Here’s a list of the best shows I’ve seen in this year’s festival - 5 and 4-1/2 star shows, Very Highly Recommended (alphabetical by show title)
5-Star Shows
After The End#mnfringe show 35: After The End: Scot Froelich as the last person on earth makes a plea to his (imaginary) audience to appreciate the folks around you while you can, and really talk to them about what matters; well-plotted dystopian scifi with acoustic guitar, humor and deep humanity - 5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Apologies for the Late Reply#mnfringe show 45 - Apologies for the Late Reply: thank goodness we can still count on Ben San Del's shrewdly observed stand-up comedy about life in these troubling times; he makes the case for gathering together, being present, even when everything around you is completely unmanageable - 5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Bay Creek
#mnfringe show 24: Bay Creek: mesmerizing tale of family with a tradition of working on the wrong side of the law tangled up with a demonic force passed down from father to son thru generations; just who, or what, are the federal authorities interrogating? expertly crafted script, acting - 5 stars
Full review here
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Bury The Leads #mnfringe show 22: Bury The Leads: top tier improv from Sam Landman and Nissa Nordland as 2 striving supporting actors who never get the lead roles but keep on fighting; their strong friendship the thing that keeps them going despite the daily indignities; funny, sweet, yearning, human - 5 stars
Full review here
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Casa Bde-Maka-Ska#mnfringe show 52 - Casa Bde-Maka-Ska: is it possible to satirize Operation Metro Surge by repurposing the film Casablanca and swapping out the Nazis for ICE? And have it actually be funny while also respecting both the source material and our recent community trauma? Surprisingly, yes! - 5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy #mnfringe show 21: The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy: perfect family fare; puppeteer and marionette Turtle Boy engage audience multiple times to steer the plot, and volunteer for cemetery and fight training scenes; charming, silly, nimble improv; whole audience very into it - 5 stars
Full review here
My Top 20 List write-up on this show
Don't Be Scared #mnfringe show 19: Don’t Be Scared: deeply strange/funny in all the best ways; 2 German clowns as zombie business professionals with singing, dancing, acrobatic presentation for the audience on confronting fears and beating back the darkness; best use of Rarig X space (and crowd work) - 5 stars
Full review here
My Top 20 List write-up on this show
Doozy
#mnfringe show 13: Doozy: Destiny Davison and collaborators keep topping themselves each new show; live action cartoon/puppetry in black and white; goofy time loop revenge plot on Dolly by abandoned imaginary friend Doozy, who talks by harmonica; packed with whimsical cardboard creations - 5 stars
Full review here
My Returning Favorite write-up on this show
Empty Nest#mnfringe show 55 - Empty Nest: Laura Zabel and Levi Weinhagen turn their complicated feelings about life now that their daughter has left home for college into an endearingly goofy comedy show about parenting mistakes and new stages of life; great way to end my Fringe this year - 5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
FAST Death of a Salesman #mnfringe show 33: FAST Death of a Salesman: classic play hilariously torn into tiny pieces by college professor trying to reach his screen-addicted nephew employing a cast of misfits to (somehow) turn theater into something relevant by making it all the things it's not; comedy meltdown - 5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Hell on Wheels: The Winter Strike of 1934#mnfringe show 34: Hell on Wheels: The Winter Strike of 1934 - stirring theatrical slice of Minneapolis union history, cleverly written and staged; modern physical theater work alongside period detail, and music, all perfectly blended together; tough assignment but they nail it - 5 stars
My Fringe Top 20 write-up on this show
Is That Why? #mnfringe show 36: Is That Why?: Ari Hoptman has a dizzying array of language facts and anecdotes in his brain, and with the help of an audience member picking cue cards at random goes on a 55 minute comedic "lecture" off the top of his head; dazzling and very entertaining to watch - 5 stars
My Fringe Top 10 List write-up on this show
Latin Papi #mnfringe show 4: Latin Papi: beauty, grace, athleticism, sensuality of
the human body on full display in this playful, flirty, often funny
dance showcase from Gabriel Mata and Armani Rey Colon; saving one last
punch for the end, of course; it's not hot in here, it's them; treat
yourself - 5 stars
#mnfringe show 40: Latin Papi: 2nd viewing (their closing performance); dance show just as beautiful, sexy and fun as when I saw it back on day 1 of the Fringe; bonus, didn't need to take notes this time, could just sit and watch Armani Rey Colon and Gabriel Mata do their thing - still 5 stars
Full review here
Returning Favorite write-up on this show here.
