Rochester native and Grammy-nominated musician Jared Engel will return for this year’s ESL Rochester Fringe Festival.
The 12-day festival is underway through Sept. 26. Festivalgoers can enjoy more than 715 performances ranging from comedy and music to dance, circus arts, theater and family-friendly entertainment.
Rochester musician returns home with baseball-themed film event
Engel has been part of New York City's music scene since 2003. For 10 years, Engel served as the house bassist for the trad-jazz and bluegrass sessions at Mona’s.
In 2025, Engel debuted his first short film, Day of the Catch, and created The Old Ball Game, a multimedia performance combining baseball stories, silent film, and live music.
Next week, Engel will bring his Musicians’ Baseball Club of Brooklyn to the Dryden Theatre for The Old
Ball Game: Baseball Legends Told Through Film and Live Music.
“Coming home to Rochester to present my two short films at the Dryden Theatre is a special experience for me,” Engel said in a statement. “I grew up and developed my love of film and baseball here, so it’s exciting to return with films that I made myself. The Mascot Race will have just premiered in Brooklyn the week before, so this screening is part of the film’s first tour. Both films were made to be experienced with live musical accompaniment, so I’m especially happy to be able to present them this way at the George Eastman Museum as part of Rochester Fringe, with a great group of musicians alongside me in the pit, live-scoring the screenings.”
Festivalgoers can expect a mix of baseball, silent film, live music, and poetry. There will be two shows available at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sept. 26.
The program will include award-winning silent films, Day of the Catch and The Mascot Race, a fast-paced baseball story set in modern-day New York.
Tickets cost $15 for non-members and $13 for members of the George Eastman Museum.
Visit rochesterfringe.com to learn more.
— Genae Shields is the Business and Development Impact Reporter, working on mobility stories that focus on how people get around Rochester. As a member of the local community, Genae enjoys learning about emerging businesses and changes that impact Rochester's BIPOC and LGBTQ neighborhoods. She also enjoys supporting local artists and nonprofit organizations. Reach out at gshields@usatodayco.com or on Instagram:@genaebriphoto for questions, comments, or concerns. Thank you for your continued support!
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester native Jared Engel returns to Fringe with baseball films
