"Nudge" at Open Eye Theatre

As part of their Guest Artist Series, Open Eye Theatre is hosting the long-form improv show Nudge once a month through December. I caught the show last night, before the #TCTheater season gets too busy. A small but enthusiastic crowd enjoyed one continuous story that played out in under an hour, completely made up on the spot. This talented troupe of some of our best improvisors (Tim Hellendrung, Katy Kessler, Taj Ruler, and Jen Scott performed last night, with Rita Boersma and/or Butch Roy joining them at some performances) created believable characters and situations that were funny, and awkward, and real. Since HUGE Theater closed last year, we need to go to different venues to see improv (including but not limited Strike Theater, Jungle Theater, and the Hive Collaborative), and Nudge is one that's definitely worth checking out in Open Eye's sweet intimate space in South Minneapolis. Their next show is October 20, followed by shows in November and December, with tickets just $12 in advance! Click here for all the details.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "Rec League"

Day: 2

Show: 7

Title: Rec League

Category: Comedy / Improv

By: Mike Fotis Productions

Created by: Mike Fotis and cast

Location: Strike Theater (a quick and easy 10-minute drive from Cedar-Riverside)

Summary: An improvised softball game between friends.

Highlights: I love baseball, but the only time I've ever played the game was a couple seasons in a co-ed softball league with coworkers some 20 years ago. The position I played was scorekeeper, and we weren't good (especially when the required number of women didn't show up and I had to take the field). In Rec League, I felt like I was back on that neighborhood softball field. Except with a lot more drama and humor. This troupe of eight improvisors (Allison Vincent, Anna Fotis, Bobby Gardner, Jim Robinson, Mike Fotis, Nels Lennes, Rita Boersma, and Tim Hellendrung) create a believable group of friends, and one enemy - Gary. This sets up some of the drama, as we learn why everyone hates Gary. We also have secret crushes, troubles at work, and new careers to discuss. All of this happens while the game is going on. We see players mostly in the first base dugout, heading off stage when it's their turn to bat. We hear the crack of the bat (and other sound effects the cast reacts to), see foul balls roll by, or watch the player sprint to first or walk sadly back to the dugout after a disappointing strikeout. Despite the fact that eight people are not actually enough for a softball team, especially when two people stay on the bench when the team takes the field, the baseball of it actually kind of makes sense. We get a few fun and intimate one-on-one scenes with the people on the bench, or in the outfield (when they actually make plays!). It's really quite impressive that they are able to juggle both the intricate storylines within the group and the plays of the game. But don't worry, you don't have to know baseball or softball to enjoy Rec League (although there are some fun Easter eggs if you do). It's about the joy of watching these talented improvisors create characters and relationships right in front of you, that feel genuine and authentic. Will the Wolves finally win a game? They've got three more games this season, if you go and cheer them on they just might.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

"Alma Murder" by The Mystery Cafe at Sheraton Bloomington

I went to my first high school reunion last weekend. No, not my actual high school reunion (I was a nerd with few friends, no need to revisit that), but something much better - an immersive comedy murder-mystery dinner-theater reunion! At Alma Murder (now playing in the downstairs ballroom at Sheraton Bloomington), you're greeted by the principal and secretary of Mellencamp High School as if they know you. You're asked to fill out a nametag with your name and graduation year (class of '92 here) for this all-class reunion on the eve of the destruction of our beloved Mellencamp. The jock and cheerleader/class president/party planner drop by your table to say hi and reminisce. And like all reunions (I assume, never having attended one before), you also get served a delicious three-course meal, have a few drinks with friends old and new, and solve a murder! As with all shows by The Mystery Cafe, it's a fun experiential evening of theater with no separation between audience and performers, rather we're all part of this fun and wacky reunion. Alma Murder continues through January 31 in the South Metro, with their other show, the immersive wedding show 'Til Death Do Us Die (which I saw last year) opening this weekend and playing through February 8. Click here for info and tickets for both shows (dinner included in the ticket price).

