MANIAC: Clown Show Inspired by 19th-Century Serial Killer Trial Hits Hollywood Fringe

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Todd Sullivan's solo work is directed by Natasha Mercado and inspired by a real 19th-century serial killer trial.

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MANIAC , a new theatrical work from Denver-based performer and filmmaker Todd Sullivan, will make its Hollywood Fringe Festival debut this June at Broadwater Theatre’s Black Box space. Directed by Natasha Mercado, the production will run June 7–28, 2026.

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Inspired by 19th-century trial proceedings surrounding what the production describes as the world’s first serial killer, MANIAC combines clown performance, movement, lo-fi origami, and audience interaction in a surreal theatrical tribunal. Rather than presenting the historical events directly, the production explores themes of morality, judgment, and spectacle through absurdist comedy and theatrical games.

According to the production, audiences can expect “a fever dream of absurd tests, unstable logic, and that gosh darn devil’s music,” as the show transforms the question of guilt into a participatory comic ritual.

Todd Sullivan, who is making his Hollywood Fringe Festival debut with the production, is a Denver-based performer, filmmaker, and teaching artist whose work spans devised theatre, clown, improv, and film. His previous collaborations and performances include projects with OK Go, The Today Show , La Mama Experimental Theatre Club , The Hammer Museum, Second City, and UCB, as well as appearances at the San Francisco, New York, and Denver Fringe Festivals.

Director Natasha Mercado is a performer, writer, and director known for work blending absurdity and vulnerability through solo performance, immersive theatre, and film. Her solo productions Tree and #1 Son have toured internationally, including runs at the Edinburgh Fringe. Mercado is also the creator of “Soft Clown,” a performance philosophy centered on sensitivity and audience connection.

Performances will take place at the Broadwater Black Box, located at 6322 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/MANIAC-Brings-Clown-Theater-to-Hollywood-Fringe-Festival-at-The-Broadwater-20260512)._