{"id":194073,"date":"2026-02-26T02:21:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T02:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/194073\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T02:21:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T02:21:12","slug":"rogue-festival-marks-25-years-as-fresno-arts-highlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/194073\/","title":{"rendered":"Rogue Festival marks 25 years as Fresno arts highlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rogue Festival<\/a> is a testament to the perpetual power of art.<\/p>\n

If you believe the lore, Fresno playwright Marcel Nunis started the event on a makeshift stage in the backyard of his Tower District home and it just \u201csomehow never died,\u201d says Jaguar Bennet, a comedian\/performer and former president of the Rogue Festival board.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe never thought it would last this long.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yet, 25 years later the festival (and its signature Muse<\/a>) has grown into Fresno\u2019s defining arts event and a must-stop for performers on the circuit of \u201cfringe festivals.\u201d<\/a> That\u2019s the catch-all term for similar home-grown showcases, which are often a low-brow and low-budget mix of storytelling and spoken word, dance and music, performance art, magic and even, occasionally, some puppetry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Rogue has brought performers from all over the world to Fresno,\u201d Bennett says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd world-class performers like (Brooklyn storyteller\/actor Martin) Dockery<\/a> keep coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n

What you hear from veteran performers is that \u201cFresno audiences are among the most appreciative audiences anywhere.\u201d Which makes the festival a perfect venue to launch new work, some of which ends up as part of worldwide tours or even on Broadway, Bennett says.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a real putting-Fresno-on-the-theater-world-map kind of deal and a blessing for local audiences.<\/p>\n

This year, there are more than 50 performance groups doing more than 200 individual performances at 10 official venues (and a few less-than-official ones) over the Rogue\u2019s six-day run. With that in mind, we asked Bennet for five recommendations, based on the following criteria:<\/p>\n

An out-of-town performance<\/p>\n

Martin Dockery: \u201cThe Review,\u201d<\/a> \u201cThe Stakeout\u201d<\/a> and \u201cWanderlust\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSomehow, Brooklyn-based playwright and storyteller Martin Dockery has three shows in the Rogue this year: \u2018The Review,\u2019 a brand-new play about two men clashing during an annual corporate performance review; \u2018The Stakeout,\u2019 Dockery\u2019s hit off-Broadway play about two men on a stakeout of two men on a stakeout of them; and \u2018Wanderlust\u2019 a one-man show about searching for an epiphany.<\/p>\n

Dockery has been a returning Rogue performer for well over a decade<\/a> and is a bona fide star of the fringe-theater circuit. His intricate language and surreal situations have been a favorite of audiences at the Rogue and worldwide.<\/p>\n

A local performance<\/p>\n

Tony Imperatrice: \u201cCassini LIVE\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cFresno-based organist and composer Tony Imperatrice has performed at the Rogue many times before, but this year he is presenting his most ambitious work yet: \u201cCassini LIVE,\u201d an original musical score telling the story of NASA\u2019s Cassini mission to Saturn<\/a>, accompanied by stunning space images from the mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

A not-safe-for-work choice<\/p>\n

Nadia Lotte: \u201cChampagne Cabaret<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis burlesque show (from Los Angeles performer Nadia Lotte<\/a>) promises comedy, singing, striptease, plus \u2018talented tarts\u2019 who will \u2018take off as much as legally allowed.\u2019 \u2018Nuff said.\u201d<\/p>\n

One to see if you\u2019ve never been to the Rogue Festival before<\/p>\n

LadyK: \u201cA Hot Flash Gospel<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst-time Rogue audience, meet first-time Rogue performer: Spoken word artist LadyK<\/a> combines poetry, humor and testimony to explore faith, menopause, Black womanhood and liberation. This promises to be an intensely personal show that speaks from the heart on intimate topics most people are afraid to touch. It\u2019s raw, it\u2019s alive, it\u2019s the essence of the Rogue Festival.\u201d<\/p>\n

One to see if you\u2019re coming back for year 25<\/p>\n

The Fools Collaborative: \u201cS\u2019Will<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFresno\u2019s favorite drunk Shakespeare company<\/a> (and community arts collective)<\/a> returns with a \u2018lovingly mangled\u2019 version of the bard\u2019s \u2018A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream,\u2019 set in the Central Valley, and always, in every performance one actor is completely wasted. Anything can happen when you mix immortal poetry with copious amounts of alcohol, and every performance will have unpredictable results.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can find the full schedule of performances online<\/a> or in the Rogue handbook, physical copies of which can be picked up at various locations around the Tower District or a Rogue Festival teaser show Thursday night at Summer Fox\u2019s tap room on Van Ness Avenue. A $6 Rogue wristband is required for entry to any show, with individual tickets available in advance at Roguefestival.com or at venues starting 30 minutes before showtime.<\/p>\n

\"The The two-week Rogue Festival in 2026 is celebrating 25 years in Fresno\u2019s Tower District. ROGUE FESTIVAL
\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n

Joshua Tehee<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n

Joshua Tehee covers breaking news for The Fresno Bee, writing on a wide range of topics from police, politics and weather, to arts and entertainment in the Central Valley.\n <\/p>\n