Single White Fringe Geek

Sunday, August 02, 2026

Fringe 2026 Top 11-20 - #17 - The Redmond Players (aka, Technically Thespians) - That Was Shakespeare: A Revue

That Was Shakespeare: A Revue

Description:
Connie thinks Shakespeare belongs in the past. Her uncle Ford knows better. A whirlwind tour through comedy, tragedy, and romance reveals the Bard's words may be closer to home than she thinks.
Venue – Rarig Kilburn Theatre
Content Warnings – Abuse/Physical Violence, Flashing Lights, Gun/Weapon Usage, Loud Noises, Violence
Genre and Content – Comedy, Drama, Puppetry, Kid Friendly, Shakespearian Elements
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

OK, this theater company’s website is the kind of rabbit hole I could go down and dig around in for a while so I need to stop myself and just write something, since there’s still quite a bit of Fringe ground to cover before opening night of the festival on Thursday.

Here’s the short version from their press packet materials (before I went further researching on the internet):

“A reluctant teen meets Shakespeare the hard way: one iconic scene at a time.

The Redmond Players (aka Technically Thespians), a Seattle-based volunteer troupe of software engineers and tech workers now in its second year, makes its Fringe debut with That Was Shakespeare. Created entirely after hours between full-time jobs, the original production grew from a simple problem: the troupe wanted to stage something ambitious, but had no budget or licensing money. Co-writers Lauren Go and Jake Mattinson turned to Shakespeare’s public-domain works instead, building an original narrator-led comedy that offers modern skeptics a fast-paced crash course to the Bard.”

The More Information tab on their show page on the Fringe site says:

“Technically Thespians is a collective of tech professionals from the Greater Seattle area who share a passion for making theater. We strive to provide a space for artistic expression and collaboration, bringing together diverse talents to create compelling theatrical experiences.”

Then it made the mistake of giving me multiple links to check out and so, of course, I did.

For some reason, their LinkedIn page came up for me in Hebrew, so I skipped past that for now until I can figure out what’s wrong with my LinkedIn settings :)

But the posts on their Instagram and Facebook profiles are kind of abdorable.

Their website has an alternate synopsis for their traveling show…

"Shakespeare, from A to Gen Z." 
“Sixteen-year-old Connie thinks Shakespeare belongs in the past. Her Shakespeare-obsessed Uncle Ford knows better — and drags her through the Bard's greatest hits to prove it. Comedy, tragedy, romance, and every everyday phrase Shakespeare snuck into your vocabulary without you noticing. 
We're packing up our inaugural production and bringing it from Seattle to the Minnesota Fringe Festival — half the length, twice the pace, reworked for a tight traveling ensemble. Connie resists. Ford persists. You decide who wins.”

The history of the troupe for some reason just fascinated me, because this is apparently the second iteration of this idea:

“A COLLECTIVE OF TECH PROFESSIONALS UNITED BY A LOVE OF MAKING THEATRE AND QUESTIONABLE CALENDAR DECISIONS.

Technically Thespians is a 501 c3 nonprofit theater troupe made up of tech professionals who somehow decided that after a full day of technical problem-solving, the best way to scratch that creative itch was to make theatre together. We’re a community built on collaboration, creativity, and the belief that telling stories makes us better humans — at work and beyond. We bring engineers, designers, PMs, and everyone in between into the joyful chaos of creation, one post-work rehearsal at a time.

The original Microsoft Theater Troupe made its mark in the 1990s, creating a vibrant arts community on campus for nearly a decade before logistical challenges brought that era to a close in the early 2000s. Their legacy left a meaningful footprint — a reminder that theatre and tech folks have always mixed better than people think.

In Fall 2024, a new group of employees — inspired by that earlier chapter but not directly connected to it — began gathering for table reads, casual meetups, and a renewed sense that theatre after work could (and should) exist again. That momentum led to our first full production in October 2025, That Was Shakespeare: A Revue, an original show that sold out multiple performances, powered a successful GIVE campaign, and brought together a passionate, tight-knit ensemble eager to keep creating.

Technically Thespians honor the legacy of the original troupe as this revival begins its own story — a new community, a new generation of theatre-makers, and a second act we’re just beginning to build.”

And their Cast and Crew tab on the Fringe site is sprinkled with phrases such as:

“Varika is the friend pulling everyone onto the dance floor and travel-enthusiast, so she's excited and grateful to perform at Fringe. She's been going around saying, "We are on tour, people!"

“This marks her 3rd production with the Redmond Players (aka Technically Thespians), where she has grown from an emergency costume maker into the troupe's Prop and Costume Master.”

“His most controversial opinions are that cats are better than dogs and that IPAs are the Jello fruit cake of beer.”

“If you see the scamp, feel free to ask him about anything and everything! “

“Here she plays Beatrice and Macduff — one who fights with words, one who fights with everything else.”

“Though her character Connie may make fun of theater nerds, Tina the actress unabashedly identifies as one.”

“Now, she’s stepping out from backstage and into the spotlight at Minnesota Fringe… because theater kids never really leave the stage.”

I’ll be honest, I’m just going purely on vibes here, but all of the above really makes me want to give this show a shot.

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.

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.

Fringe 2026 - Returning Favorites - Joking Apart Theater - I’m Afraid, I Have To Leave

Where you put that comma in the title makes all the difference…

I’m Afraid, I Have To Leave

Description:
Time to leave, but your hosts have other plans. Sinister agenda? Hostage situation? Or just another visit with your folks? Minnesota Goodbye meets The Twilight Zone. Grab a snickerdoodle, it might be your last!
Venue - Mixed Blood
Content Warnings - Adult language, Gun/weapon usage, Loud Noises, Violence
Genre and Content - Comedy, Horror
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

Joking Apart Theater is another returnee from last year’s pre-Fringe Top 20 list, and just like last year’s show, “The Jaws That Bite, The Claws That Catch,” it looks like we’re in for another unsettling time, if only based on that blood spattered knife next to that lovely plate of Rice Krispie bars in the show’s publicity image.

