The Minnesota Fringe Festival
July 31-August 10
Ticket cost: $12 + one-time $3 button purchase

The 2008 Minnesota Fringe Festival begins on July 31 and runs until August 10 at select venues in Minneapolis, with the Fringe central headquarters located at Bedlam Theatre, 1501 South 6th Street. During the festival, Bedlam will be open noon- 1 a.m., Friday through Sunday, and 4 p.m -1 a.m. every other day of the week. Parking is free.

Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year, Minnesota Fringe Festival is a non-profit organization that provides a 156 performing arts/theater festival shows in venues all over Minneapolis. Running on the efforts of over 400 volunteers, Fringe showcases a unique variety of approximately 1,000 local and national artists, mostly presenting original works. Tickets cost upwards of $12 plus a one-time $3 button purchase, with discounts available to students, seniors, and multiple-ticket buyers.

To kick things off, an opening party combined with a celebration of Fringe’s fifteenth year will take place Saturday, Aug. 2, 10:30 p.m. at Bedlam Theatre, with cake, a piñata, and music.

The below descriptions of performances (and related bus routes) are provided by the Minnesota Fringe Festival’s official website. Check out the Fringe Festival website for more information on artists, shows and their times, venues, and purchasing tickets.

Bedlam Theatre
Address: 1501 S. 6th Street Minneapolis, MN 55454

Seating Capacity: 125

Parking: Parking lot next to the theater on 6th Street, plus there is street/metered parking in the neighborhood.

Transit: LRT – Cedar/Riverside stop.

McMahon’s Pub
Address: 3001 E Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55406
Performances:

Karaoke Knights – A One Man Rock Opera by Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre
Five guys in a bar compete for the big karaoke competition prize as well as the hearts and minds of the audience (which occasionally participates).

Mixed Blood Theatre
Address: 1501 S. 4th St Minneapolis, MN 55454

Seating Capacity: 200

Parking: Metered street parking, big parking lot at corner of 4th St and 16h Ave just $2 at night (allow extra time for difficult to use pre-pay kiosk).
Transit: Bus routes (# blocks from bus stop): 2(2), 3(2), 7(2), 19(2), 55(2)
Performances:

59 Minutes ‘Til the End presented by Steve Anderson. A 49 minute show that knows we all die a little every day. Laugh, cry and sing (optional, very optional) to the stories and songs of one man’s deaths and rebirths. It’s the feel good funeral of August.

A Day in the Life of Marcela Laurela presented by Surprise Package Productions. Come see Marcela Laurela (Cinderella?) as she puts on her Flamenco shoes, crashes through that imaginary wall between mime/clowning and dance, and takes Life one day at a time. Prince Charming optional.

Dipped In Love by Mu Performing Arts
Three women from diverse backgrounds share stories of friendship, loss and discovery in choosing to “walk the edge of the sword” rather than accepting the status quo.

Get It OFF YOUR CHEST!!! by Mary Helena
Meet entertaining and engaging women who challenge us to view ourselves in our many guises. These women will make you laugh and cry, think and act (?). It’s their time to download! Time to get it off their chests!

Going South by Commedia dell’farte
Tom’s strapped for cash and months behind in rent. With time running out, he is on the brink of being evicted. Afraid of his landlord and the ouside world, he and his roommate need to make some money… Fast!

JACK by Eric Van Wyk
A bright-eyed puppet Jack turns his old beanstalk story inside out while trying to escape a human puppet-eating giant. Starvation seeds discovery and a swirling world is born. One man puppeteers all!

One Missed Step by Bold Theatre Company
Dancing for masses, being chased by the papparazzi, dating a star and uncovering secret agendas. Leaving the small town behind, Isabel goes from ballet and books to backup dancing and the red carpet.

Orange by Questionable Company Theatre
Two job applicants walk in for an interview and find themselves at the site of a nuclear hostage crisis threatening all we hold dear. A no-holds-barred farce about fear, sex, the media and a bit of cannibalism.

PieRats: The Crusade for Peaches Cobbler by People Sittin Around Doin Theatre
A pie maker’s swashbuckling, slapstick adventure with Captain Schleptoba and Clueless Willie, who help save his love Peaches Cobbler from the villainous paws of Blind Bart and evil pocket dog Jolly Rodger-Rita.

Silent Poetry – A Tribute To Marcel Marceau by Dean Hatton
A collection of nonverbal comedic and dramatic skits inspired by the work of Marcel Marceau written and created by Dean Hatton, a student of Mr. Marceau’s.

Waking in Minneapolis by Chris Knutson
A man awakes to find his life has fallen apart and his bike is missing. He attends the “wrong” wake and has a “life-changing” day with the unique characters he encounters there.

