School of the Arts

It's Fringe Friday!
Did you know we have many offerings for FAMILIES at SOTA POPS! at ESL Rochester Fringe Festival
BELLA AND THE WITCH is inspired by the story of Baba Yaga, "Bella and the Witch" is a dance theater piece by Laurie MacFarlane with props by Martha Schermerhorn and music by Parker Callister. When Bella’s mom sends her on an errand to her mysterious aunt’s house, Bella must use her wits, charm, and even some magic to defeat the witch and return safely home.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/bella-and-the-witch

FAIRY MAGIC
A fairy themed magic show including bubbles, flowers, beads and bells! A unicorn puppet will help entertain, given the mystical bond between fairies and unicorns, and the natural affinity between children and puppets. No magic wand needed here: pixie dust reigns supreme. Bubbles will turn into orbs, flowers appear from nowhere, individual beads will magically adhere and grow. A bell will mysteriously ring: a clear sign fairies are near. Come dressed in fairy garb and admission is free.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/fairy-magic

PORT-A-GLOBE PUNCH & JUDY
It’s the story of a very silly man named Punch, his clever wife Judy, and the Baby. Add to the mix the Crocodile, the Policeman, the Queen Bee who wants her honey back, the Doctor, a string of sausages, and a few other surprises, and you have what has become the most famous puppet show in the western world. Come see why it was described last year as "one of the best options for kids at the 2024 Fringe Festival” by City Magazine! No matter your age, this show is guaranteed to make you laugh.
FREE SHOW! https://rochesterfringe.com/.../port-a-globe-punch-and-judy

WIZARD AND A FOOL MAGIC SHOW John Fava-Licata's magic career has taken him to stages across the United States, from Las Vegas to Boston. Now he's bringing his all-ages magic show to Rochester. His shows are always packed full of surprises with original acts that you won't see performed anywhere else. In John's inaugural Fringe performance there will be: sleight of hand, juggling, a tense escape act, mind reading, and maybe even a card trick.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/wizard-and-a-fool-magic-show

ROCHESTER CITY BALLET: TWO TALES OF SEUSS presents a Seuss-inspired program will include two complementary works: the revival of "Green Eggs and Ham," choreographed by David Palmer, and the creation of a brand-new ballet inspired by "The Sneetches." Palmer’s "Green Eggs and Ham" incorporates ASL to help open up the world of ballet to all. Together, these family friendly ballets will bring the timeless messages and imaginative worlds of Dr. Seuss to life through dynamic storytelling and dance!
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/rochester-city-ballet-two-tales-of-dr-seuss

TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR
A little girl is trying to go to bed, she reads her favorite book with her friend "little star." With her book she meets your favorite nursery characters. The cow and the moon, Kittens and Mittens and more. In the end our favorite little girl dreams while dancing among the stars.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/twinkle-twinkle-little-star

SOTA SCREEN SERENADES is a vibrant vocal cabaret presented by Rochester School of the Arts students as part of the Rochester Fringe Festival. Featuring iconic songs from film, television, and stage, this evening celebrates storytelling through live performance, powerhouse vocals, and creative artistry. From nostalgic classics to modern favorites, students bring cinematic music to life in an unforgettable night of entertainment.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/sota-screen-serenades-school-of-the-arts-vocal-cabaret

Visit our FULL lineup at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/all-shows?venues=School+of+the+Arts

Brava to all the School of the Arts students involved in Roc City Players production of The Addams Family!!!
From cast to crew to student directors there were over 30 of our students in those excellent production!
3 more chances to catch the show!
Thursday August 6th at 7PM and Friday August 7th at 10 AM and 7PM at Padilla High School (950 Norton Street)

It's Fringe Friday!
SOTA POPS! 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival has 45 acts performing in our 6 venues at 45 Prince Street. Truly something for everyone!
Today we feature the MUSIC of SOTA POPS!
ACROSS THE SEA: Finding My Voice is an intimate concert blending jazz, opera, pop, and original music, tracing vocalist Sandra Keerthi’s journey through identity, artistry, and belonging. . A reflective and heartfelt musical experience.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/across-the-sea-finding-my-voice

CHARMING DISASTER'S MUSICAL ORACLE returns to Rochester with an interactive cabaret-concert where audience members determine the set list by drawing cards from the Charming Disaster Oracle Deck—a Tarot-style divination that makes each performance unique. What mysterious destiny awaits? Find out before it’s too late…
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/charming-disasters-musical-oracle

DUST BOWL FAERIES: THE CLOVEN PENDULUM, A GOTHIC MURDER MYSTERY: a night of musical intrigue as we deconstruct the mysterious death of the band's taxidermy spirit animal, Hazel the ram. Help us solve the mystery while enjoying an evening of dark cabaret music. Audience members are invited to participate as murder suspects and jury members in this macabre musical tableau.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/dust-bowl-faeries-the-cloven-pendulum-a-gothic-murder-mystery