"I'll be Homicidal for Christmas" by The Mystery Cafe at Sheraton Bloomington

This holiday* season brings us not one but two mystery dinner theater experiences with The Mystery Cafe. The troupe has been around for over 35 years, but I only just "discovered" them last year. As their performance season is just a few months around the holidays, I had to wait a year before seeing them again. But the good news is they have four shows this season at two locations: two holiday shows currently playing, and two more coming up in January. It's a fun immersive experience that goes beyond traditional theater, obliterating the separation between audience and performers, with broad campy comedy (and too many bad puns to count) performed by some of the best comedy/improv folks in town. A few weeks ago I saw their new show A Cruise-mas Carol at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake on the north side of town, and last night I drove across the city to their new south metro location, the Sheraton Bloomington, for the returning show I'll Be Homicidal for Christmas. Set during a taping of a Christmas TV special in the '70s, things go off the rail when someone(s) end up dead. There are just a couple more performances of the Christmas shows left before they start their new shows in January, and they've got a 25% discount for the Sheraton shows running through December 28. It's a fun group outing that's maybe a little less intimidating than theater can sometimes be for the uninitiated.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2024: "The Camp Out"

Day: 3/9

Show: 9/27

Title: The Camp Out

Category: Comedy / Drama / Improv / Physical Theater

By: Mike Fotis Productions

Created by: Mike Fotis, Rita Boersma, Tim Hellendrung, Nels Lennes, Heather Meyer, Danna Sheridan

Location: Mixed Blood Theatre

Summary: An improvised story of six friends who go on a campout to remember a deceased friend.

Highlights: Long-form is my favorite kind of improv, and this show is an example of why. Over the course of about an hour we watch these relationships develop in front of our eyes (although I'm not sure if characters and plots points are improvised and different every time, or just the conversation around them). And these six improvisors (Mike Fotis, Rita Boersma, Tim Hellendrung, Nels Lennes, Heather Meyer, and Danna Sheridan) are some of the best. The show starts with a couple actually setting up a tent on stage, which is a drama in and of itself! Friends start arriving, and we start to gather what everyone's relationships are. In the show I saw, the friends are there to honor their friend who died a year or so ago, and secrets (relationships, pregnancies) are revealed. It's so much fun to watch this group just be these people, talking and joking and snacking. It feels so real, like eavesdropping. When real life thunder was heard from outside the theater, they incorporated it into the show, starting to prepare for the rain. It's a well-done, smooth, and very funny improvised dramedy.

Update: I had an open slot in my schedule so I saw this one again, and it was completely different! Same performers, same concept of saying goodbye to a deceased friend (reading a letter from a family member and spreading their ashes in the park), but the characters and relationships were completely different. No surprise revelations, just being together and grieving. I cried from laughter, and a little bit at the real emotions.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"Wish You Were Here" at Strike Theater

For one weekend only, Strike Theater is bringing back their improvised dramedy show Wish You Were Here, in which a talented cast of improvisors explore the ideas of grief and loss as a normal part of life. But not in too heavy or sad of a way. It's still very funny and a little goofy, but with a tinge of melancholy and nostalgia as this group of pretend (but maybe also real) friends mourn the pretend death of one of their group. There are only two more performances, so head to Strike in Northeast Minneapolis tonight or tomorrow night for this bittersweet, funny, and original show. Visit their website for info on all of the comedy, storytelling, and spoken word shows and classes they offer, and mark your calendars for the return of my favorite Strike Theater show - The Great Strike Theater Improvised Bake Off - on April 21 (yes, they actually bake live in front of you!).

"Improvised Love is Blind" at Strike Theater

I don't get to Strike Theater, our Northeast Minneapolis home for sketch comedy, storytelling, and spoken word, nearly as often as I would like. But with zero traditional theater shows opening this weekend (in advance of the storm that is late February), I was able to check out Improvised Love is Blind: Season 2. Apparently it's based on a Netflix dating show, which I've never watched or even heard of, so I might have missed some of the references (what are pods?). But the general concept is clear - one of those contrived dating pool situations, with lots of drama and mayhem. They're running it this weekend like episodes of a TV series, and I saw the second episode - after the pairing in the pods, and before the weddings. It would be fun to see all three shows, but even one is a fun evening. The finale is tonight, but last night was over sold out (perhaps the fullest I've ever seen Strike Theater), so get your tickets soon if you're interested! Otherwise check out Strike's website for upcoming shows, including a return of the laughing-through-grief show Wish You Were Here in March. I'm also hoping my favorite - Improvised Bake-Off - will return this year. But there are plenty of shows to choose from in the meantime, as well as classes for those interested in learning how to do improv and storytelling.