Also, the show’s Cast and Crew tab lists a Fight Choreographer, the Genres listed are both Comedy and Horror, and the content warnings include Gun/Weapon Usage, Loud Noises and Violence, which make the Adult Language warning seem like the most innocuous of the bunch.

Just like last year’s show had a protagonist stuck in a loop, this year’s characters may also be trapped in another unending ritual that keeps looping back on itself, the infamous “Minnesota Goodbye” (the More Information tab for the show has a link to a handy comedic example of this tradition)

The press packet materials have variations on the show description:

“A never-ending evening with Ole and Lena? A hostage situation? A Cthulhu murder cult? Or is it just another dinner with your folks? The Twilight Zone meets The Minnesota Goodbye.

Minnesota Goodbye meets The Twilight Zone. From writer/actor, Edwin Strout, who brought you "That's MISTER Benchley To You, Mrs. Parker" in 2003, and last year's "The Jaws That Bite, The Claws That Catch!"

If you’re looking for social discomfort cranked up to 11, this may be your show :)

Saturday, August 01, 2026

Fringe 2026 Top 11-20 - #16 - Tiger Love Studios LLC - The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy

The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy

Description:
A one-person puppet show with call and response/audience participation. The bashful but rowdy Turtle Boy leads you through an action movie of your own making. John Wick meets Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Karate Kid meets Mr. Rogers.
Venue – Mixed Blood
Content Warnings – Adult Language, Violence, Short Show (less than 45 minutes)
Genre and Content – Clowning, Puppetry, Improv, Physical Theater, Comedy, Drama, Solo Show, Storytelling, Audience Participation, Kid Friendly
Ages 7 to 11 and Up

Truthfully? I find the trailer amusing. Mostly I’m getting the Mr. Rogers influences here, which I’m very much on board with:

The press packet offers just a touch more detail:

“A solo marionette expert whisks you through pastoral vistas, slo-mo melees, and lessons in loyalty.”

The bio posted seems to reinforce that we’re in good hands:

“EMMANUEL ELPENORD
Creator/Performer EMMANUEL ELPENORD is a queer, neurodivergent, New York City native, Haitian-American actor, puppeteer, improvisor, and voice-over artist. Highlights from his distinguished body of work: puppeteer in El Niño (Met Opera); original cast of Disney’s “Winnie the Pooh: A New Musical Adaptation” (Rockefeller Prod.); original cast of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show” (Rockefeller Prod.); puppeteer at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater (10+ years). Recipient of Haiti Cultural Exchange’s 2023 LakouNOU Artist Residency Grant, Puppet Showplace Theater’s 2023 Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers Grant, and the Jim Henson Foundation’s 2024 Family Grant. He studied ancient traditional theater forms in India, Japan, and Greece with OYL's 2025 International Performance Residency last summer, and is a proud recipient of the 2026 New York State Council of the Arts Grant.”

You’re either in the mood for a goofy little marionette turtle, or you’re not. It seems I’m in a turtle mood this year.

Plus, short show bonus, gives you a chance to make that longer commute to the next venue you were worrying about on your schedule.

Fringe 2026 Top 10 - #6 - Maxxeapolis - Maxxeapolis Goes to Hell

Maxxeapolis Goes to Hell

Description
Rest In Peace, Maxxeapolis, whose untimely deaths have landed them in Hell right before their performance at Fringe. Join them for an hour of sketch comedy where Satan himself will decide their ultimate fates.
Venue – Mixed Blood
Content Warnings – Adult Language, Crude Humor, Gun/Weapon Usage, Sexual Content
Genre and Content – Comedy
Ages 16 and Up

Once again, it’s the Fringe Preview. These folks make a great first impression:

This group of eight performers work really well together. They’re all writer/performers on the piece.

The press packet materials, as well as their bios, gives a bit more background on the group:

“An absurd and outlandish scripted sketch comedy show from Minnesota’s ‘hottest’ new group.

Maxxeapolis is the newest sketch comedy group to the Twin Cities, made up of local theater artists and comics alongside recent transplants with decades of sketch comedy experience (Upright Citizens Brigade, Second City, Philly Sketchfest). Drawing on Minneapolis’ longstanding excellence in sketch comedy, Maxxeapolis seeks to be a defining point of Minnesota’s comedy, theater, and arts scene at large.

The group’s style is a more fast-paced version of Saturday Night Live with some classic MadTV energy and I Think You Should Leave absurdity mixed in. Expect over-the-top situations, outlandish characters, and a mix of high and low brow humor.”

So, a team with a mission beyond just their Fringe show.

The bios also have an assortment of cheeky identifiers for each of them beyond just “writer and performer.” There’s “group founder” of course, but also: former high school football quarterback, general goofball, former beauty pageant watcher, guitar maven, sword swallower, token gen-z, and just “tall.” There’s also a completely fake bio for a non-existent person as well, with some inventive credits listed. Too many for a short post but the bios are worth a look for being a fun mix of both humorous and series details.

Their introductory dialogue, group song, and appearance by Satan were an intriguing, well-executed kickoff. I’m really interested to see how the rest of the show plays out.

Fringe 2026 - Returning Favorites - An Overlapping Puppet/Crime Trilogy

There were three shows in the Fringe Previews that had an interesting daisy chain of overlapping connections between a couple of theater companies that were on past pre-Fringe Top 20 lists of mine (2022 and 2023) - the puppet-focused Phantom Chorus Theatre, led by Thalia Bea Kostman and Marc Berg, and the dark comedy machine that is The World Crime League, led by Andrew Rosdail.

