Stories From the Trauma Dump

Jena Young

Host
Jena Young (she/her/they) is honored to be joined by such an illustrious group of storytellers! She has been involved with over 30 productions with the MN Fringe Festival as a director, producer, storyteller, dancer, performer, fight choreographer, and clown. Past Fringe shows include “Caucasian-Aggressive Pandas and Other Mulatto Tales,” “William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead,” “Wilhelmina and Theodore’s Exquisite Victorian Adventure,” "The Bisexual Unicorn and Other Mythological Creatures," “My Only Hope for a Hero,” several versions of "Fringe Orphans," and her own one-woman shows “Drinking Stories,” “Cassandra and a Cat Called Woman,” and "Memoirs of a Welfare Queen."

Outside of the MN Fringe, Jena has worked on such shows as “The Tourist Trap,” “Monsters in a Mirror,” “Young and Fearless,” “Dread the Halls (2018),” "Prescription: Murder," “Get Thee Behind me Santa,” “Ravenscroft,” “A Klingon Christmas Carol,” “A Very Honorable Christmas,” and “Hamlet.” She’s a regular at The Encyclopedia Show and local storytelling shows, is a co-host of the local Apropos of Nothing Podcast, and is president of the board that produces the Twin Cities Horror Festival. Jena is previously known for her work in Vilification Tennis and Human Combat Chess, and as a founder of both Phrenic Impact Theatre and Fearless Comedy Productions. She also once placed 5th in a balloon fencing tournament.

You can also catch Jena in this same venue in her one woman show The Label Maker

Allison Broeren

Storyteller
Allison will be performing the following shows:
Thur 8/6 7:00 PM
Fri 8/14 5:30 PM
Sat 8/15 5:30 PM

Allison Broeren is an Emmy Award winning storyteller, educator, and Co-founder of Strike Theater in Minneapolis, MN.She has organized between 50-70 shows a year since 2006 in the Twin Cities. Allison teaches storytelling at Strike Theater, has been heard on the Moth Main Stage, MPR, The MN Book Awards, MN Fringe Festival, KFAI, The Tour de Fat MainStage, political fundraisers, local block parties, and coffee tables all through the land.

The City Pages has named her an artist to watch and awarded her Best Spoken Word Event. The Pioneer Press named her shows the Best Performance Opportunity. She was named Changemaker of the Year for her work on the Women of the World Poetry Slam by the MN Women's Press. Allison loves a great story--both sharing and listening--and is so excited to be here with you!

Ariel Pinkerton

Storyteller
Ariel will be performing the following shows:
Thur 8/6 7:00 PM
Sat 8/8 7:00 PM
Sun 8/9 4:00 PM
Fri 8/14 5:30 PM
Sat 8/15 5:30 PM

Ariel Pinkerton is an actress, storyteller and lighting designer. She is Co-Artistic Director of Fortune’s Fool and company member of Ghoulish Delights. She is also performing at Fringe in THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING at Open Eye.

Duck Washington

Storyteller
Duck will be performing the following shows:
Sat 8/8 7:00 PM
Sat 8/15 5:30 PM

Duck Washington has been working as a theater artist in the Twin Cities area for over twenty five years. He is an actor, director, playwright, audio designer, educator, improviser, and arts leader. Duck is the Executive Director for the Twin Cities Horror Festival, and is a company member of Blackout Improv, Theatre Pro Rata, Dangerboat Productions and Vilification Tennis. Duck is co producer of The Encyclopedia Show Minneapolis and also produces under his own company, Rogues Gallery Arts. Duck is a veteran in the Minnesota Fringe. Some of his past Fringe productions include- My Only Hope for A Hero, Caucasian-Aggressive Pandas and Other Mulatto Tales, Jewelry Power Elite, Hamluke and Finger Lickin’ Good. In this year’s festival you can also catch Duck’s work in Casa Bde Maka ska at Theatre in the Round, Importance of Living at Open Eye, and Ember in the UMN Arena.
duckwashington.com

