Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: Wrap-Up and Favorites

The 33rd annual Minnesota Fringe Festival, my 16th, flew by in a whirlwind of shows, friends, snacks in place of meals, parking, cold brew, traipsing across Cedar-Riverside, getting tokens, giving tokens, and standing in lines. I saw 39 shows this year and there are probably as many more I wish I could have seen, but such is life, and such is Fringe. It's not possible to see every show, but I saw some great ones, which I've listed below. Don't forget to follow Minnesota Fringe for their events and programming throughout the year, and follow your favorite Fringe artists to see what else they're up to. The 2026-2027 #TCTheater season is full of plenty of adventurous art, it's just usually longer than an hour and not all located in the same place.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "Watership Down"

Day: 7

Show: 24

Title: Watership Down

Category: Drama / Musical Theater / Original Music / Physical Theater / Puppetry / Storytelling / Kid friendly / Literary adaptation

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Written by: Richard Adams, adapted for the stage by Melancholics Anonymous

Location: Rarig Stoll Thrust

Summary: An original folk musical adaptation of the 1972 adventure novel Watership Down about a group of rabbits who go in search of a new home.

Highlights: I'm only about 2/3 through my Fringe, but I'm ready to declare this my favorite of the festival, and my favorite work ever by Fringe darlings Melancholics Anonymous. This is one of the shows I was most looking forward to, and it exceeded my expectations. I read Watership Down for a class my first year in college (probably before most of these artists were born), and still have the book, so I've been rereading it (and didn't quite finish #spoileralert). I read it for a class with the theme "everyone needs a hero," in which we studied the Joseph Campbell hero cycle, read Lord of the Rings (confession: this is why I chose this class, I'd already read it multiple times #nerdalert), and watched Star Wars (to date the only time I've seen it #notthatkindofnerd). And Watership Down fits perfectly into the hero cycle, with an unlikely hero (a rabbit), impossible tasks, guidance along the way, and triumphing through hard work, determination, and togetherness. The novel is nearly 500 pages long, and adapters Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly have done a really great job condensing it into a 60-minute play, omitting or condensing a few episodes or characters. They use a narrative style, with the characters trading off the narration, which really helps set the scene, provide exposition, and move the plot along. And they've beautifully and smoothly taken out my least favorite part of the novel in a simple and effective way (all the hero rabbits in the novel are male, and a major plot point is "we need some does" in order for the warren to reproduce and survive, but in this adaptation they're all genders, and they just need "more rabbits" for the warren to flourish). Bee Davis has written about a half dozen or so original songs that further the plot, provide more emotional depth for the characters, and are just great songs I'd like to listen to again (played by musicians Hawken Paul and Mason Tacke on various folky instruments). In fact, this is a rare Fringe show that feels like it's more than just a Fringe show, it deserves more than five (nearly sold out) performances, and I'd love to see the Melancholics expand it to 90-100 minutes and have a longer run sometime/somewhere outside of Fringe. It's such a successful adaptation of this beloved (and kind of odd) novel (full disclosure: I've seen neither the movie nor the recent mini-series), with a beautiful and sincere story of a community that overcomes great odds by working together, and a leader that comes into their own by being brave and strong and listening to those around them. By the end of the 60 engrossing minutes, it feels like we've gone on an epic journey with these rabbits, who feel like unique and specific people we know and love (played by Aerin O'Malley, Meredith Enersen, Samantha Miller, Anneliese Garner, Bee Davis, Claire Chenoweth, Laura Marie, and Timothy Kelly, with Hawken Paul as their bird friend). I want to go back to Watership Down! Final performances Friday at 530 and Saturday at 4.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

2026 Minnesota Fringe Festival Must-See List

We've reached the dog days of summer, with a string of 90+ degree days, and devastating wildfires in Northern Minnesota and Canada that at times make our air quality here in the Twin Cities dangerous. But #TCTheater has not taken a summer hiatus; I'm busier this summer than any summer I can remember. And that will continue into early August when I attend my 16th MN Fringe. The 33rd Annual Minnesota Fringe Festival runs from August 6th through the 16th, with some 100+ shows having five performances each at venues around Minneapolis, most of them clustered around the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. After 33 years, the Festival runs like clockwork (thanks to the hard-working staff and volunteers), so it's easy to get out and see one, or a handful, or dozens of shows, those that fit your interests, and those that expand your comfort zone. Visit the Fringe website to peruse the schedule and make your plans, or keep reading for a dozen or so shows that I recommend (most of them from artists I know and love), as well as some helpful tips for Fringe newbies. See you at the Fringe!

