The BorderLight Theatre Festival, returning to downtown Cleveland’s Playhouse Square District July 8th-11th, proudly announces its slate of partnered programs that highlight collaboration across Northeast Ohio’s performing arts scene. We are so excited to be a sponsor again this year. Amazing work, actors, and gathering while supporting the arts right here in Cleveland.
BORDERLIGHT BRAWL: OPEN STYLES DANCE BATTLE
Some of Cleveland’s top street dancers take the floor in this high-energy open styles battle featuring Hip Hop, House, Popping, Breaking, Krump, and more. Competing in a bracket-style elimination format, dancers rely on freestyle, creativity, and skill to advance. With a live DJ, an MC, and crowd-fueled energy, each matchup is decided in real time until one dancer remains standing. Presented in partnership with 10K Movement.
Comedian, musician, and 2024 Cleveland Arts Prize Verge Fellowship recipient TJ “Peachcurls” Maclin, along with poet, comedian, and 2024 Emerging Artist in Literature Cleveland Arts Prize recipient Stephanie Ginese, curate a showcase featuring their favorite comedians, writers, and musicians. Banter, skits, and sketches bookend performances from some of the best artists working in the region. Imagine stepping into detention at an arts school with all the funniest people you know. Presented in partnership with Con Tú.
I Hate Memory! is an unconventional musical memoir that traces Eszter Balint’s journey from communist Hungary to the vibrant art scene of late 1970s New York City. Acclaimed performer, musician, and New York City-based artist Eszter Balint gained international recognition starring in legendary director Jim Jarmusch’s landmark independent film Stranger Than Paradise and has since built a multifaceted career spanning film, television, music, and theater. Blending storytelling, music, scenes, and immersive projections, the show explores memory, identity, and the people and places that shape us. Part memoir and part anti-musical, it captures the energy of New York’s streets and creative underground through a deeply personal lens. Presented in partnership with Eszter Balint. Presented in partnership with Eszter Balint.
JOURNEY WEST: THE EPIC DEVISED
Through a blend of monologues, movement, and memory pieces, this theatrical work explores resilience, progress, and the choices that shape our lives. The story follows ranchers Randall and Cecelia as they journey across the southern United States in search of a better future, crossing paths with others on their own quests for redemption and self-discovery. As their stories intertwine, each is forced to confront difficult truths about freedom, survival, and the weight of the past. Presented in partnership with CSU Department of Theatre and Dance.
When a train crashes inside a collapsed tunnel, seven strangers find themselves trapped together beneath the rubble. As they wait for rescue, conversations turn into confessions, and long-held secrets begin to surface. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, they discover unexpected connections in their shared struggles, leading to unlikely alliances, mounting tensions, and fierce disagreements. Faced with a common goal, they must decide whether to work together or let their own interests take priority. Presented in partnership with CSU Department of Theatre and Dance.
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (TOURING VERSION)
This two-actor adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, based on the beloved story by C.S. Lewis, brings the magical world of Narnia to life through imaginative storytelling, dynamic movement, and inventive staging. Transforming into a cast of unforgettable characters, the performers guide audiences through a tale of courage, kindness, forgiveness, and hope. Designed for young audiences and families, this engaging production invites viewers to become part of the adventure through the power of imagination. Presented in partnership with Talespinner Children’s Theatre.
TO MY WHITE FRIENDS WHO KNOW ME
This powerful and deeply personal work explores the complexities of cross-racial friendship during a time of heightened conversations around racial equity. Originally premiered at Cleveland’s historic Karamu House, the piece follows long-standing relationships as they are challenged by new perspectives and difficult truths, embarking on a journey toward greater understanding, accountability, and connection. Honest and thought-provoking, the work invites audiences to consider what it means to truly see one another’s humanity and build solidarity across differences. Presented in partnership with Getting To We.
IT’S ALL A MESS! AN EVENING OF **SMUTTY** MONOLOGUES WITH CONVERGENCE-CONTINUUM
This irreverent evening of monologues takes a hilariously messy look at the state of the world, from environmental crises and consumer excess to the everyday chaos of modern life. Bold, bawdy, and unapologetically playful, the performance embraces the mess rather than running from it. Through sharp humor and cheeky storytelling, audiences are invited to laugh, cringe, and revel in the absurdity of it all. Presented in partnership with convergence-continuum.
Tickets
Tickets are available online or by phone (216.356.6485). Single ticket prices range from $11.50 to $38, with ticket packs from $60 to $156. The festival is also offering 14 free shows and special events.
Festival Guides
Festival Guides are available at coffee houses, restaurants, libraries, and businesses throughout downtown Cleveland and surrounding neighborhoods. The Festival Guide is also available in digital form on the BorderLight Theatre Festival website.
Updates
Be sure to continue to check BorderLightCLE.org for festival updates between now and July 11th.
BorderLight Theatre Festival
Founded in 2015 by Dale Heinen and Jeffrey Pence, BorderLight Festival is a nonprofit whose mission is to present innovative theatre that inspires, builds cross-cultural understanding, and celebrates the diversity of the human experience. Since debuting in 2019, BorderLight has welcomed thousands of arts enthusiasts to downtown Cleveland and showcased hundreds of international and domestic performances. Learn more about the 2026 BorderLight Theatre Festival at BorderLightCLE.org, and across social platforms by following @BorderLightCLE.
Did You Know?
THE Facts:
Print – 13,000 p/mo, 460 locations and online;
eBulletin – 15,000+ opted-in subscribers, every 2nd Wednesday.
Web and SM – More than 50,000 followers averaging
88,000 engagements p/mo (www.iirish.us)
Subscribers – in 28 U.S. states and in Ireland
20 advertisers have been with us for 15 years or more
23 additional advertisers have been with us for 10 years or more
25 additional advertisers have been with us for 5 years or more
Every story in print is also on www.iIrish.us.
Every story on iIrish.us is not in print.
Every story in the eBulletins, are not in print.
Every story on social media, are not in print.
The Year that Was:
2026:
