50: A Totally Rad Comedy! Starring Jason Schommer, JC Lippold & Michael Shynes!
Thursday, April 16, 2026
6:30 pm Doors // 7:30 pm Show
All Ages
$25 ($32.30 w. taxes/fees) Advance General Admission
$30 ($35 w. taxes/fees) At The Door General Admission
Ticket purchases are final and non-refundable
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The smash hit show of the Minnesota Fringe Festival returns for a special encore performance! 50: A Totally Rad Comedy! Starring Jason Schommer, JC Lippold & Michael Shynes!
When comic Jason Schommer turned 50, he found himself unemployed, single, and in trouble for splashing his nemesis in water aerobics class. When life crashes and burns, sometimes all you can do is laugh! 50: A Totally Rad Comedy! hilariously explores the idea that sometimes, in order to move forward in life, you first must look back. Blending wildly hilarious stand-up comedy, poignant storytelling, and music, this uproarious life reckoning of a Gen Xer unfolds through outrageous pop culture moments, classic ‘80s television and movies, and the endless doom and gloom catastrophes he was warned about while growing up. Quicksand and Killer Bees and Acid Rain, oh my! 50: A Totally Rad Comedy! premiered to rave reviews at the Minnesota Fringe Festival and played to packed audiences. 4 ½ stars out of 5!
“Jason is the David Sedaris of Minneapolis!” – Dawn Bentley, Executive Director of MN Fringe.
Fringe audiences raved:
“Amazing!”
“Touching and hilarious!”
“Fantastic musical interludes!”
“Comedic storytelling at its best!”
“Endless laughter!”
“Razor sharp wit!”
“Beautifully executed!”
“Great show from a gifted and hilarious storyteller!”
“The show keeps jabbing with great laughs and has several knockout punches!”
“The music was phenomenal, the stories were hilarious, and the atmosphere was electric!”
Jason Schommer is a stand-up comedian and storyteller who spent two years as the opening act for comedy legend Louie Anderson in Las Vegas and toured regularly with him. Comedy icon Louie Anderson said, “Jason is funny, clever, smart, and on his way to the big time!”
“Nobody tells a better story than Jason Schommer. A long-time opener for the legendary Louie Anderson, Schommer is a multi-layered talent who combines stand-up, storytelling, acting, and improv to create a unique experience every time he’s on stage. Jason is a true performer in every sense of the word and one of the most engaging personalities in all avenues of Twin Cities comedy—well beyond stand-up.” – Patrick Strait, MN Comedy
Jason has performed all over the U.S. and Canada and for the U.S. military in Japan. His sharp wit and spur-of-the-moment playfulness keep audiences on the edge of their seats with crazy and absurd “is-this-really-happening” stories, jokes with unexpected twists and turns, and off-the-cuff riffs. The laughs come fast and furious as Jason mines everyday life, transforming the seemingly mundane and routine into comedy gold. A regular performer at The Moth, Jason has won numerous Story Slam competitions and has been invited to perform at the GrandSlams at The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul (2016, 2023), The Guthrie Theater (2018), and The Pantages Theater (2022). Jason has been heard nationally on The Moth Radio Hour and featured on The Moth Podcast. He has also worked in New York City for The Rosie O’Donnell Show and behind the scenes in Hollywood as Louie Anderson’s stand-in on the FX television series Baskets. In 2017, Jason released his first live comedy album, “Confessions of a Local Celebrity.” Most recently, Jason went viral on TikTok starring in a video with Dave Ryan from KDWB, earning over 5.4 million views.
JC Lippold brings a dynamic and distinctive voice to the music and theater scene. With more than 20 years of experience as a gigging pianist and vocalist, he serves as the Music Director at Stages Theatre Company and as Artistic Director of Alive & Kickin’, Minnesota’s Premier Senior Rock Ensemble.
JC frequently appears on the Twin Cities’ ABC affiliate KSTP-TV, as a wellness expert. He leads workshops and is currently writing the seminal text on his concept of “Enough-ness”, an empowering practice of affirming that you are already, indeed enough. JC cheers others on as they change the world through their music and stories.
Michael Shynes is a Midwest-born singer-songwriter with a Platinum Record in Poland. A self-taught musician from Little Falls, MN, Michael chased an unlikely dream and built a career out of pure hustle and soulful songwriting. While Michael’s music may be difficult to define—often oscillating from folk to pop to R&B to country and back again—the unifying thread is his authenticity. His music never strives to be anything less than genuine. Blending shades of multiple genres over an acoustic and full-band landscape, his songs are rich with lyrical depth rarely paired with such mainstream appeal.
What truly sets Michael apart is his captivating voice. With a range and falsetto that are nothing short of mesmerizing, his acoustic finger-picking style provides the perfect warmth for his soulful lyrics. Michael quickly gained attention as a standout local opener for national acts and even toured with Platinum Recording Artist Howie Day. From humble beginnings, he has grown into one of the most sought-after performers in the Midwest, regularly playing to standing-room-only crowds. Michael Shynes recently released the full-length album “Small Town Revival” to rave reviews.
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