First up, there’s

Fighting Unicorns – Angela Fox Productions

Description
A girl and her unicorn sidekick go on a hero’s journey through a fantastical world of puppets to find her lost story. A powerful show about healing and moving forward. Adventure, wonder, humor, heart. Part of the Social Butterfly Project. 120 min
Venue – Phoenix Theater
Content Warnings – Flashing Lights, Loud Noises, Mental Illness
Genre and Content – Puppetry, Mystery, Physical Theater, Comedy, Drama
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

The puppet creators from Phantom Chorus Theatre were working overtime on this one, especially on that unicorn sidekick, operated and acted by Charles Hubbell, who featured prominently in the Fringe preview scene:

There’s also a behind the scenes video posted which gives a peek at a lot of the other elements and performers in the show:

This is another production in the slate of offerings over at the Phoenix Theater under the larger umbrella of the Social Butterfly Project, using theater of all type to shine a light on mental health awareness.

Producer/Playwright/Actor Angela Fox had some additional words on the production on the More Information tab of their show page on the Fringe website:

“On the surface, “Fighting Unicorns” is a hero’s journey told through a world of puppets. But underneath, the main character is processing trauma through the safety of a childlike world. Recently, I started therapy for C-PTSD. The process has honestly been pretty awful at times, but also indescribably life changing. It also inspired me to write “Fighting Unicorns”. Processing difficult emotions can be terrifying and exhausting. I wanted to create something that could help people do it in a safe and entertaining way. And a unicorn sidekick never hurts! If I can help make one person’s heart lighter, that would be amazing.”

The only potential downside to this one is it’s a super-sized Fringe show, an actual two hour, full-length play, so you’ll need to plan on setting aside more than the usual time for all the other one hour and under Fringe shows to fit it into your schedule. But if you need a break from running around and just want to stay put for one story for a while, Fighting Unicorns will give you that breather.

You’d think that’d be enough puppet creation to keep a person busy for the summer, but Berg and Kostman aren’t done yet.

Their work is also featured in

Muskie – New Endeavors

Description
It's Fishing Opener on Lake Mille Lacs, but some of the residents of Garrison, Minnesota have started disappearing. Could it be the work of the terrifying, mythical Muskie? Find out in this Minnesota-based parody of "Jaws."
Venue – Mixed Blood
Content Warnings – Adult Language, Blood, Gun/Weapon Usage, Loud Noises, Violence
Genre and Content – Puppetry, Horror, Comedy
Ages16 and Up

(This is also a Matt Saxe crossover, as he’s acting in both this and the previously mentioned So Bright, The Night - and was in the previews for both shows, with a radical costume and accent changes, of course.)

The press packet materials have this additional info:

“New Endeavors is the Golden Lanyard Award-winning company behind "The Buttslasher", "Peace Retreat," and "An Exorcism, Don'tcha Know." Lately, they have been dabbling in horror-comedy. They are working in collaboration with Phantom Chorus Theatre to use puppetry to bring the titular "Muskie" to life. This show promises thrills, chills, and laughs as Minnesota Fishermen battle the monster of Lake Mille Lacs.”

Side note: This is, believe it or not, one of TWO tributes to the shark horror film JAWS in this year’s Fringe (the recent 50 year anniversary of the original film in the franchise has spawned many a tribute, it seems). We also have the musical “Chum!” from the group Theatre Engine, described thusly:

“Chum!” is a musical parody of “Jaws” that invites audience members to bring a chum to be chum by telling the familiar tale of New England beach mastication in musical and interactive format.

So if you can’t get enough water-based terror in one show, there is more on offer.

The director of “Muskie” is Andrew Rosdail, whose bio kind of ties this trio of shows all together:

“Andrew is excited to be working with New Endeavors again! “Muskie” marks his third time directing for New Endeavors, after the Golden Lanyard-winning “Peace Retreat” and last year’s hit, “An Exorcism, Don’tcha Know?” Andrew has also written and directed “Writers’ Block.,” “Uncle Walt,” and “We Were Only Henchmen” at previous MN Fringes through his own production company, the World Crime League. He is also an actor, most recently appearing in Phantom Chorus’s puppet rock opera “Razia’s Shadow” and currently acting in the World Crime League’s production of “M,” which definitely should be added to your Fringe schedule this year!”

Speaking of “M”

M – The World Crime League

Description:
A massive manhunt is underway in Berlin. Police have spent months searching for a prolific serial killer with no success. As fear and suspicion spread, the city’s criminal underground decides to take matters into their own hands and hunt the murderer themselves in this new adaptation of Fritz Lang’s classic film noir "M – Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder."
Venue - Barker Center
Content Warnings - Abuse/Physical Violence, Adult Language, Gun/Weapon Usage, Violence, Other divisive content
Genre and Content - Drama, Mystery
Ages 16 and up

This one has me the most intrigued, just because they’re taking a black and white German film about vigilante justice that’s almost 100 years old, and staging it for a 2026 audience.

Plus, it also spawned a station ID bit for the old MTV music channel which is stuck in my head to this day.

(Oh, and it’s an unexpected fourth Fringe show for the previously highlighted Mahmoud Hakima is involved with - three as performer and one as producer, he is apparently not planning to sleep much during the festival :)

(And yes, this is how my mind works the closer we get to the Fringe starting.)

Friday, July 31, 2026

Fringe 2026 Top 11-20 - #15 - Samuel Karie - Pistachio’s Playhouse

Pistachio’s Playhouse

Description:
When the host of the beloved children’s show Pistachio’s Playhouse experiences a sudden tragedy, she has to try and keep the Playhouse from closing while maintaining her sanity in front of an impressionable audience.
Venue – Barker Center
Content Warnings - Adult Language, Crude Humor, Mental Illness, Violence
Genre and Content - LGBTQIA+ Content, Comedy, Drama, Clowning, Puppetry
Ages 18 and up

This is another instance of a Fringe preview really selling the concept of a show that won me over. (Once the song gets going, the sound mix imbalance is a bit overpowering, but the techs will work that out for the smaller Barbara Barker Center for Dance space where the show is performing)

How can you not love a preview that starts out, “Hi kids! Welcome to my playhouse! I’m Pistachio Creampie and these are my rats!” (as long as the rats are puppets, of course). Follow that up with a perky song about how it’s best to suppress your feelings unless they’re happy ones, so you don’t make other people uncomfortable, and you’ve got yourself a very midwestern Fringe show indeed.

