Grace Hillmyer, Lux Mortenson, Abilene Olson, and Marley Ritchie Photo by Bruce Silcox
Once or twice a year, I see a show so good I have to see it again and bring more people. Even less frequently, there’s a show that eclipses those rare few. It started in the spring of 2019 when two productions struck gold: Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Theatre Latté Da and Minneapolis Musical Theatre’s Be More Chill. Faithful readers will know those were the experiences that directly led to the creation of The Stages of MN later that year. Another example was Interstate: The Musical, a show tragically cut short by COVID.
Now, we can add to that list of productions that bypass “must-see” status and move directly into the pantheon of all-time favorites: Lizzie: The Rock Musical. This is the high we theater junkies chase. When every element, from music and lighting to performance and design, collides at the intersection of awe and adrenaline. I left the theater after opening night absolutely buzzing and immediately began plotting how to see it again. That’s no small feat for me. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.
You may not know what to expect from a musical about the infamous Lizzie Borden, who was acquitted in 1892 of the axe murders of her father and stepmother. Open Eye Theatre’s program describes it as a “Victorian punk homage” to the notorious figure, and that fits perfectly. It’s important to understand that this is a fictionalized retelling of the true-crime story, inspired in part by the childhood rhyme:
Lizzie Borden took an axe Gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, Gave her father forty-one.
Grace Hillmyer and Lux Mortenson Photo by Bruce Silcox
The musical assumes Lizzie’s guilt, suggesting her father’s “affection” may have crossed unsettling boundaries. It also explores a romantic relationship between Lizzie and her friend Alice Russell—what Lord Alfred Douglas once called “the love that dare not speak its name.” Amid all the blood and thunder, it’s the softer songs between Lizzie and Alice that linger. Numbers like “Maybe Someday,” “Will You Stay,” and the haunting “Will You Lie?” (which I immediately sought out on Apple Music afterward) offer moments of tenderness, grace, and humanity that deepen the tragedy.
Lux Mortenson plays Lizzie in a ferocious, no-prisoners performance, they slay every moment and every song. Their chemistry with Stages of MN favorite Grace Hillmyer as Alice is electric: their scenes are tender, tentative, and deeply moving. Mortenson’s powerhouse energy drives the show like a drumbeat, while Hillmyer’s quiet strength and lyrical vulnerability provide the emotional melody. Abilene Olson as Lizzie’s sister Emma and Marley Ritchie as the family’s servant Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan complete the quartet with precision and presence. It’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone else in these roles. This cast is so perfectly aligned that future productions will inevitably pale in comparison, another reason I’m already planning to see it again.
Helping elevate Lizzie to such heights is Joel Sass, who serves as both director and set designer. Open Eye Theatre consistently delivers exceptional design work, and Sass’s set is no exception. Michael Murnane’s lighting design adds striking atmosphere, while Amanda Weis’s music direction ensures a tight, thunderous sound from the band. Samantha Haddow’s costumes beautifully balance period detail with punk rock attitude. The result is a production that’s a full sensory feast, sights, sounds, and emotion working in perfect harmony.
Lizzie: The Rock Musical runs through November 2 at Open Eye Theatre. Opening weekend is already sold out, and the rest are sure to follow. So get your tickets now at openeyetheatre.org/lizzie-the-rock-musical.
Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.
The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the weekly Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.
So sorry, once again I took way too long to create the blog post that the latest episode of The Stages of MN is up and ready to be viewed on YouTube https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode14YouTube. Or listened to in a slightly condensed version in podcast form here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode14Podcast or wherever you enjoy podcasts.
