Four authors write complete flash fiction stories in five minutes based on topics suggested by the audience. Participants: Lee Harris (mod), Molly Glover, Duck Washington, Tim Wick, Stephanie Olson
Big Fun Radio Funtime is a staged performance of audio comedy featuring new comedy sketches spoken into microphones for your laughing pleasure. Created especially for CONvergence, this soundscape of humor is a great way to start off the convention! Participants: Jerry Stearns, Tim Wick, Dawn Krosnowski, Angela Fox, Christopher Jones, Charles Hubbell, Windy Bowlsby
With 50 years of musical experience, Wilson Parc's music ranges from classics and mash-ups to originals with influences from metal, folk, bluegrass, and jazz. Participants: Jac Martins, Annette Larson, Ren Riga, Eric Neuville
A pop culture/reference behemoth of a show perfect for the CONvergence audience! This one woman variety show brought to you by Janelle Kloth was previously performed at the 2024 Minnesota Fringe Festival. Come see how many references you know! Participants: Janelle Kloth, Ryan Klima
The nerdcore hip-hop trio is saying farewell with one last set at their favorite venue. Come watch them jam! Participants: Dee Quinn, Wednessday Ezaki, Jason Kruger, Jauston Campbell
See a symphony of Smackdown as our sonic specialists sound off about which bogus bands succumb or survive! Participants: Melissa Sue Kaercher, Tim Wick, Christopher Jones, Kelvin Hatle, Tim Uren, Chris Kluwe, Rian Vellichor, Duck Washington, Windy Bowlsby
Come vote for your favorite nerdy answers in the audience as you watch the panel play a variety of JackBox fill-in-the-blank games. Participants: Nikki Armstrong (mod), Duck Washington, Arthur Ray Armstrong, James Fairbairn, Caitlyn McGrath, Amanda Nerud, Kelvin Hatle
Noisy science fiction electronic instrumental music that is spontaneity personified with crunchy beats, soaring synths, and otherworldly noise. Participants: Dissociate
Four panelists play increasingly silly games for your host, Lee Harris. Based on the longest-running British panel game show in history. Participants: Lee Harris, Matthew Kessen, Tim Wick, Windy Bowlsby, Nick Glover
Come watch a live play through of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with past and present Guests of Honor! They will jump right into an active campaign and what happens next is your best guess. Participants: Kyle B Dekker (mod), Chris Kluwe, Shannan Paul, Victor Jason Raymond, C.S.E. Cooney, Carlos Hernandez, Colette Feehan
As clips of strange movies play on screen, a team of voice actors and musicians create a whole new soundtrack...without ever seeing the movies before! It's film, improv comedy, and live music all in one, plus a 75% chance of rubber-suit monsters! Participants: Molly Glover, Melissa Sue Kaercher, Caly McMorrow, Nick Glover, Kelvin Hatle, Jerry Belich, Duck Washington
Thursday July 3, 2025 11:30pm - Friday July 4, 2025 12:30am CDT Hyatt 2 Greenway BCDE
Grab your dice and get ready to accept a quest to watch nerd-infused burlesque where every performance is a critical hit! Whether you’re lawful good or chaotically hot, adventure awaits! **mature content** Participants: Mona Montague, Opiumm Hayze, and a bevy of Nerdlesque babes!
Thursday July 3, 2025 11:30pm - Friday July 4, 2025 12:30am CDT Hyatt 2 Regency Room
A selection of songs and stories from the original SFF musical podcast by authors and musicians C.S.E. Cooney, Tina Connolly, and filk-maven Dr. Mary Crowell. Participants: Tina Connolly, C.S.E. Cooney, Carlos Hernandez, Kyle B Dekker, Jeremy Cooney, Mary Crowell
A panel of comedians compete to complete the strange tasks set forth by a megalomaniacal game show host and their assistant. Who can complete the challenges with the most creativity and panache? Based on the British game show. Participants: Lee Harris, Tim Wick, Nick Glover, Duck Washington, Shannan Paul, Windy Bowlsby, Jeremy Stomberg, Melissa Sue Kaercher
Two-person alternative acoustic songwriters having fun while using instruments to explore psychology and nonsense through songs. Participants: Logan Hale, Vance Crowley
Female filk and parody group focused on positivity and giggling. Now including a harp! Participants: Kelly Reich, Sarah Ravely, Kayla McGrady, Marina Krinsky
A staged reading of the fan favorite Klingon Hallmark movie mash up...now with bingo! Play along as you watch Samantha, a Klingon warrior, visit "A Minnesota" to find what is missing in her two hearts. Participants: Samuel Poppen, Edwin Strout, Alison Anderson, Tim Uren, Lana Rosario, Laura Thurston, Angela Fox, Stefanie Fauth, Charles Hubbell
