We have sort of an Arthur Miller/Fantastic Four, ensemble/solo show double feature situation here.
Jake Mierva, Co-Artistic Director and Production Manager of an alleged Theatre Company, in addition to writing and directing alleged’s entry in this year’s Fringe:
FAST Death of a Salesman – an alleged Theatre Company
Description:
Dr. Duke Didier is putting on a production of Death of a Salesman, in order to prove to his nephew that the play is still relevant in 2026. Too bad his nephew, Braedyn, couldn't give a shit.
Venue - Rarig Thrust
Content Warnings - Adult language, Crude Humor
Genre and Content - Comedy, Audience Participation
Ages 12 to 15 and Up
Jake has also written and is performing his own solo show on a completely different topic
I Will Become The Silver Surfer. I Will Protect You – Jake Mierva
Description:
Galactus has chosen Earth as his next target. But don't worry. I will stop him. I will save you all. I will become The Silver Surfer.
Venue - Rarig Thrust
Content Warnings - Adult Language, Mental Illness, Suicidal ideation/self-harm
Genre and Content - Comedy, Solo Show, Audience Participation
Ages 16 and up
So, a little something for everybody.
The press packet also says this about “FAST Death of a Salesman” -
“A theatre professor's attempt to prove the relevance of Theatre, and Death of a Salesman.
an alleged Theatre Company returns to the MN Fringe with a new comedy, all about the relevance of Death of a Salesman, and Theatre as a whole. This insane, absurd comedy plays with everything we love, and hate, about the art form.”
Jake also dropped me an email about both upcoming shows:
“Firstly, an alleged Theatre Company is doing an original, comedic show, called FAST Death of a Salesman. It’s all about an aging theatre director who is desperately trying to relate to his 10 year old nephew, by putting on a production of Death of a Salesman for him. It’s insane, it’s chaotic, and of course it is FAST.
It’ll be a lot of fun, and I hope you can be there!”
The press packet added about “I Will Become The Silver Surfer. I Will Protect You” -
“Jake Mierva, one of the Artistic Directors of an alleged Theatre Company, is debuting his first solo show. One Man's Manic Episode on Guilt, Grief, and Galactus.”
And Jake’s email offered a bit more context:
“Second, I’m doing a solo show for the first time ever. It’s a little different than anything I’ve done with an alleged Theatre Company before, so I’m very eager to show off a different side of myself with that. It’s called I Will Become The Silver Surfer. I Will Protect You. It’s all about a man who believes he must become the comic book character, The Silver Surfer, in order to save the world. It’s more of a dramedy, dealing with real mental health struggles of mine.
As are all of our shows, they’re sure to be weird and experimental, in the best possible way.”
If you’re trying to get a feel for the kind of weird they are (and you haven’t already seen any of their shows, which would of course make that plain), the Company Members page of alleged’s website has headshots and then elaborate humorous fake bios, with an option to read an actual serious version of their bios, if you’re interested.
The tag line on their website is “Award-winning Comedy Theatre That’s Always Entertaining (allegedly)”
an alleged Theatre Company was on my pre-Fringe Top 20 list back in 2019 with “Which Middle Name of ‘Philip Seymour Hoffman’ Are You?” which I quite enjoyed (even though that was a very weird year of attending Fringe for me personally). My 5 star mini-review at the time said, “such a fun, odd, razor-sharp bit of satirical comedy writing, breathless performance, and audience interaction; just wonderfully absurd.”
I didn’t quite connect with their 2022 Fringe outing “3 Guys On Stage Who Get Hit With Hot Dogs, Snow Cones, Etc.” even though it still ranked at 4.5 stars out of 5 for me. At the time I posted, “Torn; they executed the concept perfectly but I kept thinking 1) tired of stories where cruelty wins; 2) waste of food and water; they’re *really* good; I just may not be their audience (sigh)”
But then in last year’s Fringe I gave them another shot with their 2025 show “The Temporary Tattoo Trio” and we were back up to a 5 star review again because, “this time, I get it; while I don't always "get" the oddball sensibility of an alleged Theatre Co.'s work, this awkward tale of fraying bonds of friendship and reluctant growing up, combined with amusing audience interaction, connects with me”
All along, of course, alleged has been packing in the audiences, getting great reviews, and grabbing multiple Fringe Golden Lanyard awards at the end of each festival, whether I attend and like their shows or not so I’m clearly an outlier. Fringe audiences and artists alike have really embraced an alleged Theatre Company’s brand of weird, awkward, comedic theater productions (and I mean all three of those adjectives in the best possible way).
I’m thinking the Silver Surfer solo show may be more to my taste this year, but I also have to admit that I really enjoy the way the alleged collaborators play around with the conventions of live performance, so a ridiculously fast-paced Death of a Salesman is likely to also be quite entertaining.
So there’s two more production to cram into the schedule. Too many good options is a good problem to have. The Fringe scheduling puzzle continues to fold in on itself…
Interested in hearing about other artists I recommend based on past outings in the Fringe? 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.
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