The 12th annual Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival is currently showcasing a diverse array of performances across Salt Lake City, including the Curious Modern Plays production "The Variants," which explores the fracturing of family relationships through sharp humor and emotional volatility. The festival, which includes over 20 shows across two weekends, has seen a significant surge in engagement, with first-weekend audience numbers up 50% from the previous year.
Family Tension Takes Center Stage
The Variants, a production by Curious Modern Plays, is performing at the Alliance Theatre's Main Hall. Directed by Teresa Sanderson, the play examines the chaos that occurs when close relationships fracture due to colliding beliefs. The narrative follows a mother and her three adult children who attempt to maintain normalcy through routine and humor during weekly video chats.
According to the production's details, the tension escalates when a long-delayed reunion is approached and one son refuses to follow established rules. This defiance triggers a chain reaction that exposes long-held secrets and shifting alliances, forcing family members to confront the true cost of their convictions. The production features actors Annette Wright, Kirt Bateman, Eva TerraNova, and Allen Smith, and is being held in association with Meanwhile Park and with support from the Salt Lake Acting Company.
Festival Sees Record Growth
The festival's first weekend concluded with strong financial and attendance metrics. According to The Utah Review, sales for the opening weekend approached $20,000, representing an increase of more than 20% compared to the same period in 2025. Attendance also saw a major boost, with 1,500 audience members participating in the opening weekend—a 50% increase over last year's figures.
As the festival enters its second weekend, running from July 30 through August 2, the program features a wide variety of genres ranging from contemporary dance to avant-garde theater. The Great Salt Lake Fringe website notes that because venues are small and shows often sell out, attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets online to guarantee seats.
Venues and Accessibility
The festival utilizes four distinct venues across Salt Lake City to host its productions. These include the Alliance Theatre at Trolley Square, which offers both a Main Hall and the Sister Dottie S. Dixon Memorial Black Box, as well as the MadKing Fellowship Theater located on the upper floor of The Gateway. The newest addition to the festival's venue lineup is Lightree Studios, located at 740 W. 1700 South.
For those attending the Alliance Theatre, the facility offers free underground parking accessible on 600 East. The MadKing Fellowship Theater is located near the Megaplex Theaters, with the Gateway Summer Garage and the South Garage serving as the closest parking options. The festival also provides information for those using public transit to reach the various locations.
Diverse Artistic Programming
The current programming includes several notable works, such as the avant-garde piece "Under Observation" presented by Shaped for Sportive Tricks Theater Co. Written by Tony Trunnell, the queer thriller dance theater piece is inspired by Stravinsky’s "The Rite of Spring." The story follows Isaac, a recently disabled botanist, as he races against time, corporate bylaws, and personal insomnia to save the dwarf mistletoe from extinction.
Other highlighted performances include "An Undiscovered Room" by the Interdisciplinary Arts Collective, which uses a maze constructed of poles and upcycled materials to create an immersive environment of sound, light, and texture. This piece, designed by Indigo Cook and Michela Dwyer, features dancers, musicians, poets, and actors navigating a space where specific encounters trigger performance scores.
