Out of Pocket, Inc.

09/21/2026

The first night of "Bright Half Life" at the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival was a huge success. Congrats to the entire team of Stephanie Roosa, Ryley St. Rose Finnear, Erin-Kate Howard, Jamie DiGiacco, and Bev Bauman for mastering this incredibly difficult piece...and a special shout out to Amanda McFaul for her incredible board-op work; this show has close to a hundred light cues, and she had one rehearsal.

"Bright Half Life" returns to the MuCCC on Thursday at 7:00 pm--don't miss out!!!

Photo Credit: Invent Film LLC

09/20/2026

Tonight is the night!!! The Out of Pocket 2026-2027 kicks off with the City Magazine ESL Rochester Fringe Festival pick "Bright Half Life." We are so proud to bring this mind-bending play by one of the coolest playwrights working today to Western New York for TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY. The team of Stephanie Roosa, Ryley St. Rose Finnear, Erin Kate Howard, Jamie DiGiacco, and Bev Bauman have created something special here--don't miss out!!!

TONIGHT, THE MuCCC, 7:30 PM...

Bright Half Life A lyrical, nonlinear portrait of love, "Bright Half Life" follows Erica and Vicky as their relationship unfolds in fragments across decades—moments of joy, strain, risk, and reinvention. Leaping through time like memory itself, Tanya Barfield’s play captures how a life together ...

09/19/2026

Thank you City Magazine for making "Bright Half Life" one of your Fringe picks!! We are so excited to share this amazing play with everyone at the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival. Performances are at 7:30 on Sunday and 7:00 on Thursday at the MuCCC.

The 15th annual ESL Rochester Fringe Festival kicks off Tuesday, Sept. 15. One of the largest Fringes in the country happens right here for 12 days each year. But with more than 700 shows, it can be tough for attendees to choose what to experience. Pro tip: there’s a handy show finder right on the...

09/16/2026

Happy Fringe everyone!!!! Here is another great action shot of the cast of Out of Pocket's upcoming production of "Bright Half Life", being staged twice--Sunday, September 20th at 7:30 and Thursday, September 24th at 7:00 PM--at the MuCCC during the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival. Don't miss out on ths stunning and unique piece of theatre. Tickets at the link below.

PC: Invent Film LLC

https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/bright-half-life

09/12/2026

We are only a week away from the opening production of Out of Pocket Inc.'s NINETEENTH season, the Western New York premiere of Tanya Barfield's BRIGHT HALF LIFE, featuring Stephanie Roosa and Ryley St. Rose Finnear, directed by Erin Kate Howard, and presented as part of the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival.

You have only two chances to see this remarkable piece of theatre; don't miss out!!! You can get tickets and find out all the details at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/bright-half-life

PC: Invent Film LLC

08/27/2026

Rehearsals are well underway for our Fringe show, the wild and whirling “Bright Half Life.” Here are some pics of cast members Stephanie Roosa and Ryley St. Rose Finear in the rehearsal room and exploring the Wayne County Fair.

Head over to the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival for tickets: https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/bright-half-life

08/23/2026

As always, Out of Pocket, Inc. is incredibly grateful for everyone who shared their time and talent with us at auditions of our December production of Itimar Moses's "Bach at Leipzig"...you made this an immensely joyous and challenging decision-making process.

We are thrilled to announce the cast:

Johann Friedrich Fasch...........Skylar Shaw
Georg Balthasar Schott..........S. Michael Smith
Georg Lenck................................Daniel Mejak
Johann Martin Steindorff.......Ben McRae
Georg Friedrich Kaufmann....Ross Amstey
Georg Friedrich Graupner......Ken Klamm
The Greatest Organist in Germany....Rey Beagle

This brilliant play, awash in classical music, comedy, and a dash of swordplay, comes to the MuCCC this December. Watch this space for more information as well as details about our upcoming auditions for February production of Bess Wohl's "Small Mouth Sounds."

05/31/2026

And just like that, the whales had leapt for the last time. We are so proud of this production and have so many people to thank for its success: our incredible board members, who provided essential front-of-house support (along with volunteers Sara Zavacki-Moore and Vicki Casarett); set creators Kevin Karnisky and Erin Kate Howard; lighting designer Will DiGiacco; dramaturg Eric Evans; assistant stage manager Kristina Chomiak; stage-manager extraordinaire Jamie DiGiacco; our uber-talented cast--Jodi Beckwith, Wyatt Doremus, Aaron Duclos, Samantha Gibson, Erin-Kate Howard, Ben McRae, Kiyomi Oliver, Elizabeth Saunders and Jasmin Singer; and Jeff Siuda, who successfully steered a complex and moving script to shore.

In addition, with the curtain falling on "Deep Blue Sound", so goes Out of Pocket's EIGHTEENTH season, one that started with a trip to the plague-ravaged Middle Ages with "The Amateurs", followed by the steamy night of passion and talk that is "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune" It is a season of which we are very proud. Again, many thanks are in order: everyone at MuCCC, especially Doug Rice, Kevin Indovino, and Karen Craft; season photographer, Paul Moukperian; poster designer Abby DeVuyst; directors John Jaeger and Trish Annese; stage managers Eric Lefler, Jamie DiGiacco, Kate Quinn, and Kristina Chomiak; intimacy coordinator Jill Rittinger; lighting designers Will DiGiacco and Bridget Blakley ; set designers Kevin Karnisky and Erin-Kate Howard; tech wizard John Engel and, along with the cast of "Deep Blue Sound", an incredible group of actors: Ged Owen, Ross Amstey, Ron Dufort, Maria Sanguedolce, Tom Bigongiari, Caitlin Kenyon, Stephanie Roosa, and B. Anthony Gibson.

Finally, a thank you to our audience. We are beyond thrilled that you choose to join us as we set out to tell meaningful and important stories. And to those for whom we are not yet a theatre-going priority, we will keep trying. We have so much good stuff coming your way in 2026-2027---dueling organists, obnoxious yoga instructors, kick-ass suffragists, and a return to the Fringe Festival--that we can barely wait to get started. See less