"Family Dinner" and "The Mess" at HUGE Theater

Have you heard the news? HUGE Theater has moved into a new space, and not only that - they own it! For more about the significance of an artist-led organization owning their own performance space, listen to Episode 2.7 of the Twin Cities Theater Chat podcast, in which we interview Executive Director Butch Roy. For a virtual tour of the new space, including classrooms and behind the scenes, watch this YouTube video in which John Gebretatose, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, shows bloggers Kendra from Artfully Engaging and Rob from The Stages of MN around the space. Or better yet - go visit HUGE in person! They've moved just a few blocks north on Lyndale and across the street (tip: plenty of free street parking on Aldrich, one block west of Lyndale). The new HUGE feels more spacious - from the lobby to the performance space, with more improvements coming soon, including a bar and risers to improve sightlines in the audience. HUGE currently has shows Wednesdays through Saturdays, with three-show line-ups on Fridays and Saturdays. I made my first visit to the new HUGE last night to see my all-time favorite improv show Family Dinner, which continues every Saturday through the end of the year. See the full schedule here and make your plans to see some improv this holiday* season.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "The Windblown Cheeks Of Lovers"

Day: 3

Show: 11

Title: The Windblown Cheeks Of Lovers

Category: COMEDY / DRAMA

By: Mike Fotis Productions

Created by: Mike Fotis, Rita Boersma, and Tim Hellendrung

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A mocumentary about the making of a fictional miniseries from the '80s.

Highlights: The 1980s were prime season for melodramatic TV miniseries, some based on books that few people read. This show spoofs them gloriously. It begins with a family settling down to watch their favorite show - The Windblown Cheeks of Lovers, which we later find out was loosely based on the book The Wind Blows on the Cheeks of the Dead by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. When the TV turns on, these three brilliantly funny actors (Rita Boersma, Tim Hellendrung, and Mike Fotis, who also wrote and directed) step in front of a camera with a cheesy painted backdrop of a tree, and the footage is displayed live on the TV screen. Then we jump to the other side of the stage, where we watch a modern-day documentary about the making of the series, complete with backstage drama, a tragic death, and a sentient killer tornado. The three actors play all of the roles, changing character by adding one simple accessory attached to their waist by one of those pullout ID badge thingies, and donning an outrageous accent. The documentary reveals recently discovered backstage footage, achieved with another camera off to the side that displays on the TV screen in black and white. It's a fun and unique experience to watch both the live scene and the footage on the TV. There are a lot of moving pieces, a lot of characters, and a lot of accents, that combine for a ridiculous multi-media ride of a show. 

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"Wish You Were Here" at Strike Theater

"A one act improvised comedy about loss and friendship. Grief is sad. And funny. And everything else." Strike Theater's latest show, Wish You Were Here, is funny and silly, and also kind of profound in the way that it shows people grieving as a part of normal life, with nothing resolved or closed by the end of it. I discovered through Family Dinner that long-form is my favorite kind of improv, because I love watching characters and relationships develop in a satisfying way throughout the course of the evening. That's definitely true here as well; in fact I wish there were a second act because there were several relationships established that I'd like to see developed further. But as it is, Wish You Were Here is a funny and bittersweet hour of an improvised dramedy. Only two performances remain - Friday and Saturday. Click here for more info and to purchase the $5-10 tickets.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2022: "Finger Lickin' Good"

Day: 5

Show: 17

Title: Finger Lickin' Good

Category: COMEDY / HORROR / ORIGINAL MUSIC / AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION / HISTORICAL CONTENT

By: Special When Lit

Written by: Heather Meyer & Nissa Nordland Morgan

Location: Rarig Center Thrust

Summary: A sort of true biography of Colonel Harland David Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, that turns into a wild tale of sex, greed, and chicken.

