Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "Casa Bde-Maka-Ska"

Day: 4

Show: 15

Title: Casa Bde-Maka-Ska

Category: Comedy

By: Snikt! Bamf! Thwip!

Written by: Duck Washington & Tim Wick

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: A parody of the 1942 film Casablanca, set in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge.

Highlights: I've never seen the movie, but it's so pervasive in our culture I have a vague idea of the story. There's a guy named Rick who owns a club, a pair of star-crossed lovers, a piano man named Sam, and a war. Those elements are all present here, but played for comedy. As Gregory Parks, who plays Sam, notes in the post-show speech, what we went through during Operation Surge was not funny, but comedy and parody is one way to process the trauma and be part of the resistance. So in this story we have tons of Minnesota references (because it's not Minnesota Fringe without a lutefisk joke), and we have Rick (Samuel Poppen) who owns a bar and is in love with Ilsa (Bridget Foy, with a '40s movie look and sound), her husband Ole (Pher Sturz), a corrupt cop (Kelvin Hatle), the frustrated piano man (Gregory Parks), and a villain named Noem (Molly Zupon). The plot plays out fairly similar to the movie (I gather), and the allegory works nicely. The costumes are a mix of modern, vintage, and local, with a recurring bit about the (not so) mobile piano, and the "play it again Sam" song being Prince, natch. For a more gritty and realistic look at Operation Metro Surge, see Witness Loudly and Minnesota is the Shire, but it also feels good to process our recent trauma through laughter.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2026: "Sound and Noise and Bodies"

Day: 1

Show: 3

Title: Sound and Noise and Bodies

Category: Clowning / Comedy / Drama / Improv / Original Music / Solo Show / Spoken Word / Storytelling / Audience participation / Historical content

By: Octoberdandy Productions

Created by: Jen Scott

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: A very personal solo show by #TCTheater artist and improvisor Jen Scott that covers some big topics with humor and charm.

Highlights: In this quirky genre-bending show (directed by Levi Weinhagen), Jen shares stories from her life and weaves in big themes about humanity and art and community. In between two-minute ukulele songs (she's been writing a song a week for years), she talks about how this music major got into theater and improv, life with her "deaf French husband," giving birth via C-section, living in Paris with a toddler, the tragic death of a child, and the challenges of marriage and life. There's something really sweet and hopeful about this show, despite the darkness of some of the subject matter. That's a credit to Jen's very charming and disarming style, as she occasionally loses her place and has to refer to her notes, which only makes the show more endearing and real. The lights darken with only a spotlight for the songs, and she's constantly surprised by where it pops up. She's frequently searching for her light, but she is the light. This show is raw, funny, deep, silly (the props!), poignant, heart-breaking, and heart-warming. It's one of those personal story solo shows that strikes something bigger, something grander, by expressing both the unbearable pain and exquisite joy of being alive.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

"Blithe Spirit" at Theatre in the Round

Noël Coward is the perfect frothy summer theatrical entertainment, with his clever dialogue, ridiculous characters, and silly situations ripe for comedy, all in a British accent. The Guthrie is doing Private Lives later this summer (which they last did in 2007), but first up is Blithe Spirit at Theatre in the Round to conclude their 74th season. This is the one that features a love triangle between a husband, his wife, and the spirit of his deceased wife whom he accidentally materializes. It's well done in the in-the-round space with a great cast and some fun special effects. Note that it is a three-act play, as was common in the last century, but Theatre in the Round sells coffee at concessions, with free refills during the two intermissions (but not allowed in the theater, so drink it in the lobby whilst admiring the art installation and save your cup). This Blithe Spirit will continue to haunt the oldest theater in Minneapolis through July 12. And then make plans for Theatre in the Round's 75th Anniversary season, featuring plays and musicals with a Minnesota connection, from The Great Gatsby to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.

"Swords & Sorcery" by the Bearded Company at Theatre in the Round

One of the most popular longtime Minnesota Fringe shows is playing at Theatre in the Round this season (and just announced - next season too). The Bearded Company's improv show Swords & Sorcery is always a fun time, even if you're not into D&D. In fact, everything I know about the game known as Dungeons and Dragons (which I still don't understand) I've learned from Bearded Co over the last nine years. This "campaign" (as they call it) runs in rep with The Hobbit this weekend only, with four shows of a continuing story that began last night. You definitely don't need to see all of the shows, or have any familiarity with this group or even D&D, to enjoy an episode of Swords & Sorcery, but you can also go back multiple times to continue the fun, and see a completely new story created before your eyes. And there are two opportunities to see both The Hobbit and Swords & Sorcery on the same day - Friday night back-to-back, and Sunday with a dinner break at one of the many nearby restaurants in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. So if you're visiting Middle Earth this weekend, stick around for more fantasy fun. And if you don't have tickets for the virtually sold-out The Hobbit, it's definitely worth going to TRP to enjoy a little improv (click here for info and tickets).

