Minnesota Fringe Day 1: A Sad Carousel 2: The Timely Death of Herschel Douscheburg, Fangs and Bangs (and Sangs), The Kendra Plant Variety Hour, In the Garden of American Heroes (The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winner)

The Minnesota Fringe Festival began with a bang this year. That may be partially my fault, I deliberately stacked the first night so that Micky would get to see these four shows. The unforeseen problem was that any of these four shows could easily have garnered the highly unknown and mostly uncoveted (which spellcheck assures me is not a word, but you know what I mean and therefore I’m laying claim to inventing it!) The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award. Only one show made me get a little teary eyed and that was The Kendra Plant Variety Hour, but if I pick that will you all say I’m giving it to that show because she’s a fellow Theater Blogger? What about Sam Landman and Nissa Nordland’s shows? They are both very funny “currently” a couple, what if awarding one of them the Award over the other drives a wedge of jealousy between them and causes their status to change to “formerly”? That’s a lot of imaginary power for one Theater Blogger. And so I decided to go with Andrew Erskine Wheeler’s In the Garden of American Heroes, because I was too afraid to pick any of the others. No that’s not true, but it was a tough call on this first night of the 2025 Minnesota Fringe Festival. Here are my quick reviews of the first four shows I saw.

A Sad Carousel 2: The Timely Death of Herschel Douscheburg is apparently a sequel to a show Sam Landman did 15 years ago. That was well before my time on the Fringe beat, so I never saw the original. I can tell you with all confidence that this is one sequel, unlike the latest marvel movies, that you can enjoy without ever having seen the previous show. The humor comes from Landman’s character, an insult comic who is considered toxic by todays comedians, dealing with a world that has moved on since he went into a coma. It takes shots at the toothless comedy of the younger generation. I’m old enough to find a lot of it funny and to recognize Douscheburg as an exaggeration of my generation’s sometimes eye rolling at how far the pendulum has swung in terms of what can be joked about. I’m not saying Douscheburg speaks for me, but I understand where he’s coming from. Featuring a totally committed performance from Landman, including a hair and costume that perfectly complete the picture. We are treated to a fun supporting cast which includes Director Shanan Custer’s husband Eric Custer (for those who were at the show, you’ll know that now they are even), Eric Webster does a great job changing hats and in doing so changing from Eric Webster wearing one hat, to Eric Webster wearing a different hat. An Actor of his calibre is only limited by the number of hats available to him. I’m not criticizing Webster, it’s a play on a joke in the show. Webster is a favorite and a lot of fun here. To learn more about the show which performs in the Rarig Thrust stage and to purchase tickets go to the shows page at The Minnesota Fringe Site here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/a-sad-carousel-2-the-timely-death-of-herschel-douscheburg

Fangs and Bangs (and Sangs) is equal parts funny and endearing. Nordland has been a Stages of MN favorite along with her “current” Plus one since I saw them both in Nordland’s Twin Cities Horror Festival show, Incarnate. This is one of those shows that will be different every night and makes me wish there were only 40 shows in the festival so I could see them all and this one for all five performances. The format is that Nordland shares her journal entries and poems she wrote in Junior High and High School. A lot of us did those things, but how many would have the guts to share them now with an audience of strangers. She also wrote vampire romantic fiction which she has a rotating crew of guest actors perform from cold readings. Peppered throughout are songs that mattered to her during those years, but they are not played via the sound system they are performed as well by a rotating group of guest musicians, of which Nordland is one and also sings some of the songs. I had the honor of being present at Executive Director of the Minnesota Fringe Festival made her Fringe performance debut on Violin! This is really an especially sweet and funny show that is led by that little pixie with the twinkle in her eye who shares her teenage soul with the audience, understanding that we love her and are laughing with her, not at her. I’ve looked at the page and guarantee that the rotating artists pool doesn’t have a weak link, so it’s going to be great whenever your slot it into your schedule. For more info and to get tickets go to this shows page here https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/fangs-and-bangs-and-sangs-

