This is the list of shows at the Minnesota Fringe Festival that I want to see right away, before everyone else figures out how good they are and they’re impossible to get into.

It’s based on what I saw from both Fringe-For-All Showcases (one I attended at the Ritz Theater, the other I watched on YouTube) and prior experience with the artists. On a scale of 1 to 5 — 1 being “don’t bother” and 5 being “don’t miss” — these are the ones I gave 4s and 5s to. Presented in alphabetical order.

• All Rights Reserved: A Libertarian Rage: I’ve seen and enjoyed Maximum Verbosity before and I liked the preview.
• An Inconvenient Squirrel: My preference is generally for the other Scrimshaw brother, but a kids show by Joseph Scrimshaw has to be pretty fantastic.
• An Intimate Evening with Fotis: Part Two: Part One was at last year’s Fringe. He just sits there and tells stories. And I adore Mike Fotis (who usually is playing at the Brave New Workshop). It’s hilarious.
• Boys Don’t Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses: I’ve seen Curt Lund and Laura Bidgood’s previous Fringe shows “Two Queers and a Chubby” and “Take a Left at the Giant Cow” and both were outstanding. Also saw a preview of this show at Fringe-For-All.
• Conundrum Rehabbed: I usually run far away from dance, but this one had a clear plot that I could mostly follow and it was funny.
• Great American Horror Movie Musical: I wasn’t even sure what to make of this when I saw the Fringe-For-All preview. It’s so… just… a strange combination of completely familiar stuff. Click through to see the preview video, which won’t even do it justice.
• The Nosdrahcir Sisters: The Fringe-For-All preview of this show was of these two women doing a workout tape together. Or trying to, anyway. Which was probably only hilarious to me because my girlfriend and I work out together sometimes in the basement. That’s just one small part of the show, though. “The imaginative lives of two quiet ladies. Teacups triumph, aliens say beep and mermaids shop in the produce aisle.”
• Roofies in the Mochaccino: I saw Michael Shaeffer perform an excerpt from this show at July’s Sample Night Live [mb]. The muppet sex bit totally won me over.
• Stupid Face: A one-woman show in which the main character is delighfully, wittily bitter. I love that. And Courtney Roche has quite the theatrical background, so the delivery is good.
• The Underpants Show: There is no missing a Fringe show put on by Lili’s Burlesque.

Sample Night Live is “a monthly evening of performances offering a dozen ten minute samples of upcoming and ongoing Twin Cities arts events.”

It will take place first Wednesdays — starting Wednesday, Jan 2 — at Bryant-Lake Bowl. “When you hear the city testing the sirens, that’s your reminder that Sample Night Live is tonight!”

There will be a G-rated Act I starting at 7pm followed by an unrated Act II starting at 8:15pm. You can expect to see the sorts of things you’d find at Balls Cabaret or the Fringe Festival. Info on acts can be found at SampleNightLive.com or at myspace.com/SampleNightLive. If you like what you see at any show you will be able to sign up for more info from that performer.

A portion of the proceeds from the January show will go to Special Olympics Minnesota.

Ticket info:

Call to reserve tickets 612-825-8949 or visit, www.bryantlakebowl.com
$15; $10 students and Seniors; $5 for kids ages 5-10
$2 off with a Fringe button. Use code MEMBERS for online ticketing.

And finally:

If you know of a great arts group that could use the exposure to new audiences, contact Producer@SampleNightLive.com or phone booking at 612-201-4000. The service is free to arts organizations.

Going to a Fringe preview definitely helped guide my choices for the actual Fringe Festival. Sample Night Live will be a great and affordable opportunity to see what’s going on around town, discover something you probably didn’t know about, and decide what’s worth spending your money on.