(Orlando, FL) The 35th Annual Orlando International Fringe Festival is finally here! From now until Memorial Day, Loch Haven Park (as well as other areas of Orlando) will come alive with a variety of ticketed performances, a free outdoor stage, an eclectic visual art gallery, kids’ activities, and plenty more. While there’s simply too much Fringe to cover in a single article, we are rolling out a series of posts about this incredible event. In this installment, we’re attending a funeral. A real one. (Sort of.)
We were so honored to be invited to a media performance of Against Her Wishes. Thank you to Orlando Fringe for having us out!
What is Against Her Wishes?
Written and performed by Emily Fontano, Against Her Wishes is exactly what it says on the program: the Celebration of Life, Funeral, and Memorial Service that Janet Fontano (Emily’s late mother) explicitly did not want. Because, as Emily explains it, what better way to honor a loved one’s wishes than to ignore them completely?
What sounds like a comedy premise quickly reveals itself to be something much more layered. Yes, there are laughs. There are plenty of them. But by the time you leave the theater, you’ll have felt much more than you expected to feel at the funeral of someone you’ve never met.
Yes, It’s Actually Formatted as a Funeral
Perhaps the most surprising element of this performance is that it genuinely is, for all intents and purposes, a memorial service. There are amusing family anecdotes, childhood photos, and music that Janet actually requested to be played at her funeral. Emily delivers the service in front of a room full of people who never knew this woman – and somehow that makes it more moving, not less.
Like any good funeral, the mourners may be invited to share their memories of Janet. You might wonder how you’re supposed to do that if you’ve never met her. That’s where Emily’s background as an accomplished improviser comes in. A member of SAK Comedy Lab’s professional ensemble since 2013, she leads the audience through these interactions with total ease. Nothing ever feels awkward or forced. She reads the room, she finds her accomplices, and before you realize what’s happened, you are a grieving guest at a memorial for someone you loved.
Freaky Thoughts: Against Her Wishes
Over the course of an hour, Emily builds an honest, sometimes contradictory portrait of her mother – the kind that reminds us what it means to be truly loved. Even to a room full of strangers, Janet becomes fully formed: complete with strengths, flaws, and all the wonderful, imperfect things that make us human. By the end of the show, you’ll feel like you knew her too.
There’s also an unexpected side effect to attending a not-so-traditional funeral: being gently confronted with your own mortality. Between the lighthearted moments and reflective stories, Against Her Wishes asks you to sit with the fact that we will all die and to consider who will show up to celebrate (or ignore) our wishes when we do. It’s an uncomfortable but incredibly important question.
At its core, Against Her Wishes is a moving, genuine, and unforgettable tribute to Janet. It was an honor to be in the audience, and I adored the show.
Getting Tickets To Against Her Wishes
Tickets for Against Her Wishes and any Orlando Fringe production can be purchased at orlandofringe.org. Because 100% of the base ticket price goes directly to the respective artists (one of the amazing ways Fringe supports both emerging and established creators), you’ll also need to purchase a reusable 2026 Fringe Festival button. Buttons are $10 and grant entry to all festival venues. You’ll still need individual show tickets for each performance. Good news: no matter how many productions you attend, you only need one button per person for the entire festival. You can buy your button online or at the main Fringe campus.
Know Before You Go
- Parking at Orlando Fringe can be tricky. Make sure you arrive early to allow plenty of time to locate a suitable spot and travel to the show location.
- A 2026 Fringe Festival button (and show ticket) is required to visit any performance. You can purchase your button online.
- Against Her Wishes takes place in the Brown Venue inside Orlando Shakes.
