial Community Stage and we thought that was an excellent fit in terms of patron crossover and so we sent it out to the folks who applied the lottery but not gotten in and they made the choice to rent those venues directly.”

 

  Local productions include BeautifulMinds Theatre’s “That’s Life: A Verbatim Piece”, “Shawn and Danny’s Deadly Adventure” from Little Black Bird Productions, “A Spoonful of Magic” from Krol Entertainment, “Spell it Out from” Rogue Souls Productions, “The Mooneaters” from Two Good Shoes Theatre, Skin and Bones Collective’s “Colourless Ruby & the Fantastical Missing Shoes” and Vaahe Art Group’s “Find Me. Please”.  

 

  Rogue Souls Productions performed in the 2024 Fringe Festival with their production of Hinterland  

 

  National performers include Blair Moro’s Brain, Goose! by Faux Ghost, Jimmy Hogg’s “Jimmy Hogg: The Potato King”, “The Day the Beanstalk Market Crashed” from Vancouver’s Mind of a Snail Puppet Co., “Drag Me to the Opera” by Aida Cupcake and the Pucking Fuppet Company’s “The Family Crow: A Murder Mystery.

 

  International performers from the United States consist of Bobby Wesley’s “(A) Political, “1 Small Lie: Martin Dockery” from Concrete Drops Theatre, “Oz” from Rooks Entertainment Productions and finally “Red Dirt/Red Storm” from Second Star to the Right Productions

 

  United Kingdom performers and productions featured are “The Singing Psychic Game Show” from Glint of Light Ltd, and “Adventures in Canadian Parking Lots” by Jem Rolls/Big Word.

 

  Jem Rolls return to the Saskatoon Fringe once again. Rolls performed in the 2024 Fringe with “The Kid Was a Spy”

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  Kid Fringe shows include two performers from Saskatoon with Emma Eaton and “The Prehistoric Wildlife Rescue Centre” by Graeme Hopkins. There is also an international show, Paul Strickland Presents’ “Age Old Tales For All Ages” from the United States.

 

  In the case of the newest venue, BVOV. The productions which are located at Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan site  will be performed at the Raynor Whiteside Financial Group Community Stage.

 

  The two shows include a national production “Tragedy or Triumph: An Improvised Shakespearean Epic”  from Vancouver’s Spontaneous Shakespeare.

 

  Saskatoon’s Live Fully Productions present their newest work, “Can’t Help Falling in Love… With Shakespeare”

 

  Live Fully Productions performed in the 2024 Fringe with their production of 15 The Musical.

 

  Two notable past Fringe performers returning to Saskatoon are Martin Dockery and Vancouver’s Mind of a Snail. Dockery last performed at the Saskatoon Fringe in 2011 with “The Surprise” and “Oh, That Wily Snake” while Mind of a Snail with “Caws and Effect” in 2016.

 

  There will also be a special Fringe encore one night only show of “A Cabaret of Legends” on August 10. The day after the festival concludes. Tickets can be purchased here at 25thstreettheatre.org

 

  There will also be the food trucks, carnival games including a Mini Golf course, Collaboration Station. There is also the Thelma Pepper Art Walk, the S.A.L.T Theatre Program, Fringe Yoga, community centre, Fun Run, 50/50, Saskatoon Stories, Wild Prairie Exhibit and Broadway Days.   

 

  Also included is a free art gallery that honors and showcases the works of Joan Payne. Payne was a local theatre designer in the 80s and worked with 25th Street Theatre on a few productions previously.  Payne passed away earlier this year and this event was spearheaded by Payne’s family.

 

  More information on the various activities can be found here at the Fringe’s Outdoor Fringe section. 

 

  The beer in the Fringe Gardens is provided once again by Hi Key Brewing company. This is the third year of the partnership and the new beer this year is entitled Rehearsal Draft. “I’ve been joking that we got it right the first time.” Williams laughed.

 

  Aside from the Fringe performers there will be buskers and Street performers.

 

  Artist Chase Padgett, from Florida returns from last year’s Fringe. Padgett toured his show, Chase Padgett: Grab Bag Cabaret as well as doubling as one of the street performers. Padgett also came to Saskatoon November 2024 touring his critically acclaimed show, 6 Guitars at the Broadway Theatre.

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  The Artisan Alley will be back showcasing a variety of arts, crafts and goods.

 

  There will be a Fringe Preview Nght at the Broadway Theatre at 8pm. The event allows the audience to watch samples of each production featured. The performers give a quick two minute preview of what to expect from their shows. Tickets can be bought online here at the venue..

 

  25th St Theatre’s Saskatoon Fringe runs from July 31-August 9th 2025 in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, Canada.

 

  More information can be found at the Fringe’s website here. Tickets can be bought online here or at the various venues.

 

“If you’re not sure, just show up. I want to encourage everyone to be brave and to try. The Fringe is free to enter our outdoor site and the shows are so affordable and the artists are so fantastic and you never what kind of connection, friendship and future you’re going to find at the fringe just by being brave and curious.”