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: Wrap-Up and Favorites

The wonderful theatrical whirlwind that is the Minnesota Fringe Festival is over for another year, and I'm left with great memories of friends, fun, and theater, and also not a little exhaustion (I took an afternoon nap yesterday and then slept nine hours last night). I never cease to be amazed, impressed, and moved by the incredible talent in this festival, both local and touring artists. This year I saw 39 Fringe shows in 10 days, but technically I saw 42 shows within the 11 days of the festival, because I took the first day off to drive to Duluth and see Zeitgeist Theater's incredibly immersive and intimate production of my favorite musical RENT, and I took a few afternoons off to see a NEXT new works reading at Theater Latte Da and Artistry's fabulous production of the beloved classic Singin' in the Rain (continuing through August 31). But other than that, I saw a show in every timeslot that I could (not counting 10pm shows because #morningperson). And I did not see a bad show, in fact the majority of the shows I saw were excellent. Which makes narrowing my list of favorites down from 39 to something less than half of that a nearly impossible task. So here's a list of some (but not all) of the shows I loved at Minnesota Fringe this year. But Fringe is never really over; they continue activities and programming year-round, so be sure to follow them on social media and sign up for their email list (if you're not already). And most of the artists and companies in this festival do work all year round, so if you saw someone or something you really loved, check out what else they're doing this season. The 2025 Minnesota Fringe Festival is over, but #TCTheater never ends!

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "Joan of Arc for Miss Teen Queen USA"

Day: 2

Show: 6

Title: Joan of Arc for Miss Teen Queen USA

Category: Comedy / Drama / Original Music / Puppetry / Historical content / LGBTQIA+ Content / Political content / Religious content

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Created by: Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly

Location: Rarig Thrust

Summary: The teenage warrior saint Joan of Arc comes back to life to enter a beauty pageant in South Dakota.

Highlights: After selling out shows in smaller venues for the last few years, the Melancholics have graduated to the big stage of the Rarig Thrust, and they fill the space well with this really fun (and a little bit sweet) story of female friendship. What starts out as a stereotypically vicious and competitive beauty pageant, with a hilarious Timothy Kelly as the host, goes a little deeper as we find out each young woman's motivations (played to perfection by Anneliese Garner, Kate Cosgrove, Bee Davis, Meredith Enersen, and Claire Chenoweth in gorgeous gowns, a full face of makeup, and impressive hairdos). The entry of Joan (played by Samantha Miller) throws a wrench into the whole thing, as Saint Michael (Carson Uthe, who also plays the evil pageant "mom") tells her she has to win the crown. But of course, that's not why she's really there, and it turns into a sweet story of female friendship and community (with some minor violence, because this is Melancholics Anonymous, but no blood). I think this may be my favorite Melancholics entry in the fringe (with the possible exception of 2023's A Girl Scout's Guide to Exorcism). It's well written, directed, designed, and acted, and is a lot of fun to watch.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

"Bart and Arnie" by Melancholics Anonymous at The Hive Collaborative

Adam Szymkowicz's play Bart and Arnie is a sweet, odd, funny, and relatable little play about friendship and existential angst. Using familiar characters from most of our childhoods, he explores ideas of mental health, relationships, careers, and just the difficulties of getting through the day. Melancholics Anonymous' production, now playing at The Hive Collaborative, is super sweet and genuine, and will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling. Their work is sometimes a little dark, a little weird (they're making their debut at Twin Cities Horror Festival this fall, which seems like it's a long time coming), but this one is dark only in the sense of dark thoughts that we all have, and weird in the most charming way. It's playing through May 18 only, so head to The Hive for some nostalgic fun.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2024: "Beanie Baby Divorce Play"

Day: 6

Show: 19

Title: Beanie Baby Divorce Play

Category: Comedy / Drama / Horror / Original Music / Puppetry / Storytelling / Historical content / LGBTQIA+ Content

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Created by: Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly

Location: Open Eye Theatre

Summary: The story of a couple fighting over their beanie babies during their divorce and ignoring their actual children, who resort to desperate measures to get their parents' attention.

