By Shawn Maus
1 Gay Wedding and Absolutely No Funerals by Ben & Justin Presents, Cincinnati and Columbus, OH
If Neil Simon and Oscar Wilde had a love child and raised it on a steady diet of RuPaul’s Drag Race, 1 Gay Wedding and Absolutely No Funerals would be the resulting theatrical masterpiece.
This outrageous comedy delivers exactly what it promises: zero funerals (sort of…) and an abundance of riotous, laugh-until-you-snort moments. On the morning of their big day, grooms Ben Miller-Jones and Justin King discover their bestfrenemy has mysteriously dropped dead. But rather than let a corpse steal the…their spotlight, they enlist the help of their loyal (and unhinged) best man (and ultimately the wedding planner) to hide the body and save the sanctity of their wedding. Because love is love—and death can wait until after the cake is cut.
Miller-Jones and King are a comedy duo for the ages. Their timing is impeccable, razor-sharp, and rhythmically electric. Watching them volley insults, panic, and affection like seasoned pros is a masterclass in farce. The supporting cast—Kieran Cronin, Shauna Ajoi Jenkins, and Micha O’Connor-Perez—are a dream ensemble. Their chemistry is so sparkling, it rivals the glory days of Friends. Every entrance is explosive, every exit hilarious, and the chaos builds with a giddy, irresistible momentum.
The directing and script keep the pace flying and the tone just the right shade of fabulous. And the plot? Twists and turns land like confetti at a drag brunch—joyful, surprising, and never too much.
This isn’t just smile-worthy funny. This is gut-busting, shoulder-shaking, deep-belly-laugh funny. The kind that makes you forget your troubles and lean into the sheer delight of live theatre done right.
Shawn Says: This wedding is dead serious about delivering laughs. RSVP now—no black tie required, but prepare to laugh until it hurts.
Date Me, by Carolyn Guido Clifford and Tessa D’Errico, Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati Fringe Festival’s Date Me, created by Carolyn Guido Clifford and Tessa D’Errico, is a cheeky, heartfelt, pop-culture-laced comedy that feels like a live taping of your favorite offbeat sitcom—if it were filmed in the back room of an East Village coffeehouse (but this one plays in our very own beloved Coffee Emporium).
Anna Kahle shines with sharp comedic timing as the earnest, lovable influencer on a mission to find love (or at least content) by interviewing a series of hilariously awkward “dates” played by brave audience volunteers. While the improvised bits generate some laugh-out-loud moments, the lack of effective sound amplification was a real missed connection—especially when those dates had scripted prompts we couldn’t always hear. Pro tip: if you’re going to show us a mic, please use it.
Dylan McKenna is a total scene-stealer as Garrett, the eye-rolling, deeply devoted videographer, whose dry delivery adds the perfect counterpoint to Anna’s sunshine. He’s the unsung hero behind the camera—and behind her confidence.
At its core, Date Me is more than just a Fringe-flavored swipe through modern romance. It explores the gray areas between friendship, partnership, and performance. Clifford and D’Errico’s script cleverly pokes fun at influencer culture while offering up authentic, relatable insights about connection in the algorithm age.
This show gives you all the awkward tension, romantic confusion, and feels of a good rom-com—with just enough chaos to keep it real. Don’t ghost this one.
Shawn Says: Date Me is the DIY rom-com for the TikTok generation—awkward, honest, and totally worth swiping right on.
