First thing's first: We like to know who comes to Fringe. So if you weren't able to fill in one of those cute little paper surveys we had at the venues, please fill it out online. It's just 13 questions that shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes. And it helps us out a lot. Like, a ridiculous lot. Thanks!

Now then! 2008 was a good year for the Fringe. In all, we issued nearly 41,000 tickets for 806 performances to more than 15,000 people. Exactly 1,080 artists participated in the Fringe this year. And everyone earned just over $300,000.

Numbers are fun!

We've already started planning the 2009 festival—so stay tuned for all sorts of fun new things from the Fringe. In the meantime, the regular Fringe email newsletter (the one that you'll get with all the spiffy discounts you can get with your '08 button) resumes next week.

Thanks again for a great year. Email or call us any time if you have feedback, ideas or just want to chat. Our door is always open.

Your pals,
Robin, Mark, Matt, Jeff, Craig, Allegra
and everyone else at Minnesota Fringe

Roma Di Luna, Romantica, The Minnesota Opera, Haley Bonar, Davina and the Vagabonds, Mystery Palace, Little Man, M.anifest, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, The Melismatics, Chris Koza, Spaghetti Western String Co., The Schubert Club, Dan Israel and the Cultivators, Vicious Vicious, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Dosh and others.

3 Days FREE Music, Rain or Shine
Food and beer by Great Waters Brewing Co.
Mears Park Saint Paul, MN | concreteandgrass.com

Drawing winners

The final coffee winners were: Kayla Hertel, Susan Campion, Eric Wuntling, Chelsea Gartner, Dennis Davidson and Klee Burke.

The winner of the Rush Prize—a delightful Equal Exchange gift basket filled with all sorts of fairly traded goodies—goes to Betsy Rosen. Congrats, Betsy!

And the winner for the Ultra Prize—two Ultra Passes to the 2009 Minnesota Fringe and two season tickets to the Guthrie—is Jim Brennan. Jim, you're all set for theater for a whole year!

More Fringe at the brand spankin' new Gremlin

Gremlin Theatre is hosting four favorite Fringe shows at their new locale (2400 University Av., St. Paul), Aug. 14-23.

Thursday, August 14,
Friday, August 15
and Saturday, August 16

Meet the Macbeths @ 7 p.m.

by Joshua & Lauren Iley
Mac and Betty are a charming "Better Homes and Garden" couple who plot murder plans over pot roast. Shakespeare visits a 1950s suburban utopia to unfold how far an ambitious duo will go for the American Dream.

Boys Don't Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses @ 8:30 p.m.

by Curt Lund & Laura Bidgood
Embrace your inner dork as Laura and Curt (the geeks behind "Take a Left at the Giant Cow") fog up your glasses with torrid tales of nerd romance. Did we say torrid? We meant awkward, embarrassing and unrequited.

Thur., Aug. 21, Fri., Aug. 22 & Sat., Aug. 23
Second weekend shows will be announced shortly—stay tuned!

All seats are $12. For tickets and reservations, please call Gremlin at 651-228-7008.

P.S. Here's your Easter egg for the day. You have to watch the videos to get the full effect.

Got five minutes to answer 13 questions about yourself?
Take our '08 audience survey!

Mornin'! Here's the Fringe Encore lineup! Get you tickets now.

• Ritz: Underpants Show
• Jeune Lune: Audish
• Interact: Advice-a-Versa
• Lab: Great American Horror Movie Musical
• Mixed Blood: One Missed Step
• Garage: An Intimate Evening with Fotis
• Intermedia: My Hovercraft is Full of Eels!
• Southern: Cast of Dancing Delights
• Playwrights' Center: Stimulate This!
• Rarig Arena: Tipping the Bucket
• Rarig Thrust: Shakespeare's Land of the Dead
• Rarig Proscenium: Musical: The Musical!
• Rarig Xperimental: Nosdrachir Sisters
• Bryant-Lake Bowl: Fool for a Client

Congrats to all the Fringe Encore folks. Each venue's top-selling show is awarded a sixth performance in the last slot in the festival—8:30 for most venues, 8 o'clock for Bryant-Lake Bowl. Note: Sara Scrimshaw's "Dance of the Whisky Faerie" was the top-selling show at the Southern; she opted out of the Encore program.

Thanks to everyone for a ridiculously great Fringe. We'll send out "The Daily Fringe #10" with final attendance numbers and other wrap-up delights later this week. And join Fringe staff, volunteers and artists at First Ave. tonight to close out the festival with extreme style.

See you today at the shows, tonight at the party and in 2009 for Minnesota's 16th annual Fringe.

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

P.S. Don't forget the drawing! Check out the Fringe staff blog for the final coffee winners and tonight's winners of the Rush Prize (an Equal Exchange gift basket) and the Ultra Prize (two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie). Stop by Fringe Central at Bedlam to throw your name in.