Highlights: This is bizarre in Melancholics Anonymous' trademark style. The story is told by the Beanie Babies CEO in a smoking jacket ala Masterpiece Theater, reading out of a children's book. We meet the family in court, the kids bored and ignored, the parents angry and selfish. While playing, the kids make a wish that turns ugly with the appearance of a mystical evil creature. One of the kids is kidnapped, and the other fights to get her back, with the help of Princess Diana (or not). The performances by the eight-person cast (Timothy Kelly, Aerin O’Malley, Anneliese Garner, Bee Davis, Meredith Enersen, Nick Willcocks, Samantha Miller, and Claire Chenoweth in a creepily physical performance as the Beanie monster) are great and really committed to this absurdity, and the use of Beanie Babies as props, set, and costumes is truly impressive, particularly what I can only describe as a Beanie Baby tower (set and prop design by Mady Smith). It's a really weird and fun show about the dangers of consumerism and obsession, and if I wasn't emotionally invested, maybe that's OK.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

2024 Minnesota Fringe Festival Must-See List

The most adventurous 11 days in the #TCTheater year is almost upon us! The Minnesota Fringe Festival runs August 1 through 11, with about 100 shows playing at 9 Fringe venues (plus some additional venues for independently produced shows). This will be my 14th consecutive year attending MN Fringe (if you count the all-virtual 2020 festival and the 2021 hybrid), so I have a pretty good idea of how to go about this. But if you're new to fringing, don't worry, it's easy! The MN Fringe website has everything you need to know, including details about all of the shows, info for how to get to the venues, and ticketing info. Bookmark this, and refer to it as needed. I also have a few tips at the bottom of this post. But first, and without further ado, my annual Minnesota Fringe Festival Must-See List.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "A Girl Scout’s Guide to Exorcism"

Day: 10

Show: 41

Title: A Girl Scout’s Guide to Exorcism

Category: COMEDY / DRAMA / HORROR / PUPPETRY / STORYTELLING / HISTORICAL CONTENT / LGBTQIA+ CONTENT

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Created by: Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly

Location: Rarig Arena

Summary: It's the summer of 2008, and five Girl Scouts accidentally conjure up the spirit of a famous, and a little angry, environmentalist.

Highlights: This was one of the most frequently sold out shows of the Fringe, winning the venue award for most tickets sold at the Arena. I did not intentionally save it for the very last time slot of the festival, but it was a great end to a wonderful run of theater. It's so funny, and sweet, and real, and weird, and a little bit scary, and overall just so much fun. Five Jonas brothers obsessed tweens (charmingly portrayed by Claire Chenoweth, Anneliese Garner, Meredith Enersen, Samantha Miller, and Aerin O'Malley, giving each a distinct personality) gather for their annual sleepaway summer camp, with a friendly new counselor (Bee Davis), but things are changing. They're growing up, like it or not, causing new tension in the group. Using a ouija board, they accidentally cause one of them to become possessed with an environmentalist who advocates for the hawk, and she gets mad, wreaking havoc on the girls, until they can figure out a way to band together to save their friend, and each other. One of the girls occasionally steps out of the story and narrates it as the chain-smoking present version of the character, which is surprising and funny. This would all be wonderful enough, but as an added bonus Jeffrey Nolan plays the hawk who does the environmentalist's bidding, swooping a puppet on a stick around the theater, facial expressions so telling of the attitude of this creature. I first discovered Melancholics Anonymous during the virtual 2020 Minnesota Fringe Festival, and in a few short years they've become a reliable source of theater that is inventive and delightful and a little bit dark. They perform outside of the Fringe too, so keep your eye out for them.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche" by Melancholics Anonymous at Center for Performing Arts

The title says it all: Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche. Well, maybe not all. There's also an apocalyptic event, romance, tragedies, and secrets revealed, not to mention the fact that it's the 1950s, a time when it wasn't safe or acceptable for women to call themselves lesbians. Melancholics Anonymous' production of this funny, subversive, and a little bit gruesome play is a good way to spend 70 minutes on a summer evening. But hurry, there are only three shows left! (Click here for all the deets.)

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2022: "A Day with the Newhearts"

Day: 3

Show: 7

Title: A Day with the Newhearts

Category: COMEDY / HORROR / ORIGINAL MUSIC / HISTORICAL CONTENT / LGBTQIA+ CONTENT

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Created by: Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly

Location: Mixed Blood Theatre

Summary: A mock 1960s sitcom set in Minnesota that turns very dark when the Newhearts try to force their new neighbors into their "Minnesota nice" way of life.