Touring theater professional and storyteller Kyle B. Dekker (He-Man Is The Devil) presents a Choose Your Own Storytelling Show Experience, with a selection of geeky and fun stories he's crafted and told on stages across the Twin Cities and the U.S. Participants: Kyle B Dekker
Four "experts" must each give a PowerPoint presentation with slides they have never seen before, and the slides make no sense! Participants: Melissa Sue Kaercher, Tim Wick, Shannan Paul, Lee Harris, Gregory Parks, Andrea Ropella
Awards and promotions earned by members of the Grand Alliance will be presented in a formal ceremony, in dress uniform. Preceded by flag parade. All are welcome to attend. TRMN is the official fan organization of the Honorverse book series by David Weber. Participants: John Neitz
Ready to run away to the circus? Escape to MainStage for a cirque-style celebration of fantastic fandoms and creative cosplays as performers dance, climb, spin and astound! Participants: Shadowcat Sophie, Sarah Herda, Sara Su, Rev Dominic, Anjela, Dewfeathers, Jayne Aer, Thayer Slichter, Foxxi Stiletto, Sasha Rapacz, Hot Tang
A random-draw short-form improv show where you never know what might happen because neither do we! Participants: Nick Glover, Eric Thompson, Molly Glover, Andrea Ropella, Duck Washington, James Fairbairn
A steampunk rock band using their original music to weave tales of love, loss, and technology since 2009. Participants: John Heimbuch, Charles Borchert, Michael Borchert, Elizabeth Borchert, Keith Prusak, Rob Prusak
Teams of "literary experts" compete to describe the plot of a book, judging only from its cover art! Participants: Melissa Sue Kaercher, Tim Wick, Nick Glover, Molly Glover, Eric Thompson, Jerry Belich, Lee Harris, Shannan Paul
Reverend Matt’s Monster Science: They Might Be Halflings - A History of Player Character Species 2022 CONvergence Guest of Honor Reverend Matt returns to the Mainstage with a compact history of non-human adventurers in role-playing games! From the days when "Elf" was a character class (and Gary Gygax was grumpy about it), through to the modern day, where every single character is maybe a pony! Mutant animals! Moody vampires! Various humanoid ducks! At least two whole games where everybody is a dinosaur in outer space! And much, much more! Tons of information about the history of role-playing games, plus so many comedy jokes, and even PowerPoint! Participants: Matthew Kessen
Get ready for an evening of outrageous stories, quick wit, and hilarious deception as six of Minnesota's sharpest performers go head-to-head in a live version of Would I Lie to You? Can you spot the truth among the tall tales? Participants: Mike Dee, Bob Alberti, Nikki Armstrong, James Fairbairn, Eric Knight, Kelvin Hatle, Stephanie Hammon, Chris Kluwe
Dance with the dinos as they groove through the Hyatt Regency! Starting on the 4th floor (Gaming Area), they’ll parade down the 2nd & 1st before ending on the 6th for photos & hugs. No stops until the finale--so get ready for a roaring good time!
What happens when real life goes full critical fail? You roll with it--laughing all the way. Join Miss Shannan Paul and her special guests as they turn life's chaos into comedy gold with hilarious, heartfelt, and geek-approved tales that celebrate fandom, resilience, and the joy of embracing the unexpected. Participants: Shannan Paul, Matt Dooyema, Diane Sieber, Joe Cocozzello, Wendy Maybury
Connie and MKII need help! The sisters are competing to design the perfect board game and will need the assistance of six audience members to help (or hinder) their creations. Don't worry! Only Pam and Dawn (sisters) will be involved in the messy process. Participants: Dawn Krosnowski, Cory Damone Enriquez, Pam Germ
Vilification Tennis is a horribly offensive show that isn't appropriate for anyone. Least of all the discerning attendees of CONvergence. However, if you don't mind a bunch of geeks insulting each other, that's exactly what you are going to get! Participants: Nick Glover, Tim Wick, Pher Sturz, Colin O'Donnell, Duck Washington, Dave Rand-McKay, Molly Glover, Hedy Rand-McKay, Laurie Richardson Sweep, Stephanie Hammon, Ad Surmak, Caitlyn McGrath, Eric Thompson, James Fairbairn, Amanda Nerud, Nikki
Ok...so...hear us out. Is there better place to share your "unique" crushes than at Convergence? NOPE! Join us for this interactive "adult craft" experience where the stranger the crush the more we want to Hear YOU Out! Participants: Cory Damone Enriquez, Dawn Krosnowski, Christina Gregorson
Friday July 4, 2025 11:30pm - Saturday July 5, 2025 12:30am CDT Hyatt 2 Greenway BCDE
GPS is once again bringing in the U of M Raptor Center demonstration with live birds of prey, a perennial favorite. This year there will be an hour-long meet and greet booth immediately following the 9:30am panel.