Maxxeapolis Goes To Hell
#mnfringe show 16: Maxxeapolis Goes To Hell: clever premise “amuse the devil and maybe he’ll let you out of hell”; quick-witted, varied, oddball comedy sketches; funny songs; gifted ensemble; actually made me laugh out loud, which is rare - 5 stars
Full review here
My Top 10 List write-up on this show
1 Hour Left To Live
#mnfringe show 12: 1 Hour Left To Live: 1 puppet on its deathbed, surrounded by a team of fellow (human) improvisers, creating a wacky non-linear rapid fire tour thru the puppet's life (and afterlife) with a little stand-up comedy right in the middle; inspired lunacy tied to a rocket - 5 stars
Full review here
My Top 10 List write-up on this show
Quadrilogy: A Sabathani Benefit Game Show Extravaganza!
#mnfinge show 27: Quadrilogy: A Sabathani Benefit Game Show Extravaganza! - sharply executed game show format pitting 4 eager audience members against each other in elimination rounds (memory, Lego, lightning round) til 1 is victorious (but all get prizes); great fun for a good cause - 5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
The Quiet Piggy
#mnfringe show 14: The Quiet Piggy: colorful, cathartic, pissed off Powerpoint presentation augmented by music and a fat, pig-nosed clown in a bad wig repeatedly killed and swept off stage like trash; preaching to the choir with humor, heart and righteous anger; good to exhale, de-stress - 5 stars
Full review here
My Top 20 List write-up on this show
A Real Piece of Work #mnfringe show 32: A Real Piece of Work: impressive work by all involved (direction, script, acting ensemble of 10); characters well-balanced in terms of getting their moment, just enough depth not to be stereotypes, just silly enough to make great comedy out of ill-fated Hamlet attempt - 5 stars
My Fringe Top 20 write-up on this show
A Revolution Highly Favorable #mnfringe show 11: A Revolution Highly Favorable: 1st of 5 completely
different shows, bringing to life the words of people who lived thru
birthing the USA 250 years ago, with a big wink toward the situations
and sensibilities we're living with today; smart, funny, mind-boggling -
5 stars
Full review here
My Returning Favorite write-up on this show
The Shape of Home#mnfringe show 49 - The Shape of Home: dancer/choreographer Rituparna Rana creates a charming, graceful showcase of Indian dance which is also a thoughtful meditation on the idea of home; narrative elements just as compelling as the dance; felt bad the crowd was small, deserves to be seen - 5 stars
Small Minded
#mnfringe show 1 - Small Minded - brilliant mix of clowning, comedy, singing and serious acting, backed by impressive production values that entertains at the same time it lets the audience sit with the discomfort of exoticizing/laughing at little people performing for their amusement - 5 stars
Full review here
Returning Favorite write-up on this show here.
Sound and Noise and Bodies #mnfringe show 3: Sound and Noise and Bodies: still trying to wrap my brain around this must see show from Jen Scott; remarkable writing; gentle jovial delivery of life events and insights that are often devastating; original ukulele song lyrics with equal punch; the message, "humans, am I right?" - 5 stars
Full review here
Returning Favorite write-up on this show here
Stories from the Trauma Dump#mnfringe show 46 - Stories from the Trauma Dump: Jena Young hosts a murderer's row of top notch storytellers, all with comedic takes on mental health - Allison Broeren, Rev. Matt Kessen, Ariel Pinkerton, Rian Vellichor, Duck Washington; my broken brain feels better already - 5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
This Body This Fruit#mnfringe show 9: This Body, This Fruit: Davi Gray delivers poems like a conversation (granted, with better turns of phrase :) unfolding explorations of identity, gender and self in amusing, tender and thought-provoking ways; luxuriate in language for an hour, it's very refreshing - 5 stars
Full review here
My Top 20 List write-up on this show
Too Fat To Run #mnfringe show 15: Too Fat To Run: friend recommendation, so glad I took it; Eileen Tull is an amazing performer with a solo show that's just as funny as it is inspiring, battling other people's perceptions and her own, pushing herself to do the Chicago marathon, unpacking how she got here - 5 stars
Vintage Tunes, Modern Gal#mnfringe show 18: Vintage Tunes, Modern Gal: Plucky Rosenthal and her trusty ukulele, hilarious original songs and relentless (but fun) audience engagement spins a tale of trying to connect with others, however awkwardly (and aren't we all?); high energy, goofy, occasionally even sweet - 5 stars
My Top 10 List write-up on this show
Witness Loudly#mnfringe show 17: Witness Loudly: storyteller Kyle Dekker puts his work as a constitutional observer into the larger context of MN’s response to ICE occupation earlier this year (and still ongoing); compelling, justifiably angry but also hopeful and funny; 1st draft of history - 5 stars
Full review here
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
4.5 Star Shows
