Sub-Total
2026 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Steve Soler
Company: Third Space Theater
Show: BE NOT AFRAID
Venue: The Southern Theater
high expectations
I think I had too high of expectations for this show because it, and the company, was recommended several times. HIGHS: The movement and physical work is spectacular and some of the choices made with playing with light/dark/shadow in the space were amazing. The actual scenes were not as interesting as the movement and I felt a disconnect with most of the characters. I was also disappointed that while some transitions were doing very intentionally and creatively, there were others that just happened with no intentionality. I think this show has a lot of merit - ESPECIALLY in the more abstract moments and movement-based scenes (and there definitely was a WOW moment early on)
Company: Joking Apart Theater
Show: I'm Afraid, I Have To Leave
Venue: Mixed Blood
tense
A show like this is not easy to pull off because at lots of points it felt like she should/could have left, and mostly there was good enough tension to keep it interesting, even if it plateaued a bit from time to time. overall, it was well-done.
Company: The Winding Sheet Outfit
Show: A Confluence of Magical Arseholes
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Chaotic Fun
I couldn’t really come up with a good way to summarize this show. There’s always something crazy happening, but also there’s not really much in the way of plot. I know that’s something of a contradiction, but I don’t know what else to says besides: Impressive writing. Impressive acting. Impressive music. See it
Company: Jake Mierva
Show: I Will Become The Silver Surfer. I Will Protect You.
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Thank you for protecting me.
This is a great show, with many powerful moments and some good laughs too. Only four kitties because it felt a little underrehearsed.
Company: Melancholics Anonymous
Show: Watership Down
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
soulful, polished, and breakneck
I wasn’t familiar with the story, but was still able to easily keep up even despite the rapid pace (the one run for me was following along with the rabbit language). It really is fast, but the cast did not miss a beat. Tight, I suppose, is the apt word. The acting was incredible, but so was the music. Great songs helped hit emotional beats very hard, and nearly the whole show had an evocative sonic background, particularly impressive since there were only three musicians and two of them were also actors. Even the costumes and effects were conspicuously top-notch. My only complaint there is that I wish one particular set piece from the end of the show would have gotten a bit more time on stage. Really that’s my biggest issue with the whole show: it might not be perfectly suited to an hour-long format. So… full length production?? I’d buy a ticket. Go see it!
Company: Mermaid Productions
Show: The Importance of Living
Venue: Open Eye Theatre
Great perfomers!
I was really engaged the whole time. These performers were fantastic, and while the two characters were well written and it was fun to watch them interact and tell their stories, I wasn't left with a strong sense of what the author was trying to do/say with this show. I'd still recommend it though.
Company: Special When Lit
Show: Bury The Leads
Venue: Mixed Blood
Quite funny!
I really enjoyed this show, and the laughs were pretty consistent. I will definitely make a point to seek out other projects these two are involved in.
Company: Little Apple Theatre Company
Show: The Importance of Being Eternal
Venue: Open Eye Theatre
A great concept excecuted very well
These actors are really incredible, and the humour is top-notch, but I think the most impressive feat on display here is effectively condensing the Wilde play into an hour while still being able to fit in all of the delightful vampiring.
Company: Local 574
Show: HELL ON WHEELS: The Winter Strike of 1934
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Fantastic Story and Well Delivered.
Really great show! I learned more about Minnesota and experienced a moving story. Good characterization all around (which is hard in just an hour), high-quality acting, writing, and production, and some good music as well, which was a surprise! Watch it! oh there's an accordian too!
Company: True Men Productions
Show: Castrati: A Tale of Two
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Castrati took away my balls, but gave my my vocce
It's about what you'd expect from a show called Castrati. If you don't like crude humor, you won't like it. Good actors/singers all around, full of entertaining songs, and an exceptional live band to boot. The self-serious presentation is really what sold it for me.
Company: Combustible Company
Show: Machinal
Venue: The Southern Theater
bold show
This was an interesting take on Sophie Treadwell's Machinal. I appreciate that a lot of big and bold choices were made and technically well-executed. I applaud having some clear choices, but I also don't know how often those choices actually enhanced the script or emotional arcs of the character. It's still a very fine adaptation of a piece of theater that has a lot of merit and something that you don't get to see performed very often. Also I need to mention that I am glad I sat in the front row because there was some staging and props that were extremely downstage.
Company: The Winding Sheet Outfit
Show: A Confluence of Magical Arseholes
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Hilariously well done
Winding Sheet is so good at this. I might have a new favorite poet after this show #TeamCrowley
Company: Local 574
Show: HELL ON WHEELS: The Winter Strike of 1934
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Minnesota is so cool
This play did what it was supposed to do: spark an interest in something that I admittedly knew nothing about. That said, there is A LOT in that history that is jammed into a fringe-length show and I'd love to have seen a couple more perspectives or some more nuance even on how the characters are thinking to really, really get the struggle. That doesn't take away that there are some very lovely performances (and some great humor) and I was very very happy to have on stage live music for preshow to really get us in the mood to see this production.
Company: Moonlight Muses LLC
Show: In The Moonlight
Venue: Center for Performing Arts
Good Cast, Confusing Writing
The actors were mostly good, (with two minor characters, Vic and the Prosecutor, being standouts imo), and they were all good singers too. Unfortunately, none of the characters were given much personality or motivation. The plot didn't really seem thought out either, and it didn't deliver on being a murder mystery or having real 80s vibes. Also, not sure why it needed a 15-minute intermission. Still a fun time with good music though.
Company: Melancholics Anonymous
Show: Watership Down
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
phenomenal
I don’t want to say how long ago it’s been since I read the novel (but a couple of decades) and this adaptation was intriguing and captivating. Clear and bold choices were made in the characterization and physicality of the characters. It’s not easy to get a dense novel down to 60 minutes, but it hit all of the beats it needed to hit. i’d give this more than 5 kitties and stars if i could and while im glad i saw it day one of fringe, it set the bar very high for other shows.
Company: Albino Squirrel Productions
Show: It's-a-Me, a Musical!
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
camp and fun
probably exactly what you expect from a musical about the old mario movie: lots of references which i think even the most basic of gamers will appreciate. and some great musical bits (bowser has a pretty great number) it’s not the easiest space to do a musical in and some times quiet moments were missed - cammie volume and energy was super appreciated i probably could have watched an entire musical about bowser and the wario/waluigi who all seemed to be having such a blast
Company: SassEpants Productions
Show: So You Want to Date a Bisexual?
Venue: Open Eye Theatre
high quality improv
There’s a lot of improv at fringe and filling a couple slots with improv is a great idea. We all need some laughter and this show delivered. it’s a fun concept too with an added layer of playing an improvised version of yourself which is a great hook. HIGHLY encourage eveyone to be the date if you get the chance. raise your hand quickly and loudly. opening night was good but i hope erika has to go on a date with a bunch of kooky characters