JUST THE TWO OF USs/Connie Fredericks-Malone and Scott Bradley: marks the first time they will perform together. "Just The Two Of Us" is part of the SOTA POPS! series for the 2026 Rochester Fringe Festival!
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/just-the-two-of-us-connie-fredericks-malone-and-scott-bradley

LYRICAL GROOVES: an evening with the music of Jimmie Highsmith Jr. and the poetry and spoken word of Lu Highsmith.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/lyrical-grooves

MUSIC THAT'LL MOVE YA!As seen on "Today" and "America's Got Talent," in the House brings over 25 years of powerhouse R&B, pop, and soul to the stage. From opening for legends like The Beach Boys and The Temptations to headlining international festivals, “R&B royalty” delivers smooth harmonies, high energy, and timeless hits that celebrate generations of iconic music.
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/music-thatll-move-ya

TAROT CABARET is returning for their second Fringe, Tarot Cabaret is an award-winning interactive group Tarot reading where every card of the Major Arcana is associated with a unique performance piece. Each evening at the Tarot Cabaret, 11 audience members pull cards to create a one-of-a-kind set list! Presented by Sunday Stages Theatre Company, a q***r-led organization
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/tarot-cabaret

Visit our full lineup at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/all-shows...

Science as art?!? You bet!
SOTA POPS! 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival is bringing the art of science to the festival this year!
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SCIENCE
A meteorologist, three comedians, and the RMSC walk into a Fringe Festival show for an interrogation of atmospheric proportions. Find out what happens when you let three comics interview and learn from a mystery guest meteorologist. Emceed by the Rochester Museum & Science Center. Join us for some laughs while learning about something that makes all Rochesterians run hot and storm off.
Tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-science-a-night-of-science-weather-and-humor

ET AL. - QUEERKY SCIENCE ON THE FRINGE
Et al. - Queerky Science Nights is an after-hours science series where top scholars present in a q***r bar, and we dance. Now the show goes Fringe, on stage! Live science (colors?), dance, music, and a mystery expert whose field will make you question everything your senses tell you. You'll be part of it. Who gets to call something a fact? Come find out. Intentionally uncensored. Gloriously unresolved.
Tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/et-al-q***rky-science-on-the-fringe

SUB-ZERO SCIENCE
Join presenters from the Rochester Museum and Science Center for an explosive dive into the extreme science of liquid nitrogen! At -320.5°F, this show reveals the mind-blowing effects of temperature on matter through dramatic phase-change demonstrations. Watch solids shrink, hot dogs shatter, levitating fog, and a gas-powered ping-pong ball take flight—culminating in a volatile liquid nitrogen explosion that’s as educational as it is unforgettable. Fun for the entire family!
Tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/sub-zero-science

View our FULL lineup at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/all-shows?venues=School+of+the+Arts

It's Fringe Friday!
The SOTA Community is represented at the Rochester Fringe Festival!
In addition to the 3 student performances, SOTA POPS! 2025 brings 4 shows produced by alumni, 2 shows written by faculty, and 2 shows featuring faculty performers!
Baby Jane, Baby Jane
Whatever REALLY happened to Baby Jane and Blanche Hudson? Find out in this original comic thriller by Creative Writing Faculty member Brad Craddock Fast, witty, and unexpected, "Baby Jane, Baby Jane" is a glitter-dusted battle royale with a bloody heart beating beneath the sequins.
Get your tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/baby-jane-baby-jane

Another Middle Earth Press Conference
The mouth of Sauron is back to give an update to the people of Middle Earth. In the wake of the War of the Ring, Sauron's press secretary returns to give answers to your burning questions about the All Seeing Eye and the current state of Middle Earth. Another interactive comedy from writer and director Brad Craddock, Creative Writing Faculty at SOTA.
Get your tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/another-middle-earth-press-conference
And Now ... with Extra Bits
Alumni Austen Kelly's company Paradigm Shift Dance Company presents a spectacle of theatrical sophistication, technical excellence, and absolutely avoidable mishaps! Audience favorites shine alongside equally disastrous premieres in a production full of costume snafus, molting ballerinas, mechanical mishaps, and emotional meltdowns.
Get your tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/and-now-with-extra-bits
Tales From The Bush
Community. Perseverance. Humanity. Womanhood. These are a few of the themes you can find in this evening of dance, song, and spoken word created by mother-daughter duo Roseanne DiMaria and SOTA Alumni Neyda Colón-DiMaria. Drawing from numerous vernacular and concert dance traditions to tell women's stories, the multigenerational artists of this show span Rochester's performance scene!
Get your tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/tales-from-the-bush

