Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "The Quiet Piggy"

Day: 3

Show: 9

Title: The Quiet Piggy

Category: Clowning / Comedy / Drama / Improv / Physical Theater / Puppetry / Solo Show / Storytelling / Audience participation / Political content

By: Dawn Bentley

Written by: Dawn Bentley

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A solo show from Minnesota Fringe's Executive Director, about art and politics and righteous anger.

Highlights: Self-proclaimed "not a theater person" Dawn Bentley makes her on-stage debut at the festival she's helmed for almost a decade, embodying the spirit of the festival: the Fringe is for everyone, and provides an opportunity to make adventurous art for experienced artists, first-time performer/producers, and everyone in between. In the (mostly) solo storytelling show, Dawn talks about running an arts organization during a period of fascism, when our government is attempting to quell free speech, which is what art is all about. Which is why we need art, and artists. The show is both personal (Dawn talks about changing careers multiple times, and taking up competitive running and body building in her late 30s) and political - raging against the current administration, wearing a shirt that says "Is he dead yet" (but of course not wishing violence on anyone). She illustrates her points with projections and props (my favorite is the rack of race medals), with Lucas Fanning playing the villains in a buffoonish clown style, making them extremely unlikeable (as if they weren't already), and uses music (Dawn is also a violinist, and talks about the formative music in her life) and a bit of audience participation (don't sit in the front row or on the aisles if you don't want to be accosted by the buffoon). When you're new and inexperienced at something, it's a good idea to surround yourself with people who know what they're doing (something, as she notes, the current resident of the White House said he was going to do, but instead has surrounded himself with incompetent yes-men). So Dawn enlisted Fringe vets Heather Meyer as dramaturg, and Rita Boersma and Jen Scott as co-directors (the latter also appearing onstage as the clean-up woman). With her first show, Dawn proves something she's been preaching for years, that art is for everyone and by everyone, that artists should be supported in making the art that matters to them, that all art is political, and that art is a vital and necessary part of a functioning democracy.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "1985: Relative Chaos!"

Day: 3

Show: 8

Title: 1985: Relative Chaos!

Category: Comedy / Storytelling

By: Jason Schommer

Created by: Jason Schommer with JC Lippold

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A solo storytelling comedy show about growing up in the '80s, dysfunctional families, love and loss.

Highlights: This was my first time seeing one of Jason Schommer's shows, after enjoying his hosting of the Fringe's annual Five-Fifths fundraiser this spring. He's a very funny and endearing comedian and storyteller, and definitely strikes a Gen X chord. This show is about his family, and growing up in the '80s. In front of the most deliciously awkward family photo (see above, the story of which is hysterical), he tells us about his two siblings (one an agent of chaos, the other a tick, tick, boom) and his parents, who got divorced in 1985, one of three pivotal occurrences that made that year remarkable (and the title of this show). He tells stories from his childhood and older years, jumping around in time, with some really outrageous stories about this dysfunctional, but loving and supportive, family. Spoiler alert: both of Jason's parents died relatively young, leaving him an orphan in his 30s, which he talks about with honesty and disarming humor, for a laughter-through-tears sort of feeling. But mostly, there's a lot of laughter. The full 1980s kitchen table set on stage, which isn't used but just referenced at the end, brings a tangible feeling to the show, and brings the people he's talked about for an hour to life (I had seen, and used, the table out in the lobby earlier in the day, and noted how similar it was to my own childhood kitchen table). And as a bonus, J.C. Lippold plays keyboard and sings a few songs during the show, songs from the period or references from the stories, with some audience participation. Highly recommended for Gen Xers, or anyone with a dysfunctional family (aren't they all?).

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "A Revolution Highly Favorable"

Day: 3

Show: 7

Title: A Revolution Highly Favorable

Category: Solo Show / Spoken Word / Storytelling / Historical content / Political content

By: Maximum Verbosity

Created by: phillip andrew bennett low

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: The story of the American Revolution, with readings from contemporaneous sources, told continuously over the five performances.

