Missing from the Fringe: 4 acts skipping the fest (and who to see instead)

Some of the biggest names at the Fringe are back for 2016 like TJDawe (Burn Job), Penny Ashton (Promise and Promiscuity), Mike Delamont (God Is a Scottish Drag Queen IV and Mama's Boy), Crumbs (Every night's the same it's different), Peter n' Chris (Here Lies Chris),and Tara Travis (Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII).

• Winnipeg Fringe 2016: read our reviews

But there are also some popular draws from years past that you won't find at the Fringe this year. Here's who's missing and who you might want to check out instead:

MISSING: Die Roten Punkte
WHY IT'S A BUMMER: The high-energy rock/comedy duo is always a guaranteed good time. Fans will have to find another way to rock!bang! this year, though.
SO SEE: Girl's End: A Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. It's not a German rock duo, but this one-woman show promises music and good zombie fun.

MISSING: Hot Thespian Action
WHY IT'S A BUMMER: HTA has become Winnipeg's go-to for smart, impeccably-performed sketch comedy but not this Fringe.
SO SEE: H.U.N.K.S. arerelative newcomers to the local sketch comedy scene but they've been honing their chops with shows at the Park Theatre all year. If you're feeling more adventurous, check out the as-yet-untested sketch comedy of President Bear a group I've never seen, but their show title makes me laugh more than any other at the festival.

MISSING: Winnipeg Studio Theatre
WHY IT'S A BUMMER: WST has developed a reputation for showcasing the city's best young musical theatre talent, with past Fringe hits like Godspell and Altar Boyz.
SO SEE: Songs For a New World, by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown. The cast features some excellent local musical theatre talent, including Rainbow Stage vets like Paula Potosky (Mary Poppins).

MISSING: Wonderheads
WHY IT'S A BUMMER: The duo, who perform in oversize full-head masks, delighted audiences of all ages with shows like Loon and Grimm and Fischer.
SO SEE: A Little Business at the Big Top by David Gaines, who delivered the spectacular 7(x1) Samurai at the Fringe a few years back.

Who else is missing and who should Fringers see instead? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.