Red in their favourite colour!

Hawt in Hotlanta!

What's a Fringe Festival Cindy-Ann?

This was the question most people asked when they learned about my show, The Red Woman Tour, being a part of the Atlanta Fringe Festival. You see, like me, there are a lot of people who are truly oblivious to a lot of things. It's not because of a lack of interest either, sometimes it's simply not part of our landscape or culture or our community.

To answer the question 'A fringe festival is an arts festival featuring alternative or experimental performances and exhibitions'. Sooo let's say doing 45-60 mins of stand up in the midst of a fringe festival is rad!

Just before I left for Atlanta and the nerves was getting the better of me, I uploaded a video to my IG being very honest and transparent. I entered the festival without a full grasp of what it entailed - in short I did not read shit! Self-doubt, fear and anxiety had me in a chokehold. I needed to say something to control my expectations - possibly so I also wouldn’t have to explain to anyone why no one showed up.

Before uploading the video I would ask myself these questions daily!

"Why, why put yourself through this?' Who you know in Atlanta, Cindy-Ann?"

Once I uploaded the video and faced the fear, something remarkable happened. I experienced real joy and felt ready for whatever was to come and let me tell you - whatever was to come....came and it brought with it so much JOY!

Firstly, my flight to ATL was delayed forcing me to book a new flight if I was to get to the preview event. As a result I almost missed my tech rehearsal. PACE! Even then, I felt so calm and ready. God got you, Cin!

The preview event is for the touring artists to give people a glimpse of what they can expect to see/experience at your show. You each get three minutes,which I think is too long (right?!?! already trying to change the people and them thing). I found it to be sooooo long. Maybe it's because I was damn tired. Anyway, I told a brief story, got them to hahaha and left. The other touring acts seemed to me to be more 'Fringe worthy' - alternative and experimental. I was not put off.

I walked into the theater on Friday May 30, 2025 for my first show and there were 6-8 people seated in the audience. My entire body was shaking. Not because of the size of the audience, I always get very anxious before a performance. Also, It's a small intimate space, so I can see every eyeball looking at me. Woooosah.

45 mins is a long time to perform for 6 people who are seeing you for the first time in an environment you are not familiar with.

Yuh girl pushed through the nerves and did the show. I was so tempted to do crowd work and pander to the 'audience' but nope....I needed to do my set. I had to be true to myself. I wanted to get the words out.

The next show, same thing. Same 'crowd'! Again, I did my set. Still feeling joy and not undefeated

Sunday evening I showed up and was ready to go. Lissen, I am on a mission but also, I knew some friends were coming. A few people mentioned that they were coming to the show however, if you are in the biz you know that is always left to be seen. People are ALWAYS coming.

That Sunday, I sat in the green room thanking God for the opportunity to do my thing. I was feeling so much grace. It's difficult to explain grace, you know?

Well....honey...de people showed up! Here's the thing. Comedy needs energy and while it may feel like a monologue it's actually a real intimate conversation. I am sharing words and you are sharing laughter or tears or snorts or anything.

Sunday June 1, 2025 a beautiful conversation took place in the Supermarket black box.

Three shows down....three more to go. Can she do it?!?!?

I also learned that a huge part of the Fringe is to support the other artists. There were over 60

shows happening at several locations. It was a logistical nightmare for me. Fortunately I caught a few of the shows but missed all hive hangouts (yeah, there's a hive for us fringe-ers too). Lissen to me....I ole!

June 4, 2025 I walked in and there were two people sitting in the theater. TWO. You read that correctly. Piper and Mark. I wasn't even upset or discouraged at all...I was still riding the Sunday Funday wave...in fact, I felt badly for them. It's not easy to entertain two people. There was no context. We didn't know each other. They came for a show...hahahahaha...for a conversation! Well, if you know me you KNOW conversing is one of the things I am very very good at so we had a conversation. Did we have a conversation!!! I learned about Piper's dog (really her boyfriend's dog) and Mark's kids. I guess we needed that moment. I needed it.

