Instead of canceling the 2020 Cincinnati Fringe Festival due to the pandemic, the producers at Know Theatre put the festival 100% online. While the video format cannot come close to the experience of in-person theater, I am glad that these artists have a chance to earn some of the revenue they would typically receive during the festival season.

Another benefit to the online festival is that I am able to take part, even though I’m 1,200 miles from my hometown. When I lived in Cincinnati I penned theater reviews for the alt-weekly CityBeat, and this year I was invited to review five of the festival productions.

See the full list of 2020 Cincinnati Fringe Festival reviews here. (You can watch all of these shows through June 13!) The five productions I reviewed are as follows:

Proximity | Pones

Forbidden City! | Martin Dockery

Love & Other Lures | Dr. Dour and Peach

Dreary, Dearie | Caitlyn Waltermire

Colony | PSOPHONIA Dance Company and AURA Contemporary Ensemble