Posted by AugustIsWriting on Sep 14, 2026
I saw 5 productions this last week, which is a "slow start" in comparison to some people, and I must say it was a really strong start to the 2026 Fringe Season! I'm sensing a bit of a trend, 4/5 of the shows were solo shows, so I'm excited to get a crash course in them over the course of the month. I'm sending many congratulations to the Impulse Control Freak's Private Dick, which closed after what seems to have been a great run (I caught it on night one and had a BLAST), and to Lisa VillaMil's Alpha, which just got extended (I HIGHLY recommend you catch it before it's gone!)
What I've Seen
My Carmilla - Runs through Sept. 26th
Believe it or not, I haven't read Carmilla. The only thing I knew going in was that it was older than Dracula, and set in Eastern Europe. I was happy to find that this adaptation, set in rural New England, stands quite well on its own. Delightfully atmospheric and moody, the original music and movement elevated an already well-crafted script into a dreamy exploration of desire, rebellion, and violence. The performance I saw had Asha Bagal Kelly as Laura and Sabrina Caruso as Carmilla, they switch roles every performance. Asha gave a riveting performance of Laura, which tempts me to catch her on a night where she gets to play the actual vampire. Sabrina was a charming Carmilla, bolstered by a talented and well-utilized ensemble. I could've easily watched another half-hour of this, but as it stands it's a great 60 minutes, well worth visiting the Plays and Players theater for.
See it for: A great scene about Chicago wildflowers, standout moments of dance and fight choreo, and complicated women kissing it out.
Bog Man - Runs through Sept. 20th
A play about an actress playing a character in a one person show about the Bog Man. A play about what we do for health insurance, what we learn when we're forced to endure, and the transformative power of being trapped in a bog for thousands of years. Eliza Waterman gives a great performance, switching from "herself" to Laura in the one-woman show she's been cast in, and most impressively, helps support the Bog Man's monologue, because when he starts to talk, he has a lot to say. Speaking of the Bog Man, Mae Merkel's talent as a prop designer is on full display. In the show, we're told he's made of "foam and wiring;" I looked it up afterwards, he really does look like the actual Clonycavan Man. It is an incredibly faithful rendition of that specific corpse, perfectly built for a small stage in Philadelphia. I really enjoyed it! Bog Man is great on it's own, or as a solid hour within the Lemonade Stand lineup.
See it for: an hour of laughs, some incredible acting choices with glasses, and a prop Bog Man that looks like he should smell of peat.
What I'm Seeing This Week
(Those last 4 I'm seeing all in one day, Saturday Sept. 19th. Let me know if you'll be running around with me!)