Episode 14 is sponsored by Prime Productions, a theater company devoted to celebrating women in their second act. Check them out here https://www.primeprods.org/
This episode opens with a special announcement from Theater Blogger Jill Schafer about the 15th Anniversary of her blog Cherry and Spoon. Find out how you can help mark the Occassion and win theater tickets in the process! check out the details here http://www.cherryandspoon.com/
We also have another segment in our “What the Hell’s a Theater Blogger?” series. This time I’m chatting with Erica Skarohlid of Lettered in Theatre fame. You can read her blog here https://letteredintheatre.wordpress.com/
We’ve two reviews for you, one from guest blogger Jill Schafer of Cherry and Spoon. Jill gives us a review of The Ruins running through October 12th at the Guthrie Theater. Get tickets here https://www.guthrietheater.org. I’ll review the latest from Theatre Pro Rata, The Book of Will which runs at the Crane Theater through October 11th. Click here for tickets https://www.theatreprorata.org/
If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Stages of MN or just have a question of comment on the show or want to join The Stages of MN + 1 Club you can email me at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com
Hannah Jewel Kohn and Nick Fradiani Photo credit Jeremy Daniel
When I was growing up, Sunday was chore day. On the stereo, DJ’d by my stepmom, played a steady mix of the Statler Brothers and Neil Diamond. From a young age, I was immersed in Neil Diamond’s music, and I liked it. I still do. So for me, The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise was a chance to revisit one of the soundtracks of my childhood. Diamond wrote so many great songs, not just for himself but also for other performers, including The Monkees and UB40.
This jukebox musical is framed as a series of flashbacks, told by a retired Diamond in conversations with his therapist. His life story unfolds through the songs he wrote, offering a glimpse into how a songwriter draws inspiration from real life. I know Diamond’s songs well, but I don’t know much about his personal story. I can’t say how accurate this depiction is, but it feels plausible, and the show weaves the lyrics of his music into the narrative with remarkable skill.
The production features several strong performances, but the standout is Nick Fradiani as “Neil—Then” (the younger Diamond). His voice is about as close to the real thing as you can get without being Neil Diamond himself. Also noteworthy are Tiffany Tatreau and Hannah Jewel Kohn, who play Diamond’s first and second wives. When the lyrics are given to these characters, the songs reveal Diamond’s awareness of the emotional lives of those around him. The musical portrays him as deeply dedicated to his work, often on the road, and difficult to connect with, a true “Solitary Man” despite long-term relationships. These moments, especially the struggles within his marriages, are the most emotionally powerful.
The set design by David Rockwell is simple but effective, with a second-act reveal of the band in the background providing a delightful surprise. Kevin Adams’s lighting design heightens the energy and gives the impression of a much larger show than what is physically staged. The one disappointment is Emilio Sosa’s costume design, particularly for Diamond. While some work well, too many appear ill-fitting and don’t reflect the iconic looks I remember from his concert footage and television performances.
The bottom line: if you’re a Neil Diamond fan, you’ll probably love this show. It features many of his greatest hits, performed with energy and care. Even when Diamond isn’t singing them, the numbers can be extraordinary—especially Spencer Donovan Jones’s stirring rendition of “Shilo” late in the second act. If you’re not a superfan, you’ll still likely enjoy the show. And if you don’t know Neil Diamond, it just might make you a fan. But if you don’t like his music or his persona, this isn’t the show that will convert you.
The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise runs through October 5 at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. For more information and tickets, visit hennepinarts.org/events/a-beautiful-noise.
Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox—it’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.
The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the weekly Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.
Anyone Can Whistle is a rarely produced musical featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Debuting on Broadway on April 4, 1964, the show ran for twelve previews and nine performances before closing. Unlike much of Sondheim’s works Anyone Can Whistle is rarely performed. It’s easy to see why. And no, that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, I actually quite enjoyed this goofy little oddity. But goofy little oddities that strike that perfect cord that transfers into the kind of success that can sustain a Broadway run are few and far between. This clearly wasn’t and probably still isn’t that kind of show. But honestly, I think it’s weird enough with some great music to warrant a fully staged production by someone like say, oh I don’t know, Minneapolis Musical Theatre. I’m grateful that they have given us the opportunity to see the show in concert, though I should tell you this is more than just actors singing their songs, they are playing the characters and there is some blocking and visual storytelling going on. You get the full production here, don’t worry that you will just see singers singing through the songs, as the “In Concert” suggests.