Playwrights’ Center
Address: 2301 Franklin Ave E Minneapolis, MN 55406

Seating Capacity: 75

Parking: Small lot just south of Franklin on 23rd Ave. Free parking in neighborhood.

Transit: Bus routes (# blocks from bus stop): 2, 8, 19(4), 24(4)
Performances:

adjective by Megan Dowd
Madison went looking for someone. Maybe someone to love. Maybe someone to screw. She found someone, stumbled across him, who she didn’t expect. Who she stumbled upon, however, means everything to everyone.

First Years by Tracy Funt
Drunk teachers, rumors flying rampant and a little bit of lovin’. You know the drill, just a regular day in an average Minnesota school… Well… Kinda.

Hue and Cry by Lex-Ham Community Theater
US premiere of a play by contemporary Irish playwright Deirdre Kinahan. Cousins Kevin and Damian meet for the funeral of Damian’s father. Damian’s long absence makes the meeting awkward as the two men try to reconnect and find life again.

Life Sciences by Frustrated Muppets
Four strangers are trapped in a man-sized hamster cage. Where are they? How did they get there? Is it hilarious and awesome? Yes, yes, it is. Join us for this irreverent, semi-existential romp!

Life Sucks: Stories of Who I Am, by Don Falkos
Storytelling at its finest! It all started with mama’s vacuum cleaner and my obsession with Lost in Space. “Danger, Will Robinson!” Mama yelled, “Quit playin’ with the Electrolux!” Life was never the same.

Reviving the Lecture Circuit by Meg and Rob
Sick of modern celebrities? Sketch comedians Meg and Rob are here to help! They’ll bring you lectures from six madcap famous folks who won’t be profiled in People magazine… But you wish they would be.

Sex, Love & Vomit by Story Tapestries
“Kissing you is like having a dead fish shoved down my throat.” Spoken word, story, music and dance collide in this hilarious, surprising, intimate, dramatic and sometimes violent adventure.

Stimulate This! by Mad Munchkin Productions
Did you get yours yet? Feeling confused? Feverish? Nauseous? We’re the ointment for your Economic Stimulus Itch! Prepare for your “check-up!” Get a healthy dose of advice on where to put your economic stimulus.

Suspicious Minds by Cole T Walsh
A writer, a prostitute, her boyfriend, his hostage in one hotel room for one night. A writer hires a prostitute whom he pays — not for sex, but an interview and some inspiration. He gets more than he paid for.

Twisted by Dana’s Boys
What is the meaning behind a poem called Jabberwocky? Find out the curious, demented and savage things that happen when a girl named Alice starts asking too many God damn questions!

Writers of the Purple Sage by Writers of the Purple Sage
Retired travel editor Catherine Watson and retired uncle Al Sicherman read some of their favorite pieces from the Star Tribune and perhaps illustrate why they aren’t still married.

Southern Theater
Address: 1420 Washington Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55454

Seating Capacity: 200

Parking: Metered street parking or Holiday Inn parking ramp just east of theater on Washington Ave ($1/hour or $2.50 evenings)

Transit: Bus routes (# blocks from bus stop): 2, 3(1), 7, 16(2), 19, 55
Performances:

Cast of Dancing Delights by Suzanne Wiltgen
Six unorthodox choreographies from dorky Weebles to rabid brides and modern mooning. Don’t like stuffy dance? Try these colorful, irreverent morsels of brilliant dancing sweetness.

Dance of the Whisky Faerie by Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw
Uncorked and mischievous, the Whisky Faerie captures a wandering storyteller. Together they dance, soliloquize and spar through bizarre Celtic tales. Will he get his whisky or will she keep her freedom?

Fools for Love by Hastings High School Drama Club
Performed in the style of red-nose European clown, Noah Bremer (Live Action Set) directs this tender, youthful and knee-slapping exploration of the most intense of human emotions: Love.

Gone, Gone, Gone by Monica Rodero & Daniel Schuchart
The witty and humorous Milwaukee-based powerhouse Rodero and Schuchart navigate sticky situations and improbable scenarios while shaking things up in this dance-driven show.

Homecoming by Michelle DiMeo and Rosa Morsy
Seeking contentment, an intimate dialogue erupts from emotionally charged movement and text in Homecoming. Added feature: Shower, a creative exploration of bridal customs and the gender rituals of matrimony.

Lysistrata 2.0 by White Elephant
The original battle of the sexes. Revamped. Now with face-stomping action. An ensemble-created piece utilizing physical performance and stage combat to explore how men, women and war are intertwined.