"The Hobbit" at Theatre in the Round

In 2019, Children's Theatre Company commissioned Greg Banks to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit, and he did so using just five actors to play all of the many characters, and added original music. Unlike the bloated movie trilogy, it's a charming, playful, and succinct version of this classic hero story. Now Theatre in the Round is bringing us their version of this same script, but with ten actor/musicians, and a framing story. It's a clever and inventive take on this beloved tale of adventure, courage, and friendship. I've read The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy countless times over the last 40 years, and have even visited New Zealand twice (not because of LOTR, but also not not because of it). This is a story and a world I love very much, and will take any opportunity to spend a little time in. I found TRP's version of The Hobbit to be fun, playful, inventive, and very satisfying. Check it out through the end of the month - if you can get tickets.

"Conscience" at Theatre in the Round

On a day when some 200,000 people gathered at our State Capitol to stand up for democracy, joined by millions more around the country, I saw a play about Senator Margaret Chase Smith, one of the few Republicans who stood up to Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. Conscience, written in 2020 by Tony-winning playwright Joe DiPietro (for book and lyrics of the musical Memphis), resonates deeply with today's world. It tells of a time when one personality has overtaken the Republican party, whipping up support amongst voters by preaching fear of outsiders, fellow politicians afraid to cross him because of the power he seemingly wields. Until one woman stands up on the Senate floor (the only woman on the Senate floor) to condemn his actions. It was a rough road, but eventually, this personality faded into disgrace and history as quickly as he rose. Yesterday's marches are incredibly inspiring, as is this story, providing hope that our collective conscience will win out against forces attempting to erode our democracy. And it's a beautifully told story, succinct and to the point in under two hours, with a fantastic four-person cast bringing these historical figures and their heroic (or not so heroic) actions to life. Conscience, a last-minute season replacement in Theatre in the Round's 74th season, runs through April 19 and couldn't have come at a better time.

"The Cake" at Theatre in the Round

Once again, Theatre in the Round is bringing us a regional premiere of a new and very relevant play. Just a few weeks after closing How to Catch Creation, about Black artists now and in the past, they opened The Cake, about a conservative Southern baker forced to confront her beliefs when they contradict her heart. Written in 2017 by playwright and screenwriter (including for a little show called This is Us) Bekah Brunstetter, the play speaks directly to the divided and divisive world that we live in, that has only gotten more extreme in this second iteration of the current administration. The play is not preachy, the characters feel like real and complex characters instead of mere caricatures, and the conversations had are awkward and necessary. It's sweet and funny and spicy, and in the end provides hope that maybe we can overcome our differences if we're willing to have tough conversations, and look past our differences to find our shared humanity. The Cake plays weekends through March 15 at the oldest theater in Minneapolis, and if all the talk about cake gives you a craving for it, you may be rewarded.

"How to Catch Creation" at Theatre in the Round

The oldest theater in Minneapolis (Theatre in the Round, now in their 74th season) is known for classics like their annual Agatha Christie play, but they're not afraid to champion new work (like last year's world premiere musical Endometriosis: The Musical) and challenge their audience with lesser known titles, like How to Catch Creation, currently playing on their unique stage through February 8. Written by playwright Christina Anderson (Tony nominee for co-writing the book of the ambitious new original historical musical Paradise Square), How to Catch Creation premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theater in 2019 and has not previously been seen in #TCTheater. After cancelling a couple of shows last weekend in response to protest and continued violence on our streets perpetrated by federal agents, they only have five performance left. Last night, after another day of protest, the audience was much smaller than this excellent play deserves. It's a funny and relatable play, well written in a naturalistic style while combining multiple timelines, with a terrific all Black cast that brings these complex and messy characters to life. This story of Black artists, specifically Black female queer artists, is an important one to tell in this current era that attempts to silence voices such as these. Telling these stories, and consuming them, is part of the continued resistance against an administration that's trying to take away our humanity. Thanks to Theatre in the Round and this talented cast and creative team for telling this story now.