P.S. We repeated an Easter egg yesterday. So here are one Easter egg and two Easter eggs for the day.

Got five minutes to answer 13 questions about yourself?
Take our '08 audience survey!

Okay, teen gang, this is it: the three last days of Fringe 2008. As we told you yesterday, there's no need to panic, because there's still tons of time to see great shows, and this weekend is actually the easiest time to find 'em!

In addition to over 1600 audience reviews, there are media and blog mentions, word of mouth from people in line or at Fringe Central, plus plus plus!

On Sunday at 8:30 (8 at Bryant-Lake Bowl), the most top-selling shows get the final festival slot for Fringe Encore! Watch for the announcement on Sunday.

Now let's travel over to Sad News Town, where we reveal that even though the Fringe has the whole weekend ahead of it, Fringe Central has just (gasp!) two days left! That's right, Saturday night is the last party night at Bedlam. So raise a glass tonight and tomorrow for their great food, wonderful service and kick-butt view of Minneapolis from the comfy patio.

But then catch the Magical Rainbow Trolly to Happytown because the reason there's no Sunday night party at Bedlam is because of the Fringe Closing Night Party at First Avenue!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

P.S. If you're driving, you might want to read this. Vikings game! Street closures!

NOTE: There won't be a daily tomorrow. This is a double edition.
OTHER NOTE: Yesterday, we had a list of shows that were the top-selling shows for Wednesday only, not for the festival heretofore. The Daily apologies for the error.

Photo du jour

"Hey, I'm Talking Murder Here!" presented by Rhino Productions. Trevor Hartman as Marlow and Sam Ahern as Dr. Gagney. (Photo: Alex Wohlhueter)

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

PARTIES! Join us for your regularly-scheduled festival-ing.

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Weather

Today: 84° and mostly sunny. 30% chance of storms tonight, 63°.

Saturday: 20% chance of storms, 84°. Low: 60°.

Sunday: Mostly Sunday, 82°. Slight chance of storms at night, 62°.

The big ones

The top-selling shows venue by venue for Thursday:

• Playwrights' Center: Writers of the Purple Sage
• Rarig Proscenium: Musical: The Musical!
• Rarig Thrust: An Inconvenient Squirrel
• Rarig Xperimental: Stupid Face
• Rarig Arena: Beowulf or Gilgamesh
• Jeune Lune: We Live Like This
• Ritz: Women in China
• Lab: Meet the Macbeths
• Mixed Blood: Waking in Minneapolis
• Southern: Ummm.... We're still doing the math
• Interact: Advice-a-Versa
• Theatre Garage: All Rights Reserved
• Intermedia: My Hovercraft is Full of Eels!
• Bryant-Lake Bowl: Reefer Madness: The Musical

Drawing winners!

On Sunday, we're announcing the last three days' worth of coffee winners and—AND!!!—drawing the winners of our Grand and Rush Prizes. (And keep in mind that if you win a pound of coffee in the daily drawing, you're still eligible for the other prizes on Sunday. Yay!)

Stop by Fringe Central to put your name in the hat (or the, uh, box) to win coffee, the Rush Prize of an Equal Exchange gift basket or the Ultra Prize: Two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie! (Drawing's on Sun., Aug. 10. Stop by Fringe Central to sign up and check out the rules.)

P.S. Here's your Easter egg for the day.

Okay, the second Fringe weekend starts tomorrow—but before the big finale, there's tonight to catch shows before the all-day crushes of Saturday or Sunday.

And speaking of crushes, have you found your Fringe crush yet? While most develop a crush on a performer, you can also develop a crush on a show as well. But if you haven't found a crush yet, tonight would be a perfect time, so that you can have your squee on for Friday night. Just sayin'.

Need a boost to help you get your social on? Don't forget that tonight at Fringe Central at Bedlam, we have delicious beats from a live DJ! Shake it!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

Photo du jour

Malia Burkhart in "The Survival Pages" at Intermedia Arts. (Photo: Jeff Larson)

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

TONIGHT @ midnight: Late-night DJ (dancey!)

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Weather

Today: 82° and sunny. Some patchy fog tonight with a low at 59°.

Tomorrow: Patchy fog before 8 a.m., high 83°. Low: 63°.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, 83°. Then partly cloudy and 62°.

The big ones

So far, these are the top-selling shows in the following venues (we'll release the other half of the list in tomorrow's daily):

• Playwrights' Center: Life Sciences
• Interact: Strawberry Fields Temporarily
• Ritz: Secret of the Little Yellow Diary
• Southern: Fools for Love
• Jeune Lune: Gypsy and the General
• Theatre Garage: BULL
• Mixed Blood: Orange

Are you thinking "My goodness gracious me, Betty, how in heaven's name are we going to see all this awesomeness?" Why, the magical Fringe Encore, of course!