The Kendra Plant Variety Hour: Good Things Edition! -with special guests- full disclosure this is a show put on my my friend and fellow Twin Cities Theater Blogger Kendra Plant. I think it’s great! It’s the one show that got my eyes watering a little bit. Kendra is pushing herself to try something new and that’s a general theme throughout her show. There are three guests the first is the TAM Edo Bayashi Ensemble which performs traditional Japanese arts, and in this case accompanied by flute and drums a performer in a giant lion puppet performs an enchanting traditional Lion Dance. The Puppet alone is worth the price of admission as it’s quite exquisite. The second Act is Emily Boyajian a composer who absolutely thrilled me last year with her Opera Transition. It is I believe the only Fringe show I’ve ever seen twice. Last year the Opera about two Transgender people transitioning together was basically a staged performance of the piece, with two fabulous singers and an 11 piece orchestra backing them. Here we get Boyajian playing a keyboard and singing the songs herself. And while we don’t get the full Opera or the full effect of an orchestra what we do get is something that feels even more personal. Boyajian is such a talented human and I hope I get to see Transition performed again in full someday. The final act is Jolie Meshbesher who performs dance routines to two songs. the second of which ends with a nearly nude Meshbesher on stage. Which makes it the second most graphic display of nudity I saw on day one of the Fringe Festival. For more about the show and to purchase tickets go to https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/the-kendra-plant-variety-hour-good-things-edition-with-special-guests#tickets

In The Garden Of American Heroes Andrew Erskine Wheeler gives what I believe is referred to as a brave performance. Translation: this is the most graphic display of nudity I saw on day one of the festival. But it’s more than brave, it’s a reminder of what a captivating Actor Wheeler is. My first exposure (I’m sorry I couldn’t help it) to Wheeler was his Fringe show Whoosh! which I later saw a remount of at Mill Stone Museum the next summer and will be getting a run this coming winter in early 2026 at History Theater in St. Paul. That was a favorite show of that festival and Wheeler again dives into history and comes up with the story of General Custer who we exam in all his glory (honestly you try and do this without saying things like that). What makes this show the winner of The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award is Wheeler’s penis, I mean performance. No seriously, it’s the way he digs into a character and gives such a focused and intense penis, Goddammit! performance! Man this is hard (now stop it!) It’s a great performance, a fascinating look at history and the perfect show to bring your Grandmother to. For more information and purchase tickets here’s the link to the show page https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/in-the-garden-of-american-heroes

That’s it for day one 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. That’s it for day one 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.

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Episode 6: The Stages of MN “Good Things Edition” With Special Guest Kendra Plant

Faithful readers, if you aren’t already faithful viewers, what are you waiting for? click here for the latest episode https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode6YT. Or listen to the podcast version here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode6Podcast. On which The Stages of MN chats with fellow Twin Cities Theater Blogger Kendra Plant of Artfully Engaging https://www.kendraplant.com/blog-artfully-engaging about her upcoming https://minnesotafringe.org/ Show. https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2025/the-kendra-plant-variety-hour-good-things-edition-with-special-guests

My MN Honest Reviews are Love and Baseball running through 7/28 at Artistry in Bloomington click here for tickets https://artistrymn.org/loveandbaseball and the 10th Anniversary production of Glensheen running through 7/27 at History Theatre, click here for those tickets https://www.historytheatre.com/2024-2025/glensheen

Follow me on Facebook / thestagesofmn and Instagram / thestagesofmn The show will also be available tomorrow in podcast form at https://robdunkelberger.podbean.com/ or wherever you enjoy podcasts

I’ve officially launched The Stages of MN YouTube Channel which you can view by clicking on this link. https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN. Check out the intro videos and the weekly episodes. 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.

Love and Baseball is a Home Run at Artistry

Dustin Bronson and Kendra Mueller *Photo by Alyssa Kristine Photography*

Love and Baseball reopens the Artistry Black Box Theatre in Bloomington. How long has it been closed? I have no idea, I didn’t even know they had one. So I’m guessing since the Pandemic. I’ll tell you what though, it is a great space and I’m looking forward to next season at Artistry even more knowing there is programming for this space as well. You can get a gander at Artistry’s terrific looking 2026 season here https://artistrymn.org/2026season. Love and Baseball is a two hander directed by one of The Stages of MN favorites as an Actor, Director, and Theater owner (The Hive Collaborative) Eric Morris. Here Morris creatively tells the story of three meetings between two people who seem to belong together. Each meeting between Will and Michele begins awkwardly and ends with you yearning for them to kiss. It’s a Romcom about two people you want to get together but something keeps getting in their way, their own life choices mostly.