(If you saw this in person, you’ll know immediately whether the show is for you or not. The video version is also helpful, though not the same experience as being in the room.)

The design and performance style of this show, just based on this sliver of a preview, is wonderful. Bright, colorful, very much in the style of a kids show (though this is, of course, an adults only (18 and up) kids show plumbing some darker subject matter.). Based on earlier publicity shots I thought it might be a bit too horror-adjacent for my taste, but it looks like it’s going to walk a fine line and not tip over, so I’m a lot more interested now to give it a try. Also, it’s a drag performance, so the queerness of the approach is right up my alley.

The press packet materials offer some helpful context on the project:

“Pistachio's Playhouse was born from the drag persona of writer and star, Samuel Karie aka Pistachio Creampie. What started as a 3-minute performance piece at a gay bar became the elaborate and personal story of a children's show host trying to keep her life together after an unexpected tragedy. The show explores universal themes of grief, trauma, and existentialism all wrapped up in a package akin to classic children's shows like PeeWee's Playhouse and Sesame Street. In addition to writing and starring in the production, Samuel Karie is also the costume, makeup, and prop department. This show is a true labor of love and one of the most unique shows you'll see all year.”

For the Fringe’s instagram account, the artist responded to the question “What should audiences expect?” with this: –

“A meta take on a 90s children’s show with a dark twist. It’s PeeWee’s Playhouse meets The Truman Show. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you won’t know how to react.”

Sometimes if I’m skittish about a show, it’s hard to win me over. My initial instincts can be hard to shake. But this preview won me over, which is something I honestly wasn’t expecting. Hats (or wigs) off to Pistachio, you and your rats can really work a crowd.

Fringe 2026 Top 10 - #5 - Plucky Rosenthal - Vintage Tunes, Modern Gal

Vintage Tunes, Modern Gal

Description
A charming musical comedy solo show plucked right out of the vaudeville era following cabaret performer Plucky Rosenthal and her quest to find the one thing she’s never had: a band.
Venue – Rarig Kilburn Theatre
Content Warnings - None
Genre and Content – Solo Show, Comedy, Original Music, Physical Theater, Audience Participation
Ages 7 to 11 and Up

This one is another late addition to the schedule but this artist and her style of one-woman musical comedy has been here before. Last year, in fact, with “Big Honor Student Energy” (here’s the preview of that)

I missed that one, but I did catch her “One Woman Beaches” back in 2022 and thoroughly enjoyed it. (And here’s that show’s preview)

My 5-star mini-review of that online as I was flying through the latter half of that year’s festival was:

“Alisa Rosenthal is a comedic whirlwind of song, dance, and multiple personalities covering all of the 1988 movie Beaches plus a sampling of her own theatrical upbringing”

Her new Fringe outing was winner of the Spirit of the Fringe at 2025’s Elgin Fringe before landing on our schedule this year.

I think my favorite review of that which has has posted on the More Information tab of her show page is from a volunteer at the Elgin Fringe who after seeing “Vintage Tunes, Modern Gal” said to the artist:

"Thanks for making Green Bay weird again!"

Minneapolis is, of course, already weird, but we can always use a little more. Plucky Rosenthal, in addition to the weird, has the comedic and vocal chops to deliver a fun show, so I’m very much looking forward to it.

And she is also in the very first slot of the festival, on Thursday 8/6 at 5:30pm - which would be a very fun way for anyone to start their 2026 Fringe on a high note (or several of them, depending on the song).

In the spirit of continuing with the “Beaches” theme from Fringes past, the ukulele-forward nature of this new show brought to mind an old Bette Midler tune, “Ukulele Lady” - given previous experience with Rosenthal’s shows, I’m expecting a similar vibe.

If you need further convincing, here’s her bio:

“Plucky Rosenthal
Creator and Performer Plucky Rosenthal is an award-winning musical comedy variety act, specializing in bringing her signature warmth and vintage-tinged original songs to rooms across the country. A seasoned emcee, she's a mainstay on the Chicago variety scene and national fringe festival circuit, bringing her live game show, solo hour, and shorter sets to sold out ballrooms and dive bars with 6 people in them alike. You may recognize her alter ego from last year's fringe show "Big Honor Student Energy," 2022's "One-Woman 'Beaches,' and 2019's "Songs to Caftan In." National festivals include: Andy Kaufman Awards, NYC (semi-finalist), Minnesota Fringe Festival, Elgin Fringe Festival ("Spirit of the Fringe" winner), Twin Cities Jewish Humor Festival, IndyFringe, Green Bay Fringe Festival, Old Greeny Fringe Festival (Ithaca), Windy City Burlesque Fest, Chicago Women's Funny Festival, and Artscape Baltimore.”

Fringe 2026 - Returning Favorites - Zabel Weinhagen - Empty Nest

What do you do with yourself when your kid leaves home for college?

If you’re spouses Laura Zabel and Levi Weinhagen, you of course quickly see material for a new comedy show.