Remember that the final performance slot of the festival—8:30 at each venue (8 p.m. if you're Bryant-Lake Bowl)—is awarded to the top-sellingest show in each venue. The announcement of the Encore slots will be made Sun., Aug. 10 no later than 9 a.m. Stay tuned to fringefestival.org for all the info.

Drawing winners!

Days 6 + 7 winners: Coffee for you, Sara Scrimshaw. And for you, George McConnell! And you and you and you, Julie Hill, Allison Posner and Shelbie Farness. And did you think we forgot you, Barb Hill? We didn't! Congrats, winners! (And keep in mind that if you win a pound of coffee in the daily drawing, you're still eligible for the other prizes on Sunday. Yay!)

Stop by Fringe Central to put your name in the hat (or the, uh, box) to win coffee, an Equal Exchange gift basket or the Ultra Prize: Two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie! (Drawing's on Sun., Aug. 10. Stop by Fringe Central to sign up and check out the rules.)

P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day. Okay, fine, they're turning it into a book. But still...

You see it at museums, theme parks and fairs. After a long day of fun, eventually kids (and occasionally husbands) have had so much sensory overload that they just can't handle it anymore. It's the Three O'Clock Meltdown and you can recognize it by:

• Standing in the middle of crowds, shouting while the parent talks quietly but firmly.
• Stamping of feet.
• The key phrase: "I'm not tired!"

Since most Fringe days start after three, it's not a daily problem (especially since the time it would occur is prime time at Fringe Central, with its tasty selection of Summit Beers). But after six days of theater, with five big days to go, your brain may be so full of awesomeness that you'll feel like you're on your fifth bowl of Saturday Morning Sugar Bombs. After all, you're hearing about all these great shows, but it's impossible to see them all! Aaaaaaaaaargh!

Relax. You've got five more days to catch the shows you need to see. Talk to your friends, check out the nearly 1,300 audience reviews, get news from our Fringe blog and find out what you really want to see, not what you "need" to see. But the main thing to remember is to have fun at the Fringe. Because otherwise we are marching right back to the car and going home right now, mister!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

Photo du jour

"EMISSARY'S N.O.W." presented by Emissary. (Photo: Dave Stagner)

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

TONIGHT @ 9:30 p.m.: Dreamland Faces

TOMORROW @ Midnight: Late-night DJ (dancey, dancey)

Friday + Saturday: General havoc, mucking about and cavorting

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Weather

Today: 20% chance o' storms, 84°. Night: Partly cloudy, 62°.

Tomorrow: Why did we even put this in this year?

Friday: The weather hasn't just been perfect, it's been the same day in and day out.

Saturday: It's like living in Los Angeles or Hawaii or somewhere where citrus litters the streets.

Fringe in the news

• City Pages has their reviews up
• Here's a handy place to find mnartists.org's festival coverage
• In case you misplaced them: Here's one handy page of the Star Tribune's reviews and the Pioneer Press' coverage (one page each, that is... they're not suddenly sharing a Web site or anything)
• Erica from Minneapolis Metblogs has been kicking some Fringe butt with reviews and stories and stuff
• Matt Peiken's been making videos for Mpls.St.Paul magazine
• Fringe Famous has been reviewing and posting postcards and started their very own Fringe hall of fame and are planning on having awards
• Baron Dave Romm from KFAI has been blogging and podcasting
• So has Fringe alumna Leigha Horton
• And our own former bloggers are now at Twin Cities Daily Planet (Matthew Everett, Kate Hoff, John Munger, Phillip Andrew Bennett Low and Wendy Gennaula) and the City Pages' Culture to Go blog (Christopher Kidder)

Drawing winners!

Day 6 winners: Okay, so we've been really fancy about putting the names in the daily... And they were drawn last night. It's just that... we forgot to write them down and take them home after trivia at Fringe Central. Which was an utter success, by the way. So totally a new tradition. We'll announce last night's winners (and tonight's winners) tomorrow. Promise.

Stop by Fringe Central to put your name in the hat (or the, uh, box) to win coffee, an Equal Exchange gift basket or the Ultra Prize: Two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie! (Drawing's on Sun., Aug. 10. Stop by Fringe Central to sign up and check out the rules.)

P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day.

Take note: Live Action Set, presenting "Deviants," has cancelled tonight's 7 p.m. performance due to injury. So far the remaining shows will run as scheduled.

From what we saw Monday, things are hopping! Of course, that fits with the 10 percent ticket increase we saw on opening weekend. And the now nearly 1,100+ audience reviews. Yay!

