Golden Lanyard Awards

2024 will be the fifth Golden Lanyard Awards! 

Awardees were announced Sunday, August 11th during the 
Closing Night Party at Can Can Wonderland.

Audience-driven Awards 

Spirit of the Fringe (1 recipient): Vote for the "Fringiest" production you saw in this year's Festival Season! Who made the boldest choices, took the most risks? Which piece took audiences on an adventure?

• "A First-Class Comedic Revue... Featuring the Reanimated Corpse of a Wright Brother" by an alleged Theatre Company

Audience Picks (3 recipients): Vote for your favorite production of the Festival Season!

• "The Dumb Waiter" by Jackdonkey Productions
• "Beanie Baby Divorce Play" by Melancholics Anonymous
• "A First-Class Comedic Revue... Featuring the Reanimated Corpse of a Wright Brother" by an alleged Theatre Company

Venue Picks (9 recipients): The top selling production at each Fringe-managed venue (based on the first 4 performances).

• "Interstella 5555: A Daft Punk Discovery" by Funk Haus Theater
• "Huge and Maeve Join A Cult!" by Alex Stokes / Sky Blue Productions
• "Last Pitch Effort" by Sara McCabe
• "The Life Robotic" by Playabunga Productions
• "5 x 5" by Transatlantic Love Affair
• "A Horse Walks Out Onto the Stage and Dies" by Theatre On The Rocks
• "All the Hullabaloo" by Corpus Dance Works
• "Love Lies a Bleeding" by Vee Signorelli
• "Yo-Ho-Hum: A Pirate's Midlife Crisis" by Hey Rube!

Fringe with Benefits Member Pick (1 recipient): A special award for our year-round champions, Fringe with Benefits members, to select their favorite production.

• "Daddy Issues" by Pretend Productions

Artist-driven Awards (ARTISTS: QR Codes for ballots*** were delivered at your technical rehearsal)

Artist Picks (3 recipients): Vote for one favorite company/production showcasing artistic achievement -- a prestigious, peer-given award! 

• "5 x 5" by Transatlantic Love Affair
• "As Above, So Below" by Michael Rogers
• "Good Ones" by Shambles Theatre Company

Underdog Award (1 recipient): Vote for the company -- producing here at Minnesota Fringe in the Festival for the first time -- which has taken the boldest risks, been the most ambitious newbie, and wowed you with their first show!

• "A Horse Walks Out Onto the Stage and Dies" by Theatre On The Rocks

Staff-driven Awards 

• "Welcome To The Food Chain" by Beta Fish Productions
• "The Greenhouse" by Eye of Jupiter Theatre
• "A Number" by W.A.S. Productions
• "The Light Bringer" by Light Bringer Productions
• "VILE" by Francesca Montanile Lyons

But Wait There's More

• "Tragedy of Maila Kami" by Majhuwa Bagar Jana Kala Manch (Fringe-spiration)
• "Seance Sisters" by Rebecca Wickert (Technical Magic)
• "Close Call: A How-Not-To Guide to Being a POS" by Navel Gaze Productions (Sign of the Times)
• "IMP presents Collidescope" by The Improv Movement Project (Fringey AF)
• "Holy O" by Lauren Hance of Out of Mind Productions (Triple Threat)

Special Awards 

The Beverlee Award honors the legacy of Beverlee Everett, mother of theater reviewer and playwright Matthew Everett. Each summer, Beverlee made the trip from Pennsylvania to Minnesota to tenaciously "Fringe-binge" with Matthew. Beverlee was a warm and wonderful presence to all who knew her. Our Fringe flame burns darker in her absence.

• Andrew Troth

The Bryon Award honors the legacy of long-time Fringe Festival Theater Technician, Bryon Gunsch. As the Technical Director of the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater for over 20 years, Bryon was an essential member of their team as well as ours. This award will be bestowed on the Festival Tech who demonstrates Bryon's abundant creativity and resourceful ability to make theater magic with humble resources. The stage lights are dimmer in his absence.

• Andy Tollin