Empty Nest

Description:
Through a mix of sharp stories, absurd sketches, and knowing winks at the audience, Empty Nest dives into life’s big transitions — aging, shifting identities, long-term partnership — and finds the humor in the awkward, poignant, and downright ridiculous moments along the way.
Venue - Rarig Thrust
Content Warnings - Adult language
Genre and Content - Clowning, Comedy, Improv, Physical Theater, Spoken Word, Storytelling
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

According to an interview last fall with CBS News, Levi noted, "We were moping around the house. We'd check in with each other and say, did she call? Have you heard from her? Did she post on the internet? And I think we both realized we were kind of doing Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' about our kid. And we're like, well, that's kind of a sad but funny show. Maybe there's something here.”

So they put together a show, gave it first run at the Bryant Lake Bowl last September, and now they’ve fine-tuned it and are bringing "Empty Nest" to the Fringe.

The More Information tab on their show page on the Fringe site has this to add:

“Laura and Levi met performing at the Brave New Workshop and have performed for more than two decades in theater, comedy, and storytelling — and at home, they’ve been improvising marriage and parenting for over 24 years.”

You can see the full interview about the show’s first run (with clips from the performance) at the BLB via this link.

And if you need to be reminded who they are and what they've done, here's their bios:

"Laura Zabel
Creater/Performer
Laura Zabel is an actor, writer, and nationally recognized arts leader. She served as Executive Director of Springboard for the Arts for 21 years, an award-winning economic and community development organization based in Minnesota. Laura has performed with numerous Twin Cities theaters, including Mixed Blood, Brave New Workshop and Comedy Suitcase.

Levi Weinhagen
Creater/Performer
Levi Weinhagen is a theater artist, comedy writer, and co-founder of Comedy Suitcase, a perennial Fringe Festival favorite known for inventive, all-ages comedy. Levi is also a licensed therapist and teaching artist and has created work for audiences ranging from preschoolers to politicians."

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Fringe 2026 Top 11-20 - #14 - Moral of the Story - A Real Piece of Work

A Real Piece of Work

Description
When a bumbling community theater group rehearses for their production of Hamlet, one actor tries to help them get their act together. This ensemble comedy is a love letter to community theater.
Venue – Theatre in the Round (TRP)
Content Warnings – Adult Language, Gun/Weapon Usage
Genre and Content – Comedy, Drama, Shakespearian Elements
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

This show is a great example of how a Fringe preview can help you break out of a list of dozens of other shows in the festival.

Theater about theater and art about artists is generally not my thing (I know, I say that all the time and then I find the exception. Still…)

As I was doing my usual homework of perusing every single show on the Fringe site, I saw this one and thought “oh, theater about theater, and Hamlet besides, I can probably skip that one.” The only Shakespeare play less likely than Hamlet to draw me in would be any riff on A Midsummer Night’s Dream (apologies to "A Dark Gotham Knight’s Dream," also in the festival this year, though I will admit, the costumes visible in your trailer are making a good case for seeing you anyway)

But then I saw the Fringe preview of “A Real Piece of Work” and it won me over.

It’s hard to do a good Fringe preview for any show, even a great show. Things can so easily go off the rails. But here, they really nailed it.

It’s a play within a play about a play, so a preview about all that is just one more layer of meta commentary and comedy.

The ensemble of ten actors knew they only had three minutes to get the job done (and reminded themselves and us about it as they went, which was a fun recurring bit), but everybody was on their game, script in hand if needed but the dialogue flowed naturally, introduced all the characters in quick bursts as they all collectively told us the premise of the play while also displaying the dynamics between the cast while they were at it. They kept the pace moving, and gave us a sample of the kind of thing we have in store if we see the play. Perfect, and funny.

Plus, it’s hard to play the character of a bad actor onstage, unless you’re a good actor. I was worried that it might either be a show by “serious” theater people that was punching down at community theater, or conversely a show by community theater people that had a perhaps overinflated sense of the importance and high art of community theater. It was, surprisingly, somehow neither of those things, which I find kind of fascinating as a tight rope act for this production to pull off. The ensemble is a nice mix of different kinds of actors, and different personality types for their characters. AND it seemed like it was going to be fun, rather than painful, to watch. So I am sold, in spite of myself.

Nicely done.

Looking a bit more closely at the press packet materials, there’s a bit more detail that’s also reassuring:

“In this ensemble comedy, an actor gets increasingly frustrated rehearsing with an amateurish community theater group for their production of Hamlet. He tries to improve the show and motivate the others to embrace his ideas, and eventually learns a more important lesson. This show is a love letter to community theater and the characters onstage and off, with a timely political message about accepting and connecting with those different from us.”

Fringe 2026 Top 10 - #4 - Sockpop - 1 Hour Left To Live: A One Puppet Show by That Felt Good

1 Hour Left To Live: A One Puppet Show by That Felt Good

Description:
A puppet on his deathbed recounts his life through monologue, improvised flashbacks, audience participation, and stand-up comedy guest sets. Every night he lives a new life with new characters and old regrets.
Venue – Southern Theater
Content Warnings – Adult Language, Crude Humor, Sexual Content
Genre and Content – Comedy, Improv, Puppetry, Audience Participation
Ages 18 and Up Only

This is a late addition to the festival schedule, someone stepping in with a show at the last minute as another artist steps out.

I saw it for the first time as I was scrolling the show listings on my phone while waiting for the Fringe Previews to begin on Monday. Suddenly my brain went, “Wait! That’s a new image. What’s that show? It wasn’t there before.”

Not sure what this says about me but the premise delights me:

“A puppet on his deathbed recounts his life through monologue, improvised flashbacks, audience participation, and stand-up comedy guest sets. Every night he lives a new life with new characters and old regrets.”

The age recommendation is 18 and up only, so it’s an adult puppet show with warnings for adult language, crude humor, and sexual content.

