Review: THE PROFESSIONALS: A BROADCAST at The Southern Theatre

If you’re looking for something a little different at this year’s Fringe, The Professionals: A Broadcast by Tree.Lock//Productions is a wild, smart, and surprisingly funny ride. This Minneapolis-based experimental group mixes contemporary dance, physical theater, and a healthy dose of weirdness to explore what it means to be human — or not — in a world increasingly run by AI.

The show is the brainchild of Sterling Melcher and Meg Singh, who’ve been making all kinds of interesting work for years now. Sterling’s background in performance theory and his love for the absurd really come through, and Meg’s choreography keeps everything flowing with purpose and style. The way they tackle topics like politics, wellness, and technology feels fresh and playful, never heavy-handed.

The cast is a great mix of local talent and new faces to the Fringe. Jack Mai Verhagen makes his debut here and brings some strong, expressive movement. Josie Ramler and Courtney Larson add layers of theatricality and emotional depth, while Andy Lindvall, Cate Jackson, and Zakary Morton round out the ensemble with solid, engaging performances. The group moves effortlessly between dance and scripted moments, which keeps things interesting and unpredictable.

Musically, the score by Aros E-V fits like a glove, adding texture without overpowering the performers. You can tell this show is a labor of love, with support from Young Dance and community patrons like Debbie and John Garrow helping to make it happen.

The Professionals: A Broadcast is a quirky, clever piece that’s worth your Fringe ticket if you want to see something that’s not just a play or a dance show but a little bit of both — and then some. It’s weird, it’s fun, and it’ll leave you thinking about the weird little goose inside all of us.

For more ticket and show information, please click the ticket link button below.