Highlights: I don't know what kind of genius and/or warped minds think of an idea like this, but it's cluckin' brilliant (I can't resist the chicken puns any more than this team can). And it's also completely ridiculous, in the best way. Sam Landman is the perfect Colonel, with the swagger, the accent, the iconic white suit (when he's wearing anything at all), and the magnetism of the man who started the world's second largest restaurant chain. We traverse more or less chronologically through Harland's life, from his unhappy childhood, to his marriage and many affairs, to starting the KFC franchise, and eventually selling it (which, in this retelling, he regretted). The ensemble (the playwrights along with Rita Boersma, Jonathan Feld, and Duck Washington, all playing multiple roles, and chickens) are hilariously over the top as they tell this story, using lots of clever chicken props. All of the above would make for a great show, but the cherry on top is Shanan Custer as the frazzled fact checker, standing just outside the story, providing sound effects and checking in her big book of facts. Watching her watch the show, and react to the shenanigans, makes it even funnier. The show also includes a couple of original songs (by Nicholas Nelson) with some funky chicken choreography (by Laura Mahler). There aren't really any horror elements in this piece, except for one delicious final moment that maybe isn't necessary, but makes my vegetarian heart glad. Audiences may come for the salacious show image (the best one in the fest this year), but they'll be rewarded by a wholly original and wildly creative story about an iconic figure whom we thought we knew, but it turns out we didn't know him at all.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"The Great Strike Theater Improvised Bake Off" at Strike Theater

The Great Strike Theater IMPROVISED Bake Off is back! The last time I was at Strike Theater was for the 2019 holiday Bake Off. After a very long intermission, Strike opened its doors again last year for sketch comedy, storytelling, and spoken word shows and classes. And this week my favorite show, the delightful spoof of everyone's favorite TV baking competition, returned for two performances only. Click here for more info on Strike's upcoming shows and classes, and read on for more about this episode of the Bake Off.

"Family Dinner" and "The Mess" at HUGE Theater

After pivoting to a very 2020 Zoom version last year, everyone's favorite improv show Family Dinner is back at HUGE Theater where they belong! Where we can watch a delightfully dysfunctional family reunite for a holiday* dinner and actually eat it, live in front of us! I saw the show last weekend with my blogger friends from Play Off the Page and The Stages of MN (and then stayed to watch the also hilarious improv troupe The Mess), and laughed harder than I have in a long time. Family Dinner is hugely popular and often sells out its twice-weekly shows from mid-November through the end of the year, because everyone can relate to that awkward family dinner, even if this one is a bit more extreme in awkwardness and drama. But it's never mean-spirited, you get the sense that this improvised family loves each other, even whilst driving each other crazy. The final two performances this year are on New Year's Eve and Day - get your tickets now! While you're on the HUGE website, check out what else is going on, with live shows six days a week.

"Family Dinner" streaming live on YouTube every Saturday from Huge Theater

Everyone's favorite improvised holiday* show returns this year! But instead of parodying that awkward in-person holiday dinner with family and/or friends, this year Family Dinner is parodying that awkward holiday zoom call with family and/or friends - what could be more perfect for 2020?! A new dinner is streaming on Huge Theater's YouTube page for the next three Saturdays at 8pm. I watched it last Saturday night (bonus: if you're a morning person like me you can watch it in bed and not have to worry about staying up past your bedtime) and it's just as hilariously awkward as always. The show is free to watch, no need for tickets or reservations, but if you watch it please do consider donating $10 or $15 or more to support these artists through this extended intermission.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2020: "OMG!"

Location: Digital Hub Live

Length: 50 minutes

Title: OMG!

By: Taj Ruler and Emily Schmidt

Summary: A couple of people read actual journal entries from their childhood, followed by improvised scenes related to them.

Highlights: I watched the August 4 episode, with journalers Suzie Juul and Cristi Runpza, and improvisers Rita Boersma, Casey Haeg, Joy Dolo, Sarah TL (per zoom, didn't catch her name). Suzie and Cristi read about the typical childhood drama of boys, secret clubs, and friends on vacation. The improvisers then riffed on those ideas with funny and wacky results. It's horrifying, nostalgic, and hilarious to remember being that young. Each night features a different cast, hosted by Taj and Emily, with future live shows on August 6, 8, and 9 at 7pm. You can also watch all past shows on Emily's YouTube channel, with any donations going to different non-profits.

Read all of my Nightly Fringe mini-reviews here.

Read all of my Digital Hub mini-reviews here.