Highlights: If you love history, this is the show for you. It's a dense retelling of the American Revolution using the words of those who were there, and wrote it down, in letters, published articles, songs, and other sources, including the writings of 18th Century historian David Ramsey. Fringe vet Phillip Andrew Bennett Low, dressed in period costume, goes back and forth between two lecterns, reading historical text at one, connecting original text at the other. I attended the first show which covered the beginnings of the revolution, the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party (see the More Information tab on the show page for scheduled topics for each performance). The talk of tyranny, of firing on and killing lawful protestors, of the importance of freedom of speech to a democracy, ring eerily true in 2026. But the show doesn't paint the patriots as saints, recalling the genocide of the Native peoples and the enslavement of Africans, and recounting an incident when patriots tarred and feathered a British customs agent. The narration is accompanied by a series of AI-generated images that are really quite beautiful and artistic, with geometric shapes, and haunting faces, or depictions of historical figures.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "Tech"

Day: 3

Show: 6

Title: Tech

Category: Comedy / Improv

By: Mike Fotis Productions

Created by: Mike Fotis and Cast

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: An improvised tech rehearsal for a Fringe show - different every performance!

Highlights: This is an anthology series I hope never ends. This team brought us Camp Out in 2024, about a group of friends going camping (I saw it twice), Rec League in 2025, about a group of friends playing softball, and this year we have Tech, about a group of friends putting on a show! Some of #TCTheater's best improvisors create a fully improvised 60-minute story, creating specific characters and relationships before our eyes. I have a feeling that for theater people, especially those who have done Fringe, this is very relatable. And for those of us who aren't, it's a fun peek into what the behind-the-scenes might look like, but an extreme and extremely funny version. It's a simple premise: a director (played by creator/director Mike Fotis at the performance I attended), and a tech person (Tim Hellendrung creating a character named Sergei, recently returned from "the old country"), and a group of actors (James Rone, Jim Robinson, Rita Boersma, Shanan Custer, and Bobby Gardner), rehearse scenes and figure out lighting and sound and projections for an upcoming show, which turned out to be a rom-com involving layoffs and swordplay. We also saw Dennis Curley as a keyboardist adding some underscoring, in addition to the inappropriate sound effects coming from the tech booth, and a cameo from Minnesota Fringe Office Manager Amber Bjork as herself. The play-within-the-play may be a mess, but the play is a success, establishing relationships (siblings, showmances), evoking the (slightly warped) feel of a rehearsal, switching back and forth between on-stage and off-stage drama, and just being an all-around improv delight. I attended the first performance, and it was standing room only, so you might want to make a reservation and/or get there early. 

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "Witness Loudly"

Day: 2

Show: 5

Title: Witness Loudly

Category: Drama / Solo Show / Spoken Word / Storytelling / Historical content / Political content

By: Kind Fool Theater

Created by: Kyle B. Dekker

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A solo show about one person's experience as a neighborhood witness during Operation Metro Surge.

Highlights: Kyle Dekker is a "goddamn American hero." Not because he served in the Marines (which he joked was mostly a desk job), but because he was one of thousands of Minnesotans who took to the streets, armed with a whistle and a cell phone, when our cities were overrun by armed federal agents terrorizing neighborhoods. It's hard to believe Operation Metro Surge was six months ago, at times it feels like a bad dream, but it changed us forever, and inspired at least three Minnesota Fringe shows this year. And as Kyle explains in his show, terrorization of American citizens and legal residents by ICE has not ended, not here and definitely not around the country, it's just changed forms and become less ever-present. Kyle talks about joining his neighborhood watch group last December under the apt code name "Ginger Mountain," connected via Signal chat, and as someone who watched from the suburbs, it's fascinating to hear the about the organization that went into these groups, all over the cities, connecting strangers, creating community, protecting neighbors. Using his own photos and videos captured during that time, screen captures of social media and news stories, as well as recreation of live chats (with recorded audio of voice actors Derek Lee Miller, Allison Vincent, Jennifer D'Lynn, Quincy Anderson, and Jei Herald-Zamora), he puts us right in the middle of the action, and it's at times terrifying. But the show is also hopeful, proving that one person, when joined with others, can make a difference. The show is a little unpolished, with some technical difficulties on opening night, but it's raw and real and affecting, an excellent chronicle of that time in our community, when the world discovered just how strong Minnesotans are. And we have Kyle, and many others like him, to thank for that. He's donating all proceeds from the show to Indigenous Roots, a "community arts and activism hub" in his East Side St. Paul neighborhood (you can donate here).