Modern Muses by DRP Dance
Passion, conflict, hope and knowledge. A fusion of life’s desires.

Pizza, Amore & Fantasy by Singing Beach Productions
The host of a mythical Italian tavern entertains his “customers” with live music and stories, including a quick how-to of Italy’s two most popular dishes.

The Dawn of Tusk by Voluptuous Tusk
A humorous, serious, focused and scattered show that links eclectic musical creations with improvisations of movement and audio textures. This exciting and poignant show will leave you gorged!

The Jamal Lullabies by Emily Conbere and East River Commedia
Four young women sing at a memorial to Jamal Slims Hall, a no-account drug dealer and a beautiful, tired-out addict.

The Scarlet Lady by Bridge Productions
Melanie Moën, a free-spirited writer, appears to tormented auteur Jay Johnson thirteen years after an ill-fated theater affair. Passion unfolds, all under the watch of the Scarlet Lady, who wanders the catwalk above.

The Soap Factory
Address: 518 2nd St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55458

Seating Capacity: 125

Parking: Street parking, free evenings and weekends.
Performances:

Deviants by Live Action Set
Meet four individuals you’d rather not know but can’t ignore. See them in an old Soap Factory. “This surprising melange of transgressive theater and dance is disturbingly funny.” — Rohan Preston, Star Tribune.

U of M Rarig Center Arena
Address: 330 21st Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55455

Seating Capacity: 199

Parking: Campus parking lots at NE corner of 4th St & 20th Ave and SE corner of Riverside Ave & 20th Ave are $2.50 or $7 event rate. Closes, but most expensive parking in ramp at SW corner of 4th St and 21st Ave, across street from theater. Free street parking in residential areas 2+ blocks south of theater along 20th Ave and east along Riverside Ave.

Transit: Bus routes (# blocks from bus stop): 2, 3(1), 7(1), 19(1)
Performances:

The Bronze Bitch Flies at Noon by Matthew A. Everett
A statue on campus is rumored to up and fly away on the day the first virgin graduates from the college. The night before graduation, Jonathan and David meet to make sure if the statue flies off, it won’t be their fault. A security guard making the rounds may complicate matters.


Dog Tag by Anne Bertram & Matthew A. Everett
While out walking the dog, Ed runs into ex-lover Paul. Will their dog Percy be able to get the two estranged men to reunite?

A Dash of Poe presented by Mercury Ninety Productions
The genius of Edgar Allan Poe, the original American poet, master of horror, and mystery writer, as you have never seen displayed on stage before. The Tell-Tale Heart, The Purloined Letter, The Bells.

American Sexy by New Theatre Group
From the company that created the Fringe hits How to Cheat and Killer Smile comes a new play about how the online world is changing our definitions of relationships in the flesh.

And I’m Not Making This Up by Nell Weatherwax
Super-physical stand-up storytelling. Autobiographical and transcendently hilarious. Powerful imagery, comically surreal. Each show is different with the high-wire energy only true improv can achieve.

Antigone…A Riff on Sophocles by Metropolitan State University’s Theater Underground
No droning Greek choruses draped in bed sheets! Forget the stately columns and enter a world of rap music and rebellion! A tale of intransigent leaders and the need to resist them, no matter the cost.

Boom by IL Productions
A narrative, movement-based solo show.

Boys Don’t Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses by True Enough Theater
Embrace your inner dork as Laura and Curt (the geeks behind Take a Left at the Giant Cow) fog up your glasses with torrid tales of nerd romance. Did we say torrid? We meant awkward, embarrassing and unrequited.

Cowboy Dragqueen by DragIn Productions
She’s back…Or is she? From the closet that brought you Fringe favorites These Pumps are Killing Me and The Sound of Muzak comes the tri of the trilogy. So saddle up and grab the reigns as our cowboy falls out of his Stetsons and into some JimmyChoo’s.

One Night Only with Mike Mahony by Perpetual Motion Theatre Company
Rock has-been Mike Mahony thought his life couldn’t get any worse, until he met his two biggest fans.

This Play is Trash by The Theat of the Cunch
Why buy something you can get out of a Dumpster for free? One man’s trash is another man’s one-act play.

Tipping the Bucket by Allegra J. Lingo
Rebelling against politics, proselytizing and puking, rockstar Allegra Lingo surfs the waves of her Baptist past and gay Catholic present to find an island of her own.

M Rarig Center Proscenium
Address: 330 21st Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55455

Seating Capacity: 420

Parking: Campus parking lots at NE corner of 4th St & 20th Ave and SE corner of Riverside Ave & 20th Ave are $2.50 or $7 event rate. Closes, but most expensive parking in ramp at SW corner of 4th St and 21st Ave, across street from theater. Free street parking in residential areas 2+ blocks south of theater along 20th Ave and east along Riverside Ave.

