Fringe File #5: Previews, Round 2 – Twin Cities Arts Reader

The show postcard for Pound: A Musical for Dogs.

Last night saw the second round of live previews for the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival. A total of 29 shows presented 3-minute excerpts, many of whose opening moments were carefully designed to discomfort and upstage Fringe Executive Director Jeff Larson during the introductions and seize audience attention. This usually worked quite well for them, which in turn doesn’t bode well for Jeff next year. (Sorry, Jeff.)

The variety of shows previewed included standup comedy, dancing, traditional musicals, and more than a few shows that defy easy descriptions. The content was even more diverse, ranging from a show about Patrick Swayze (Sons of Swayze – one of two such shows in this year’s Fringe, actually) to stealing cars (Grand Theft Autobiography), mobsters (A Date With Dillinger), spies (Life in the Time of Spies), and a scatalogical theology of sorts…to name only a few. A scheduled Tamil dance show withdrew.

Here are six editor’s picks from the set, paired with the briefest of rationales:

PENELOPE, presented by Savage Umbrella. Pictured: Russ Dugger, Emily Dussault, Alana Horton — *PENELOPE*, presented by Savage Umbrella. Pictured: Russ Dugger, Emily Dussault, Alana Horton

A site-specific show set in a public picnic area, recasting the courtship of Penelope in The Odyssey as a modern garden party.

The Pound: A Musical for the Dogs, presented by Imagined TheatrePictured: Pal (Isabel Pone) and Lucky (Zachary Kulzer) — *The Pound: A Musical for the Dogs*, presented by Imagined Theatre. Pictured: Pal (Isabel Pone) and Lucky (Zachary Kulzer)

Family-friendly, incredibly cute, and peppy in sound.

*Couple Fight II: Friends and Family presented by Weggel-Reed Productions. Pictured: Andy Kraft & Rachael Davies*

A sequel to one of last year’s most hilarious shows, recreating real-life fights in the cast’s lives.

Sometimes There's Wine. Pictured: Shanan Custer & Carolyn Pool — *Sometimes There’s Wine*. Pictured: Shanan Custer & Carolyn Pool

Hard to describe, but wildly entertaining.

Good Friday with Dillinger, presented by LookBack Productions — *Good Friday with Dillinger*, presented by LookBack Productions

Classic mobster-moll, with a twist.

In the Time of Spies presented by Ferrari McSpeedy Theatrical Productions. Pictured: Rita Boersma & James Rone — *In the Time of Spies* presented by Ferrari McSpeedy Theatrical Productions. Pictured: Rita Boersma & James Rone

A timely, wry parody of Get Smart, The Man from UNCLE, and Kingsman.

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Basil Considine

Basil Considine is the Editor of the Twin Cities Arts Reader. He served as Performing Arts Editor and Senior Classical Music and Drama Critic for the Arts Reader's first five years before succeeding Hanne Appelbaum. He was previously the Resident Classical Music and Drama Critic at the Twin Cities Daily Planet and remains an occasional contributing writer for The Boston Musical Intelligencer and The Chattanoogan. He holds a PhD in Music and Drama from Boston University, an MTS in Sacred Music from the BU School of Theology, and a BA in Music and Theatre from the University of San Diego.

Basil was named one of Musical America's 30 Professionals of the Year in 2017. He was previously the Regional Governor for the National Opera Association's North Central Region and the 2021-2022 U.S. Fulbright Faculty Scholar to Madagascar.

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