"The Murder on the Links" at Theatre in the Round

For this year's Agatha Christie play, Theatre in the Round has commissioned an adaptation of her third novel The Murder on the Links, the second featuring famed detective Hercule Poirot. This is essentially a sequel to their 2022 Christie play, a new adaptation of her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, with the same playwright Kate Danley, director Linda Paulsen, and two leads. Everything about this production is so delightful, I would be happy if they continued with this team to adapt all of the Poirot/Hastings stories. But for now we can enjoy this fictional murder (or murders?) on the links at the oldest theater in Minneapolis. The show continues weekends through December 21, and Christie plays are always popular at TRP, so don't wait too long to get your tickets to this counter-holiday programming.

"Pride and Prejudice" at Theatre in the Round

Perhaps best known for her modern, feminist, and funny Jane Austen adaptations, Kate Hamill was the most produced playwright in America last season. For some reason, we can't get enough of strong and relatable female heroines right now. Theatre in the Round is continuing this trend with the first show of their 74th season, Pride and Prejudice, everyone's favorite Jane Austen story by everyone's Jane Austen interpreter. Park Square Theatre produced the regional premiere of this play in 2019, and while I appreciated the fun and fresh look at the story, I felt it went a bit too far into over-the-top slapsticky territory for me. But I'm pleased to report that this production strikes just the perfect balance between comedy, modernity, and the traditional story we all love. So while I stated that I loved about 75% of Park Square's version, I love 100% of this show. It's so much fun, with a huge and talented cast portraying the endearing Bennet sisters and their charming beaux, and a really great use of music and movement, well staged in the unique in-the-round space. Pride and Prejudice continues for two more weekends, but this beloved story is already selling out shows so don't wait too long to get your tickets!

"Henry V" by Jackdonkey Productions at Theatre in the Round

Sixteen months ago, I had one of my best and most memorable days at the theater when I saw Guthrie Theater's production of the History Plays,  Shakespeare's Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V, all in one marathon day. One continuing story and one incredible cast of actors bringing it to life over three plays, for a total of 8+ hours of theater. The taglines for the three plays were: "a king becomes a man," "a man becomes a king," and "a king becomes a hero," respectively. But Jackdonkey Productions' new take on the finale of this trilogy, Henry V, brings a little different perspective to the story. Because in reality, war is much more complicated than that. There are no heroes, there are no winners, there's only death and destruction. This is a theme that is very relevant to what's going on in our world today, with wars, violence, and power-hungry leaders everywhere you turn. Jackdonkey brings this ancient story right into the present in this innovative production, playing at Theatre in the Round this weekend only (through August 18).

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "Dice of Destiny: Neon City"

Day: 10

Show: 36

Title: Dice of Destiny: Neon City

Category: Comedy / Improv / Audience participation

By: The Bearded Company

Created by: The Bearded Company

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: The Bearded Co's trademark D&D style of improv applied to an '80s action movie.

Highlights: I saw the final show of what I believe was a continuing five-show saga. Anna Tobin and Maria Bartholdi play the main characters (even after so many Bearded shows I don't know D&D lingo), two crime fighters in the post-apocalyptic world of an '80s action movie. The rest of the cast (MJ Matheson, Tyler Mills, Joe Rapp, and Lucas Vonasek) play multiple characters, as our two heroes save the world in the weirdest way possible. As per usual, game master Allen Voigt calls the action, rolling the 20-sided die to see how strong each action will be, with Jack Barrett on keyboard and Dan Ruby on sound effects creating a soundscape. This group is a sure thing every year that they perform; they're experts at this long-form improv storytelling and always create a really funny story that also sort of makes sense. But you don't have to wait until next Fringe to see them; they are doing a couple of shows as part of Theatre in the Round's fantastic upcoming season. You can see them in November and May, the latter of which is running in rep with The Hobbit, so one can only hope these shows will be LOTR-themed (I may not be a D&D nerd, but I am a LOTR nerd).

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "The Gentlemen’s Pratfall Club"

Day: 9

Show: 31

Title: The Gentlemen’s Pratfall Club

Category: Clowning / Comedy / Physical Theater / Kid friendly

By: Comedy Suitcase

Created by: Joshua English Scrimshaw and Levi Weinhagen

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: An actor tries to learn how to fall down for his audition to be TV's new Captain Clumsy.