Transit: Bus routes (# blocks from bus stop): 2, 3(1), 7(1), 19(1)
Performances:

10.10 Post 9.11: Laughter in the Aftermath by Adam Sharp
Five satirical scenes for your inner pot-smoking hippie… or war-loving neocon wingnut. This is humor for 9/12, from a woman paralyzed by fear (as told by Edgar Allen Poe) to George W. Quixote.

A Murder At Work by Traudtrikt Productions
Back to work on a snowy Saturday. Man this sucks! It hasn’t stopped snowing for 12 hours. At least my co-workers are here reveling in my misery. I wonder where the boss Kevin is? He should’ve been here by now.

Frizzabelle and the Circus by Squishy Grapes
When young Frizzabelle finds herself alone at a failing circus, she must help a crazy troupe of clowns, jugglers and sideshow weirdos step up to save their show.

Hey, I’m Talking Murder Here! by Rhino Productions
Three twisted tales of revenge and murder set in an unexpected future and featuring a bewildered clone, homicidal robot and a couple of talking dogs. Rod Serling, eat you heart out!

Musical the Musical! by Urban Samurai Productions
Presenting the greatest moment in the history of the universe, Musical the Musical will leave you humming, laughing and talking to yourself while you aimlessly roam the streets rummaging through Dumpsters!

Robin Hood The Musical! by Top Hat Theatre
A rich love story packed with adventurous fun! Engaging music transports you back to the timeless tales rooted at the Major Oak. Witness this high-energy, sword-clashing musical jaunt through Sherwood Forest!

Snip, Snap, Snute by Alrighty, Then
The trolls let the goats cross the bridge, but capture the farmer. The changelings find the Troll Ma’s heart (big chase scene) everyone learns to get along, and unlike Disney, nobody gets blown up! Great fun!

Sun Tzu’s, The Art of War by No Refunds Theatre Co.
The 3,000 year old manual on war’s practice and philosophy used throughout history by generals and businessmen with ruthlessly effective results. Now on stage! And runny! There will also be a mambo.

The BoyShow by Youth Performance Company
It’s here! YPC’s “coming of age” trilogy is complete! Goddess Mense, The Talk and, now, The Boy Show, a no-holds-barred exposé of growing up male. Warning: No snips, snails or puppy dog tails.

The Legend of Little Bad: Not Her Father’s Fairytale by Behemoth Theatre Company
The Big Bad Wolf and Little Red’s daughters head into the dark forest to get a new fairytale of their very own. They will need all of their courage, smarts and your help to succeed. Come howl with us—aaawoooo!

The Supercilious Ways of Walter Wading by SPARK theater + dance
Supercilious meets super-silliness when Walter’s usual path through the woods leads him to the most unusual surprise.

U of M Rarig Center Thrust
Address: 330 21st Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55455

Seating Capacity: 460

Parking: Campus parking lots at NE corner of 4th St & 20th Ave and SE corner of Riverside Ave & 20th Ave are $2.50 or $7 event rate. Closes, but most expensive parking in ramp at SW corner of 4th St and 21st Ave, across street from theater. Free street parking in residential areas 2+ blocks south of theater along 20th Ave and east along Riverside Ave.

Transit: Bus routes (# blocks from bus stop): 2, 3(1), 7(1), 19(1)
Performances:

An Inconvenient Squirrel by Joseph Scrimshaw Productions
The lost village of the squirrel-people is thrown into chaos when a young squirrel refuses to choose a name! A live-action cartoon packed with chattering, scampering and existential identity crisis!

As If In Relief by Zealots + Mystics
Stories will uncover the face of god, living, peanut butter sandwiches and the freeing power of failure.

How Does a Drug Deal Become a Decent 3rd Date? by Green with Envy Productions
Meet a girl who keeps meeting the wrong guy, until she figures out that dating isn’t about perfecting the art of what doesn’t work—it’s about figuring out what does.

Love and Video Games by Rachel Reiva
As Jack struggles with the violence of his brother a a death of a parent, Stacy, a teenage ghost, believes the only was to help Jack is to hook him up with the hot guy next door.

Mortem Capiendum by Four Humors Theater
A tonic with seemingly miraculous properties, three con-men beginning to believe their own pitch, and a perfectly ordinary trunk containing… From the creators of Deviled Eggs and Bards.

Reincarnation: Another Chance at Failure by Rampleseed
Like life? Try several. See the relentless humiliations and inadvertent triumphs of one soul unimpeded by limits of time, space or logic. A two-man comedy that refuses to die.

