2019 Minnesota Fringe Must-See List

I don't know about you, but this summer has flown by faster than usual. Friends, the Minnesota Fringe Festival is almost upon is! Family Fringe begins this weekend (for all the deets on that check out this preview by my friends at Minnesota Theater Love), with the full Festival running August 1-11. I'll admit I haven't spent a lot of time reviewing the website or figuring out the new features in terms of ticketing and show structure (what exactly are Independently Produced shows?), but I have read through all show descriptions. I've come up with a list of 20 must-see shows out of the 140-ish in the fest, presented below in alphabetical order.

• A Cult Classic by Sheep Theater: Sheep Theater's "deranged sincerity" is always a must-see for me, and this original work about a doomsday cult may be as scary-true as it is funny.
• Because I Said So by Schmidtshow Productions: some of the Twin Cities' funniest women perform "stories, sketches, and songs" with their real-life mother or daughter. I'm prepared to laugh and cry at this one.
• Booth's Ghost by Andrew Erskine Wheeler: Andrew Erskine Wheeler is a powerhouse actor, so his solo show about the most famous of presidential assassins is bound to be entertaining.
• Cat Confidential: The Secret Lives of the Mothers of Lions by Weggel Productions: as a mother of three lions myself, this show (featuring even more funny Twin Cities women) was Made. For. Me!
• Edith Gets High by Devious Mechanics: a new Fringey musical written by Keith Hovis, who's known for clever, dark, hilarious original musicals (see also Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant, a Fringe hit recently produced by Park Square). I'm in!!
• Frankenstein: Two Centuries by Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society: this old radio group is another favorite, with their charmingly old-timey sound effects and creepy cool stories. This year they're doing original stories inspired by Frankenstein. Buckle up!
• Game of Toms: One-Man Game of Thrones by Tom Reed: Tom Reed brings his hilarious one-man musical pop culture parody to the biggest TV show of recent years. Sold!
• Glass & Lady M. by Full Circle Theater Company: Full Circle is a great new company that always does smart, thought-provoking, relevant, diverse work. And this is one of those "independently produced" shows so I'm curious how that works. But it's at a non-Fringe venue (Dreamland Arts) so it'll take a little extra planning.
• Kind Of Funny But Also A Little Sad by The Importance of Being Fotis: I saw this show by Fringe favorites Mike Fotis and Rita Boersma at Strike Theater last year, and I'm glad it's coming back so more people can see this: "plenty of goofy silly fun going on, but they do touch on more serious issues like making scary life choices, fear of death, and the intricacies of friendship."
• Mad as Nell, or How to Lose a Bly in Ten Days by Rinky Dink Operations: the company is new (they recently debuted a variety show residency at Bryant-Lake Bowl), but a Josh Carson history/pop culture mash-up is a Fringe staple not to be missed! Lots of funny women (and a few men) in this cast too.
• Magic Girl by Emily Michaels King: the super talented multi-disciplinary artist Emily Michaels King (half of the duo E/D that created the hauntingly beautiful Animus) has created and is performing her first solo show.
• Measure4Measure by Rough Magic Performance Company: a fabulous cast of women telling Shakespeare's Measure for Measure with a "fresh, feminist take."
• SIZE by Somerville Productions: my favorite Fringe show last year was Not Fair, My Lady! about the way women are portrayed in musical theater - funny, musical, poignant, and exactly the conversation we need to be having right now (see my review of Guys and Dolls). The team reunites to discuss sizism in theater, which is a conversation even more overdue!
• The Buttslasher: And Then There Were Buns by New Endeavors: I loved the original Buttslasher, a noir crime thriller about a man who goes around slashing people in the butt, and found it stupid silly fun. I'm so there for the sequel. Who doesn't love a butt pun, or several dozen? But seriously if you don't love butt puns you probably shouldn't see this show.
• The Scranton Strangler: An Office Musical by Literally Entertainment: The Office is one of my favorite TV comedies, and I just finished re-watching the entire series. I couldn't be more excited that the company that brought us surprise hit Oregon Trail: A Musical and the Gilligan's Island/Hamilton mashup has chosen this beloved show as their next topic.
• The Shrieking Harpies by Shrieking Harpies: I've seen these women perform excerpts/skits at various events but never seen their whole show. This is my chance. It's musical improv y'all!!
• Unproblematic Faves: Best of Ladybrain by Ladybrain: I've been wanting to see this all-female sketch comedy troupe for some time, but it's hard to make time for this sort of thing in my normal busy theater schedule. That's what Fringe is for!
• Visitation by DangerVision Productions: a series of short pieces about grief by Fringe faves. Because the Fringe isn't the Fringe if I don't cry at least once.
• Xena and Gabrielle Smash the Patriarchy by Mermaid Productions: to be honest I'm not at all familiar with the Xena franchise (movie? TV show? comic book?) but I'm all for smashing the patriarchy!
• You Are Cordially Invited to the Life and Death of Edward Lear by The Winding Sheet Outfit: this company's past shows have been dark, creepy, creative, innovative, moving, thoughtful, detailed, and surprising. I'll see whatever they do.

Does anyone else see a theme in this list? Lots of shows by and about women. Love it!!

My annual Fringe tips for newbies (as always, refer to the Fringe website for the most up-to-date and correct information):

• Gone are the daily wristbands, back are passes and individual show sales. With either method, you will also need to get a "seat token" for the show from a volunteer, and then get in line for the theater. More info here.
• Each venue has its own Box Office (open 30 minutes prior to showtime). You may also make purchases online and pick up materials at the venue.
• If a show is particularly popular, or you really really want to see it, consider reserving a seat in advance ($3). You can also take your chances and just show up. I typically only make reservations for a handful of shows that look like they might be busy (you can check the show's page to see if it's in danger of selling out).
• For the second year of Family Fringe, they've made a few corrections: Fringe passes can be used, the venue is on the U of M campus, and times align with the rest of the festival. BUT the shows only run on the weekend before the Fringe and the first weekend of the Fringe (7/26-8/4).
• All shows are general admission, so get there early for best choice of seating. NO LATE SEATING!
• Shows typically run just under an hour, with a half hour between shows so it's feasible to get from any theater to any other in that time. But it's good to plan to see a bunch in one location (Cedar-Riverside is the biggest hub of venues) to minimize transportation time.
• Bring snacks, water, reading material, and sunscreen - you will be waiting in line, probably outside. And be aware of what line you're in (box office or theater entrance). Ask one of the friendly volunteers in the Fringe shirts if you need help with anything.
• Keep an open mind - some of what you'll see is really weird. But that can be a good thing! And if you see a dud, well, that's part of the Fringe experience.
• Be adventurous! See something you normally wouldn't - that's the point of Fringe. If you don't like it - it'll be over in an hour.
• The Fringe website has pretty much all the info you'll need, so bookmark it on your smart phone for easy on-the-go reference!