Shawn Says: “Date Me” is a DIY Rom-Com with a Smart Heart and a Soft Mic

Reviewed by Shawn Maus for League of Cincinnati Theatres at Cincinnati Fringe Festival 2025

Cincinnati Fringe Festival's Date Me, created by Carolyn Guido Clifford and Tessa D’Errico, is a cheeky, heartfelt, pop-culture-laced comedy that feels like a live taping of your favorite offbeat sitcom—if it were filmed in the back room of an East Village coffeehouse (but this one plays in our very own beloved Coffee Emporium).

Date Me is more than just a Fringe-flavored swipe through modern romance.

Anna Kahle shines with sharp comedic timing as the earnest, lovable influencer on a mission to find love (or at least content) by interviewing a series of hilariously awkward “dates” played by brave audience volunteers. While the improvised bits generate some laugh-out-loud moments, the lack of effective sound amplification was a real missed connection—especially when those dates had scripted prompts we couldn't always hear. Pro tip: if you’re going to show us a mic, please use it.

Dylan McKenna is a total scene-stealer as Garrett, the eye-rolling, deeply devoted videographer, whose dry delivery adds the perfect counterpoint to Anna’s sunshine. He’s the unsung hero behind the camera—and behind her confidence.

At its core, Date Me is more than just a Fringe-flavored swipe through modern romance. It explores the gray areas between friendship, partnership, and performance. Clifford and D’Errico’s script cleverly pokes fun at influencer culture while offering up authentic, relatable insights about connection in the algorithm age.

This show gives you all the awkward tension, romantic confusion, and feels of a good rom-com—with just enough chaos to keep it real. Don’t ghost this one.

Shawn Says: Date Me is the DIY rom-com for the TikTok generation—awkward, honest, and totally worth swiping right on.