The Minnesota Fringe Festival has come to an end, leaving us in all in a theatre hangover. The Fringe was a huge, record-breaking success this year, and both of my shows were among the Top 10 most-attended!  With 1,046 tickets issued, Bard Fiction was second, squeaking in behind The Harty Boys by a difference of 21 tickets. [...]

Last night, it was announced that  Bard Fiction won an encore performance!  An encore is awarded to the top-selling show in each venue of the Fringe Festival.  I was told by a Fringe staff member that he thinks we’re the first show in Fringe history to open up the balcony seating in the Rarig Thrust! [...]

My Minnesota Public Radio “Art Hounds” segment aired this morning.  I talk about Improv-A-Go-Go, an improv show that happens every Sunday night at the Brave New Workshop.  The segment also features my pal, improv maven Jill Bernard, who talks about New Orleans-style jazz band Southside Aces.  Jill and the band sounded terrific!  You can listen online [...]

Well, looky there, Graydon Royce liked Tales of the Expected.  Judging by the line-up of stories, he saw our first performance.  Here’s what he had to say: Ari Hoptman and his revelers knock off fractured tales both familiar and invented in the most literate and whimsical show I’ve seen so far. Hoptman mixes a facility [...]

Here’s yesterday’s 3-Minute Egg, featuring Bard Fiction as well as The Harty Boys (which includes half the cast of Tales of the Expected, incidentally).  There are some great video clips from both shows.  Enjoy! Last night’s show was killer.   Big thanks to everyone who came.  Two more performances left!  Friday @ 10:00 PM and Saturday @ [...]

Holy poop!  Bard Fiction has been getting excellent reviews (averaging 4.5 out of 5 “kitties”) and has been leapfrogging with Jurassic Dork and Harty Boys for most-reviewed show on the Fringe site.  Here are some highlights from our reviews (of which there are currently 38): The show itself is flawless, funny, clever, engaging and an impressive [...]