"ROCeltic: Myths, Legends, and Folklore", brought to you by SOTA Alumni Brianna Kelly, merges storytelling and dance to bring Ireland’s rich heritage to life through captivating stories, vibrant music, and energetic motion. Irish heritage finds its heart within ROCeltic’s unique amalgamation of music, dance, and storytelling. Get your tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/roceltic-myths-legends-and-folklore

Lyrical Grooves is an evening with the music of SOTA Alumni Jimmie Highsmith Jr. and the poetry and spoken word of SOTA Alumni Lu Highsmith. This dynamic couple will be joining creative forces to tell their story of life, love, inspiration and hope!
Get your tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/lyrical-grooves

SOTA faculty member Michael Janover will be performing in 2 Fringe shows at SOTA! Tarot Cabaret (https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/tarot-cabaret) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/the-25th-annual-putnam-county-spelling-bee). SOTA Counselor, Julie Rossette will be performing in BIODANCE'S 20th Anniversary (https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/biodances-20th-anniversary)

Visit our FULL lineup at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/all-shows...

The cards have decided your fate! SOTA POPS! 2026 features the mystical (and musical) at ESL Rochester Fringe Festival!

On Friday, September 19th you can enjoy a DOUBLE FEATURE of TAROT CABARET, followed by CHARMING DISASTER all in the School of the Arts Black Box!
Visit our full lineup at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/all-shows...

CHARMING DISASTER'S MUSICAL ORACLE returns to Rochester with an interactive cabaret-concert where audience members determine the set list by drawing cards from the Charming Disaster Oracle Deck—a Tarot-style divination that makes each performance unique. What mysterious destiny awaits? Find out before it’s too late…
https://rochesterfringe.com/.../charming-disasters...

TAROT CABARET is returning for their second Fringe, Tarot Cabaret is an award-winning interactive group Tarot reading where every card of the Major Arcana is associated with a unique performance piece. Each evening at the Tarot Cabaret, 11 audience members pull cards to create a one-of-a-kind set list! Presented by Sunday Stages Theatre Company, a q***r-led organization
https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/tarot-cabaret

DIY ORACLE CARD Oracle Hour: come in and create your own mystical oracle cards. Drop by to design one or more personalized affirmation cards with your own divinely-channeled artwork to guide your spiritual journey. Pop in and we'll supply all the materials and prompts needed to inspire. Simply bring an openness to explore and interpret. Step out of the past and into your future. With artistic guidance from Sha-Mom Jan.
FREE
Visit our full lineup at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/all-shows...

SOTA POPS! 2026 at ESL Rochester Fringe Festival chesterFringeFestival has 45 acts performing in our 6 venues at 45 Prince Street. Truly something for everyone!
One of the biggest reasons School of the Arts does Fringe is for our students. Not only does the revenue from the festival help Friends of School of the Arts - Rochester, NY support student success, the festival itself provides an international stage for our students to shine on!
You can catch School of the Arts students in 3 productions!
Hephaestus by composer Glenn McClure and librettist Wes Kennison is a jazz-infused, high-energy folk opera romp that follows the Greek god Hephaestus: from his mother tossing him out of Olympus to his redemption into becoming a master artist. Performed by School of the Arts students who participated in the New York State BOOST Grant Summer Program.
September 16 at 6:00 PM
Tickets at: https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/hephaestus

SOTA Screen Serenades - School of the Arts Vocal Cabaret is a vibrant vocal cabaret presented by Rochester School of the Arts students as part of the Rochester Fringe Festival. Featuring iconic songs from film, television, and stage, this evening celebrates storytelling through live performance, powerhouse vocals, and creative artistry. From nostalgic classics to modern favorites, students bring cinematic music to life in an unforgettable night of entertainment.
ONE NIGHT ONLY - Sunday, September 20 at 1PM
Get your tickets at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/sota-screen-serenades-school-of-the-arts-vocal-cabaret

Music That'll Move Ya'!
School of the Arts Mixed Choir will be performing with BALL IN THE HOUSE! As seen on "Today" and "America's Got Talent," Ball in the House brings over 25 years of powerhouse R&B, pop, and soul to the stage. From opening for legends like The Beach Boys and The Temptations to headlining international festivals, “R&B royalty” delivers smooth harmonies, high energy, and timeless hits that celebrate generations of iconic music.
Students will perform Sunday, September 20 at 4PM
Get your tickets at: https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/music-thatll-move-ya

Visit our full lineup at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/all-shows...

Want to watch our graduation from home tonight?
Live stream begins at 6 PM tonight, June 26, 2026!
https://www.youtube.com/live/ILddN1IUduM?is=501Dd5wnvd04Rokd