From Festival Artist to Season Spotlight

AJ Hrooshkin (they/them) is a writer and theatre maker from a small prairie town. 

“My hometown is Veregin, Saskatchewan,” says AJ. “That’s where my roots go deep. But I’ve been ping-ponging across Saskatchewan and Alberta my whole life, living across these two provinces that have this weird sibling rivalry. But I love the flat,” AJ laughs. “I love the big sky. I think the mountains are a bit overrated.”   

Those formative years coming of age on the prairies shaped AJ into the Artist they are today.  

“There are thousands of thousands of billions of different worlds out there. Including mine where my family doesn’t have a huge theatre background. Part of my upbringing is that I meet people where they’re at. Simple values. There is a strangeness that comes with being Queer in small towns. I know my experience isn’t universal – but is my experience.”   

Relatively new on the Fringe circuit, they recall the moment they knew they wanted to share their story with Fringe Audiences.   

“I saw Bruce Ryan Costella perform Spooky & Gay Cabaret in 2022,” recalls AJ. “At the end, Bruce said in an emotional moment: ‘Edmonton Fringe is the Fringe that made me brave.’ And that was the moment where I was like: okay. I can do this too. I can be brave. I can do a Fringe show. I can make people laugh and cry.” 

Following early success at Festival, AJ became interested in expanding their practice, and now, they’re being featured in our Fringe Theatre Season. 

Making the leap from Festival Artist to Season Artist is no small feat. Curated by Artistic Director Murray Utas, the Fringe Theatre Season celebrates bold new work by independent Artists who often get their start right here at Festival. 

“Our Season is a proof of concept,” says Murray. “We support Artists like AJ in their journey from Festival to Season. Festival is scrappy: you learn to make theatre on a shoestring. There’s a time crunch and a big sense of urgency to go-go-go!” laughs Murray. “But during the Season, we support and mentor our Artists in deeper, more intentional ways and connect them with an intimate and engaged Audience.” 

One of those intentional supports is the Westbury Family Fringe Theatre Award. Named in honour of Drs. Robert and Marilyn Westbury who provided a lifetime of leadership and generosity towards theatre arts, this award provides one local Artist, group, or company with up to $35,000 of in-kind support toward the creation of a new work to be presented in our Season. 

As the recipient of the Westbury Family Fringe Theatre Award, AJ’s play Alphabet Line will be featured as part of the 2024/25 Fringe Theatre Season.  

Alphabet Line takes place the late 1940s and follows Duncan, a Queer man who has lived on his family farm his entire life. He sends out daily messages via radio in the hope of receiving a response and finally hears back from Nicholas, a graduate student from Saskatoon.  

“And the two characters ask each other big questions like: where does Queerness fit into their own contexts and experiences?” AJ ponders.  

Read more about all Season shows: Alphabet Line, Brother Rat, and ᐋᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ âcimowin at fringetheatre.ca.