Fringe 2026 Top 10 - #7 - Ari Hoptman - Is That Why?

Is That Why?

Description
A fast-moving show about the mysteries of language. Why are words the way the are? How do languages change? Why is grammar hard? And what IS the plural of "octopus," anyway? Every show will be different!
Venue – American School of Storytelling
Content Warnings – None
Genre and Content – Solo Show, Spoken Word, Storytelling
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

Ari Hoptman had a Fringe preview that was a perfect, funny, nerdy encapsulation of the kind of show he’s putting on this year:

So if that’s your kind of humor (it’s certainly mine), you know what show to put on your schedule

His press packet materials give a bit more context:

“Actor and playwright Ari Hoptman returns to the Fringe in a fast-paced show that explores the mysteries of language, even ones that don't really need to be solved. If you're interested in funky word origins or how ancient formulas affect the way we pronounce things or how Biblical puns influenced medical science, this might be the place to get your groove on. Every show will be different. No prior knowledge of anything required; no test at the end.”

The More Information tab on his show page on the Fringe website also gives a bit more detail:

“How do words end up as they are?  Why do we use them as we do? How have other languages affected English and why are we OK with that? And why is grammar hard anyway? These topics, as well as others that are far less important, may well come up in this fun and fast-moving show – specific items to be determined each time by one audience member.”

Now, if you take a look at Ari’s bio:

“Ari Hoptman is an actor, playwright, comedian, and university lecturer who is delighted to be back at the Minnesota Fringe. His previous Fringe shows include "Hello, I Must Be Going" (as Groucho Marx); "The Princeton Seventh," "The Harty Boys and the Case of the Limping Platypus"; and "Dang! The Ari Hoptman All Request Show." His appearances elsewhere include "The Odd Couple" (as Felix), "Sisters of Swing!," "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," "Born Yesterday,""Last of the Red-Hot Lovers," "Biloxi Blues," "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," and the Coen Brothers film "A Serious Man." In his academic life, he (voluntarily) spent a couple of years examining stresses in ancient German poetry, but yeah, you really don't want to know more about that. Ari is pleased to be co-producing his show with Ben San Del, whose Fringe show is "Apologies for the Late Reply."

You may be well be wondering, how the heck has Ari Hoptman not been on my pre-Fringe Top 10 list before now.

I, too, was wondering, so much so that I did a name search on the blog just to be sure because, how the heck did I miss this (much like a previous entry on this year’s Top 10).

Turns out, I *almost* did.  Just missed it.  Way back in 2004, only my second year as a blogger, back when it was still housed on the Fringe website, before it got passed off to the Twin Cities Daily Planet and then finally I got set loose to freelance on my own here, back in 2004, I didn’t have a Top 20 yet.  I was still trying to hold myself just to a Top 10 as I had in my first year on the blog, but even back then I was till full to bursting with ideas for other shows I couldn’t quite squeeze into the Top 10 slots but couldn’t resist talking about or recommending.  And wouldn’t you know, there in the top spot on my secondary list, Ari Hoptman.  If I’d had a Top 20, he would have been in the 11 slot.

But we need to do this properly, and Ari deserves to be inside the actual Top 10, not outside.  So here, finally, we’ve addressed this oversight on my part.

Since language is an inexhaustible resource, with LOTS of material from which to choose, each performance will be different.  So you could nerd out on words more than once this Fringe and not be repeating yourself.

And just like his co-producer Ben San Del’s show “Apologies for the Late Reply,” Ari Hoptman’s “Is That Why?” Is indeed a very good reason why one should get out to the American School of Storytelling venue and get some laughs in the Fringe diet.

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. And here's links to the 2026 versions of my pre-Fringe Top 10 list and Top 11 through 20 for the 2026 festival as we ramp up toward the start of the Fringe on August 6th.