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "Improvised Love Is Blind--Minnesota Fringe Edition"

Day: 2

Show: 4

Title: Improvised Love Is Blind--Minnesota Fringe Edition

Category: Comedy / Improv / Audience participation

By: DallaDanna Productions

Directed by: Michael DallaValle & Danna Sheridan

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: The title says it all - an improvised spoof of the Netflix dating show Love is Blind.

Highlights: This show is a regular at Strike, and I saw it two years ago, but at the time I had never watched the reality show it's based on. In fact I don't watch any dating reality shows, but I did break down and watch Love is Blind Season 8 last year because it featured Minneapolis residents, with some local filming. Unfortunately I had to suffer through 6 or 8 episodes of inane "pod dates" to get to the local parts (including Bryant Lake Bowl). It's a show that's ripe for mocking, and this troupe does it well. Usually they do a "season" over several shows on a weekend, but for Fringe, they're doing the whole season in under an hour. Since I've now seen the show, the setup makes a little more sense to me. First we see the awkward "blind" dates, each half of the couple on one side of a screen clutching a golden goblet (just like the show), mixing it up with different pairs of the 6-person cast (Robbie Darling, Lisa Fulton, Derek Landseidel, Olivia Wulf, and co-directors/creators Michael DallaValle and Danna Sheridan). Then the in-person meeting, then the vacationing together (location based on audience prompt), returning home to meet each other's family, and finally - the wedding. They read vows provided by the audience before the show, which are almost as ridiculous as the ones on the show, and when it comes to the pivotal question, they draw a slip of paper that says "yes" or "no" out of a bin, which adds a bit of tension. Whether you've seen the original show or not, this is a very funny and fast spoof of reality show dating (and marriage), this troupe of improvisors making it look natural, and hilarious. After watching an entire season of Love is Blind, I can tell you that the Improvised Love is Blind is much more fun, and a much better use of your time.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

2025 Twin Cities Horror Festival at the Crane Theater

The leaves are turning and the weather is finally cooler, which means it's time for the 14th Twin Cities Horror Festival! And even though October is notoriously the busiest month in #TCTheater, I managed to carve out a couple of days to see almost half of this year's 14 shows in the 15-day festival. I'm not in general a fan of horror or even Halloween (except for the candy), but I am a fan of the talented artists behind these shows, whom you will know from the Minnesota Fringe Festival or other theaters around town. In fact, TCHF is like a mini-Fringe, except that all of the less-than-an-hour shows are all horror-themed and presented in one venue, which makes scheduling easier. For full coverage of the festival, please visit fellow Twin Cities Theater Bloggers and horror fanatics The Stages of MN and Minnesota Theater Love. For my reviews, scroll down. I saw three very strong shows yesterday, with a few more scheduled for this week, so check back. You can find the full schedule of events and show details here, with the festival continuing through October 30.

Update October 26: I've added reviews of the shows I saw yesterday, bringing my total up to six. All of them are great, so either I chose well, or it's a strong year at TCHF. You still have a few more days to catch some great shows!