The script Jerry Montoya is full of baseball stories and analogies, some straightforward but some that only occurs to you the longer you think about it, even the structure of the play seems to correlate to baseball, three strikes, three outs, three acts. But you do not need to know anything about baseball to fully connect and enjoy this play. Everything that you need to know is explained to you, and if you are worried that it will all be about baseball, it isn’t. Will loves baseball and so he uses it to illustrate a point and that becomes the template for their subsequent meetings. Morris finds ways to incorporate the baseball theme into every aspect of the show including having the actors change on stage between scenes as if they were in locker rooms on either side of the stage. The set design by Katie Phillips cleverly incorporates the baseball theme. The play is set in the living room of a rented house and along the floor is the outline of a baseball diamond. The walls are the chainlink fence of a park baseball field, which allows us to see through into the kitchen or bathroom when one of the characters leaves the room. There are some nice technical touches as well from Lighting Designer Grant E. Merges whose subtle dimming of the lights at key moments nurtures the emotional connection that is forming between the characters and the audience. Sound Designer Richard Graham adds cute sound cues that tie everything back in to baseball, and there are some great music cues as well.

Montoya’s script is smart, funny, and emotionally nuanced but it takes just the right actors to hit it out of the park. Thankfully, Morris has perfectly cast this production. This show works because we want the characters to get together in the end. We only have 90 minutes with them, so their chemistry has to be almost immediate. It may sound shallow to say but, the short cut to manifesting that acceptance in the audience, of their almost instant attraction is to cast two Actors who are attractive to the audience. We find them attractive and therefore believe they would find each other attractive. In Dustin Bronson and Kendra Mueller we have two very attractive Actors to be sure, but also two very talented Actors. That shortcut allows us to get onboard quickly but it’s the Actors charm, their playful interactions, the way they seem completely caught off guard every Act by the feelings the other stirs in them that makes this a grand slam of a play. Bronson’s awkwardness at unexpectedly finding Michele, who is waiting for his roommate in the house, is beautifully played. We see the struggle in him initially between his desire to turn on the Dodgers play off game or be polite to the stranger. The longer the scene goes on Bronson, motivations gradually shift from a desire to be polite to genuine desire. Mueller, who has apparently been in hiding for a number of years, because I’m completely unfamiliar with her, is confidant, intelligent, and perfect in the role. I think it’s her playful confidence contrasted with Bronson’s timidity at first that really cements her appeal. She draws him out and once they get on equal footing we realize there is a yearning in ourselves to see these two together that harmonizes with the characters own feelings. It’s interesting to me the similarities between the emotions I felt during this play and those I feel during a Jane Austen book, film or play. Especially since Bronson earned a place on my MUST SEE list in Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley at The Jungle Theater in 2022. In fact it feels like a modern Jane Austen story, the secret that keeps them apart, the longing for the two to come together.

Love and Baseball runs through July 28th at Artistry in Bloomington. I loved the space, the play, the cast. If you love baseball you’ll love it. If you hate baseball, I assure you you’ll still love this play, liking baseball has nothing to do with the enjoyment of this play in any way. For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://artistrymn.org/loveandbaseball

Episode 5: The Stages of MN Hits the Road in Search of the Great River Shakespeare Festival

Faithful readers, if you aren’t already faithful viewers, what are you waiting for? click here for the latest episode https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode5. On which The Stages of MN traveled down to Winona, MN for The Great River Shakespeare Festival (GRSF). I talked to the people behind the scenes and those on stage to give you a complete picture of the festival. I even got a lesson in Intimacy Coordination from the Artistic Director Doug Scholz-Carlson. But I didn’t do it alone I had a little help from my friend fellow Twin Cities Theater Blogger Jil Schafer of Cherry and spoon. You can read her reviews at http://www.cherryandspoon.com/

My MN Honest Reviews are of the two shows playing in the festival Romeo & Juliet and The Comedy of Errors. For info on the GRSF, those shows and to purchase tickets go to https://www.grsf.org/. We also have our customary “At a Show With…” montage of who I saw out at the Theater this week.

