BORDERLIGHT 2022

FESTIVAL RECAP

BORDERLIGHT 2022

Having last produced a full festival in downtown Cleveland in 2019, our debut year, BorderLight made the decision to postpone its scheduled biennial festival in 2021 in favor of a summer-long Virtual Festival that featured livestreamed and on demand Fringe acts from around the world. In July of 2022, we returned to our original festival model of presenting in-person theatre in downtown Cleveland, which included a small number of international works plus a substantial domestic Fringe Festival. It was thrilling to be able to return to booking in-person performances and bringing performers here from abroad, despite the challenges of disrupted travel and visa delays.

2022 AT-A-GLANCE

%

of patrons rated their BorderLight experience Excellent or Good.

%

of artists rated their BorderLight experience Excellent or Good.

%

of volunteers were satisfied and are likely to volunteer again.

%

of seasonal staff rated their experience with BorderLight highly.

4,200+ festival-wide attendance

45 unique performances

205 participating artists representing 7 countries and 10 states.

Over $375,000 invested in the local economy, including $100,000+ directed to local artists and arts organizations

Audience seated in a warmly lit theater laughing and enjoying a live performance, with a red overlay and the text MEDIA displayed across the image.
Children and families participating in a BorderLight Theatre Festival activity with large paper wings and colorful props, overlaid with the text SUPPORTERS.
Group of dancers in colorful traditional attire performing on stage, with a red overlay and the text BorderLight in the Media displayed across the image.

2022 SHOWS

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A Reading of The Plague by Albert Camus

above the c with splash

Above de “C” as in Camping

AMERICAN REFUGEE_Main_Square

American Refugee

bees with splash

BEES

Perhaps with Splash

CANCELED – Perhaps, Perhaps… Quizás

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Central Concern

Charming Disaster’s Musical Tarot Show_Main_Square

Charming Disaster’s Musical Tarot Show

TITLE_Main_Square

Dancing Wheels Quest for Equality

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Dear Cleveland: The Symphonic Soliloquies

Fran and Gus

Fran and Gus

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Gray Space

SOAPBOX TESTAMENTS - Main Landscape

HERE NOW; The Soapbox Testaments

HEY SIRI_Main Image_Square

Hey Siri

It-s Now or Never, Square

It’s Now or Never: My Life in the Late Middle Ages

khuraki with splash

Khuraki

MAYA_Main_Square

Maya: the Illusionist

NATURE_SONG_1_diana_sette

Nature Song

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Not A Uterus In Sight

Oasis with Splash

Oasis

PAJAMASTORIES_Main_Landscape_Snoopy

Pajama Stories for Adults

PAJAMASTORIES_Main_Landscape_FurryFriends

Pajama Stories for All

PAJAMASTORIES_Main_Landscape

Pajama Stories for Children

Untitled design

Pedro Gonzalez and Tania Timmons

wizbangPoster

Pinch and Squeal’s Wizbang!

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Polynesian Dance Performance

Poncili with Splash

Poncili Creación

Untitled design (1)

Raj Suresh and Amanda Averell

ShMILF Life_Main_Square

ShMILF Life

Slanted_Main_Square

Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court

SONY DSC

Song Embroidery

TheBodyisTheBest_Main_Landscape

The Body is the Best

THELASTHURRAH_Main_square

The Last Hurrah

aluminum-free deodorant

The Pink Hulk: One Woman’s Journey to Find the Superhero Within

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The Small Garden

The Walks with splash

The Walks

Under the Sycamores

Under the Sycamores

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Web of Deceit

WHAT DO I SEE_Main_Square

What Do I See Before Me?

Where our shadows like to play_With words_designed by Jacob Liptow

WHERE OUR SHADOWS LIKE TO PLAY

WONDERLANDING_Main_Square_

Wonderlanding

ARTIST & AUDIENCE TESTIMONIALS

I am so grateful that BorderLight happens in my hometown! It's an amazing event and I plan to sing your praises to everyone! 

Anonymous

Diverse and delightful fringe fest.

Facebook Reviewer

I got to experience places in Cleveland I've never been to before. 

Anonymous

I enjoyed the opportunity to connect with different perspectives from my own! Art can provide beautiful learning experiences. 

Annonymous

I could gush for WEEKS about how much I love BorderLight. It is the coolest theatre event in Cleveland, and I am so immensely grateful to have been able to participate in it all 3 years. 

BorderLight Artist

Unique opportunity to see performers from all over the world. Many venues.

Facebook Reviewer

The range of performance opportunities to experience and the diligent organization of the event was stellar!

Facebook Reviewer

It was a pleasure to bring Pajama Stories by Marie Cooney Stories to the festival from MN. Thanks for the warm welcome. I met some fabulous people: artists, staff, audience, volunteers. A very intimate and supportive Fringe Festival. My first touring event! I look forward to many more!

Facebook Reviewer (Presenter)

Super performances! A must see while in the CLE!

Facebook Reviewer

Love being a part of BorderLight Fringe! It's consistently been my best theatre experience as an artist in Cleveland. 

BorderLight Artist

So thrilled that Cleveland can showcase theater in such a creative and intimate way.

Facebook Reviewer

I am so grateful for this festival in Cleveland. It truly adds such an important element to our art scene. 

BorderLight Artist

[BorderLight]..expanded my theatrical experience. 

Anonymous

Thank you, Borderlight, for making the city the stage with so many outside performances! [...] I am thrilled my hometown is hosting this international festival for a second season. Where else would I experience Yiddish folktales and conjure with witches coming out of retirement?

Facebook Reviewer

The care and expertise in bringing together some of the best local, regional, and international theatre artists... to Cleveland!

Facebook Reviewer

2022 SUPPORTERS

2022 Supporters