A short taiko tasting for fans of the acoustic mayhem that is Harisen Daiko. Can't wait for the Sunday Mainstage show? Need more taiko in your weekend? We've got you. Participants: Holly Johnson
Nerdy acoustic chamber orchestra performing video game and film soundtrack music. Participants: Rin Kilde, Chris J Mortika, Kathleen O'Laughlin, Rebecca Durst, Kerry Teckla Peterson, Eve Zabronsky, Megan F
Your favorite improvisors are back with more COMPLETELY TRUE and DEFINITELY REAL conspiracies! We've been telling you The Truth for over a decade and we're not stopping any time soon. Bring your questions about the world and we'll answer every single one. Participants: Tim Wick, Nick Glover, Molly Glover, Jeremy Stomberg, Jerry Belich
Flute- and guitar-driven folk noir from a duo performing together for over 20 years with a moody flair. Participants: Anita Kelling, Jay William Koelsch
John Heimbuch performs part one of Charlie Bethel's adaptation of The Odyssey. John has been performing Charlie Bethel's Beowulf and Gilgamesh around the country since 2019. This is his first public reading of The Odyssey. Participants: John Heimbuch
Your favorite godless geeks are back again, celebrating their 13th anniversary at the place where it all started. Tim, Nick, and Molly will record two episodes live with an audience! Come sit with like-minded folks for geeky atheist nonsense. Participants: Tim Wick, Molly Glover, Nick Glover, Dave Rand-McKay, Lee Harris
John Heimbuch performs part two of Charlie Bethel's adaptation of The Odyssey. John has been performing Charlie Bethel's Beowulf and Gilgamesh around the country since 2019. This is his first public reading of The Odyssey. Participants: John Heimbuch
A selection of SFF music from the filk musical BALLADS FROM A DISTANT STAR and other music by C.S.E. Cooney's musician alter ego, Brimstone Rhine Participants: C.S.E. Cooney
Watch as talented artists are given impossible challenges! Could you create a CONvergence-themed amusement park in thirty minutes? How about designing a new Doctor Who costume in five minutes? These artists create the impossible! Participants: Melissa Sue Kaercher, Tim Wick (mod), Jerry Belich, Christopher Jones
Geeky jazz piano and songwriter with music on gaming and mythology. Be regaled with songs of radium girls, devils, and dice. Participants: Mary Crowell
Watch several victims, um VOLUNTEERS, try sodas of mysterious origins. Will they suffer? Can they choke it down? Might they even like it?! Find out! Our misery loves your company. *Pointing while laughing optional. Participants: Kelly Murphy (mod), Viga, Dan Schmidt, Steve Sylvestre, Nick Amos, Geoffrey Benson, Robert "Ski" Cudinski, Michael Benson
Do you like comedy? Do you want to see what happens when we add mousetraps, blindfolds, and lots of other Questionable Choices? Participants: Eric Thompson, Duck Washington, James Fairbairn, Mike Dee, Stephanie Hammon
New science fiction from Cole Sarar and John Heimbuch, underscored with futurist soundscapes by Caly McMorrow. Hear futures you never imagined, be transported to places you've never been, see yourself and your world in new ways, and be transformed. Participants: Cole Sarar, John Heimbuch, Caly McMorrow
Acid-jazz metal prog-rock featuring new original music inspired by friendship, philosophy, and jamming. Participants: Jeff Henry, Kareem Abdelrahman, Nick Henry, Eric Karn, Lauren Moll
Internet meme cover band with gender-neutral love songs full of heart and sass that can span multiverses or survive the zombie apocalypse. Participants: Reverend Rebecca Nathaniel Elfprincess, Grenevic Sharladanel Stremski
Splounge’s resident DJ is ready to bring you another specially curated set to get your antennae waving, your pulsars vibrating, and refill your life meter to full hearts. Participants: DJ Macchines
Music and comedy collide with The Dregs returning to the place where they have returned to before! Still set list free after all these years. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll see them again and again. **mature content** Participants: Tim Wick, Susanne Becker, Paul Score, Trevor Hartman, Molly Zupon, Rian Vellichor
Saturday July 5, 2025 10:00pm - Sunday July 6, 2025 12:00am CDT Hyatt 2 Regency Room
Loud as a nat-20 made entirely of drums, we are Harisen Daiko. Our drummers bring you a selection of pounding visceral rhythms including original compositions, as well as percussive adventure in the finest traditions of ignoring the script in favor of doing something intensely silly. Step inside the blast radius this Sunday, and get a taste of the power, energy and emotions that taiko ignites.
The continuing adventures of the second-best Galaxy class starship in the Federation fleet: The USS Intrigue! Join the cast for a completely new & totally improvised episode performed in the style of The Next Generation. A show that truly goes where no one has gone before!
