Monday, August 4, 2025

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "OPERA PUNKS"

Day:
 3

Show: 9

Title: OPERA PUNKS

Category: Comedy / Improv / Musical Theater / Opera / Physical Theater

By: Kelly Shuda

Directed by: Kelly Shuda

Location: Southern Theater

Summary: Non-narrative musical improv.

Highlights: Non-narrative meaning instead of creating one cohesive story (like, say, the Shrieking Harpies), they create a bunch of short individual songs that may have some relation to the others but not clearly. In other words, it's just like a regular improv show, except that every word is sung, which makes it so much more impressive! Music director Kelly Shuda plays a wide variety of music, from opera to metal and everything in between, and this talented cast (Alsa Bruno, Isabella Dunsieth, Julia Weiss, Michael Rogers, and Nora Nelson) just goes with it, making up a new song that suits the musical style. They take a few suggestions from the audience, but it mostly just comes out of their weird and creative minds. They harmonize together very well both musically and improvisationally. I'm not even going to tell you about the songs I heard because they're so brilliantly bizarre, and you'll hear something totally different but just as bizarre! This show is pure entertainment, and this troupe (including Kelly who plays keyboard, guitar, and other instruments so enthusiastically) is so much fun to watch.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.