The story centers around an economically depressed town run by Mayoress Cora Hoover Hooper and her stable of corrupt officials who fake a miracle in order to attract tourists. The plan works until Nurse Fay Apple brings her patients, known as Cookies from the local mental asylum which is referred to as The Cookie Jar, to see if the miracle will cure them. Things get kinda weird after that. Dr J. Bowden Hapgood comes to town and Nurse Apple who is in hiding, disguises herself as a French nurse with a bright red wig, a romance ensues. There’s also a weird suggested sexual relationship between the Mayoress and the City Comptroller, which may or may not be transactional. There are several stand out performances including both Hope Quinn as Fay Apple, and William Lucas as Dr. Hapgood. But I also enjoyed Benjamin Kruse as Comptroller Schub and Mary Palazzolo as Mayoress Hooper along with several members of the ensemble. Directed by Max Wojtanowicz with music Direction by Walter Tambor, they get a lot of bang out of a four person band.
This shaggy dog of the Sondheim oeuvre deserves to be seen, the closest thing I can compare it to plot wise is Urinetown. It’s fun, and does contain some pretty fantastic songs. But don’t wait too long it’s short run ends this weekend September 14th. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.aboutmmt.org/
Don’t depend on a Facebook or Instagram algorithms to ensure you hear about a great show. You can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. It’s the best way to ensure you don’t miss out on any of the theater action. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn.
The Stages of MN YouTube Channel is home of the weekly The Stages of MN Show which you can view by clicking on this link https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN. Check out the latest episodes and Subscribe to the channel so you’ll always know when a new episode has dropped. Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I’m also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read review roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.
Big Fish based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and the 2003 Tim Burton film from Columbia Pictures, could be aptly titled Dad Jokes and Stories: The Musical. I saw the film in the Theater with my son Alex when he would have been about five and a half years old. It sticks with me because of a memory I have of Alex laughing his head off at a scene where a baby goes sliding down the aisle of, I want to say an airplane. I’m not 100% sure that scene exists, and seeing the show with Alex 22 years later has made us both curious to revisit the film and see if my memory is true.
Daddy and Alex at Lyric Arts for Big Fish 9/5/2025 Photo by my right hand
I don’t know how faithful it is to the book I never read or the film I barely remembered, though story details did come back to me as we watched. I feel like there is a lot of consistency at least between the film and the musical. Which also makes sense because the screenplay for the film and the book for the musical were both written by John August. The show is about the relationship between a father, who tells tall tales, and his son who expecting his own son in a few months. The father, Edward, is dying and his son Will wants to know the truth about his father who has been an embarrassment to him throughout his life, always telling wildly implausible stories. The fun of the show is the enactment of these stories, which feature mermaids, giants, the circus, and a war story in which Edward thwarts the assassination of a general. Much of the humor comes in the style commonly referred to as Dad Joke’s, which being a Dad, I loved. The heart comes from the relationships. Whether it’s the romantic and loving relationship between Edward and his wife Sandra, the attempts to connect between Edward and Will, or how the myriad of other characters with who Edward interacts create a tapestry that tells his mythology. I can’t say any of the songs by Andrew Lippa have actually stuck with me, but they were enjoyable enough as the show played out.
The cast is led by Ben Bakken, who is terrific as Edward, with boundless energy and a twinkle in his eye as he unloads every whopper of a story. The other cast member whose performance I found really touching was Kate Beahen as Edward’s wife Sandra. Beahen is a gifted vocalist, but it’s the warmth and unwavering love she displays for Edward throughout that really grounds that relationship making her the glue that binds the family together. Director Scott Ford along with Music Director Wesley Frye, and Choreographer Hannah Weinberg-Goerger, wonderfully stage everything from the tall tales to the group dance numbers. Special shout out to Costume Designer Samantha Fromm Haddow who must have 5 or 6 different costumes for each of the 21 cast members. And special little nod to two performers in small roles that absolutely put their uniques stamp on the show, Justin Betancourt and Alex Stokes.
The show runs about 2 hours and 35 minutes including the intermission, but it doesn’t feel long at all. The storyline that threads its way through the episodic stories told by Edwards keep it clipping along and allows us a variety to the storytelling that keeps it fresh. Alex and I both really enjoyed revisiting the story of Edward and Will and all the fantastical characters that populate it. Big Fish runs through September 28th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/big-fish
Don’t depend on a Facebook or Instagram algorithms to ensure you hear about a great show. You can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. It’s the best way to ensure you don’t miss out on any of the theater action. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn.