Also, not above appreciating the puppet pun of “That Felt Good”

The names I recognize among the improvisers involved also make me feel like this is a solid project:

Eric Heiberg and Philip Simondet, both part of the previously remarked upon return of The Local Music Scene improv show

Chris Rodriguez, who was part of the 5-star weirdness that was Clown Funeral in last year’s Fringe

The simple bios of the Director/Producers, one of them a writer, the other a puppeteer, also win me over:

“Matt Olson
Writer/Director/Producer Matt writes screenplays, comic books, and shoots stupid videos with his friends

Phoebe Bottoms
Puppeteer/Director/Producer Phoebe is a Jim Henson Co. trained puppeteer, improviser, and comedian”

And lastly, the thing that pushed it over the top for me was that the other listed writer on the project is Collin Klug, a comedy writer and performer responsible for two of my favorite Fringe shows of the late pre-pandemic era:

2014’s “Supernova!: A One Man Play by Rex Douglas!: A Two Man Play by Turner Barrowman and Collin Klug” (which I saw twice - a rarity for my Fringe-going with a wall to wall schedule trying to see as many shows as possible)

2017’s “Dick White: Ghost Detective”

Shows that come out of nowhere at the last minute are sometimes great. This might be one of them. I’m super curious to give it a look. Just going with my gut, but there’s a lot of promising elements gathering on this one.

Fringe 2026 - Returning Favorites - Snikt! Bamf! Thwip! - Casa Bde-Maka-Ska

I am either the perfect audience for this show, or the last person in the world who should see it. I’m not sure which side of the fence it’s gonna fall on yet.

Casa Bde-Maka-Ska

Description:
Everyone comes to Rick's. Even in the middle of a hostile occupation. Even in a world where lovers who have been torn apart by circumstance can bond over some well chosen Prince music.
Venue - Theatre in the Round (TRP)
Content Warnings - Adult language, Gun/Weapon Usage
Genre and Content - Comedy
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

The additional info in the press packet materials does give me encouragement:

“Minnesota is occupied but everyone is coming to Rick's. Casa Bde-Maka-Ska is an adaptation of Casablanca through the lens of the last several months in Minnesota. The original story is very much about a hostile occupation of a foreign city, much as we have experienced here. It is a comedy but doesn't ignore the fact that real harm was done to real people on the streets of our home.”

The fact that (twice-mentioned already) Duck Washington is co-writing the script with Tim Wick is also a plus.

The cast including Samuel Poppen as Rick (the Bogart role) and Kelvin Hatle as Captain Louis Renault (the Claude Rains role) is also very promising.

Snikt! Bamf! Thwip! regularly lampoons popular culture by mashing up two things that don’t often go together, whether that be Bridgerton via action movie director Michael Bay, or a steampunk version of the sci-fi horror franchise Alien, a spoof of the John Wick assassin action movies, or The Complete Works of William Shatner (abridged).

And the parallels between the plot of Casablanca and the unfortunately real-life situation in Minnesota this year are uncanny.

But Casablanca is one of my very favorite films, so it’s easy to put me off.

Also, the title here almost seems like it’s making fun of the concept of renaming things in Minneapolis back to the way the Native Americans did, rather than naming them after problematic American historical figures who came along after. I’m sure that’s not the intent, but that’s the way my brain processes it. (Also, doesn’t Casa-Blanca literally translate to White House? It’s kind of right there, isn’t it?)

All that said, on balance it looks like I’m going to enjoy myself, so I’m looking forward to this one.

And I will refrain from Casablanca jokes myself (until it’s time for the review)

Update: Their Fringe preview also helped put me at ease:

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Fringe 2026 Top 11-20 - #13 - Band Practice - Don’t Be Scared

Don’t Be Scared

Description:
Two zombified post-war corporate professionals attempt to run a workshop with the audience on how to face your fears. Outside, the darkness is creeping in threatening to end the show and maybe their friendship.
Venue – Rarig Xperimental
Content Warnings - Crude Humor, Mental Illness, Violence
Genre and Content - LGBTQIA+ Content, Clowning, Comedy, Political Content, Improv, Physical Theater, Audience Participation
Ages 16 and Up

Lucky 13!

Zombified characters creep me out, but c’mon, these two are coming to Minneapolis all the way from Berlin - I can deal with creepy for an hour.

(They didn’t quite come the longest distance - a guy dropping in while on a break from his teaching assignment in Beijing beats them by a little over 1,800 miles (more on them later) - still, if you’re crossing an ocean to come to the midwest, that’ll always earn you some style points with me.)

They also flag LGBTQIA+ Content (queers, represent)

Their video trailer doesn’t seem super unsettling (forgive me for dwelling on it, I’m squeamish)

Also has probably one of my favorite lines from a Fringe show page this year:

“We met studying physical theater, and started collaborating in 2021 after failing our clown training. Then we went straight to Edinburgh Fringe with... a clown show.”

Their More Information tab got a little update since the first time I looked at it. Previously it said:

“Band Practice are for the first time are crossing the ocean! Based in Berlin, this will be our first time performing in the USA as part of The Midwest Quest Tour. We are excited to be mounting one of our first and favorite full length productions after 1.5 years since its premiere. Don't Be Scared is semi-improvised and asks the audience the fateful question "What are you scared of?" For what is the role of comedy if not to make light in the dark.... right?”

Now it says:

“Band Practice is a Berlin based theater and clown duo made of Ash Willison and Lisa Ullrich. We met studying physical theater, and started collaborating in 2021 after failing our clown training. Then we went straight to Edinburgh Fringe with... a clown show. We turn ourselves inside out; wearing our most abject, absurd, and dark ideas quite literally on our bodies and invite the audience to encounter these creatures and do the same, if they please. The core of our work, as cheesy as it sounds, is that no matter how difficult or confrontational the questions are, we face them together in the spirit of playfulness and a tender friendship. And the power of a damn good song.

We've been described as "punky", "hardcore stupid", "ridiculous", and "confusing and slightly offputting" (this last one mostly from men).

