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GUNS! the Musical
By Kalal Productions
Created by Bryce Kalal
Playing at
Show Description
When little Johnny accidentally takes a bullet to the knee, a [finger] gun-obsessed community is forced to correct the issue… by banning knees. Expect stupid puns, out-of-date references, and so many pew-pews.
Genre and Content
Comedy
Drama
Musical Theater
Original Music
Physical Theater
Puppetry
LGBTQIA+ Content
Political content
Religious content
Content Warnings
The creators say this show is appropriate for ages 7-11 and up
Learn How To Fringe
Seat Reservations and Show Tickets
| Add to Schedule | Date | Time | Ticket Options | Quantity | Purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 07/31 | 7:00 PM | ||||
| Sat 08/02 | 1:00 PM | ||||
| Mon 08/04 BFF | 10:00 PM | ||||
| Sat 08/09 | 8:30 PM | ||||
| Sun 08/10 | 5:30 PM |
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Video Trailer
Cast and Crew
Bryce Kalal
Writer/Director/ProducerThis is Bryce's 6th MN Fringe Festival as a participant, but his first time typing a lot and telling people where to stand. He has been active in the Twin Cities improv community since 2013, performing live music since 2004, and folding paper into fortune tellers since 1997. If he was granted one wish by the Infinity-aire Genie, he'd ask to ride on a pachycephalosaurus in a live action Dino Riders movie. More music: MidnightNotion.com; more multimedia creations: KalalProductions.com
Kelly Moore
Stage ManagerBaroooo! A long-time enthusiastic Fringe audience member, this is Kelly’s first time supporting a Fringe show. Kelly has been lovingly entrenched in the Twin Cities improv scene since 2022 and is a proud - SQUIRREL!! - board member of Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret. This is Kelly’s first time stage managing and she has loved every step to bring this show to life. In her spare time she can be found scratching butts, throwing balls, and removing things from my mouth. [This bio was written by Kelly’s dog, River, while Kelly was busy learning QLab]
Aura Bafna
SWAT 2 / OfficerAura’s debut MN Fringe Festival performance is full of action! (pow pow!) In middle and high school, Aura participated in plays and musicals from 2016 to 2024, their favorite roles including Chief Berry in Nice Work if You Can Get It (2023), Zubaida Ula in The Laramie Project (2024), and Wadsworth in Clue (2024). But this is Aura’s first rock and political satire musical and they are ecstatic! In their free time, Aura loves to write poetry, sing Hindustani classical music, and walk in nature. If Aura had a cousin that made millions selling essential oils, they would order the “Locked and Loaded with Lavender.”
Erin Clarkin
SWAT 1 / Barfly 2This is Erin's debut in the MN Fringe Festival! She's been performing in the Twin Cities improv scene since 2022 but she's been kicking ass and taking names on and off stage since 1995. She thinks BBQ sauce is a universal condiment that can go on any food (including eggs) and her finger gun makes the sound of the world's most feared fart in existence: silent but deadly. You can find Erin at Stevie Ray's Comedy Cabaret and with Holidating Musical Improv at Bryant Lake Bowl and Theater. She also appears as the female Marty McFly in the latest MN Lottery Commercial for the "Back to the Future" scratch game! Rock on! 🤘🎸
Glen Dawson
Captain Bill BonhamGlen is thrilled to be returning once again to the MN Fringe Festival! A veteran of the Fringe stages, Glen has appeared in We Were Only Henchmen, The Buttslasher series, and Babylon Revisited. Outside of Fringe, Glen's favorite performances include Harold Hill in The Music Man, You Can't Take It With You, and Caddyshack: The Musical Based On The Movie Based On The Golf Course Based On The Musical! In his free time, Glen enjoys reading, camping, amateur javelin competitions, and climbing The Great Wall of China. He's excited to be a part of GUNS! The Musical, and looks forward to his first show at TRP!