Highlights: There's really nothing funnier than watching the Comedy Suitcase guys throw their bodies around the theater (and audience) in the service of comedy. At least not in this Fringe Festival; this is the hardest I've laughed in these ten days. Why is it that people falling down is always so funny?! Somehow even more so when it's on purpose. The plot of the show is that Walter (Levi) is a struggling actor going on one last audition for a show he's not even really that into, he just thinks it'll be a good way into TV. The problem is, he doesn't know how to fall down (and Levi's slow hesitating descent to the ground is hilarious). At the audition he means an excellent faller, a Frenchman named Guy, whom he also encounters when his agent sends him to the Gentleman's Pratfall Club to learn the necessary skills. Joshua plays Guy, and Walter's friend, and an old man who is a king of the pratfall, with the chronic pain to prove it. No speeches of self-discovery allowed in this comedy, but maybe Walter is trying to find the joy and purpose in life again. But mostly, this show is a ton of physical comedy that induces tears of laughter, particularly with Joshua throwing himself down the stairs, rolling over the short wall into the audience, and budging past several rows of audience members. Although Levi pretending to fall but not quite fall down the stairs and around the stage is almost funnier. And then there are the (real) slaps, the trips, the getting tangled up in chairs. It's just good old-fashioned physical comedy that's funny in any era, for all ages.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "This"

Day: 8

Show: 26

Title: This

Category: Comedy / Solo Show / Storytelling

By: Tim Uren

Created by: Tim Uren

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: A solo storytelling show about life in the theater and comedy world.

Highlights: I found this show to be surprisingly lovely. It's fun to get insight into the world of an artist (it's not as glamorous as it appears), but even if you're not an artist, the show is full of relevant material about life: anxiety, addiction, relationships, careers, memories vs. experiences, existential dread. Tim has constructed the show as a series of chapters, walking us more or less chronologically through his life, in a very personable and engaging way. From his hit comedy show Look Ma No Pants in the shadow of the Scrimshaw brothers, to being fired from his dream job at Brave New Workshop, to designing board games (which, honestly, I didn't really get, not being a game person of the video or board variety). It's really about his love of theater, and our love of theater, and being present together in the same room in the very special way that theater requires. The title comes from the first word Tim spoke as a child, when he didn't know what he wanted, just "this" or "this" or "this." But he comes around to discovering that this, here, now, is the only thing we have. Tim's final show is this Sunday, and you can also see him with his theater company Ghoulish Delights or as a part of The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society which performs regularly at Crooners, information about both can be found here.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2025: "GUNS! the Musical "

Day: 2

Show: 3

Title: GUNS! the Musical 

Category: Comedy / Drama / Musical Theater / Original Music / Physical Theater / Puppetry / LGBTQIA+ Content / Political content / Religious content

By: Kalal Productions

Created by: Bryce Kalal

Location: Theatre in the Round

Summary: A musical satire about a gun-loving town in "The States of 'Merica" that reacts to an epidemic of people being shot in the knees by banning knees and other bending parts.

Highlights: This spoof of American gun culture is a laugh a minute. It's so silly and ridiculous and fun, chock full of bad puns and finger guns and "pew-pew" sound effects. It doesn't hit you over the head with politics, but it's not too hard to draw current parallels with this town that solves all their problems with guns, and billionaires control politicians (the modern remake of Schoolhouse Rock's "How a Bill Becomes a Law" is sadly hilarious). The entire cast (Aura Bafna, Erin Clarkin, Terra Eberle, Krista Hauseman, Maycee Klein, Emma Johnson, Justin Johnson, Phillip Schramm, Sandesh Sukhram, and Glen L. Dawson in what feels like a continuation of his Detective character from the Buttslasher franchise, and that's a good thing) leans fully into the campy sincerity of the show. There are several songs in the show that continue the tone and theme of the story, accompanied by a three-piece on-stage band. They make good use of the in-the-round space, even poking fun at it with calls for "stage... north?" There are some clever props, puppets, and costumes, but not a single gun.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

