Pelham Fringe
About Pelham Fringe
Pelham Fringe is a creative lab and producing platform for new work. Writers hear their work aloud. Actors stretch. Directors experiment. New collaborations form. Through readings, development labs, ongoing incubator programs, workshops, and the Pelham Fringe Festival, artists build work with presence, intention, and a shared commitment to what comes next. Projects can move from page to stage and, when the work calls for it, from stage to screen.
Pelham Fringe is building an artistic home for serious play, ambitious work, and the kind of collaboration that keeps artists moving forward.
How it started
In October 2025, Pelham Fringe began with a simple invitation: want to come sit around a table and read a play?
People came.
Then they came back. Writers brought pages. Actors brought instincts. Directors brought questions. Ideas became scenes, scenes became plays, and new collaborations began to take shape.
In less than a year, that first table has grown into a room full of writers, directors, actors, and theatre-makers—and five original short plays made there take the stage in October 2026.
What we do
Pelham Fringe creates space for new work to begin, deepen, and move forward.
Through recurring Creative Nights, focused development labs, and longer-form incubator programs, writers, actors, directors, and other artists come together to test ideas, sharpen material, and build work in collaboration.
Some projects stay in the room. Some grow toward the stage. Some move toward the screen. All of them begin with the same thing: people showing up ready to make something.
If you’re new, join us. You don’t need to arrive with a finished project, or even a plan.
Come curious. Come ready to listen, contribute, and see what happens. Come ready. Leave with more.
- Under the Influence: [Playwright]
- Actors, writers, and directors read scenes from an established playwright, talk about what sparks, and begin new work.
- After the Influence: [Playwright]
- First readings of short plays written in response to the preceding Creative Night.
- Pelham Fringe Studio: Development Lab
- A focused development session for one project, with the writer in the room and space for revision.
- Pelham Fringe Studio: Industry Lab
- Get an inside look at casting and other “closed” industry processes with genuine professionals and live participants.
- Pelham Fringe After Hours
- Staged readings. Wine. Music. Conversation. Limited seating. An intimate night with the arts in Pelham.
- Second Prime
- A development initiative for new work by women writers 50+, with production as the goal—and room for artists whose best work is still ahead.
- Pelham Fringe Festival
- Full productions of selected work developed through Pelham Fringe, each with its own director and creative team. The 2026 festival
Founder
Kate McDaniel
Kate McDaniel is a SAG-AFTRA actor, producer, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Pelham Fringe.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, Kate grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and later lived and worked in Los Angeles and New York City before making her home in Pelham with her family. Her television credits include Modern Family and Criminal Minds, and she co-created the sketch comedy channel JustBoobs Sketch.
Pelham Fringe grew out of her desire for the kind of artistic community she had been missing: a place where artists could gather in person, take creative risks, make ambitious work together, and keep moving creatively.
Kate is continually inspired by the talent, generosity, and grace of the artists who have brought this community to life. She dedicates this work in loving memory of her mama, Andrea Poynter McDaniel.
Board
Kate McDanielBoard Chair
FounderBoard ChairArtistic Director, Production teamElena, Radio SilenceJessica Hirschfeld, The Company We Keep
Kate McDaniel is a SAG-AFTRA actor, producer, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Pelham Fringe.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, Kate grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and later lived and worked in Los Angeles and New York City before making her home in Pelham with her family. Her television credits include Modern Family and Criminal Minds, and she co-created the sketch comedy channel JustBoobs Sketch.
Pelham Fringe grew out of her desire for the kind of artistic community she had been missing: a place where artists could gather in person, take creative risks, make ambitious work together, and keep moving creatively.
Kate is continually inspired by the talent, generosity, and grace of the artists who have brought this community to life. She dedicates this work in loving memory of her mama, Andrea Poynter McDaniel.
Sean Dagony-ClarkFounding Board Member
Founding Board MemberCTO, Web Design, Production teamLouie, A Pair of Mopes
Sean Dagony-Clark performed professionally in D.C. theaters until 2000: Olney Theatre (West Side Story, u.s. Tony), Round House (Jack and Jill, ensemble), BAPA's Imagination Stage (The Wind in the Willows, Rat), Lazy Susan Dinner Theater (Brigadoon, Charlie), Vpstart Crow Productions (Cyrano de Bergerac, Christian), and more. Then he took a short 26-year break from performing to get married, raise a family, and work in design, teaching, and tech. He's delighted to finally be back onstage with Pelham Fringe, where he also performs the roles of founding board member and CTO. Love to H&E&A.