Highlights: Complete with a theme song, laugh track, and ads, A Day with the Newhearts feels very much like a sitcom about a happy family in the early '60s (there's a reference to "that new baseball team the Twins," so around 1961 or so). Mom, Pop, and daughter prepare for a barbecue with their new neighbors, a single mom (horror) and her clingy and socially awkward son. Daughter tortures son with news of a recently escaped serial killer, Pop shames single mom for her independence and plans to open a business, but Mom admires her for the same reason, feeling stifled in her Stepford/Minnesota nice life. Things go from odd to deadly very quickly, as we see the dark side of Minnesota nice (which definitely exists, although hopefully not to this extent). The cast (Claire Chenoweth, Bee Davis, and Matthew Humason along with the creators) fully commits to the dark and campy sitcommy tone; costumes, set, and props are charmingly period appropriate (including some Tupperware pieces I recognized from my childhood); and the Minnesota references (scotcheroos, hot dish, and snicker salad) are plenty. It's a darkly funny and disturbing show, consistent in tone, and perhaps a morality tale about how not to welcome new people into the community.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"Copenhagen" by Melancholic Anonymous at the Crane Theater

New #TCTheater company Melancholics Anonymous came out of St. Olaf shortly before the pandemic. What a time to start a theater company! But maybe because they are new, and young, they were able to quickly adapt to the virtual theater world and produce some really great virtual productions (e.g., Good Grief and On Air: The Wuppet Time Murders for the 2020 and 2021 Minnesota Fringe Festival). I saw them live for the first time last night, a production of the 2000 Tony Award-winning best play Copenhagen. In the intimate space of the Crane studio theater, this three-hander (if that's a term) that speculates about the real-life 1941 meeting between scientists Neils Bohr and Werner Heisenberg (both of whose worked contributed to the development of the atomic bomb) is a wonderful exploration of science, philosophy, and morality. Copenhagen continues at the Crane Theater in Northeast Minneapolis through February 13 only.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2021: Wrap-up and Favorites

After a very long extended intermission from theater, which included a 2020 all-virtual Minnesota Fringe Festival, live and in-person performing arts began to return this summer. I saw a dozen shows in July, three of them indoors (a first in nearly 16 months). Then came August, and a hybrid Fringe Festival, with most shows occurring virtually, along with independently produced in person shows. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2021: "On Air: The Wuppet Time Murders"

Day: 4

Show: 8

Performance Type: Virtual

Location: Streaming Anytime

Length: 60 Minutes  

Title: On Air: The Wuppet Time Murders

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Summary: A delightful spoof of true crime documentaries that features gruesome murder of puppets on the set of a local cable children's weather educational show.

Highlights: I loved this group's show at the virtual Fringe last year, the sweet and poignant children's grief counseling session, so I was eager to see more of their work. This doesn't bear much resemblance to last year's show, except for the clever concept and spot-on execution. With deadpan seriousness, a true crime documentarian (voiced by Claire Chenoweth) investigates multiple murders that happened in 1999 on the set of a children's puppet show called Wuppet Time (a questionable show that cheerily warned children about snow-related disasters and head trauma from falling staircases). Like any good docuseries, it has interviews with survivors, found footage of events, and people obsessed with the crime who have tried to piece together what happened on that tragic day. The truly funny and absurd thing is that the weather puppets in the show (played by Claire Chenoweth, Gillian Gauntt, and Matthew Humason) are treated as people - the victims and possible perpetrators of the crime. Watching a jaded puppet of a raindrop smoking a cigarette as they reminisce about a tragic event in their youth is just ridiculously amusing. As are the two humans in the cast (played by co-creators Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly), one of whom is a controlling jerk with anger issues, the other of whom tries to share the nuance of the situation. Like Avenue Q, casting these sorts of familiar human dramas in puppets just makes everything funnier.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2020: "Good Grief (and other ways to process loss)"

Location: Nightly Fringe (Aug. 3)

Length: 35 minutes

Title: Good Grief (and other ways to process loss)

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Summary: A group of children who recently suffered the death of a loved one gather for a group counseling session.

Highlights: This is a sweet, funny, and poignant little show. It's reminiscent of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, both in the tone of humor mingled with sadness, and in the portrayal of children by young adults. The actors (Annika Isbell, Bianca Davis, Claire Chenoweth, Matthew Humason, Rachel Ropella, and Timothy Kelly) are all very convincing as they embody these kids (and one adult leader), specific in differently odd and interesting ways. Some of the kids are traumatized by the death they've experienced, while others are more focused on the snacks. Turns out even children experience their grief in different ways, and that's OK. Some breakthroughs are made, some friendships are made, some eggs are thrown. As they wrapped up their session, I found myself wishing I could sit in on next week's session too. These kids endeared themselves to me over the 35 minutes.

Read all of my Nightly Fringe mini-reviews here.

Read all of my Digital Hub mini-reviews here.