Houa Moua

Storyteller

Houa will be performing the following shows:
Sat 8/8 7:00 PM

Jex Arzayus

Storyteller

Jex will be performing the following shows:
Sun 8/9 4:00 PM

Mahmoud Hakima

Storyteller
Mahmoud will be performing the following shows:
Thur 8/6 7:00 PM
Sat 8/8 7:00 PM
Sun 8/9 4:00 PM
Fri 8/14 5:30 PM

Mahmoud has been a staple of the Twin Cities acting and improv community for the past 20 years. He can regularly be seen performing with the improv troupes Sympathetic Magic, Jesters Comedy, and Fantastic Voyage. He also has a monthly gig at The Dinner Detective, a murder mystery comedy show at the Courtyard Marriott in Minneapolis. While the actual number of Fringe shows Mahmoud has performed in remains a mystery, this year you can also catch him in Soap-Prov at the Nolte Xperimental and in M at the Barbara Baker Center. He is grateful to share his story with you and hopes that it leads to some healing and reflection of your own. Many thanks to Jena for the invite!

Nissa Nordland

Storyteller
Nissa will be performing the following shows:
Thur 8/6 7:00 PM

Nissa Nordland (she/her) is an actor, writer, improviser, producer and musician in the Twin Cities. She is the Artistic Director of Twin Cities Horror Festival; founder of Special When Lit; company member of Theatre Pro Rata; member of the Playwright's Cabal, alum mainstage cast member/writer of the Brave New Workshop and co-creator of improv duo Bury The Leads (Also performing in the Minnesota Fringe at Mixed Blood Theater!). Her recent Minnesota Fringe credits include Xena & Gabrielle Smash the Patriarchy (writer/Gabrielle), Finger Lickin' Good (co-writer/chicken ensemble/producer), Stabby Stab Stab (writer/co-producer/Morgan) and Fangs and Bangs (& Sangs) (writer/producer/performer). She's received honors from the Atlanta Fringe Festival for Writing and has been a Finalist for the McKnight Fellowship in Playwrighting (2023, 2024 & 2026).

Rev. Matt Kessen

Storyteller
Rev. Matt Kessen will be performing the following shows:
Thur 8/6 7:00 PM
Sat 8/8 7:00 PM
Sun 8/9 4:00 PM
Fri 8/14 5:30 PM
Sat 8/15 5:30 PM

Rev. Matt Kessen’s series of comedy lectures about the history of monsters, “Reverend Matt’s Monster Science” (“Part Science. Part Comedy. All Monsters”), has appeared at museums, theater festivals, libraries, comedy nights, and much more all over the country. In this capacity, he has collaborated with such artists as the Winding Sheet Outfit, Shanan Custer, and Erin Sheppard Presents; been a Guest of Honor at CONvergence 2022; and won a Golden Lanyard Award at the 2023 Minnesota Fringe. His encyclopedia of monsters, of the same title as the show, will be published by Tor Books in 2027. He has a pet leopard gecko called Linus.
linktr.ee/monsterscience

Rian Vellichor

Storyteller
Rian will be performing the following shows:
Sat 8/15 5:30 PM

Rian Vellichor is a songwriter, comedian, & photographer based in the Twin Cities. Her work focuses on themes of mental health, sapphic love, & geek culture. Rian creates feverishly with a goal of being a beacon to others in the way her favorite artists have been a beacon to her.
heliograph.art

Shanan Custer

Storyteller
Shanan will be performing the following shows:
Sun 8/9 4:00 PM
Fri 8/14 5:30 PM

Shanan Custer is a theater maker who loves the Fringe and is grateful to Jena for asking her to dump some trauma along with this gorgeous cast. You can also catch Shanan monthly at Crooners with the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society as well as her storytelling, song and ritual cabaret Songversations that she creates and writes with Rhiannon Fiskradatz. Upcoming this fall: Jellyfish with Unlabeled Theater Company (acting) and Bull in a China Shop with Fortune's Fool Theatre (directing). Instagram: @w.e_h.a.v.e_b.e.e.n_t.o.l.d