From Ballet to Booth: Aspen Fringe Festival delivers dual debuts
Aspen Fringe Festival/Courtesy photo
The 17th annual Aspen Fringe Festival, a fan favorite, is underway with two original productions.
This includes Soulskin Dance’s production, “Beauty: A Psychedelic Ballet,” June 13, followed by the world premiere comedy, “Lincoln Goes to Hollywood,” June 14. Both performances begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Wheeler Opera House.
Soulskin’s dance production of “Beauty: A Psychedelic Ballet” features choreography by Artistic Director Adrianna Thompson, video art design by Iwalani Kaluhiokalani, and costumes designed uniquely for each dancer by Cathy Cooper. It also includes an original score by Roxy Roller, performed by 10 Soulskin dancers, including Thompson. The 46-minute musical score and dance premiered at Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn, New York, to “triumphant reviews.”
“It’s nonstop dancing,” Thompson revealed.
It’s an ensemble work with each dance representing a certain quality. The psychedelic aspect in part refers to the colorful backdrop to the piece.
Fringe Festival organizer David Ledingham praised Thompson’s Soulskin dance creation, stating, “The dance piece we are doing is absolutely phenomenal, and my wife is an incredible collaborator.”
“‘Beauty’ questions the idea that society’s perspective is more important than our own,” Ledingham said of Thompson’s theme.
Ledingham, a longtime Aspenite, wrote “Lincoln Goes to Hollywood.” This new play transports Lincoln, Shakespeare, and the Booth family onto the Wheeler Opera House stage.
Honest Abe navigates his way through the “great experiment” toward a more perfect union on the road to Hollywood. The production stars Ledingham and Lyon Hamill, with Brad Moore directing.
This is Aspen Fringe Festival’s second original play commissioned specifically for JuneFest. The first commissioned play, “Angry Alan” in 2017, has achieved significant success. It went on to be produced in India, London, Paris, won the revered Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has been optioned by NBCUniversal for TV series development.
The play’s worldwide journey began when an audience member immediately reached out to Ledingham after seeing the stage production and said, “We have to do this play in India.”
A new updated version of “Angry Alan,” written by Penelope Skinner, starring John Krasinski, and directed by the Tony Award-winning director Sam Gold has been on stage at Studio Seaview in New York City since May 2025 and will run until Aug. 3.
“It’s a real nod to the Aspen Fringe Festival, that we develop new works that we feel are important that go on,” Ledingham said.
He has the same goals for “Lincoln goes to Hollywood,” encouraging anyone who wants to transport the latest Fringe production to other venues beyond the realm of Aspen to reach out.
For more information and tickets, visit Aspenfringefestival.org. The Wheeler Opera House is located at 320 E. Hyman Ave.
Open auditions are being held for Neil Simon’s ‘Rumors’ for Aspen Community Theatre performances
Rehearsals will be planned after casting. The future cast can expect two to three nights per week and some weekend rehearsals, with extra rehearsals during tech week. Auditions welcome actors and volunteers from across Roaring Fork Valley.