This year, the venues are grouped close together, many within walking distance. Heck, the Rarig has four theaters in the same building! So, consider the idea of walking, biking, or taking Mass Transit to the Fringe. Some tools to help:

Get walking directions on Google Maps: For example, Rarig to the Southern is just ten little minutes.

MetroTransit's NexTrip gives you up to the minute info on where the next bus is, in addition to a search function that will help you plan your route.

Biking! The Fringe program has suggested bike routes. MetroTransit buses and trains have bike racks that allow you to get to more distant venues and bring your bike along.

So very Fringe green!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

A special request: On Saturday, an artists at Rarig misplaced a MiniDV videotape of her performance. The tape is small, in a clear plastic case and clearly labeled "Fringe 08." If you happen upon it, just drop it off to at a box office. Thanks!

Photo du jour

"(life seed)" presented by Nic Hager at the Lab Theater. (Photo: Brad Dahlgaard)

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

TONIGHT @ 11 p.m.: Fringe-themed pub-style trivia

TOMORROW @ 9:30 p.m.: Dreamland Faces

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Weather

Today: Mostly sunny, 86°. Night: Mostly clear, 61°.

Tomorrow: Ditto.

Thursday: Ditto.

"Three Muses (Fringe)"

Bid on the prints at eBay.

Local artist, Visible Fringe alumnus and friend of us all John Largaespada has graciously donated four digital prints to Fringe. John specializes in photoillustrations that are a little strange, a little haunting and entirely fascinating. And he's interpreted the now-famous Fringe kitty:

Their names are (from the left in the larger print): Pumpkin Seed, Bobo and Boo.

Drawing winners!

Day 5 winners: Alex Franzen, Melissa Markes and Karen Goneau. (Even if you win a pound of coffee in the daily drawing, you're still eligible for the other prizes on Sunday. Yay!)

Stop by Fringe Central to put your name in the hat (or the, uh, box) to win coffee, an Equal Exchange gift basket or the Ultra Prize: Two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie! (Drawing's on Sun., Aug. 10. Stop by Fringe Central to sign up and check out the rules.)

P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day. Just in case you need a Fringe date.

P.P.S. Here's another one you've probably seen. We've had it stuck in our heads for a few days. Need to get it out.

Whew, that was intense! Four days of theater, some 22 hours of actual shows you could see, out of 320 hours of potential performance, plus(!) the nights at Fringe Central* and the Fringe Opening Night Party! And we're not even half-way done yet!

That's right, you have ample opportunity to catch the show you heard everyone talking about. Or if you need more help, there's a staggering 800+ audience reviews online to point you in the right direction. 'Cause as we say at the Fringe Online Services Dept.: They all can't be Mom!

What's more, tonight at Fringe Central we're doing a special screening: 48 Hour Film Project: Best of Minneapolis, a bevvy of short films shot, chopped and screened over a 48 hour period earlier this summer! Screenings are at 7 and 10 p.m. And there's Fringe-themed pub trivia tomorrow night starting at 11 p.m. Prizes!

All right, rest up for today, unless you're talking a Fringecation***, because while the pace may ease for the next few days, the Fringe doesn't stop!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

*"Fringe Central: Taste the Kitties"**
** Created by Matthew J. G. Foster (American, 1975-). Released under a Creative Commons license.
*** Fringecation, as defined by our own Deputy Audience Services Director Zoe Benston: "Taking a paid vacation to work 12 hour days at Fringe."

Photo du jour

"Meet the MacBeths" presented by Lauren and Joshua Iley at
the Lab Theater. Joshua Iley as Mac and Lauren Iley as Betty. (Photo: Brad Dahlgaard)

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

TONIGHT @ 7 and 10 p.m.: 48 Hour Film Project 2008: Best of Minneapolis; with Ira Livingston (the producer) at 7

TOMORROW @ 11 p.m.: Fringe-themed pub-style trivia

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Weather

Today: Sprinkly, 84°. 40% chance of storms tonight—and believe us, NOAA knows what they're talking about. That thunderstorm last night? Yeah, Matt was on the Greenway when it hit even though NOAA was all, like, "Dude, don't get on your bike, there's gonna be rain after 10" and then Matt goes, "Whatever, NOAA, you're just government scientists!" and then NOAA's all, like, "Harsh, dude! TAKE IT BACK," and Matt goes, "I'm leaving. Write on my Facebook Wall when you're ready to admit that you're not my mom, okay?" Low 67°.

Tuesday: Partly sunny with a 100% of gnarly. High: 85°. Partly cloudy at night, low 63°.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny and cooling off, 83°. Low: 61°.

Today's links

Thanks for your patience over the weekend with the Web site—we were getting slammed and service was spotty, but everything's better now. And if you think we had tech problems, don't go to Edinburgh... Yiiiikes.

• Reviews: Audience reviews, Pioneer Press, StarTribune (through vita.mn), lots more
• Today's schedule
• Tomorrow's schedule

Own your very own Largaespada!

Local artist, Visible Fringe alumnus and friend of us all John Largaespada has graciously donated four prints to the Minnesota Fringe. (The eBay auction starts tomorrow, so get your credit cards ready.) John specializes in photoillustrations that are a little strange, a little haunting and entirely fascinating. And he's interpreted the now-famous Fringe kitty:

And the proceeds benefit the Fringe! Thanks, John! (Details on the auction will be available tomorrow morning.)

Drawing winners!

Days 3 + 4 winners: Julie Holmen, Allison Broeren and Amy Mork won a pound each of Equal Exchange coffee in Saturday's drawing. And Mark Bullock, Sean Wagner and Courtney Roche won the coffee for Sunday. Congrats! (And keep in mind that if you win a pound of coffee in the daily drawing, you're still eligible for the other prizes on Sunday. Yay!)

Stop by Fringe Central to put your name in the hat (or the, uh, box) to win coffee, an Equal Exchange gift basket or the Ultra Prize: Two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie! (Drawing's on Sun., Aug. 10. Stop by Fringe Central to sign up and check out the rules.)

P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

Two quick things:

We just passed 200 audience reviews this morning. Keep up the good work, everyone.

If that's any indication of traffic (and it is), our servers have been getting slammed. We know the site's sometimes down and other times slow, but we're working like little IT woodchucks to solve the problem. Thanks for your patience.

Fringe Weekend! Over the next two days, you could see up to 14 shows. Do you realize how much theatre that is? Fourteen! Not everyone can pull off a Big Day at the Fringe, and fewer still can do it two days in a row. Manage it, and you'll earn the respect and admiration of all those around you at Fringe Central. Especially if you're buying.

Some tips on seeing every show this weekend:

1. Have a plan. Plot out the shows you want to see (online or in the Fringe program), but also have a backup plan in case the show you want is sold out. Better yet, reserve your tickets at UptownTix.com and make sure you have a seat.

2. Food and drink. No time for a sit-down meal, bring along something tasty and nutritious that won't make you loagy as you stand in line for your next show. Hey! There are quick-serve sammiches at Fringe Central! Poifect. If you're going to be walking or biking outside, make sure that you're replacing not just the water you're losing, but the nutrients as well. And have a hat. You always need a good hat. And call your mother, she misses you.

3. Don't be afraid to eavesdrop on conversations about shows. Word of Mouth is still the best Fringe buzz there is (though our online audience reviews are helpful, too).

4. Review what you've seen! Talk it up at Fringe Central* and post a review online.

5. Come to the Kids' Ice Cream Social (today from noon to 3 p.m.) and/or the Fringe Opening Night party (starting at 10 tonight)! Wear your ticket stubs with pride, enter our giveaway drawings and soak it all in!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

* "Fringe Central: The Great Watering Hole of the Fringe, Only Without Any Crocodiles or Dysentary."**
** Robin: "(Sigh) That one was just... wow..."

Photo du jour

"Numbers Up" presented by John Leo at the Minneapolis Theatre Garage (Photo: Kevin McLaughlin)

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

TODAY @ Noon-3 p.m.: Kids' Fringe ice cream social

TODAY @ 10 p.m.: Opening weekend party—our very own quinceañera!

Monday 8/4 @ 7 and 10 p.m.: 48 Hour Film Project special screening: The Best of Minneapolis 2008

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Drawing winners!

Days 1 + 2 winners: How's this for metropolitan harmony? Three winners from St. Paul, three from Minneapolis: Catherine Campion, Keith Hardy, Jasmine Rust, Cheryl Hulting, Katie Hartman and Tracy Nordby all won one pound of yummy Equal Exchange coffee. Mmmm!

Stop by Fringe Central to put your name in the hat (or the, uh, box) to win coffee, an Equal Exchange gift basket or the Ultra Prize: Two '09 Ultra Passes and two season tickets to the Guthrie! (Drawing's on Sun., Aug. 10. Stop by Fringe Central to sign up and check out the rules.)

Weather

Today: Sunny and warm, 87°. 30% chance of storms tonight; low 68°. Balmy!

Sunday: 30% chance of storms. High: 89°. At night, a 40% chance of storms; low: 70°.

Monday: 40% chance of storms (c'mon, rain! beat those odds!). High: 88°. Low: 65°.

P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day. (Many of us on the staff have angry, angry kitties at home. "Where have you been?" they say. "You smell like the theatre!" Cats always use British spellings.)