Terra Eberle
SWAT 3 / StudentFresh off a multi-year hiatus, and returning with a new set of pronouns, please welcome Terra back to the stage! Although this is their first scripted show in a decade, Terra is no stranger to the follow-spot, having began their illustrious community theater career all the way back in 2006 as the ever-dying Gavroche. After moving to the Twin Cities in 2013, they have mostly* focused on music and theater of the improvised variety (*existential crises and global pandemics not withstanding). Lastly, Terra would like the audience to know the ZiP 22 is the best gun ever made and they will not be elaborating further.
Krista Hauseman
Reporter / Barfly 1 / Teacher / Bajillionaire / GenieKrista Hauseman is a newcomer to Fringe (and musical theater), but not a newbie to comedy and making people laugh. About the transition from improv to theater, she has said “It’s been challenging. You can’t sweep or run away from a scene when it’s going bad. Well, you can, but they catch you.” Krista is currently in the improv troupe Reservoir Frogs, which performs monthly at Improvication. You can catch her bi-yearly Instagram post at @Kyghause, unless she gets 1000 followers, at which point she will quit her PhD in Materials Science and become an influencer. Bratatattatatatatattatatattta!
Maycee Klein
Marcia BonhamAlthough Maycee Klein has been acting since age 3, this is their first MN Fringe Festival. More recently, they have won the “Monster of the Year” award at ValleyScare. Marcia (their character) is the proud owner of 2 guns: a handgun for personal safety and a sawed off shotgun for business purposes. You can find Maycee online if you look them up; there’s not many one armed Maycee’s out there.
Emma Johnson
Wesley / Operator / Priest / Barfly 3Emma, which is short for Emma, is delighted to be returning to MN Fringe this year for GUNS! the Musical! She has a B.A. in Music from Bethel University, and enjoys spending time at her family cabin on Gun Lake… Definitely not how she got cast in this show… Some of her favorite shows she has been in include A Year with Frog and Toad; Chicago; The Musical of Musicals, the Musical; A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Velveteen Rabbit; Don Giovanni.
Justin Johnson
Little Johnny BonhamNot only is this Justin Johnson’s debut Fringe Performance, it’s also his debut performance in scripted Theater! After 7 years of performing musical standup comedy under the name Lefty Crumpet, 3 years performing improv in the Twin Cities, and 16-ish years of his family saying that he has “Theater Kid Energy,” he realized he had to try comedy theatre. If he were granted one wish by the infinity-aire genie, he would wish for a large glass container filled to the brim with warm custard. You can find his shows and other comedy endeavors on his website leftycrumpet.com.
Phillip Schramm
Dr. Chekhov / Chair / The Politician / GeniePhillip Schramm has been performing shows at the MN Fringe Festival for more than a decade. He has been seen creating comedic shows with Goof Goof: “101 Goofin’ Things (2023)” & “(a) Normal Theater Play (2018)” or fun video game romps with Albino Squirrel Productions: “Turnabout: Samurai (2022)” & “Zelda: Hero of Fringe (2019).” He is an active member of the Twin Cities improv community and has been doing both scripted and improvised works around town since 2013. When not performing, he can be occasionally found forcing people to play bad video games online or developing new kinds of pasta. You can also see Phillip Schramm performing in these other shows this Fringe Festival: Micro Medics at Strike, Holidating (8/3, 8/5, 8/9) at Rarig Xperimental, and Ping Prov (8/1) at the Southern
Sandesh Sukhram
Roger / BartenderGUNS! the Musical is Sandesh's debut at the MN Fringe Festival! Sandesh has been an active performer in the Twin Cities Theater scene over the past few years, appearing on many different stages with a variety of companies. When not performing, Sandesh is constantly on the hunt for near-extinct apples. The Instagram is currently pretty bare, but they promise to start using it soon. @sukhram_sandesh
Milo Lambright
DrumsThis will be Milo's first ever MN Fringe Festival, but not his first rodeo playing on a bunch of circles that make sound. Milo is a current senior in high school and is active in many music ensembles at his school, including jazz band and marching band. When not drumming, he can be seen buying used clothes and expensive drinks, and sometimes even in the forest impersonating a bear. Most of his drumming can be found in the deep files of Instagram (@keepitinthepocket).
