Point Park University served as an official venue for the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival this past week, hosting Point Park Fringe from March 20 to 22 with a range of student-created performances. Across the weekend, audiences moved between studios to experience an eclectic mix of plays, staged readings, solo performances and late-night events.
The festival itself is still a relatively new addition to campus. It was established last year by then-senior Eliza Boyanton, who aimed to create a space for Pittsburgh artists to present original work within the structure of the larger Fringe. Leadership of the festival has since transitioned to junior theatre arts major Aryan Cheruvattath, who now serves as festival director.
In its inaugural year, Point Park Fringe featured more than 10 performances and events created by both current students and alumni, all held in Boulevard Studios on campus. The festival also included workshops and talkbacks alongside performances and was free to attend.
This year’s festival also reflects a shift in student theater opportunities on campus. Earlier this academic year, the Pittsburgh Playhouse ended its sponsorship of student-run groups like Bridges Theatre Company, removing access to professional performance spaces and institutional funding. In response, Cheruvattath has used Point Park Fringe as a platform to revive the organization in a new, independent format.
“This year, we’re really focused on collaboration through Bridges Theatre Company, bringing them back to life and really showcasing student work,” Cheruvattath said.
Bridges Theatre Company now operates as a Student Government Association organization, with junior theatre arts major Terra Tougaw serving as artistic director.
“Bridges partnered with Point Park Fringe and produced all of the shows in Boulevard Studio 100,” Tougaw said. “With our help directing and overseeing, Fringe is a good and less intimidating place for new artists to get started.”
One of the student-produced works featured in this year’s festival was “The Air Out There,” a new play written by Sharece Sellem-Hannah and directed by first-year acting major Amalea Krill. Set inside a prison, the piece follows three incarcerated women participating in a storytelling workshop.
“The fringe festival is a wonderful space for incoming artists to explore art through new pieces that discuss concepts never really touched on before and works that have never been premiered,” Krill said. “Bridges Theater Company’s involvement sets you up with the proper resources to experiment.”
Krill said the process gave her the opportunity to connect directly with the playwright and engage with new work, highlighting the community-gathering aspects of Fringe.
“Supporting local artists is the best way to support art,” Krill said.
Audience members echoed similar sentiments. Sophomore dance major Reilly Fernandes, who attended “Seven Revelations at the End of the World” on March 21, said the festival highlighted opportunities students may otherwise overlook.
“It’s awesome how many of my peers got the chance to direct and perform through Fringe,” Fernandes said. “It’s important to remember that different arts opportunities are happening all around Pittsburgh, including on our own campus.”
As a free festival, Point Park Fringe prioritizes accessibility. What began as a senior capstone project has quickly developed into an evolving platform for students and alumni artists to share their work.
“The fringe motto is if you don’t like something, it’ll be over soon, and there’s always another theater performing something that will be to your taste,” Cheruvattath said. “It’s a great way to keep theater lively but still with heart and soul.”