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "Jewelry Power Elite"

Day: 2

Show: 8

Title: Jewelry Power Elite

Category: Comedy / Drama / Solo Show

By: Rogues Gallery Arts

Created by: Lauren Anderson

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A solo show by actor/improvisor Lauren Anderson (a frequent performer at The Brave New Workshop) telling the story of her life through jewelry.

Highlights: I love jewelry, but Lauren Anderson really loves jewelry. She's turned it into a way of life, and crowned herself "Jewelry Power Elite." In this very funny and personal show, she talks about the history of jewelry itself, along with the origins of her love for jewelry (those '80s jelly bracelets, and a grandmother with an extensive jewelry collection that she inherited) and the way it's helped her in various phases of her life. She talks about her connection to her dad through their love of theater, and holding onto his dog tags from his Vietnam service to give her confidence. She talks about how putting on her grandmother's beads connects her to that relationship and her childhood. In the show-and-tell portion of the show, Lauren shares her five favorite animals and what they represent to her, and shows us a small portion of this animal-themed jewelry. She uses visual aids in the form of what looks like an overhead projector but is actually a camera projected on the wall, where she displays historical photos and actual jewelry pieces. Lauren is a born entertainer, and it's no surprise that she's very funny and personable in her first solo show. It's well constructed to take us through a series of stories from her life, and the different ways that jewelry can make you feel special, give you confidence, remind you who you are, or connect you with something bigger. I'll never look at a bracelet the same way again.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

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. 

"A Snowy Kiss" and "Holiday Office Party" at Strike Theater

And now for something different - a night of holiday* improv! Last year Strike Theater debuted a new long-form improv show - Holiday Office Party. And since I've attended my share of such events (although not anymore, post-covid my office has virtual holiday parties in which we do things like make origami or decorate gingerbread houses or play trivia games), I found it funny and relatable. Holiday Office Party is back this year for three weekends only. And since this weekend's performances were at 9pm, I decided to see the 730 show at Strike too, which was a one-weekend-only show by jorts! Improv. A Snowy Kiss is their annual tradition, an improvised holiday romance of the type we know so well from Hallmark and Netflix. It was a fun night of improv and a different sort of holiday show. Visit Strike's website for their upcoming show schedule.

"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.

"Holiday Office Party" at Strike Theater

There's a new long-form holiday* improv show in town, and much like Family Dinner (playing at HUGE Theater in Uptown through December 30), Holiday Office Party at Strike Theater in Northeast Minneapolis spoofs a familiar event in many people's lives - the office party. That semi-mandatory party with people who are sort of your friends but not really. I'm going into the office this week (for the first time in six months) to experience the real thing (planned funtivities: trivia and a cookie exchange), but I'm certain that it won't be nearly as fun as the Strike Office Party. A large cast pulled from a troupe of talented improvisers makes awkward small talk, drinks too much, and sings inappropriate karaoke. What's not to love?! There are three more shows this weekend, for the very reasonable price of $12, so check out the fun at your Northeast home for sketch comedy, improv, and storytelling.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "Fire in My Veins: Blazing through Life with Invisible Illness"

Day: 3

Show: 12

Title: Fire in My Veins: Blazing through Life with Invisible Illness

Category: COMEDY / DRAMA / SOLO SHOW / SPOKEN WORD / STORYTELLING

By: Allison Broeren

Created by: Allison Broeren

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A solo storytelling piece about living with an unseen chronic illness.