School Of Rockstars by What Happened Productions
Rockstar Storytellers take you to school with spoken word, comedy and monologues that make the grade, from A+ (Brown-Nosers) to F (Shut Up About My Potential). New lineup each show.

Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead by Walking Shadow
London, 1599: Shakespeare’s Henry V opens the Globe Playhouse, but while the actors strut and fret, an excess of bile plagues the populace outside. A true and accurate account of the Elizabethan zombie plague.

The Cody Rivers Show Presents: Stick to Glue by The Cody Rivers Show
A two-person physical comedy sketch show.

The Pumpkin Pie Show by Horse Trade Theater Group
A literary fist in the face. Part monologue, part spoken word, part boxing match—_The Pumpkin Pie Show_ is a rigorous storytelling session. New stories every night, picked at random during the performance.

You’re No Fun
A new musical by Savannah Reich. Music by Phil Bratnober, directed by Samantha Johns
Bedlam Theatre presents this modern day hobo comes back to town and finds that an ex-girlfriend has written a musical about his life. This show asks the big questions: Why do we do theatre? Don’t we have anything better to do with our time? Who are we trying to impress with all this, anyways? Featuring glamourous back up singers, dinosaur performance art, star-crossed lovers and a kickline of singing, dancing primitivists.

U of M Rarig Center Xperimental
Address: 330 21st Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55455

Seating Capacity: 70

Parking: Campus parking lots at NE corner of 4th St & 20th Ave and SE corner of Riverside Ave & 20th Ave are $2.50 or $7 event rate. Closes, but most expensive parking in ramp at SW corner of 4th St and 21st Ave, across street from theater. Free street parking in residential areas 2+ blocks south of theater along 20th Ave and east along Riverside Ave.

Transit: Bus routes (# blocks from bus stop): 2, 3(1), 7(1), 19(1)
Performances:

A ROYAL BIRTHDAY MESS by Teatro da Bexiga
Today’s the Royal Birthday Party and the wacky servants must frantically get the ancient monarch ready! The clowns do the dressing, teach table manners and impersonate each of the guests. This party is a mess!

I’ll Marry You for Health Insurance and other shocking revelations by Mumble Mumble, Ink Productions
Bursting with life, Allison spits poetry and stories as her childhood notions of being an adult are shattered. Insurance policies, sperm donors, coconuts and corporate jobs have never been so twisted and funny.

Leaving Normal by Melissa McNamara
A solo show that interweaves three characters: Eileen, a runaway destined to find a place she fits in. Shirley, a waitress whose reality is rooted in pain. And Bill, a bus driver constantly steering towards hop.

Maggie’s Magical Cat & Other Catastrophes by Saint Peter Area Children’s Theater
Maggie and her magical cat playfully engage with audiences to explore the sometimes painful, often comical world of grade-school politics, unconventional families adoption and other what ifs? of the universe.

Neither Here Nor There by Alliteration and All
Francis’ childhood twists when she’s thrust into an epic journey by an undersea socialite. She’s destined to travel through lands both charted and not, solve various problems and encounter unfortunate friends.

Phi Alpha Gamma by Dan Bernitt
Venue: U of M Rarig Center Xperimental
Two years ago, a gay-bashing plagued the fraternity’s image. Weighing loyalty and justice, how will the brothers react when a member of their group comes out?

Stupid Face by Courtney Roche
Life is hard, but when you wake up to find your entire world has changed without consulting you, life turns into a real bitch. This is the story of one woman’s quest to laugh in the stupid face of adversity.

Systems: A Literal Interpretation of the Fourth Wall by Insurgent Theatre
Two cogs trapped in lives of utter futility behind the fourth wall. As years pass unnoticed, the two endure procrastination, incorrigible teasing and new ways of being in this existential comedy.

The Butterfly Kisses Effect or A Post-Nuptial Log Flume towards Consensus by Cuddle Pony and Firebush
The story of a man and his golden-throated ventriloquist dummy’s rise to karaoke stardom unfolds as a creative extension of the compromise and confusion the show’s performers navigate as real-life newlyweds.

The Nosdrahcir Sisters by Sara and Kimberly Richardson
The imaginative lives of two quiet ladies. Teacups triumph, aliens say beep and mermaids shop in the produce aisle. A mishmash of clown, movement and object theater, where everything is funny—even the sad.

Trying Guilt by Culture Mesh Collective
One woman, multiple characters and lots of shoes. Fusing hip hop, mime, monologue and her guilty pleasure… Shoes. Christina Frank explores the funny, confining and confusing phenomenon of guilt.

last revised: July 31, 2008

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