Help us mount Madness Lies at the Fringe Festival

Story

Hi, we're Mad River Theatre and our next production is Madness Lies written by Chloe Whitehorn and starring Shannon Donnelly and Jennifer Verardi at the TK Fringe Festival in August 2025. While we make theatre on the most minimal budget possible, the income from a Fringe festival in Kingston will often just barely cover the basic costs of a production, ie the Fringe fee, advertising and promotional materials like postcards and posters, and our minimal set and costumes (that we can't borrow from our own homes and closets). Fringe shows usually operate as a profit share, splitting the profits after production costs are covered, and many don't break even. Last year we brought "The Fall After Midsummer" to the TK Fringe to great success. The critique of toxic relationships was written and directed by Chloe Whitehorn, starred Shannon Donnelly and Michael Donnelly, and received rave reviews and packed house standing ovations. And we were able to cover our costs and pay our artists. Both Chloe and Shannon are back working on this new show and joined by the amazing Jennifer Verardi. We would love to be able to guarantee our artists get paid for the time they devote to bringing the play to life. Rehearsals and performances are a huge time commitment for theatre artists, and while we all love theatre and would do it for free, we think people should be paid for their talent and time. Ideally we could devote all of the money the show makes from ticket sales directly to the artists. And with your help we could. With your donations we could cover the production costs so that from the moment we open, every dollar from our eight performances can be paid to our artists. Madness Lies tackles the complex subjects of mental health and gender equality while weaving Shakespearian and pop culture references into a hauntingly twisted tale. After the death of their father, Lettie and Leah find themselves stuck in a mental wellness centre working through their grief and loss. Struggling to grasp control in a realm where women are often medicated or institutionalized rather than listened to, finding their own voice will help them determine who they want to be (or not to be) in this Hamlet meets Girl, Interrupted journey into madness. For more information about our show you can visit Mad River Theatre