"The Great Strike Theater Improvised Bake Off" at Strike Theater

#TCTheater friends, I think I have a new favorite holiday* comedy tradition. Cooking and baking shows are hugely popular; in particular, people love The Great British Baking Show almost to a point of obsession. The Great Strike Theater Improvised Bake-Off plays on all of that to bring us a truly delightful, hilarious, and fabulous-smelling show. Not only do they pay loving homage to all of the delightful quirks of these shows (the tent! the showstopper! the awkward/funny host banter!), but there is actual baking happening on stage with a finished product that the judges actually eat. And it's all improvised! Well except for the baking, hopefully they have a recipe they're following. This installment features two rounds of semi-finals (one of which I attended), and the winner of each compete tonight (Saturday) in the finals.

"Family Dinner" and "The Mess" at HUGE Improv Theater

Family Dinner is my favorite show at HUGE Improv Theater in Uptown. It comes around this time every year, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays all through November and December, most of which sell out. Now in their eighth year at HUGE, it's basically the Guthrie's A Christmas Carol (as creator Molly Ritchie said). I attended with my Twin Cities Theater Blogger friends old (Minnesota Theater Love, Twin Cities Stages, Bite-Sized Beet) and new (The Stages of MN, The Global Dig, and Millennial in the Mezzanine), and a good time was had by all. HUGE is a great option for a fun outing this time of year, or any time of year. Buy tickets for one show only, or save on a two- or three-show pass. And you will want to get your Family Dinner tickets in advance - they will sell out.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2019: "Kind Of Funny But Also A Little Sad"

Day: 6

Show: 19

Title: Kind Of Funny But Also A Little Sad

Category: Comedy

By: The Importance Of Being Fotis

Created by: Rita Boersma and Mike Fotis and Heather Meyer

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: A sketch comedy about friendship and the joys and worries of life.

Highlights: Kind of funny but also a little sad is my favorite genre. I saw this show at Strike last year and liked it so much I wanted to see it again in this Fringe iteration. Rita Boersma and Mike Fotis are two of the most familiar and funny Fringe performers (as is Heather Meyer, the director who makes a cameo). In this piece they explore their friendship, which is sometimes awkward and argumentative, but in the end sweet and supportive. The straight-forward comedy sketches turn meta when one or both of them break out to comment on what they're doing, or chide the other for what they're not doing. Topics explored include the fear of death, changing family relationships, and existential crises. They make great use of the in-the-round space, including making fun of it. This show is sweet, funny, silly, relatable, and just a little bit sad.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

A Night at HUGE Improv Theater: "Family Dinner," KINGS, and the Bearded Company's "Chronicles"

Who couldn't use more laughter in their life? A great place to guarantee that is HUGE Improv Theater in Uptown, with shows every night except Tuesday. 'Tis the holiday* season, which brings my (and apparently may people's) favorite improv show - the utterly delightful Family Dinner. Every Friday and Saturday through the end of the year, a group of talented improvisers (nightly cast TBA from this lovely group) put on a very funny, very real (ish) production of a typical family dinner, including eating an actual dinner. It's super popular and almost always sells out, so make your reservations in advance. And while you're there, why not stay for another show or two, like I did? Friday nights include KINGS and The Bearded Company (keep reading for more on them), while Saturdays are The Mess (whom I've seen a couple of times before) and A Christmas Carol: Unscripted (I might need to go back to see this one). The full schedule (and reservations) can be found on HUGE's website.

"Kind of Funny But Also A Little Sad" at Strike Theater

A few weeks ago I brought you my adventures at HUGE Theater, your home for comedy in Uptown. Today I bring you a report from Strike Theater, your home for comedy in Northeast Minneapolis, a neighborhood closer to (my) home and easier to get to and park in (unless it happens to be Art-A-Whirl, then it's almost as miserable as Uptown). Strike has been open for a few years as a Fringe venue but just opened as a full-time comedy venue last fall. Founded by Allison Broeren, Mike Fotis, and Joe Bozic (whom you might know from the Minnesota Fringe Festival), they are "dedicated to Twin Cities sketch comedy, storytelling, and spoken word," and they offer an array of comedy performances and classes. Last night I attended the final performance (sorry) of Kind of Funny But Also A Little Sad, but check out their show calendar and class schedule for what's next at Strike.