Kittens! The Ministry of Cultural Warfare is back at the Fringe this year with our usual smatterings of agitprop and snark! But after taking last year off to recharge our creative batteries, we need your help to recharge our financial batteries.

With artists to pay, rehearsal space to rent, props to buy, set pieces to pillage, it all adds up fast. So we're turning to our ever-faithful infidelitous friends to help us make up the difference. Join us for some post-work wine and hors d'oeuvres on Thursday, July 27 at la maison de Nathan Surprenant to schmooze, drink and get your name in our program (you'll be famous!). The party lasts from 7 to 9, and your Ministers will all be on hand to give you our eternal gratitude and ply you with more drinks.

"Before I sink any more dough into this so-called Ministry, what's the show?" you ask. We are proudly updating and expanding our hit "The Unbearable Lightness of Being American." It's 13 individually wrapped sketches — some live, some video, some sung — that trash American largess and hypocricy on religion, immigration, sex, identity, war and cats. Yes, we even go after the cats!

The usual gang is at it again: Leigha Horton and Nathan Surprenant are performing, Reid Knuttila's directing and Matthew Foster's writing and doing video voodoo. The show was first performed in its one-woman incarnation at the 2002 Absolute Originals festival at Intermedia Arts. Then we went on to be the first sell-out of the 2004 Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montréal — AND sold out every single one of our Montréal performances — AND got the cover of the Montreal Mirror. Like all things American, the show is returning home like a prodigal son after getting scrubbed, detailed and tricked-out. The script even has that coveted new-theater smell. To get so much more information (and to buy tickets), visit our page on the Minnesota Fringe Festival site.

So... We'll see you at our pre-Fringe post-money party! This is what you need to know:

Thursday, July 27, 7-9 pm

Nathan Surprenant and Brad Wagner's fancy loft (comment or e-mail me for the address - there's no way I'm posting that sucker on the internets-machine)

Can't attend but still want to help? Of COURSE you do! Make checks payable to Matthew Foster (we dissolved the official company because it was a pain to file with The State for the pittance we make from shows... I mean, how much time would *you* want to spend arguing with a Republican Secretary of State?) and mail to the following address: (again, comment or e-mail me for the address - there's no way I'm posting that sucker on the internets-machine).