Musicals are like regular shows, except better because there's singing and dancing.
I've previously recommended six shows to watch at Fringe, so if you (incorrectly) don't want to fill your run entirely with musicals, that's a great place to look.
This year, we have an embarrassment of musical riches. There's originals, parodies and one that alleges, likely incorrectly, that it is an opera.
What follows are seven musicals I'm excited for. That's one more than I included for "regular" shows, because musicals are one better than regular shows.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's ROBOCOP: The Musical (2026)
Looking at some early socials for the show, it appears to have a lot of musical theatre in-jokes, faithfully parodying Rodgers and Hammerstein.
And a lot of irreverent jokes. I've seen social media clips with dick jokes aplenty. The potential for it to fall flat on its face is immense.
This is exactly the kind of risk-taking I like to see in a show.
This is the team that produced "SPEED!" A 1940's Radio Drama last year, and the co-writer of this show also co-wrote The Last Perfect Game: The Jerry Stephenson Story 4.5 out of 5 stars (2025), which I enjoyed a lot.
Bat Boy: The Musical (2026)
Previously: Alice By Heart 3 out of 5 stars (2025), Evil Dead: The Musical 5 out of 5 stars (2024)
Scona Alumni consistently stage some of the most ambitious, well-produced shows at the festival. These are big casts doing real, already-written, off-broadway musical theatre on a Fringe schedule and budget.
I loved their production of Evil Dead: The Musical 5 out of 5 stars (2024). And while I'm not a fan of the story and writing in Alice By Heart 3 out of 5 stars (2025), they did incredible justice to what was on the page. I just wish they had chosen a different page.
Bat Boy strikes me as a good page to choose.
A SATCO show is always worth your time. I don't expect Bat Boy to be the exception.
A Hellmark Christmas Musical Parody (2026)
Previously: Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody 4.5 out of 5 stars (2025), Pair of Guys Lost: A New Musical 3.5 out of 5 stars (2025)
There's not much that beats a good Christmas musical. This one is a parody of the stereotypical Hallmark Christmas movie.
Krampus: A New Musical 5 out of 5 stars (2023) was my favourite show of the 2023 Fringe, and its co-writer Seth Gilfillan conveniently stars in this one.
Darkstage productions, who's putting on this show, also put on Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody 4.5 out of 5 stars (2025) last year, which I loved.
This is a talented troupe, and I'm sure the singing and dancing will be a spectacle. I hope Santa delivers some biting dialogue.
PORK & BEANS: Attorneys At Law (2026)
Previously: Sam's Clam and Oyster Bar 4.5 out of 5 stars (2025), Soup and Hogan's 16th Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest 2 out of 5 stars (2024)
Look, I get it, I already highlighted this as one of the six shows to see, but since then it has taken up the closer role in my schedule.
I am confident enough in this show that I have scheduled it as my final show on the last Sunday of Fringe.
Top Bunk Theatre's production of Sam's Clam and Oyster Bar 4.5 out of 5 stars (2025), was so wildly silly and inventive. The jokes were so dumb they wrapped right around back to clever. Every single character stole the stage at some point.
A new original musical every year is an absurdly ambitious thing to do, and they keep doing it.
Rivercity The Musical (2026)
Previously: Scoobie Doosical 5 out of 5 stars (2023)
Taking a popular cartoon franchise and making a musical out of it is something Dammitammy Productions is well-versed at.
I still stand by the assertion that Scoobie Doosical 5 out of 5 stars (2023) was a masterpiece (and its sold-out run helps that argument). Some shows throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks. Scoobie Doosical constructed a wall out of spaghetti and repeatedly fired meatballs at it while slathering it with sauce. I loved it.
If Rivercity reaches even half the heights of Scoobie Doosical, it'll be worth the ticket.
The Shape of Seamen: a new comic opera (2026)
This is the team behind Let's not Turn on Each Other 4 out of 5 stars (2024), a show that as I was leaving the venue afterward I thought it was maybe two stars.
Then couldn't stop thinking about for a week. Unrateable. Unquantifiable. An enigma.
The only thing I know is that the show was at 190% effort the whole time. And if a team is willing to do that, I'll go see their show. Whatever it is.
Chase Padgett: The Next Guy (2026)
Chase Padgett has mastered his art, which is not quite a musical but a fully-engrossing storytelling session, interwoven with music and absolutely phenomenal guitar playing.
He's done approximately eleven billion different fringe shows, and all of them have been great. This one was at the Winnipeg Fringe this year with, unsurprisingly, great reviews.
If you don't like musicals, this is is the music show to go to.
He's a fringe staple for a reason.
And that's seven! Between these, I'm sure there's a musical in there for everyone (or all of them if ya nasty).
Shows begin Thursday, August 14th at 8PM.
See you on the grounds!
