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Connections
Connections

Rochester Fringe and the future of experimental art

By Racquel Stephen,
Elissa Orlando, Veronica Volk, Julie Williams
Published August 27, 2025 at 2:32 PM EDT
Four people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman front left has long dark hair and is wearing a long black dress, black scarf and black boots; a woman front right has short blonde hair and is wearing a black dress and black strappy heels; a man back left has short dark hair and is wearing glasses, a blue t-shirt and blue fleece vest; a woman back left has long blonde hair and is wearing a denim jacket over a patterned shirt.
1 of 2  — (foreground)Cat D. Olson, (background)Jefferson Svengsouk and Erica Fee with host Racquel Stephen on "Connections"
(foreground)Cat D. Olson, (background)Jefferson Svengsouk and Erica Fee with host Racquel Stephen on "Connections" on Wednesday, August 27, 2025
George Yeadon / WXXI News
A smiling man wearing a red baseball cap and grey shirt with black sleeves.
2 of 2  — Martin Dockery
Martin Dockery
Provided
A smiling woman with short blonde hair sits at a desk in front of a microphone wearing a gold necklace and green and white patterned dress.
David Griffin
/
WXXI News
Racquel Stephen guest hosting "Connections with Evan Dawson"

The ESL Rochester Fringe Festival is back with hundreds of performances across theater, music, dance, and more. But beyond the spectacle, why are audiences drawn to experimental art, and what drives artists to take creative risks?

We explore Rochester Fringe as part of a global movement that gives performers a platform to experiment, connect, and rebel against the algorithm.

Our guests:

Connections
Racquel Stephen
Racquel Stephen is WXXI's health, equity and community reporter and producer. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Rochester and a master's degree in broadcasting and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
See stories by Racquel Stephen
Elissa Orlando
Elissa Orlando is a producer for “Connections with Evan Dawson.” She returns part-time to WXXI News after stepping back from a long career in public media and in translational science.
See stories by Elissa Orlando
Veronica Volk
Veronica Volk is a senior producer and editor for WXXI News.
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Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams