MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Fringe Festival opens Thursday for its 19th year of offering theater-goers a smorgasbord of comedy, drama and musicals.

The Fringe opens Thursday for an 11-day run at 15 stages in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

This year's festival offers 165 different productions running the gamut from kids' shows to dance. Shows run 60 minutes or less, and there is a 30-minute break between performances.

No one picks which shows are allowed in the festival. Instead, shows are determined by lottery.

Tickets cost $12 plus a $4 admission button. Tickets for kids 12 and under are $5 and don't require a button.

The Fringe runs through Sunday, Aug. 12.

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Online:

http://www.fringefestival.org