Hey everyone—
Before we get the Daily started, we just wanted to take a moment to remember the anniversary of the I-35W bridge collapse. Like everyone in Minnesota, our thoughts aren't far from the families who lost so much.
—The Fringe staff

Well, did you find it? Did you go to opening night, took a chance on a show you knew nothing about (other than the show descriptions in our handy Fringe program)? Did you find Your Secret Surprise of the Fringe, the one you get to tell everyone about over drinks at Fringe Central?* Yay!

But even if you didn't find it last night, you've got the first Fringe Weekend ahead of you to find it. There's a whole buncha shows that have their opening performances, so pick out a handful, write an online review, then scurry over afterwards and talk them up at Fringe Central.

You, yes, you have a chance to become the greatest authority at Fringe '08: Somebody I Heard Talking About This!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

* "Fringe Central: It's Like Putting the Fringe in Your Mouth!"**
**Robin: "When I asked for a different motto, what I meant was a different, good motto."

Stop at Fringe Central and win!

Every day at Fringe Central, we're holding three drawings for a delicious pound of Equal Exchange coffee. Yum!

But that's not all... On Sunday, August 11 (the closing day of the festival), we're holding a drawing for two great prizes.

Rush Prize: An Equal Exchange gift basket with all sorts of lovely things...

Ultra Prize: Two Ultra Passes to the '09 Fringe and two season tickets to the Guthrie!

Yuh-huh. A drawing that'll take care of lots of your 2009 theater-going needs in one handy swoop.

Stop by Fringe Central and toss your name in! Winners will be announced daily and—if you win a daily coffee prize—you're still eligible for the Rush and Ultra Prizes. (Although if you work for the Fringe or are on our board or are related to any of them, you're not eligible. And you don't have to buy anything in order to win.)

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

TOMORROW @ Noon-3 p.m.: Kids' Fringe ice cream social

TOMORROW @ 10 p.m.: Opening weekend party—our very own quinceañera!

Monday 8/4 @ 7 and 10 p.m.: 48 Hour Film Project special screening: The Best of Minneapolis 2008

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Weather

Today: Sunny and warm, 85°. Mostly clear tonight, low 60°.

Saturday: Mostly sunny with a 40% chance of thunderstorms at night. High: 89°. Low: 69°.

Sunday: Partly sunny and warm. High: 90°. 30% chance of thunderstorms at night. Low: 71°.

Photo du jour

"Ophelia" presented by Studio Zero at Interact (Photo: Jeff Larson)

Fringe in the news

vita.mn: Tons of coverage... Start here.

Twin Cities Daily Planet: The Fringe is here!: Meet the bloggers

The Rake: Fringe Me Baby, 156 More Times!

The Rake: Fozzie Bear Giving It to Miss Piggy (photo may not be entirely safe for work): A round-up from the out-of-towners' showcase

Star Tribune: Dancing their way to the Fringe

Minneapolis Metblog: Fringe report: July 31: Erica's roundup o' Fringe

For the latest updates, visit the Fringe staff blog, updated multiple times throughout the day.

P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day. Our favorite local non-arts-related blog.

On your marks, get set... Fringe '08 kicks off today at 5:30 p.m. at all our venues. Except—of course—Bryant Lake Bowl, who in classic Jan Brady fashion expresses her individuality by showing up at 6 p.m. wearing a stylish black wig. But you know what, you go, BLB! Wave your freak flag highly!

• Do you have your schedule? Online or in yesterday's edition of the City Pages, it couldn't be easier.
• Do you have directions to the venues?
• Do you have your economical and super-convenient tickets, Ultra Pass, a 10-show or 5-show punch card?
• Were you Cyber L33T and got tickets and reservations at UptownTix? No? N00b.
• Or do you have cash, checks or credit cards to buy tickets?
• Do you have your absolutely necessary Fringe 2008 button, which not only gets you into the Fringe but gives you great discounts throughout the year?
• Do you know how to get to Fringe Central at Bedlam where "The Fringe Meets to Binge and Eat"?*
• Do you have a good excuse to call in sick to work tomorrow?

Then you're set! Go, go, GO!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

*Ask about our "Robin Shakes Her Head And Insists We Come Up With A New Motto" contest!

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

Saturday 8/2 @ Noon-3 p.m.: Kids' Fringe ice cream social

Saturday 8/2 @ 10 p.m.: Opening weekend party—our very own quinceañera!

Monday 8/4 @ 7 and 10 p.m.: 48 Hour Film Project special screening: The Best of Minneapolis 2008

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Weather

Thursday: Severe thunderfringe (which is a joke we used a few years ago, but we're recycling it because there're storms and the synapses aren't firing very fast because Matt et al. had to get up at 5 o'clock because Fringe was on Fox 9—did you see it?). Otherwise hot. High: 85°. Low: 66°.

Friday: Mostly sunny with clouds approaching after dark. Because clouds have a flair for drama. High: 89°. Low: 67°.