We've performed at Edinburgh Fringe, Performing Arts Festival Berlin, Malta Festival (Poland), VAULT Festival (London) Berlin Fringe, Circus Lake festival (Italy) Deutsches Theater Berlin, Comedy Cafe Berlin. See more information at bandpracticeduo.com

We are extremely happy and nervous to be here. Big thank you to all of our mentors, supporters, stage-sharers, clowns, family members, teachers turned colleagues, and especially to Shai, Michelle, and Susannah. We miss you and love you :) “

Makes me wish I knew even the tiniest bit of German so I could speak to them that way, rather than force them to communicate in the one and only language I know. Ah, well…

Also love the bios, shorty and pithy:

“Ash Willison
Producer and Performer Ash is a performer, educator, and artist from a nomadic and multicultural background. All mediums and outlets of Ash's work stem from a personal movement practice. I am interested in colliding and questioning performative modes to create DIY theatre that truthfully sees the present, and provokes the future.

Lisa Ullrich
Producer and Performer Lisa is an actor from Germany and the USA. Her international training in Spain, the UK, and Germany has brought her to screen and stage.

Lena Katzer
Producer + Dramaturg Lena Katzer (b. 1995) is a director, costume designer, and curator. She most recently worked for DT Kontext at the Deutsches Theater Berlin. Trained as a men's tailor at the Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt and subsequently active at the Schaubühne, she completed her directing studies at the HfS Ernst Busch in 2023. She is a co-founder of the collective hfs_ultras.”

I’ll just try and make sure that their show is not the last thing I see at night and then have to travel home in the dark :)

Fringe 2026 Top 10 - #3 - Jena Young Productions - The Label Maker

The Label Maker

Description
What’s the difference between BPD and BD? Is the expert always right? From anxiety to PTSD, storyteller Jena Young shares her experiences growing up with an undiagnosed abusive parent, being misdiagnosed herself as a teenager, and the power of labels.
Venue – Phoenix Theater
Content Warnings – Abuse/Physical Violence, Adult Language, Mental Illness, Suicidal Ideation/Self-Harm, Violence, Other Divisive Content
Genre and Content – Solo Show, Spoken Word, Storytelling
Ages 18 and Up Only

It seems this happens every year, and you would think after all these years I would have caught nearly every instance of this by now. But the theater community is large and varied, the Fringe schedule is such that you literally cannot see everything in any given year so… there’s always someone who I think to myself “Oh, surely that artist has been on one of my pre-Fringe Top 20 lists before for something at some point.” But then I’m bewildered to find that no, in fact, that artist has not. In which case, well, it’s time to rectify that. That’s a gimme. Easy slot on the list to be filled and long overdue.

This year, it’s Jena Young.

Which again, is ridiculous on my part. As Jena says in her bio, she’s been involved with over 30 productions in the Minnesota Fringe Festival “ director, producer, storyteller, dancer, performer, fight choreographer, and clown.” (Not all at the same time, of course, though I wouldn’t put it past her.) She then lists a bunch:

“Caucasian-Aggressive Pandas and Other Mulatto Tales,”
“William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead,”
“Wilhelmina and Theodore’s Exquisite Victorian Adventure,”
"The Bisexual Unicorn and Other Mythological Creatures,"
“My Only Hope for a Hero,”
several versions of "Fringe Orphans,"

And for starters, I’ve seen ALL of those.

In fact, I’m embarrassed to admit that the ones she’s listed that I missed are her three one-woman shows prior to this year.

So, time to correct both those oversights. She’s now on the list and she’s got a one-woman show, “The Label Maker” - in addition to also hosting “Stories from the Trauma Dump” which I’ve previously covered over in the Returning Favorites list for this year.

This is another of the Social Butterfly Project productions over at Phoenix Theater around the subject of mental health awareness (so is “Stories From the Trauma Dump”)

Her show’s More Information tab has the following additional greeting:

“I am not a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, therapist, or in any other way a trained mental health expert. What I am is someone who has lived in an environment of mental illness and neurodivergence... with friends, family, and my own exciting brain discoveries.   I also scored a 4 on my AP psych test in high school. That counts for expertise, right?

This show is not about what is or isn't mental illness, how to diagnose someone, or an exercise in therapy (well, maybe a little of that last one). I am neither qualified to provide that, nor do I want that responsibility. But I do think there is catharsis in sharing stories, empathy in hearing another perspective, and learning to be had from someone else's journey.

And man, has it been a journey. Thank you for sharing in it with me.

Content Warning: This show contains difficult and possibly triggering topics including abuse and violence of various kinds and degrees. We urge each individual to gage their own needs. You are welcome to leave and re-enter; we ask that you be mindful of others in the audience as you are able.”

And the rest of her bio lists a bunch more reasons why I should have recommended her LONG ago:

“Outside of the MN Fringe, Jena has worked on such shows as
“The Tourist Trap,”
“Monsters in a Mirror,”
“Young and Fearless,”
“Dread the Halls (2018),”
"Prescription: Murder,"
“Get Thee Behind me Santa,”
“Ravenscroft,”
“A Klingon Christmas Carol,”
“A Very Honorable Christmas,”
and “Hamlet.”

[Blogger’s note: I LOVE that she lists that last, like “Hamlet, that old thing, you may have heard of it.”]

“She’s previously known for her work in Vilification Tennis and Human Combat Chess, and as a founder of both Phrenic Impact Theatre and Fearless Comedy Productions.   Jena is known as a regular at The Encyclopedia Show and local storytelling shows, is a co-host of the local Apropos of Nothing Podcast, and is president of the board that produces the Twin Cities Horror Festival. She also once placed 5th in a balloon fencing tournament.”

So, you know, don’t be like me and wait so long - see Jena’s show and then recommend it to everyone you meet.

Fringe 2026 - Returning Favorites - Hey Rube! - So Bright, The Night

The thing I admire the most about Hey Rube! as a theater company is they’re always taking really big swings, and always in completely different directions, with each new project.