"Endometriosis: The Musical" at Theatre in the Round

The Minnesota Fringe Festival* is a great place for artists to develop and showcase new work. But truthfully, even the best shows at Fringe usually work best within that framework (less than an hour in length, presented at an experimental festival). But every once in a while, you'll see a show that feels like it has life beyond Fringe. The smash hit of the 2022 festival, Endometriosis: The Musical, was one such show. I knew immediately that this was more than "just" a Fringe musical, and "it needs to be seen by more people than just five (likely sold out) Fringe performances." Thankfully, the folks at Theatre in the Round (the venue for the 2022 show) saw that too, and have worked with the creators (book by Maria Bartholdi, music by Kristin Stowell, and lyrics by both) to develop Endometriosis into a full-length musical. Sadly, a show about women's reproductive health and the increasing dangers to it, and our ever more broken health care system, has only become more relevant in the last three years. What better way to bring attention to these issues, and to talk (and sing) about periods and other things related to "lady parts," than in an original musical? And to do it in such a fun, funny, entertaining way. As I wrote in 2022, Endometriosis: The Musical is "beautifully and cleverly written, both hilarious and poignant, and utterly relatable for any human who has ever menstruated." If you're looking for a new, original, relevant, locally created, silly, sobering, highly entertaining musical, go see Endometriosis: The Musical at the oldest theater in Minneapolis, and one smart enough to recognize the potential of this Fringey musical. 

"Sanctuary City" at Theatre in the Round

I'm not sure it's ever happened before that Frank Theatre and Theatre in the Round have done the same show in the same season. Frank has been around for 35 years, and does risky, interesting, meaningful plays (that are sometimes a little weird and dark). Theatre in the Round, the oldest theater in Minneapolis, is known for their Agatha Christie mysteries and more classic choices, but also isn't afraid to challenge their audience with some new or lesser known work. However it happened that both theaters produced Sanctuary City within a few months of each other, it's fortunate for #TCTheater goers. This play by Polish-American playwright Martyna Majok (whose work Frank introduced us to last year with the fantastic play Ironbound) is brilliantly written and incredibly timely, as it tells the story of two teenagers who came to this country with their parents as children, and are now faced with the uncertainty of living as undocumented immigrants. Something that's even more terrifying under this administration, and has even gotten worse since Frank's production of this play just three months ago. I don't think there's a large intersection in the Venn diagram of Frank's audience and TRP's audience, so I hope more people get to see this play. There was a small crowd on the Saturday night I attended, but I hope that Theatre in the Round's audience gives this show a chance. It's a bold choice for them, and they do a wonderful job with it. If you missed Frank's production of Sanctuary City, or you want to see another interpretation of it, check it out at Theatre in the Round weekends through June 1.

"Lettice and Lovage" at Theatre in the Round

The play Lettice and Lovage by British playwright Peter Shaffer was basically written as a showcase for Dame Maggie Smith, and she fittingly won a Tony for it in 1990. It's a very funny and very British play and has two great roles for women over 50, and a real live cat on stage, all great things. The one challenging thing is that it's a three-act two-intermission play, a rarity these days, but as long as you're aware going into it that you'll be sitting in the theater for three and a half hours or more, it's a lot of fun. Theatre in the Round is staging it in their 73rd season, dedicating the production to #TCTheater actor Maggie Bearmon Pistner who starred in their 2001 production and passed away in 2023. They've cast a couple of great actors as this buddy comedy duo, so take a nap or have a coffee before the show, get up to get a snack at intermission, and settle in for an entertaining evening (or afternoon if you're a morning person like me). Lettice and Lovage continues through April 27.

"Legacy of Light" at Theatre in the Round

A historical fiction rom com featuring female scientists? Sign me up! Playwright Karen Zacarías' Legacy of Light, now on stage at Theatre in the Round, is just my kind of play. It has a little of everything - comedy, romance, history, philosophy, poetry, science, fantasy, love, grief. The true story of 18th Century French mathematician and physicist Émilie du Châtelet is told alongside of the story of a fictional modern female scientist, the two stories speaking to each other in expected ways. A smart and funny play about smart, funny, strong women, their ambitions and accomplishments, as well as the obstacles they face because of their sex, is just what we need right now. See this lovely production at Theatre in the Round weekends through March 16.

"Glory" at Theatre in the Round

Similar to The Wolves or Flex, Glory is a play about a women's hockey team that's about so much more than hockey. These athletes are referred to as hockey dolls, sportscasters talk about how they look in their uniforms, when they're strong and tough and powerful people say they must be men, they get paid less and have less access to the things they need than male athletes, and people in power claim women are soft and weak and therefore aren't qualified to do hard things like play hockey (or serve in combat). Was this the 1930s or last week? The answer is both, which is perhaps why the cast and creative team of Theatre in the Round's production of this beautiful play made me cry about hockey, I sport I've never watched and care nothing about. This play (based on a true story and premiering in 2018) deals with sexism, anti-Semitism, war, poverty, and discrimination in a way that's unfortunately still incredibly relevant today. Go see Glory at the oldest theater in Minneapolis, continuing weekends through February 9.