BEST OF THE FRINGE

Fringe Festival a Bright Light for San Francisco Indie Theater

The 2025 San Francisco Fringe Festival announced sales of 159% over the 2024 festival which itself was up 35% from 2023. Produced by EXIT Theatre, the SF Fringe Fest had total attendance of 1,461 with 40% of the indie theater companies selling out shows.

The 2025 festival presented 45 performances over three weekends at the 49 seat Taylor Street Theatre in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. With tickets averaging only $13 the festival had total sales of $16,893.

The 34th annual SF Fringe, which accepted applications from all artists and selected the 15 theater companies in the festival randomly by lottery, is a barometer of the health of San Francisco theater. After being forced to close due to the COVID pandemic, the rebound of the festival over the last three years is a bright light for San Francisco indie theater.

Christina Augello, EXIT Theatre’s founder and artistic director, announced the Best of the Fringe award winners:

  • “Box [M]” by Flying Rabbit Circus (Genie Cartier, Landyn Endo, & Os Roxas) of San Francisco;
  • “Just Be Happy” by Steward of Delight (Kendra Ferguson) of San Francisco;
  • “Oh Johnny” by Molly Shannon of San Francisco;
  • “The Omega Male Program” by Levani of San Diego;
  • and finally the beloved Techie’s Choice Best of the Fringe award went to “Speak English” by Vanessa Kamp from Barcelona.

Veteran Fringe performer Genie Cartier of “Box [M]” summed up the 2025 Fringe Festival in her Facebook post:

“Despite the many challenges small theaters are facing, I’m super proud of our local artist community for really showing up at this year’s fringe. Box [M] was in the very fortunate position of having all sold out shows! But amazingly, every show I saw had respectable audiences (some were small but mighty, most were at least half full), and they were all high quality work. It could have been a really depressing fringe, but instead it was one of the best. Let’s quit only focusing on the art that has stopped happening and support the art that IS happening!!!! To everyone who worked, created, performed, teched, viewed— you’re all amazing & important. I know it’s hard. Just. Keep. Making. Art. Happen. It really pisses off the Nazis.“