Special thanks this week to Chanhassen Dinner Theaters (CDT) for Sponsoring this episode. Check out all the happening out at CDT here https://chanhassendt.com/. If you are interested in sponsoring an episode you can email me at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com

Follow me on Facebook / thestagesofmn and Instagram / thestagesofmn The show will also be available tomorrow in podcast form at https://robdunkelberger.podbean.com/ or wherever you enjoy podcasts

The Music Man is Terrific With Capital T and that Rhymes With P and That Stands for Perfect for the Whole Family at Lyric Arts in Anoka

Pictured: Tony Potts, Ben Glisczinski, Brandon Osero, Holli Richgels, Shana Eisenberg, Cole Strelecki Photo by: Molly Jay

The Music Man is one of a few musicals where the book, music and lyrics were created by one person Meredith Willson. It is brimming with memorable songs “Iowa Stubborn“, “Goodnight My Someone“, “Wells Fargo Wagon”, “Till There Was You” and all time rouser “Seventy-Six Trombones” as well as many others. It’s one of a handful of musicals that I was very very familiar with growing up, mainly from the 1962 film version starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. What’s nice about this show, is that it’s fun for the whole family. I was only 8 when I fell under its spell and I hope families will use this production as a way to introduce their 8 year olds to the joys of a good old fashioned musical.

For those who don’t know, the music man of the title is Professor Harold Hill, Gary Conservatory of Music, Gold-Medal class of Aught-Five. Or at least that’s what he wants the citizens of River City, Iowa to believe. In reality, he’s a flim-flam artist who works his way across the country town by town, selling the idea of a boys band. The idea is the key word there, because he sells them the instruments and the uniforms, and then skips town with the money without teaching the boys to play a note. In fact, he doesn’t know one note from another. What he can do is keep everyone off balance long enough that they don’t realize there is never going to be a band. His first step is to create a need for a boys band. When he learns that the town has just gotten its first pool table, he uses it to rile up the citizens by pointing out the slippery slope to corruption that pool tables represent to the youth of River City. Which he points out in the song “Ya Got Trouble“, that’s Trouble with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for Pool. Well, it’s hard to argue with logic like that. His second step is to introduce at a town gathering the idea of keeping the young boys out of the pool hall by exposing them to a more morally enriching activity like, oh I don’t know, a boys band? Step three, keep the Music Teacher off balance so that she doesn’t expose him as a fake before he collects and gets out of town. Of course the Music Teacher isn’t like the others he’s come across in his travels, this is “Marian The Librarian” and he will find himself as off balance as she is by the end.

Key to the success of any production of The Music Man is the casting of Harold Hill and Marion. Lyric has great performers in each role. Tony Potts has the charm and charisma necessary to sell this character’s ability to talk anybody into almost anything. He almost convinces Paul Reyburn’s Mayor Shinn to purchase an instrument for a son he doesn’t even have. The role of Marion, which is played by Nadia Frazen, requires an exquisite voice, which she certainly has. The show is filled with great supporting players as well. From the always hilarious Alex Stokes, who finds a way to distinguish himself from the other three members of the school board/barbershop quartet with his unique comic timing and performance. To the talented young folks Maddox Tabalba as Winthrop and Ava Fox as Amaryllis. But there was one performer, whom I’m not even sure had a single line of dialogue, that really wowed me and that was William Kroeger. If I had to guess I’d say he was six or seven years old at most, but he’s as precise in his choreography, maybe more so than some of his adult cast-mates. Sometimes you see a performer that just has “it”. It’s a little early to say for Kroeger, but he seems to have the natural ease on stage that makes for a great performer, if he chooses to pursue it. He’s one to keep your eyes on.

The show is directed and choreographed by Lauri Kraft who does a great job of keeping the action fluid and the cast moving in the Lyric Arts, smallish stage. The dance moves particularly in “Seventy-Six Trombones” are impressive. With that scene feeling like carefully controlled, planned, and executed chaos. I also appreciated the clever staging of how to have Hill keep trying to engage Marion in conversation while she will not stop walking. If she were to actually walk she would cross the stage before the first exchange ended, and to do all of the exchanges they would have had to have them walk in circles around the stage. Instead Kraft has them walk in place and it works very effectively. In fact the set design cleverly works along the same principle. Greg Vanselow’s design consists of just a few pieces that are reconfigured quickly creating different locals and at times are moved by cast members to help create the illusion of movement.

