Lynda Celentano Reflects on her Fringe Theatre Adventures  

In 2018, Lynda Celentano posed this question to Darrin Hagen, the then Writer-in-Residence at the Edmonton Public Library. The timing could not be more serendipitous: Hagen’s theatre company, Guys in Disguise, just so happened to need another Volunteer to help bring their upcoming Fringe show, Don’t Frown at the Gown, to life.  Eight years later, after learning the ropes of theatre with mentorship from Hagen, Lynda took her own creative leap, crafting Giorgi of the Jungle, a witty family comedy that took the spotlight at the 2025 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.  

“In 2018, I became a member of Alberta Playwrights’ Network (APN),” says Lynda. “I started off with their Prologue program as my intro to playwrighting. I then worked on turning a few short stories I’d written into plays through APN’s Act One program, with Trevor Rueger as my dramaturg. In the spring of 2024, I wrote Giorgi of the Jungle under Trevor’s guidance and knew it was the play I wanted to do at Fringe.” 

After workshopping her script with APN and Script Salon (a monthly showcase for theatre creators), Lynda drove through an Edmonton blizzard, arriving at her Festival Venue, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, just in time to secure the Venue’s second-last available performance slot. Months later, Giorgi of the Jungle burst onto the Sanctuary Stage, delighting Fringers with its zany blend of comedy, culture, and coming-of-age antics.  

At its heart is first-generation Italian-Canadian pre-teen, Giorgi Passarelli, who is devastated when she is teased about having facial hair.  

“When she tries to remove the hair, things go sideways,” says Lynda. “Her two older sisters, Marcella, a beauty-school student, and Adele, a tomboy, have clashing opinions on how Giorgi should manage her appearance. Their strict, Italian mother has her own opinion about what is appropriate,” explains Lynda.  

The result? What Lynda describes as “a comical, heartfelt and revealing look at a family trying to navigate around differing generational and cultural views on body image, social acceptance, and how to better relate to each other.” 

Much like the Passarelli famiglia, the Edmonton Fringe community is vibrant, colourful, and brimming with ideas.  

“The Fringe community is very warm, encouraging, and supportive,” reflects Lynda. “One of the reasons I wanted to do Fringe was to build community. I’ve met a lot of other Artists, and even connected with a few audience members, whom I look forward to getting to know better.” 

Sure enough, she’s already hard at work on her second play. As the 2025 recipient of the Gerald Osborn Playwriting Award, Lynda plans to use the funding on a new production.  

“This award is greatly appreciated. It will support my work as a playwright, allowing me the funding needed to workshop a new play I’ve written called The Dress That Made the Girl.”

The Gerald Osborn Playwriting Award was established in 2020 to honour Gerald Osborn for an extraordinary 30+ years at Edmonton Fringe! On top of his incredible dedication as a staff member, Gerald has written 19 plays for the Edmonton Fringe that have been produced 27 times. Through a special fundraising campaign, Gerald’s nearest and dearest made donations to establish the Gerald Osborn Playwriting Endowment Fund. Administered by the Edmonton Community Foundation, this fund grants a cash award to a Fringe Playwright annually.  

Though the Fringe community of multitalented Artists takes the Festival’s centre stage, audiences play much more than a supporting role when it comes to sustaining Fringe. To champion Artists like Lynda, consider donating just $5 a month (less than the cost of a latte!) to help fan the sparks of creativity that fuels the Festival.