The Stages of MN YouTube Channel is home of the weekly The Stages of MN Show which you can view by clicking on this link https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN. Check out the latest episodes and Subscribe to the channel so you’ll always know when a new episode has dropped. Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I’m also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read review roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.
Day 10 brought the sad news that Jackdonkey Productions had to cancel their final performance of 503. Hopefully they will do a remount in the future. From what I heard from those who caught it, it’s too good not to be seen. We are hoping that Jeffrey Nolan is on the mend and want to share Jacdonkey’s venmo account with you which is @jackdonkeyprod. I know they would appreciate any donations to help offset the financial costs that went into producing a show that you weren’t able to perform. This is a young theater company with young Actors and artists in the company, I think that’s probably all I need to say to make you understand how much your donations would mean.
This was the penultimate day of the Fringe Festival. I’ll be seeing shows in the first two slots and the last slot tomorrow and then attending the closing night party. On that last day I’ll be trying to capture some quick sound bites of what everyone’s favorite show was and how many productions they saw. I’ll have fans and buttons with me to give out. If you are headed to Mixed Blood or Theatre in the Round tomorrow flag me down to get a fan, those venues in my experience can get rather warm, and the fans really help. Below read my reviews of all the shows I saw on day 10!
So I was able to catch MicroMedics after all. This improv show’s format is that we follow the adventures and loves of the MicroMedics, which are a crew of Doctors shrunk down to fight diseases inside of human bodies in their MicroMedic ship. Where Rec League is Improv at the top of its game with seasoned improv performers, this is younger performers who don’t always read what each other are putting down but get enough laughs to make it worth seeing. There are definitely some good performers in this group and it will be fun to watch them develop their skills over the coming years. The best part of the show might be their adorable and choreographed opening theme song and their outfits. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/micromedics
I’m not gonna lie, I have a soft spot for Destiny Davison’s Dolly Who since first encountering the cartoonist character at the 2023 Minnesota Fringe Festival. Her offbeat sense of humor isn’t for everyone, but I kinda vibe to it. DOLLY WHO?’S HOLIDAY HORROR SHOW has Dolly hosting a show based on a holiday we all create together. It features her signature line drawn cartoon characters along with a host of invisible technicians who help put the show together. It’s chock full of bizarre lighting and sound effects, with Dolly seemingly as unsettled as we are by everything that is occuring. If you get Dolly, you’ll enjoy the show, if it isn’t your thing it may leave you cold. Another really cool thing for fans is she has all sorts of magnets, buttons, stickers and fun merch you can pick up if you enjoy her artwork as much as I do. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/dolly-who-s-holiday-horror-show
Final Dress is another improv show, I should warn you, this was a big improv day for me with four of the seven shows I saw being improv ones. This one is the brainchild of Michael DallaValle & Sean Dillon who together are Dilly Dally. This one is supposedly the final dress rehearsal for a new play, each performance has a guest Director who walks the Actors through the show. The name of the play is up to the guest Director, for my performance they were directed by Duck Washington and the play was titled After the Goblin Wars. It’s improv so it’s always going to be different, but note to self and faithful readers next time you see that Dilly Dally is doing a show, get tickets. It’s the type of Fringe show where you wish you could see every performance. It’s such a great concept and they are both brilliant improvisors, and I’m sure it didn’t hurt that Washington is also an accomplished improvisor. But honestly, looking at the other four Directors they had lined up, I don’t think you could have gone wrong at any of the performances. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/final-dress
The Temporary Tattoo Trio was a riot, plus I got inked, temporarily. This high energy show about three best friends named Tyler living their best lives as temporary tattoo artists and spending as much time as possible at the most beautiful place on earth, Wisconsin Dells. It takes an unexpected turn, and then another, and this ludicrously upbeat and silly show gets surprisingly real. It doesn’t get dark, and it doesn’t stop being funny. But the guys, like all good actors, commit to their characters and it makes all the difference. I don’t want to give anything away, but this was damn near a tie for The Fringe of the Day Award. But I promised myself I wasn’t going to be wishy washy and do ties this year. So I flipped a coin. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/the-temporary-tattoo-trio
