Photo: toronto_fringe on Instagram 

For theatre buffs who are anticipating the perfect summer escape into another world, the annual Toronto Fringe Festival just may be your solution. This year, the festival kicked off on June 29 and runs until July 10.

Photo: toronto_fringe on Instagram 

As part of the “Fringe movement”, the theatre extravaganza marks another stop on the Canadian circuit of fringe festivals. In fact, the festival also takes place in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver. The event launched in 1989, and features visual arts, dance and buskers along with theatrical performances.

The Toronto Fringe Festival is set to include over 150 productions, including Juilliard School playwrighting fellow Jessica Moss’ new play Cam Baby. As the winner of this year’s New Play Contest, the Toronto-based performer and playwright is also the artistic director of Theatre Mischief.

Meanwhile, the Tarragon Theatre is also hosting Dance Animal Toronto, directed and choreographed by Robin Henderson. As a comedy-dance tribe, Dance Animal aims to combine Toronto urban culture with musical theatre and sketch comedy.

For fans of classic literature, Promise and Promiscuity claims to merge the timeless works of Jane Austen with a modern reimagining. In this musical, New Zealand choreographer and actor Penny Ashton stars as Elspeth and plays multiple Austen characters.

Whether you’re in the mood for incredibly current performances or a mix of old and new, it looks like this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival just may offer something for every theatregoer.