Saturday: Slight chance of t'storms at night. High: 92°. Low: 72°.

Fringe in the news

Minnesota Public Radio: Minnesota Fringe turns 15, which you can read or listen to!

MinnPost.com went nuts yesterday! So much love!

• Ed Huyck: Fringe benefits: 15 years of live theater on the edge
• Camille LeFevre: So very Fringe: hidden gems in 30-plus dance offerings
• Christy DeSmith: How to get a Jeune Lune fix at the Fringe

For the latest updates, visit the Fringe staff blog, updated multiple times throughout the day.

Fringestrology

Our favorite New Jersey-based attorney/astrologer/actor/food columnist (seriously), Kathy Biehl, graciously provided us with Fringe 2008's astrological forecast. Thanks, Kathy!

Fasten your astro-belts: The 2008 Minnesota Fringe Festival will blast out of the norm—well, its norm, anyway—and into unprecedented spectacle and visibility. Because of its run dates, Fringe always takes place under the fun-loving sign of Leo, which has a flair for the dramatic, not to mention a penchant for going over the top, on stage and off. Those qualities are about to get amplified a hundredfold. And then some.

This year's Fringe is an eclipse baby, born on the eve of a powerhouse solar eclipse (and a total one, at that) and taking its bows while a lunar eclipse is waiting in the wings. "Memorable" hardly begins to describe the personality that's about to be unleashed. This festival will come roaring into existence, a veritable drama queen that doesn't merely enjoy attention, but radiates something that demands it.

There'll be inspired creativity, moments of transcendence, lots of laughter, acts of spectacular generosity, more than occasional indulgence, scads of gossip and shadings of the truth and endless, endless chatter. The talk will not stop when the final curtain falls. Continued talk, fine-tuning and structuring, both artistic and financial, are all over the chart for the Fringe's end time.

The cover's about to be blown. The festival is stepping out of the, uh, fringes and into widespread notice. This is one for the history books, a milestone year that creates a lasting line of demarcation between the way things were and the grander version that is about to take shape and become lionized. If it sounds like the Fringe is about to be discovered by the big boys, well, it's possible. Some aspect of this festival will certainly live on after August 10, perhaps a show that goes on to great prominence elsewhere and focuses a spotlight on its spawning ground.

Or maybe this Fringe will just be one big long self-indulgent, media-hogging extravaganza. Regardless, whatever happens this year will have a greater than usual effect on next year's Fringe. Some of the impact will surface next February, courtesy of another lunar eclipse, with more to come next August, too—just in time for the 2009 Fringe. What a coincidence! Not.

P.S. Here's your Easter Egg for the day. Peppermint kisses!

Look for this in today's City Pages.

Welcome to the Daily Fringe #0: Special Holofoil Collector's Edition! Place it in an acid-free plastic bag and store in a cool, dry place. This comic could be worth $25,000!*

The 15th annual Minnesota Fringe starts tomorrow! Woot! First off, you'll need to figure out your Fringe schedule online. You can also pick up the dead-tree version at each of the Fringe venues or in today's edition of the City Pages.

Need help deciding what shows to see? Catch videos of the first two Fringe-for-Alls on our YouTube channel along with ongoing video updates throughout the festival.

And there's tonight's out-of-towners' showcase at Fringe Central at Bedlam. We don't want you to get too excited, but there are rumors that someone opened a wardrobe and found a magical passageway to the fabled land of... Canada!

Don't forget that every night after shows you can join the gang at Fringe Central for drinks, food and, best of all, conversation. For heaven's sake, make sure you have an answer to "Seen anything good?" because you will hear it.

That's all for now, get lots of sleep, make sure your water bottle is full, and get ready for Fringe 2008!

Your pals,
Bill and Matt

*Disclaimer: This is not a comic.
Additional disclaimer: This will never be worth $25,000.

Fringe Central
at Bedlam

Tonight at 7:30 p.m.: Out-of-towners' showcase. Come get previews of the acts coming in from outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. And early buzz! And all the people you haven't seen since last August!

Saturday @ Noon-3 p.m.: Kids' Fringe ice cream social

Saturday @ 10 p.m.: Opening weekend party—our very own quinceañera!

$3 Summit pints during Bedlam Social happy hour (4-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-2 a.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap and food service 'til close

Get the complete schedule

Weather

Today: Mostly sunny, warm, humid... Not so much a sizzle as a poach. High: 87°. Low: 67°.

Thursday: Chance of thunderstorms. Otherwise hot. High: 90°. Low: 68°.

Friday: Chance of sticking to patio furniture 90%. High: 88°. Low: 72°.

Fringe in the news

Pioneer Press: So much pioneering! There's Dominic Papatola's guide to surviving—and thriving—at the Fringe. Then there's a nice article about out-of-towners. And the '08 festival at a glance.

