Critic’s Picks for 2025 Atlanta Fringe Festival

The Atlanta Fringe Festival is back, once again throwing open the doors for the weird, the wonderful and the occasional wtf?!

Since 2012, the unjuried, lottery-based fest has made space for everything from refined, sharply produced showcases to scrappy passion projects held together with duct tape and a dream. With more than 400 showtimes across 10 venues, 2025 marks the Festival’s biggest year yet, with an expansion from five to 11 days.

With so much on offer, navigating the high-energy lineup can be overwhelming, so I’m here to help. Here are my top picks for what to experience at Atlanta Fringe 2025. For a full schedule and more information, visit the Atlanta Fringe Festival website.

Wildly Beloved: Tales from the Rainbow Bridge

Atlanta puppet artist Jeffery Zwartjes presents a one-man show that navigates the poignant and often humorous relationships between humans and their departed pets. Through a series of monologues, Zwartjes examines grief, love and the enduring bonds we share with our animal companions. 

The Supermarket Black Box, 638 N. Highland Ave. NE., May 29 through June 8. Tickets.

Dr. Glas

English actor Daniel Gerroll brings to life Hjalmar Söderberg’s classic and controversial 1905 suspense novel in this solo performance. Gerroll debuted the work at war-torn Kiev’s Fringe Festival in 2023. A nuanced portrayal promises a gripping exploration of conscience and consequence. 

7 Stages Backstage, 1105 Euclid Ave. NE., May 30 through June 5. Tickets.

Five/5ths of The Fifth Element

In this annual fundraising variety show, five performance groups each re-interpret a segment of a classic cult film. This year’s target is Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element. Expect an eclectic mix of puppetry, improv, comedy and more. A few years back, even Ralph Macchio was spotted in the crowd for the Atlanta Fringe’s Five/Fifths Karate Kid spoof — and reportedly loved it.

7 Stages Main Stage, 1105 Euclid Ave. NE., June 2. Tickets.

Don Toberman: Ping Pong Champ

Athens-based comedian Chase Brantley embodies the over-the-top character Don Toberman, an eccentric athlete aiming to become the world’s top pingpong player. This interactive comedy invites the audience into the game, blurring the lines between performer and spectators. 

Dynamic El Dorado, 572 Edgewood Ave. SE, #116. May 29 through June 7. Tickets.

The Final Haunting of Edgar A. Poe

Writer and director Erik Arndt’s one-man show delves into the tormented life and mind of Edgar Allan Poe during his final days. The production features passages from Poe’s most haunting supernatural works woven into a psychological portrait of the writer’s last hours.

7 Stages Back Stage, 1105 Euclid Ave. NE., May 29 through June 7. Tickets.

The Forever Wave (parts one and two)

An immersive experience set in a drowned San Francisco of 2070, this audio show explores the impact of climate change through the voices of survivors navigating a collapsed world. Written, directed and performed remotely, the show features a multicultural cast of nearly 70 characters played by 12 performers and will be available for streaming throughout the Festival.

Available for streaming on Fringe Audio throughout the Festival.

Bharatanatyam: An Evening of Classical Indian Dance

Dancers Sanjana Jayanti and Annanya Bindu Mirle of Omaha’s Gurukulam Center for Indian Arts showcase the intricate movements and emotive storytelling of the classical Indian dance form Bharatanatyam. 

Limelight Black Box, 349 Decatur St. SE., May 30 through June 8. Tickets.

The Phil Mitchell Radio Hour

Columbus, Ohio-based performer Noah Bennett portrays Phil Mitchell, a self-assured televangelist delivering a live sermon, only to realize mid-broadcast that the rapture has happened, and he’s been left behind. The dark comedy unfolds in real time, blending satire and existential dread. 

Limelight Black Box, 349 Decatur St. SE., May 29 through June 7. Tickets.

My Name is Not Bin Laden

Washington, D.C.-based performer Osama Mahmoud Ashour presents a solo comedy show exploring racial identity in post-9/11 America. The show premiered to acclaim at D.C. Fringe and blends humor with personal storytelling and cultural critique.

The Supermarket Event Stage, 638 N. Highland Ave NE. May 29–June 7. Tickets.

Password

Atlanta creator Ashe Kazanjian crafts an immersive narrative set in 2070, where a woman grapples with Alzheimer’s disease and is aided by her daughter who employs music to rekindle fading memories. Drawing from contemporary neuroscience, the performance integrates audience participation through memory-triggering activities, fostering a collective exploration of identity and remembrance.

Dynamic El Dorado, 572 Edgewood Ave. SE, #116, May 29 through June 7. Tickets.

The Curious Revelations and Astounding Insights of the Great Shamé

Reno-based performer Tozy presents a solo show blending drag, magic and puppetry. As the self-proclaimed clairvoyant Great Shamé, Tozy channels a vintage variety act through a queer, absurdist lens. Expect a singular cabaret-style performance with comedic monologues, sleight-of-hand tricks and audience interaction.

Limelight Mainstage, 349 Decatur St. SE, May 30 through June 8. Tickets.

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Andrew Alexander is an Atlanta-based writer.