Moonwatchers a Remounting of the 2022 The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winning show, is Over the Moon Fun at Open Eye Theatre

Moonwatchers is a remounting of a 2022 Minnesota Fringe show that won The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award. It’s been over two years since I initially saw it so I didn’t recall much of the show going into it. Here’s what I said then: It’s a hilarious show about two moonwatchers whose job it is to turn on the moon each night and manage various night sky activities like having the cow jump over the moon and a comet fly by. It’s all pretty routine until one night they discover the moon has been stolen. While one of the moonwatchers subs in for the moon the other goes off in search of the moon rustler who made off with it. Yes, you read that right – they are not just a myth, there really are moon rustlers. This show gives you everything: comedy, music, comets, cows, and if that isn’t enough, it gives you the moon as well, literally. It’s the kind of show that sinks or swims on the personalities of it’s two performers. Nigel Berkeley and Corey Farrell are two very charming moonwatchers.

The show runs a quick 45 minutes and if you’ve never seen a Fringe show here’s a great chance to experience one without the overwhelming Fringe atmosphere. This is the very definition of a Fringe show, silly and offbeat and just a damn good time. It felt very close to what I remember from 2022, but with the addition of the creative production design from Open Eye Artistic Director Joel Sass. Sass adds his trademark theatrical magic making this a perfect way for Open Eye Theatre to open their 2024-2025 season. It’s the type of show that’s a great introduction to tween and teenagers who are maybe growing out of the Children’s productions. This has the whimsy of something aimed at kids but is decidedly more mature without being FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. No, this is just perfect for anyone say 10 and up, and I mean all the way up to 100! Moonwatchers runs through September 22nd at Open Eye Theatre in South Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.openeyetheatre.org/moonwatchers

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