Buckeroohaiku's Reverse Armando#mnfringe show 30: Buckeroohaiku’s Reverse Armando: Kate Button's storytelling refracted tonight thru the improv comedy lens of The Mess; stories this time more a collection of random parenting anecdotes, so the improv was equally random but both still quite good, funny and entertaining - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
A Confluence of Magical Arseholes#mnfringe show 51 - A Confluence of Magical Arseholes: wacky, bizarre slice of literary "not-quite-history" where names big and small battle for supremacy in their secret societies, because we all long for a non-toxic 3rd space to hang out in; everyone dialing it up to 11; well done - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Cyrano
#mnfringe show 42: Cyrano: SO close to queer joy it's heartbreaking; way too much material for 1 hr even with talented cast zipping thru beautiful witty language at high speed; cut supporting cast, focus on triangle, maybe consider radical idea of happy ending? still, as is, great work - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorite write-up on this show
The Importance of Being Eternal#mnfringe show 48 - The Importance of Being Eternal: extremely campy, very queer vampire infusion into Oscar Wilde's comedy of manners which unexpectedly works, even with a healthy dose of Twilight in the mix; acting, hissing, goth, fangs all at 150%; great fun at lightning fast speed - 4.5 stars
My Fringe Top 10 List write-up on this show
The Importance of Living#mnfringe show 26: The Importance of Living: fascinating duet of two (actual) murderers from different times in history sharing tales of their misdeeds (and alibis) (how? why?); charming sociopathic performances from Pinkerton and Uren; script is clever, cagey and unsettling - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
The Label Maker#mnfringe show 37: The Label Maker: storyteller Jena Young has been through it, to put it mildly; key stories from her personal/mental health journey highlight the challenge of getting the right diagnosis when symptoms are hard to catch and can apply to a number of different conditions - 4.5 stars
My Fringe Top 10 List write-up on this show
The Local Music Scene
#mnfringe show 53 - The Local Music Scene: the band, Boobless; the improv comedy team, fired up to take interview and song lyrics from the musicians and turn them into comedy; dinosaur DNA experiments, reckless drivers, 7 yr old co-opting lives of adults around them, etc; good fun - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Pistachio's Playhouse
#mnfringe show 29: Pistachio’s Playhouse: unexpectedly short show (30 min) but every minute was fun, colorful and weird with LOTS of surprises; manic kids show host melts down when tragedy strikes; set, costumes, puppets, sound FX all wildly, delightfully over the top/meta; more, please! - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Silent Movie
#mnfringe show 39: Silent Movie: improvisers spin 3 wheels, 1 for genre, 1 for plot, 1 for ensemble member who will "star" in movie made from scratch on stage; no words, just brilliant on the spot orchestral soundtrack coming out of a keyboard; "shot" changes; delightfully inventive - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorite write-up on this show
So Bright, The Night#mnfringe show 50 - So Bright, The Night: intriguing to see updated script set during US's 1930s Mexican Repatriation in context of our current battles over immigration and deportation; strong cast; wild plot twists; my brain got a bit tangled in the double/triple-crossing going on - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Socks and Shoes and Coats
#mnfringe show 41: Socks and Shoes and Coats: under the radar suggestion, very glad I went; unique new musical, 2 singing actors as new parents; baby/child/other characters are supertitles "voiced" by musical instruments; fascinating experiment with a lot of potential, humor and heart - 4.5 stars
Stage Presents #mnfringe show 2 - Stage Presents - Wells Farnham takes the stage and
doesn't let it go for 3 manic comedic stories that are real stemwinders
and a 4th that is *so* close to sticking the landing; challenging
himself on several fronts and upping his game in the process; great fun -
4.5 stars
Full review here
Top 10 List write-up here (#1)
Tech#mnfringe show 10: Tech: catnip concept for theater people, myself included; stakes are very low, but damn it's fun to see all these gifted improvisers conjure up a set of people and scenes from a fake play and just watch them cook, creating a whole world out of next to nothing - 4.5 stars
My Returning Favorites write-up on this show
Who Am I, Again?
#mfringe show 5: Who Am I, Again? - compelling solo show offering insight into life after traumatic brain injury, presented by a survivor, sharing both his own story and those of others he’s encountered in his recovery journey; his teenage dream of being an artist happening after all - 4.5 stars
My Top 10 List write-up on this show
Here's a link to a list of all the coverage of returning favorite artists from past pre-Fringe Top 20 lists of mine that are part of this year's Minnesota Fringe Festival. And here's links to the 2026 versions of my pre-Fringe Top 10 list and
Top 11 through 20 for the 2026 festival.