The Music Man is a favorite musical of The Stages of MN and Lyric Arts Production does this piece of American Musical Theater justice. Strong performances, wonderful choreography and direction and a smart and creative production design make this a great show to enjoy on the hottest summer days. The Music Man runs through August 10th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/music-man

Episode 3: The Stages of MN Meets Will Sturdivant and a Game is Played. Available Now!!!

Faithful Readers and hopefully now Faithful Viewers and Listeners, the latest episode of The Stages of MN Show is up on YouTube https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode3 as well as in the slightly shorter Audio only Podcast version which you can listen to here https://bit.ly/TSOMNPodcastEpisode3 or search for The Stages of MN wherever you enjoy podcasts!

On this weeks episode, I chatted with Actor and Author Will Sturdivant about his path to becoming an actor, his new books, and The Great River Shakespeare Festival; where he is performing in Romeo and Juliet and The Comedy of Errors through July 27th in Winona, MN. I also try and stump Will with the shakespeare game. Where he has to identify what character spoke a line and for extra points which play it came from. Will was on fire, but I wont spoil if he was able to beat the game and in doing so, win back his car keys. You can click here for more about the Festival and to purchase tickets https://www.grsf.org/. I’ll be there for my third year in a row on July 11th to take in both shows with a few of my fellow Twin Cities Theater Bloggers Jill Schafer of Cherry and Spoon http://www.cherryandspoon.com/ and Carol and Julie Jackson of Minnesota Theater Love https://www.mntheaterlove.com/. So if you see us around, don’t be shy, say hi! Get a picture and you’ll find yourself up on the next episode of The Stages of MN!

Also on this weeks episode a look at opening night of Cabaret at the Guthrie Theater as well as a review of the show running through August 24th. Click here for more info and to purchase tickets https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2024-2025-season/cabaret/. We also have a review of Madagascar: A Musical Adventure at Stages Theatre Company running through August 3rd, Click here for tickets to that show https://www.stagestheatre.org/madagascar-a-musical-adventure/. As always we have the photo montage of who I saw out at the theater last week. We also cover some breaking news in Verona that you will not want to miss. Don’t forget to Like, Review, share and subscribe.

Madagascar: A Musical Adventure is Fun for All Ages at Stages Theatre Company

Madagascar: A Musical Adventure is a stage adaptation of the popular DreamWorks animated film that came out when my kids were little. I know I saw the film, but to be honest it has completely left my memory I have some memory of penguins and lemurs but that’s about it. Luckily prior knowledge of the film is not needed to enjoy this simple tale of Zoo animals who go looking for something more. As with most children’s shows there is a positive message about friendship and this one focuses on best friends Alex the Lion and Marty the Zebra. Marty is having a midlife crisis, she is 10 years old and still doesn’t know if she’s black with white stripes or white with black stripes. When she decides to leave the zoo and see what’s out in the world her friends led by Alex go after her to bring her back. Somehow they all end up in crates on a ship in the ocean. They go overboard and wash up on the shores of Madagascar. There they’re befriended by Lemurs who hope Alex will protect them from their carnivorous enemies. Meanwhile Alex is getting hungry and while his friends are content with the lemurs vegetarian diet, Alex’s instincts began to get the better of him.

I think most kids are going to have a great time with this show. The songs are fun and lively and there’s even a more poignant lament sung by Marty that’s really kind of beautiful. The cast a mix of a few strategic adults and lots of kids who do a great job. The Costume and Make-up Designer Samantha Fromm Haddow deserves full marks for the wonderful animal costumes. I loved the hoofs and headpiece on Marty, particularly the penguins which are puppets controlled by men dressed like Jake and Elwood Blues, are really well done. There’s a nice set design too by Joe Johnson effective as the Zoo and then surprisingly lush when transformed to Madagascar. If your wee ones like animals and music, they will have an adventure with this show and the audience really gets into it clapping along and dancing in their seats, or maybe they just needed the restroom. Either way it’s a fun show for families.

Madagascar: A Musical Adventure runs through August 3rd at Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.stagestheatre.org/madagascar-a-musical-adventure/