My third day was a busy one! When you’re out there having a busy day of Fringe, don’t forget to leave yourself time to eat, folks! This is definitely the voice of experience talking. I have been continually blown away by the productions I’ve seen so far at Fringe this year; what an amazing group of artists and stories they’ve assembled!

White Collars – Bongle Entertainment Division

What happens when three marketing agents with a flair for comedy make a Fringe show? You get White Collars, a parody of a corporate conference oozing with satire and full of laughs. With each performance delicately curated by the performers to that particular audience, White Collars is a unique, and hilarious, experience.

I thought it was totally awesome that the three performers (Arun Kirupananthan, Braeden Banks, and Maya Cieszynska) were all friends outside of the show and have spent several years working with one another for various companies. Their chemistry on stage certainly exudes that familiarity and trust with one another. Their personal experiences in the corporate world made for very relatable material and their tongue-in-cheek sketches are out of this world. I also really liked that they were giving us the gears about being at Fringe at 4:15pm on a Friday; their ability to adapt and improvise but solidly within the corporate context is what makes White Collars so entertaining.

So get ready for the conference of a lifetime and don’t forget to live by Bongle’s motto: “Be More. Do Everything. Never Hesitate.” For more information and tickets, visit: White Collars | Toronto Fringe Festival (fringetoronto.com)

Our Little Secret: The 23&Me Musical – It’s Been Introduced

Could you imagine going from being an only child to finding out you have 35 half siblings basically overnight? That’s exactly what happened to Noam Tomaschoff and he made a musical out of it! With a fascinating story and catchy songs, Our Little Secret: The 23&Me Musical is a true delight.

The story of Our Little Secret is truly stranger than fiction; even after hearing the whole story I’m still in disbelief. What I enjoyed is how Tomaschoff presents both sides of the story, speaking to not only his experience, but that of his parents as well. The humanity and heart expressed in this show is what makes it so endearing. Paired with the brilliant songs of Ryan Peters, I’ve never had an hour fly by so quickly. This is another show where I’m going to voice my immediate need for a cast recording ASAP!

On a more touching note, I was lucky enough to see the opening night performance and Tomaschoff’s parents were in the audience. That level of support and love is incredible. Even more so because he shared with us that his maternal grandmother had passed away the day before, and her caregiver was in the audience with his parents as well. It’s making me cry again writing about it. I felt very thankful to witness such a special performance of this incredible work.

Unfortunately, although not unexpectedly, Our Little Secret is already sold out! Hopefully you already have your tickets! For more information, visit: Our Little Secret: The 23&Me Musical | Toronto Fringe Festival (fringetoronto.com)

A Woman Is…

Kiki Moritsugu has had an incredible career on the stage as a dancer, singer, and actress. But when you come from a legendary showbiz family, that can certainly make things interesting (to say the least). Moritsugu explores all of this and more in her show A Woman Is…a cabaret performance as well as a remembrance of her mother.

The stories that Moritsugu tells are exceptional, from her parent’s past to her own incredible career; I was totally entranced. I desperately need to hear more about a certain thanksgiving dinner with a certain prolific composer, but that’ll be for another cabaret (hopefully). Moritsugu is charming, entertaining, and beautifully vulnerable as she discusses the roller coaster of events which have shaped her life. Each song was perfectly chosen to fit the stories she was discussing while also showcasing Moritsugu’s immense talent.

A Woman Is…is uplifting, inspirational, and validating in so many ways. It certainly answers the question it poses through its title: a woman is so many things its impossible to sum up in one show. Moritsugu and co-writer Danielle Dresden have certainly done an impressive job at introducing us to this wondrous woman, as well as the women who make her the woman she is today. You won’t want to miss this show! For more information and tickets, visit: A Woman Is… | Toronto Fringe Festival (fringetoronto.com)