Highlights: Allison Broeren is one of the founders of Strike Theater, which this year is a serving as a venue for seven independently produced shows. In her very personal solo show, she tells her story of living with an autoimmune disease that you've probably never heard of, unless you or someone you know has an autoimmune disease, or you work in the field. She was diagnosed almost 20 years ago when she was in her early 20s, and shares details of the diagnosis (which took 10 months), treatments (steroids and chemotherapy drugs), and what it feels like (somedays fine, other days not great). I attended one of the special extended performances that was about 75 minutes long, but it didn't feel long at all; it's a thoroughly engaging and compelling show. Allison shares all of the details of her experience, and gives you a glimpse of what it might be like to live with a chronic disease, for those of us lucky enough not to have that experience. She also illustrates the shortcomings in our health care, health insurance, employment, and other systems in terms of giving people with chronic illnesses the support and respect they need and deserve. She talks about tiring easily, using the spoon theory to illustrate spending energy on certain tasks, but in her show Allison is full of energy and spirit, in an ultimately hopeful and positive show about a disease with no cure and treatments that can be toxic. At its best theater can share the experience of people who are different than we are, help us feel connected to them, and engender empathy. This show does that in spades, and is funny, relatable, and moving.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

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.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "CHRIS DAVIS DOES STUFF"

Day: 3

Show: 10

Title: CHRIS DAVIS DOES STUFF

Category: COMEDY / AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

By: Chrisdavisdoesstuff

Created by: Chris Davis

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A solo comedy storytelling show that's both personal and political.

Highlights: Fringe favorite Sam Landman convinced his friend Chris Davis of Birmingham Alabama to make the trek to Minnesota to do his show. Sam's word is good enough for me, and he does not lead us astray here. Chris is doing not one but two shows during the run of the Fringe. I caught Just Black Enough, which he's doing in the first three slots. The only thing I didn't like about his show is that it was too short, coming in 20 minutes short of the one-hour limit. He's funny and personable, talking about growing up being told that he doesn't sound Black or act Black, and then proceeding to explore, in a disarming way, what that means. Aided by signs that he flips through, from "Semantics make things taste better," to "We made a Graves mistake," to "Book make me sad," he talks about issues of the day in a relatable and funny way. His second show Seriously, I'm Not Gay, which he's doing in the final two slots, is sure to do the same thing, this time taking on issues around identity. Chris is a stand-up comic, and this show feels very much like a funny and relevant stand-up comedy routine.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "What If We Hugged?"

Day: 3

Show: 9

Title: What If We Hugged?

Category: SOLO SHOW / AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

By: Comedy Suitcase

Created by: Levi Weinhagen

Location: Strike Theater

Summary: A solo show from Fringe favorite Levi Weinhagen about fatherhood, heart disease, and what it means to be a man.

Highlights: You're probably used to seeing Levi, as he says in the show, running around and falling down as part of Comedy Suitcase (with Joshua English Scrimshaw). There's none of that here, instead it's a funny, personal, and relatable storytelling show. Having been raised by TV (in addition to his mother), he sets up the show in that familiar sitcom structure, compete with improvised commercials (I think my love language is TV sitcoms). In the "cold open" he tells us about what to expect in the show, in an informal and personable way, like he's just telling us a story over drinks in a bar, a style he continues throughout the show. Act I of this sitcom is the story of the somewhat traumatic birth of his daughter some 17 years ago, and his habit of passing out in times of great stress (it's a medical condition, and his love language). Act II recounts his experience with heart surgery, despite living a heart-healthy lifestyle for decades (it's in the genes). Even though the show is scripted, the stories don't sound rehearsed, they sound charmingly natural as he responds to audience reaction, speaking directly to us. The show is laugh out loud funny, full of pop culture references, and also speaks to issues of connection, relationships, politics, and the general stresses of being a human. He's vulnerable about his thoughts and fears and insecurities, in a way that makes us feel it's OK to feel those things too. And like at the end of those TV family sitcoms, sometimes a hug makes everything better (but only if it's consensual).

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.

"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.

"Minnesota State of UnFair" by Classic Alley Performers on YouTube

In another example of the performing arts adapting to this strange time, the sketch comedy group Classic Alley Performers has partnered with Strike Theater to bring us virtual performing arts, which they're calling "Minnesota State of UnFair." The 40 minutes of sketch comedy airs live on Strike's Facebook page this Friday through Sunday nights, but I got a sneak peek of this funny and topical show.