Cabin Fever was improv show number three today and that’s about where I would rank it as well. It’s more successful than MicroMedics, but doesn’t quite reach the level of Final Dress and Dice of Destiny:Neon City, which wasthe final show of the day. This one is a reality show about lesbians who are dropped into a remote cabin in the woods for 6 weeks to see who will be chosen by Ashley, the girls they are all trying to woo. This is the final episode, so Ashley will chose the one she feels she has a love connection with. I’m not sure what reality shows to compare it to, as I’ve never watched any of these finding love shows like The Bachelor or Love Island, which I assume is what these are based on. It’s quite fun and the host, a drag queen named Buttercream, is really good. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/cabin-fever
An Exorcism, Don’tcha Know? has demonic possession, Lutefisk, Bars (the bake sale kind not the alcohol serving kind), and Minnesotan accents as thick as a sixth grade english teachers eyebrows. This cross between the Church Basement Ladies and The Exorcist is a pretty gosh darn good time. Anyone that spent time in the Luthern church, which I have, will probably get an extra jolt of recognition out of the whole thing. But maybe Minnesota churches, particularly in smallish towns, are all more or less the same. The show trades heavily on the audience’s knowledge of the Minnesota caricature, and we all ate it up! Earning it The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/an-exorcism-don-tcha-know-
Dice of Destiny: Neon City by The Bearded Company was the fourth Improv show of the day and is basically on exactly the same level as Final Dress. Final Dress is what I believe they call long form Improv, meaning the entire show is telling one story as opposed to a bunch of different little scenes that don’t necessarily fit together. So if that’s long form, I guess Dice of Destiny: Neon City is very long form Improv. You see, each of the five Fringe performances picks up the story where the last performance left off. So the five performances together make up one long story. Another show in which you wish you could see all five performances. The setup is a future world where the population is controled by a giant corporation through drugs. And the pair of 80’s style movie characters who try and save the future. The interesting twist aside from the serialized story is that it incorporates role playing. Not the playing of roles, though obviously they do that too, but they actually role a 20 sided dice to determine if their actions are successful or not. This is a well polished troop that has been performing locally for years. In the leads are the excellent Anna Tobin and Endometriosis: The Musical co-creator Maria Bartholdi. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/dice-of-destiny-neon-city
That’s it for day ten of the Minnesota Fringe Festival you can click on the Fringe website here to get details on all of the shows https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025. Don’t forget to tune into The Stages of MN YouTube channel for mini episodes all week long from The MN Fringe Festival https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN
Subscribe to the channel so you’ll always know when a new episode has dropped. Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I’m also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read review roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.
Don’t depend on a Facebook or Instagram algorithms to ensure you hear about a great show. You can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. It’s the best way to ensure you don’t miss out on any of the theater action. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subs
OK, day four of the Minnesota Fringe festival is behind u. Here are my reviews for the shows I saw on day four, including The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winner. I’ve now seen 22 of my projected 45 shows, keep checking back for my reviews of the remaining 23. Haven’t made it out yet yourself? Here’s the link to the Fringe website so you can pick some shows https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025
Journey to Joy, Again, Marie Cooney’s latest solo story telling show is funny, endearing, and empowering. It begins with coming out as a lesbian woman and ends with coming out as a person with a disability. The success of her show is a testament to the reality that our set backs don’t have to stop us, they can redefine us. Cooney has taken her injuries and turned them into a story of overcoming adversity, and of of developing advocacy. It’s filled with moments of triumph and Joy as well as sprinkled with advice for anyone who is going through something similar. Cooney who has suffered two traumatic brain injuries uses moments in her show where she searches for a word or loses her place (this doesn’t happen often) as an opportunity to educate the audience on techniques she has learned to help her navigate those moments. This is such an inviting experience which opens with Cooney asking the Artists in the audience to tell about their shows and audience members to share their recommendations. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/journey-to-joy-again
I am Here is a storytelling anthology with rotating performers, so each performance will be different. But the connecting thread is about existence and resistance. The performance I saw had moments of laughter and moments of stunned silence. Go to the shows page and see what performers you are most interested in seeing and then go to that performance. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/i-am-here