Karen PurselFounding Board Member
Founding Board MemberSponsorship, Production teamVocalist, MusicEllen, How Can I Help You?
Karen Pursel is a Pelham mom of three. Like her daughters, she has been singing, acting and dancing since a young age. Karen is happy to share her passion for theatre, music and the arts with the community and can be seen singing with local bands, performing in the Huguenot cabaret, running a music festival and performing in multiple, musical productions around Westchester. She is thrilled to be a part of Pelham Fringe since the beginning and wishes to thank Kate McDaniel and the entire production team for this amazing opportunity. Thanks to Tom for his love and support. Enjoy!
Carolyn Marie WrightFounding Board Member
Founding Board MemberImprov performer, ImprovDirector, How Can I Help You?AI Voice, How Can I Help You?
Carolyn Marie Wright is committed to creating opportunities for folx of all ages to experience dignity, belonging, and justice through the arts. She teaches English and Devised Theatre at Fordham Prep, where she also serves as Assistant Director of Campus Ministry for Social Justice and Assistant Director of FP Dramatic Society. She is the founding moderator and director of Theatrum Justitiae, a Visual Performing Arts course where students use playwriting and performance to examine systems of injustice and explore pathways toward advocacy and action. Her work as a performer, director, and teaching artist includes Geffen Playhouse, Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, The Second City, MCC Theater, New Victory Theater, Valley Youth Theatre, and Catskill Mountain Shakespeare. Proud alum of: Yale (BA), NYU Steinhardt (MA), and UCLA (MFA). Fun fact: she did MoCap for the original BioShock.
The Company
Browse everyone involved in Pelham Fringe below, or click to view departments or our Pelham Fringe Festival artists.
- Emily Aronoff (Actors)
- Jessica W. Bonds (Actors)
- Laura Lee Botsacos, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Actors)
- James Ahn Brandfonbrener (Musicians)
- Jim Cairl (Actors)
- Kathleen Mary Carthy, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Actors)
- Sophie F Cohen (Production)
- Sean Dagony-Clark (Actors, Production)
- Nick DeSimone (Actors)
- Jim Ewing (Actors, Improv, Production)
- Michael J. Fanuele (Actors, Production)
- Lori Federico (Actors)
- Rich Feldman (Writers)
- Neil Friedland (Actors)
- Jill Friedman (Actors, Improv)
- Joni Fritz (Writers)
- Jeffrey B. Fuerst (Writers)
- Jean Garner, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Musicians)
- Melissa Flower Gladney (Directors, Production)
- Margo Hastings (Actors)
- Renée Hewitt (Actors)
- Jonathan Hicks (Actors)
- Brittney Jensen (Actors)
- Lizzy Kircher, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Actors, Production)
- Janine LaManna (Actors, Musicians)
- Kate McDaniel (Founder, Actors, Production)
- Gretchen Metzloff (Actors)
- Lori M. Myers (Actors)
- Andrew O’Brien (Writers, Actors, Musicians)
- Rich O’Brien, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Directors, Actors)
- Alba Ovalles (Actors)
- Maria Provenzano (Directors)
- Khrystina Pryani (Actors)
- Karen Pursel (Actors, Musicians, Production)
- Judith Reagan, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Actors)
- Cathy Reinking (Directors)
- Kathryn Rossetter (Actors)
- Gabriel Schmid-Doyle (Musicians)
- Meredith Shea (Actors)
- Bette Carlson Siler, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Writers, Actors)
- Ric Siler (Actors)
- Lin Snider (Musicians)
- Maggie Solimine, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Actors, Musicians)
- Misti Tindiglia (Actors)
- Emily Tuckman, Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (Actors)
- Richard Warner (Actors)
- Tony A. Watts (Actors)
- Ellen Weiss (Musicians)
- Carolyn Marie Wright (Directors, Actors, Improv)
- Marin Zielinski (Actors)
Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association