Star Tribune: Fringe at 15 and the niftiest Google map ever. And if you missed the Fringe-for-All, you can still read the recap.

Minnesota Monthly: Fringe benefits

Twin Cities Daily Planet: Looking for the bloggers? Five of the writers we used to host have found a new home on Twin Cities Daily Planet. Read them early, read them often.

City Pages: ...and a sixth blogger we used to host is now at the City Pages. Yay!

Schedule changes!

In the world of Fringe, flexibility—financial, mental, temporal, even physical—is the key to success. These four prove it. Introducing shows that came in at the last minute!

Beowulf or Gilgamesh—You Decide! presented by Chopping Block and Charlie Bethel at the U of M Rarig Center. Charlie came in off the waiting list on Monday and he's allowing each audience to pick either of his previous Fringe hits: Beowulf or Gilgamesh.

No Stranger Than Home presented by Katherine Glover at Intermedia Arts. After using "home" to describe, at one time or another, three continents and four U.S. states, writer/performer and journalist Katherine Glover brings together a mishmash of tales in this dynamic and funny one-woman show.

Alone and Testifying presented by Loren Niemi and Howard Lieberman at Interact. Five different shows: "Being Here 00s," "The Nomadic 90s," "The Exuberant 80s," "Changes 70s" and "The Radical 60."

The Spaceman Chronicles presented by Sanguine Theatre at Theatre de la Jeune Lune. Citizen Craig Web attempts the impossible: space travel without all that fire. A comedy concerning the outer limits of human achievement.

The 15th annual Minnesota Fringe starts on Thurs., July 31! You'll need to look at the schedule, buy some tickets and, of course, get a T-shirt.

But Fringe is so much more than a performing arts event... It's a festival. And as such, we like to party... Announcing Fringe Central at Bedlam, presented by Summit Brewing Co.!

Bedlam Theatre (on the West Bank) is Minneapolis' premiere social-hub-theater. With a stage, funky lounge spaces and outdoor patio with one of the best skyline views in Minneapolis, Bedlam is the perfect choice for the epicenter of the Fringe. Fringe Central is open daily and nightly 'til 2 a.m. during festival, opening at 4 p.m. on weekdays and at noon on weekends. Fringe Central features a lineup of six tap Summit beers, organic wine and Polish fusion food. Na zdrowie, baby!

Fringe Central menu

Bedlam is creating a special Fringe menu featuring quick-serve and sit-down items alike. And food is served every night 'til close—perfect for hungry little Fringers!

Food to go: Pizza, bag lunches and sandwiches

Dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. nightly featuring Bedlam's homemade pierogies

Late-night eats: Hot sandwiches, all-beef and tofu dogs and introducing Fringe fries

Ice cream cookie sandwiches: Bedlam's own refreshing little sugar treat

$3 Summit pints during Fringe Happy Hour (4-7 p.m. and 10-11 p.m.) with six yummy Summits on tap

Delicious wine list with Etica fair-trade wine, coffee on ice and retro-sodas

Get your party on...

In addition to drinking, buzzing and making merry, here are some highlights of the fun activities at Fringe Central. Check our Web site (and, starting on Wednesday, the Daily Fringe!) for all the latest information.

Wednesday, July 30 @ 7:30 p.m.
Out-of-Towners' Showcase
Acts from all over North America strut their stuff to convince you that they're worth $12 and 60 minutes. See previews, collect preliminary show buzz and greet all your Fringe friends!

Saturday, August 2 @ Noon–3 p.m.
Kids' Fringe Ice Cream Social
Fringey families kick off the festival with their very own ice cream social. Cake! Ice cream! Kids' shows buzz!

Saturday, August 2 @ 10 p.m.: Opening Weekend Party
Celebrate 15 years of Minnesota Fringe goodness at our very own quinceañera. We supply the piñata, birthday cake and music. You supply your funky self.

Monday, August 4 @ 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
48 Hour Film Project: Best of Minneapolis
Minneapolis' film community comes to Fringe! Every year at 48 Hour Film Project, scores of teams write, shoot and edit a short film in 48 hours. This screening is the very best from this year's crop. Plus: Meet 48 Hour Film Project Minneapolis producer Ira Livingstone at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, August 5 @ TBA: Fringe Pub Trivia
Pub trivia is all the rage. Come test your knowledge of Minnesota Fringe and the local arts scene. Prizes!

Wednesday, August 6 @ 9:30 p.m.
Dreamland Faces
You must come by and catch the delightful musical stylings of Andy McCormick and Karen Majewicz with Josef Evans. You won't regret it.

Thursday, August 7 @ Midnight: Late-night DJ
Spin, spin, spin! Delicious beats to inspire you and groove your body into the closing weekend.