The Book of Mordor is a musical version of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy using the music from the musical The Book of Mormon. It kind of amazing how much of the 10 + hour runtime they are able to cover in 60 minutes. It’s also very impressive how funny the songs are and how good the singers are especially given the fact I’m unfamiliar with most of them, I assume that’s because they appear to be from Mankato. Like Hamluke from Day 2 it’s kind of surprising how well these two wildly different properties mash up. The Costumes are well done and cleverly conceived and the humor goes beyond just funny songs. But it also feels respectful of The Lord of the Rings you get the feeling that the creators of the show Carissa Christenson and Kendra Braunger are genuine fans. I really enjoyed The Book of Mordor and have awarded it The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award! To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/the-book-of-mordor
Against My Will is local Actor Michael Quadrozzi’s solo show about the childhood environment in which he grew up and the ramifications it has caused throughout his life. From a narcissistic Mother to his Dad dying when he was in his early 20’s. The glimpses we get into his formative years are indeed traumatic. Quadrozzi is an open and sympathetic performer, and he forges a genuine connection with the audience. Given the subject matter it is surprisingly funny and entertaining. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/against-my-will
Boxcutter Harmonica this two man show by and starring J. Merrill Motz (rhymes with Boats) along with Martin Dockery is a fascinating investigation into the Crossroads legend. Which is where one goes to make a deal with the devil in order to become the best at whatever they are trying to be the best at. The story dates back to Faust but the most common variation on this story in modern history revolves around a blues guitar player Robert Johnson. And that is the focus of The show ,which is presented as a lecture given by Detective White played by hardcore Fringe performer and visiting Artist Martin Dockery and Inspector Black played by local amateur performer Motz. Motz is competent in the role, but to be completely honest, Dockery carries him throughout the performance. And it’s Dockery’s skills on the guitar that are really what makes this show worth putting on your list. I suspect Motz leaned on a friendship and the promise of giving all the best lines to Dockery that got him in the show. Warning: the promised build-your own Reuben sandwich buffet never materialized as promised following the show. It was still worth seeing, but don’t plan your meal break around it like I did. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/boxcutter-harmonica
Breakneck Twelfth Night by Timothy Mooney, with assist from Will Shakespeare is Twelfth Night performed at breakneck speed. Somehow Mooney gets through the entire twelfth Night in an hour. I mean I don’t have the play memorized or anything and I’m sure there are cuts to the text, but the plot is intact. Mooney does a great job of making the language accessible and even adds in some footnotes to help the audience understand what is happening . He’s a consummate performer and I’m glad I adjusted my schedule to see it. Full confession and an apology to the Artist and any other Artist this may happen to throughout the Festival. I kept catching myself nodding off throughout the performance. This had absolutely nothing to do with what was happening on stage, this was a physiological response to seeing 22 shows in four days getting at most 5 hours of sleep a night and feeling completely wiped out by the 8:30 time slot. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/breakneck-twelfth-night
The Spirit Moves You To Color The Unseen is Created by The Winding Sheet Outfit. They are a theater company I am always impressed with whether it’s a Fringe presentation or at the Twin Cities Horror Fest their shows are always beautifully designed and executed while having impossible to remember or sometimes even pronounce titles. When I go to a show I’m not expecting to learn anything, but I love it when I do. This show is about the artist Hilma af Klint played by Boo Segersin and to a lesser extent her four friends with whom she made up De Fem (the Five), played by Heather Meyer, Kayla Dvorak Feld, Megan Campbell Lagas, and Peyton McCandless. They were a group devoted to Theosophy which appears to be a combination of spiritualism and science. She is the true creator of the abstract art style. The show is dedicated to making her story known and setting the record straight at least for those who attend this show. It is a reminder of the injustices done throughout history in order to preserve the patriarchy. Hilma af Klint lived from 1862-1944 and because she was a woman, she has been sidelined and had her accomplishments obscured and stolen by men and the art world in general. Aside from the subject matter, which is completely fascinating, the production itself is beautifully rendered. Particularly the costume of the Spirit played by Kristina Fjellman and designed by Mandi Johnson. It is also features unexpected humor by way of occasional interjections and interactions with the shows Director, Amber Bjork. To purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/the-spirit-moves-you-to-color-the-unseen
That’s it for day four of the Minnesota Fringe Festival you can click on the Fringe website here to get details on all of the shows https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025. Don’t forget to tune into The Stages of MN YouTube channel for mini episodes all week long from The MN Fringe Festival https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN
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