"The World is Burning, So I Made S'mores" by Brave New Workshop at the Dudley Riggs Theatre

Leave it to Brave New Workshop (the longest running comedy theater in the country) to bring us just the show we need right now, and make us laugh through the fear and uncertainty of this world. A lot of people feel like "the world is burning" (literally in California, metaphorically in wars, mass deportation, endless infuriating executive orders, removal of protection for our most vulnerable people and places), and sometimes it feels like there's nothing we can do about it but "make s'mores." Which in this case means - see a comedy show that makes us laugh. And truly, one of the things that makes this country great, and that we have to protect, is the freedom of our artists to tell stories, make jokes, and poke fun at the current administration, past administrations, and ourselves. If you're looking to escape the troubles of our daily world, this may not be the show for you. And if you think the world is pretty great right now, this may not be the show for you either. But if you want to sit in a room and commiserate and laugh with other humans about the crazy things happening daily, as a way to release a bit of the stress and recharge for the continued fight, then The World is Burning, So I Made S'mores is definitely the show for you. See it at the Dudley Riggs Theatre on Hennepin Avenue weekends through May 17.

"Love and Other Things that Ruined My Life" by Brave New Workshop at Dudley Riggs Theatre

Valentine's Day may be over, but Love and Other Things that Ruined My Life is timeless! Brave New Workshop's new sketch comedy show, which opened Valentine's Day weekend, pokes fun at love, relationships, breakups, and all things related (and not related). Unlike that four-letter word love, the longest running comedy theater in the country never lets you down with their silly, smart, relevant, and sometimes just plain goofy sketches performed by a fantastically funny cast. This show plays through May 18, after which they'll be bringing back their all-improv show It's Not the Heat It's the Stupidity this summer, featuring a rotating cast of local improvisors.

"Back to Workshop; Or, Everything's Fine!" at Brave New Workshop

More than two years after they had to shut down due to a global pandemic (remember that?), Brave New Workshop, the longest running improv/sketch comedy troupe in the country, is finally back! Because everything's totally fine now, right?! In addition to everything we've all been through over the last two years, BNW also went through a transition; their founder Dudley Riggs died, and the company and theater space on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis was bought by the Hennepin Theatre Trust, which also oversees the historic Hennepin Avenue theaters - Orpheum, State, and Pantages. The first show coming out of this new partnership, Back to Workshop; Or, Everything's Fine!, is business as usual for BNW. The business being hilariously funny, smart, and topical satire, and just all around silly comedy entertainment. If you're having a tough time transitioning to this new world (and who isn't?!), Back to Workshop will help you feel not so alone in that, and maybe even help you process things or look at them in a new light. But mostly, you'll just have a really great time. Workshop plays weekends (Fridays and Saturdays, plus some Thursdays) through August 6.