The common denominator is that it’s going to be a new script, staged in a uniquely theatrical way.

But the style and content of the script, and the choices in staging, will never be the same as the last thing they did.

And that’s ballsy, and it also keeps the audience on their toes. They will be entertained, but HOW exactly is this all gonna go down this time?

Whether it’s a wartime submarine drama told with a combination of actors and toys, or a sly (and hilarious) political allegory in the story of a wannabe pirate captain, or a multiversal love story, or a family medical crisis mixed with supernatural/mythological elements, it’s never the same thing twice.

So what might writer/director/producer Marcus Anthony and his latest band of collaborators be up to this time around?

Oddly enough, a remount of a previous production from back in 2016, but as you’ll see in the description, given our current context, particularly here in Minnesota, things are going to hit a little differently this time…

So Bright, The Night

Description:
So Bright the Night is a hard-boiled historical drama about the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930's. A woman boards a train in hopes to rescue her husband from deportation or worse. History is repeating itself.
Venue - Southern Theater
Content Warnings - Blood, Gun/Weapon Usage, Loud Noises, Violence
Genre and Content - Drama, Historical Content, Political Content
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

In addition to a couple of Hey Rube’s regular collaborators (Matthew Saxe and Shad Cooper) who I’m always happy to see, we also have Diego Symouksavanh in the cast as well, who was the best thing in last Fringe’s “La Tunda: A Reimagining of a Colombian Folklore.” The guy had a monologue that actually delivered on the supernatural menace that show was trying to conjure (with otherwise uneven results outside his performance).

Since there’s only a vague memory of having seen the original production and scouring past coverage in the blog is coming up empty, I’m curious to refresh my memory and see the script in this new context.

UPDATE - Their Fringe preview:

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Fringe 2026 Top 11-20 - #12 - Todd Sullivan - Maniac

Maniac

Description
A solo clown show loosely inspired by history's most intelligent serial killer — blending masks, movement, lo-fi origami, and absurd logic into a lunatic tribunal of comedy, tenderness, and chaos.
Venue – Rarig Xperimental
Content Warnings – Gun/Weapon Usage, Loud Noises, Suicidal Ideation/Self-Harm
Genre and Content – Solo Show, Clowning, Comedy, Improv, Physical Theater
Ages 12 to 15 and Up

This one could end up in the “I’m gonna regret this” category but I find myself drawn to this Fringe show largely because of the pedigrees of the visiting artists involved (see their bios below)

Also, I’ve come around to what clowns can do in a Fringe context. (Though “clown” without any serial killing involved is enough to make some people run for the exit.)

I have not, however, come around on the whole “serial killers are fascinating” school of thought, despite how much Netflix, particularly Ryan Murphy, wants me to view serial killers as super sexy monster boys.

Also I think the association with the title “Maniac” always leads my brain to the Michael Sembello song from the movie “Flashdance” which lulls me into a false sense of security because it’s so goofy.

The press packet materials gave some useful additional detail:

“A wildly comedic clown show blending masks, movement, and lo-fi origami into a lunatic tribunal.

Inspired by 19th-century trial proceedings of the world’s "most intelligent" serial killer, critically acclaimed music video director Todd Sullivan’s MANIAC i is a wild comedy that blends clown, movement, lo-fi origami, and theatrical chaos in an absurd and hilarious tribunal. Rather than retelling the crime in any straightforward way, Maniac turns judgment itself into a fever dream, a comic spectacle—part ritual, part vaudeville. The result is playful, unpredictable, ridiculous, and just dangerous enough to keep things interesting.

Should this man’s life be spared? That, unfortunately, is now your problem.

Sullivan, who has been called a “a vital, skilled mainstay within the Denver theater scene,” is making his debut at the Minnesota Fringe. The piece is directed by Natasha Mercado, the acclaimed performer, writer, and director whose work lives where vulnerability and absurdity meet. Mercado’s sensibility can be felt in the show’s balance of vulnerability, wildness, and theatrical attention.”

[Blogger note - 19th century - so NOT the clown/serial killer combo I was originally worried about]

Want further info? Here’s the artist bios:

“Todd Sullivan
writer/performer Todd Sullivan is a Denver-based performer, filmmaker, theater-maker, and teaching artist creating original work across clown, devised theater, improv, and film. Combining physical comedy, cinematic storytelling, live audience interaction, and a strong interest in theatrical image-making, Todd devises pieces concerned with theatrical risk, visual composition, the comic, the uncanny and the tender. He has devised, directed and performed pieces with/for OK Go, The Today Show (NBC), La Mama ETC (NYC), The Hammer Museum (LA), Second City, UCB and for the SF, NY, and Denver Fringe Festivals. He holds an MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory and an AB in Theater, Speech and Dance from Brown University.

Natasha Mercado
Director Natasha Mercado is a performer, writer, and director whose work lives where vulnerability and absurdity meet. A first-generation mixed-Latina artist, she creates worlds that are intimate, strange, and unapologetically alive. Her work centers the intelligence of the body and the audience relationship, building comedy through presence and invitation. David Shiner, co-creator of Cirque du Soleil, once called her “fearless and completely out of her mind.” Natasha’s practice spans solo performance, immersive theater, and film. Her award-winning solo works Tree and #1 Son have toured internationally from Hollywood to the Edinburgh Fringe, earning sold-out runs, critical acclaim, and extensive recognition. Across her work as a performer and director, she has received over 50 award nominations, winning more than half. On screen, Natasha has appeared on HBO, Adult Swim, Broadway Video and TBS, and was named an Emerging Content Creator by the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. Natasha is the creator of Soft Clown, a performance philosophy that treats sensitivity as a strength and pleasure as a compositional tool. As a director and teacher, she leads workshops in the U.S. and internationally, working both in-person and virtually with artists across borders.”