Erik Saxton
Bass GuitarThis is Erik Saxton's debut MN Fringe Festival performance. They usually spend their evenings playing music at one of the many bars and venues throughout the Twin Cities and beyond. They have been performing for the last 9 years and are excited to dive back into the world of musical theatre. Between the practices and performances, they enjoy getting a little lost in the woods, befriending the neighborhood alley cats, and continuing their lifelong quest of finding the best gas station egg salad sandwich. After GUNS! the Musical, you can catch them playing around town with Runaway Ricochet, Space Monkey Mafia, and Cat Tales.
Zack Sorenson
GuitarZack is not a Minnesota native. Zack did not show early promise at guitar as a child and was not a prodigy. When he went to music school he wasn’t top of his class. This is his MN Fringe debut. Despite all this, Zack is no stranger to the pit. He has played in productions of How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Hello Dolly, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and The 1940s Radio Hour. He plays saxophone and bass guitar in rock bands and experimental jazz fusion bands, once played with the Temptations, and has one straight-to-cassette EP under his belt. He can be seen playing around town with the Nova Contemporary Jazz Orchestra.
More Information
A comedic reflection of the one place where this keeps happening, and a not-so-accurate look inside the minds of the people who are doing absolutely nothing to change it. This show does not depict gun violence, does not have swear words, and does not use crude humor. It will, however, make fun of every political elephant in the room. Promise.
📷 Follow GUNS! the Musical on Instagram
🎬 GUNS! the Musical Minnesota Fringe Preview: "Who Needs Knees?"
🎸 Writing an Angry Mob Song for My First Musical (the making of "Who Needs Knees")
🌐 Kalal Productions: Website
🎵 Midnight Notion: Original Rock Music
Donate to Support the Artists
Producing a show like this is no small endeavor! With 10 cast, 3 musicians, 1 stage manager, and 1 writer/director/producer, we need large rehearsal spaces at times that align with our busy schedules. We earn smaller shares of our ticket sales and have higher overhead costs than a solo show or an improv troupe. And although we are building a minimalist style production, we are trying to incorporate custom props and costumes for your delight.
For these reasons, we are seeking theater-loving, LGBTQ+ ally donors to help us cover $4000 worth of fees, rentals, marketing materials, costumes & props, and performer stipends. To support the artists and donate to our production, visit GoFundMe (GUNS! the Musical)
A Message from the Director
When I first started pitching this show's title to friends, family, and even strangers, I'd occassionally be asked if it was pro-gun. It is not. I was also asked if it's anti-gun. It is not. In fact, it doesn't really take a stance on guns at all. To be honest, it's not really about guns. It's about the people who make guns, religion, and patriotism their entire identity. It's about ignoring obvious problems, refusing obvious solutions, and making up new reasons to hate one's neighbors. What a time to be alive!
I like to believe that mindsets can be changed. Mine changed many times. I used to believe some really stupid things. When loved ones opened up about their experiences; when things got a little more personal, I learned to question everything. I left my religion, I stopped attending family gatherings, and I built a new life where hatred and division have no place. I think it's easy to feel unaffected by something when it happens in a different part of the world, so GUNS! the Musical gives the 2nd Amendment-obsessed a chance to do the right thing. They already have everything they want (guns everywhere, easy scapegoats, no pushback), but they've never had to self-reflect on whether or not their fake problems will come back to bite them in the butt. At least, not until now.
This play is possibly the stupidest thing I've ever made. And I'm so damn proud. Enjoy!
Additional Credits
Illustrations by Doug Kallberg (@dougkallberg)
Props by Krista Hauseman, Amanda Helling, and Bryce Kalal
Puppet and custom costumes by Krista Hauseman
Special Thanks
Phoenix Theater (A Project of Arts Nest)
Center for Performing Arts (CFPA)
Park Pointe Apartments, St. Louis Park
Blue & Lime Apartments, Minneapolis
Carlson Print Group
Mary Kane Janda
Philip Simondet
Our Generous Donors
Amanda Helling
Daniel Pratt
Chris Rodriguez
Michael Pruyn
John Slaight
Kendra Hoffman
Britt Johnson
jamilah bourdon
Jen Scott
Victoria Pyan
Jennifer Navarro