TWO more shows left!

There's a portal that shows where you're at with ticket sales etc and quite frankly after the second show, I stopped checking the stats - The numbers did not matter. The show must go on! I just needed to show up!

Thursday June 5, 2025. Again...a nice full house! A a......this is lovely Cindy-Ann, I said to myself.

Let's pause for a moment. I need to say NONE of this would ever be possible with the help, love and support from my Tribe called BESS. Clearly, I must have done something good and wonderful in this life deserving of such grace and support. THANK YOU! No, seriously...thank you for the abundance of grace and acceptance and love and laughter and forgiveness and overall goodness. THANK YOU!

Sometimes....often times...I lose hope in humanity. I lose faith in friendships. I lose sight of who I am and forget to give grace - to myself and to others. I need these reminders. I also need to be a reminder to someone.

Gosh! Hear nah...if sensitive was a person? Look meh! As my mum would say...I am 'over and above sensitive!'

Anyway back to the story!

Thursday's show was fun. Ah man literally fell off his chair laughing. No, seriously. I have video proof! True! It’s on my social media feed!

Now would be a good time to follow me on the socials 😉

My final show was at 1:45pm on Saturday June 7, 2025.

The Supermarket is a beautiful venue! The space is ideal for all things art with one tiny flaw. There are three performance stages and there is sound overlap which honestly didn't affect my performances. However, you also share a green room space. That was the real struggle for me. Before my shows I prefer quiet. If there's noise, it's something I am in control of. On Saturday there was noise and as much as I tried to ignore it I simply couldn't. Eventually (but quite possibly too late) I asked if they could keep it down. I felt the awkwardness; I was too much in my head and not settled. Anxiety, fear....all of it...surfaced and I was reeling .

During my tech run, I asked for complete darkness...well, as much as possible. The black box is a beautiful space but having eyes staring at me during my performance drains me. The girls got it and did an amazing job throughout the run of the tour. Lights off - ACTION.

Saturday afternoon I walked into a well light theater and my heart started pounding.

Why are the lights on. Why am I seeing everyone. Oh God, NO! No no no no no.

I mounted the stage and said...'kill the lights!' but I guess we were all lost in the moment. Soph didn’t hear me.

I should have stopped.

I should have taken a moment...a beat...and ask again but it was too late. My body was shaking and I couldn't think clearly. My mouth felt dry. I was completely disoriented.

Oh God...I couldn’t remember what to say. What's my opening line? Why are the lights on? Why didn't she turn the lights off?

Why is everyone looking directly at me? Make it stop! I couldn’t remember a thing! What am I supposed to say?

I know I started. I am a goddamn professional but, the inner turmoil was crazy.

It took about 10-15 mins for me to take a hold of myself - the entire set felt derailed. I think I cursed more than usual. It felt messy and I felt out of control. I could not stop thinking about the lights!!! Why did she not turn it off?

At the end I thanked them for coming. No one moved. Someone yelled "Encore!' ‘We want more!’

EH!?!?! Encore? I haven't been sleeping or eating. The green room was noisy and the lights are on!!!

Encore?!?! My body is trembling!

Encore!

More!

'Okay!' I said 'One more for the road!'

I yanked the mic out from the stand and did one last joke! They erupted. I laughed! We did a quick video for the gram and then it was over!

Encore! hahahahaha....I was up there watching these judging eyes on me feeling naked. Feeling so vulnerable. Feeling so upset with myself for allowing the lights and the noise to derail me....pissed for not standing firm and delivering and they were like we want more of THAT....whatever that was....give us more!!!

Oh God! I thank you.

I don't know the moral of this story or if there is one...I do know I have a session with my psychiatrist to ask if she knows why they didn't turn the lights off like we practiced.

Hotlanta, I got there thinking I didn't know 6 people but as a friend said....I left there knowing I have a village.

THANK YOU!