NEWS: Minnesota Fringe Festival Reports 2017 Numbers

A promotional image for DUNGEON.

The Minnesota Fringe Festival has announced the final statistics for its 2017 incarnation. Over 11 days, the festival attracted 46,076 butts in seats. Audiences saw 860 performances of 167 shows at 17 venues throughout Minneapolis, Minnesota. The festival is one of the largest fringe festivals in the United States and one the largest performing arts festivals in the United States.

Top 15 Shows by Total Sales

A promotional photo for Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant.
1. Couple Fight 3: Weddings! presented by Weggel-Reed Productions.
2. The Wright Stuff, or You’ll Believe They Can Fly! presented by Outlandish Productions
3. Swords & Sorcery: The Improvised Fantasy Campaign presented by Bearded Men Improv
4. Intermediate Physical Comedy for Advanced Beginners presented by Comedy Suitcase
5. MEDUSA presented by Vox Medusa with Infiammati FireCircus
6. Fruit Flies Like a Banana: WORLD TOUR presented by The Fourth Wall
7. Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant: A New Musical presented by Devious Mechanics
8. DUNGEON presented by Hit the Lights! Theater Co.
9. Pinocchio presented by Sheep Theater
10. The Memory Box of the Sisters Fox presented by The Winding Sheet Outfit
11. The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society presented by Ghoulish Delights
12. RomCom-Con: A Meet-Cute Musical presented by August Moon Productions
13. Blackout Improv presented by Rogue Gallery Arts
14. Death in Yosemite: A comedic adaptation of the Non-Fiction Book presented by Rooftop Theatre Company
15. Lettres et Café presented by Bad Mime Productions

Top 15 Shows by Capacity

A promotional photo for Couple Fight 3.
1. A Pickle presented by Really Spicy Opera
2. It Can’t Happen Here presented by Sinclair Lewis Productions
3. Sevlin & Devlin Presents: Seven Evans in Heaven presented by Ferrari McSpeedy Theatrical Production
4. The Buttslasher presented by New Endeavors
5. Hot Air presented by SCHMAGENCY
6. The Ballad of Bearclaw Jones presented by Jacobin Grille
7. BOOMBOX. a (sort of) solo show presented by Hannah Starr
8. Live From New York, He’s a Prom Date! presented by Side by Side
9. On The Exhale presented by Market Garden Theatre
10. The Memory Box of the Sisters Fox presented by The Winding Sheet Outfit
11. Couple Fight 3: Weddings! presented by Weggel-Reed Productions
12. A Resister’s Handbook (for holding onto optimism in shitty times) presented by minnerican productions
13. Waiting for Gygax presented by Hot Chocolate Media
14. Blackout Improv presented by Rogues Gallery Arts
15. Pope Joan presented by Featherstone Creative
Box office sales for 2017 totaled $302,843, of which 70% ($212,500) were returned this year. The average producer payout was roughly $1,270 across all 167 shows. Individual show payouts ranged from $200 to more than $5,000.
“Now that the 2017 Minnesota Fringe Festival has come to an end, it’s time for the real work to begin,” said Executive Director Dawn Bentley. “Our primary objective since starting has been the 2017 Festival itself. Now we can turn our focus towards the organization’s future and further amplification of its’ continued value for Minnesota communities as we enter our 25th season.”
The 2018 Minnesota Fringe Festival dates have been set for August 2-12, 2018.