The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival kicks off its 28th edition on Wednesday.

The annual independent theatre extravaganza has become the second-biggest festival of its kind in North America. Last year, more than 104,000 tickets were sold in Winnipeg. This year, the festival is expanding once again.

As usual, CBC will review every show at the festival — our crew will begin on opening night Wednesday, and aim to have all our reviews online by Sunday night.

So here's what's new at the festival — and a few of the shows we're looking forward to seeing.

Out with the old…

The Fringe has an all-time high of 182 different shows on offer this year. So while some venues from years past are gone (nothing at the Winnipeg Art Gallery this year), there are now 12 official Fringe venues, with the University of Winnipeg's Asper Centre for Theatre and Film becoming a regular Fringe venue.

There are also several BYOV — or "bring your own venue" locations — rented by the artists themselves. This year, one of the outlying locations — the West End Cultural Centre — hosts two BYOVs, with a total of six shows.

Unfortunately, it looks like the "Fringe Flyer" won't be in service this year. The shuttle has been offered the last couple of years by Winnipeg Transit to ferry Fringers to locations like the WAG.

Bargains, bargains, bargains

The popular Frequent Fringer and Buddy Passes have basically been merged this year. Now, the $109 Frequent Fringer pass is good for 14 shows, and can be shared by two people. Also new this year, the pass can be used not only at the door, but also to book tickets in advance.

And in other good news for the thrifty: the price of the official Winnipeg Fringe Festival program — which provides a listing of all 182 shows and lots of other useful info — has been dropped from last year's $7 to $3 this year.

But for the tech-savvy, there's also a brand new Fringe mobile app you can download for free.

Top 10 Fringe shows

1. The Orchid and the Crow (Button Eye Productions): Daniel Tobias is half of the hugely popular musical comedy duo Die Roten Punkte (who also return to the festival this year). But in this solo show, he takes on the serious subject of his real-life brush with cancer. (See our review from the Toronto Fringe Festival here.)

Off Broadway Productions' Becoming Banksy. (Off Broadway Productions) 2. Becoming Banksy (Off Broadway Productions): Cory Terry and Elan Wolf Farbiarz scored a big hit at the Winnipeg Fringe in 2008 with Channeling Kevin Spacey, which returns to the Fringe this year after success off-Broadway. But they're also premiering this new comedy about a man mistaken for the famous street artist. (Off Broadway Productions):Cory Terry and Elan Wolf Farbiarz scored a big hit at the Winnipeg Fringe in 2008 with Channeling Kevin Spacey, which returns to the Fringe this year after success off-Broadway. But they're also premiering this new comedy about a man mistaken for the famous street artist.

3. Me, the Queen, and a Coconut (Andrew Bailey): Victoria's Andrew Bailey is a captivating storyteller. This tale of his time working at Windsor Castle should be amusing.

John D. Huston in Shylock at the Winnipeg Fringe. (By the Book Productions) 4. Shylock (By the Book Productions): John Huston's performance of Mark Leiren-Young's play — about an actor taking on the infamous Shakespearean character — is one of several returning hits from Fringes past. But this one is more than welcome — Huston performed it here 15 years ago, and it still stands out in my mind as one of the finest solo shows I've ever seen at the festival. (By the Book Productions): John Huston's performance of Mark Leiren-Young's play — about an actor taking on the infamous Shakespearean character — is one of several returning hits from Fringes past. But this one is more than welcome — Huston performed it here 15 years ago, and it still stands out in my mind as one of the finest solo shows I've ever seen at the festival.

5. Disco Pigs (Broken Still Productions): Enda Walsh is one of Ireland's best contemporary playwrights, noted for his gritty, raw scripts. The local company behind this show has had previous success with Walsh's work, when they presented the harrowing Bedbound in 2010.

6. Subway Stations of the Cross (Ins Choi): Toronto's Ins Choi had a huge national hit with his play Kim's Convenience (seen on the RMTC Mainstage last year). He returns to Winnipeg with this solo show.

7. Inescapable (RibbitRepublic): Two Fringe vets with great track records — Martin Dockery and Jon Paterson — team up to deliver the story of friends trapped at an endless holiday party.

Tara Travis performs 'Searching for Dick: A Paranormal Comedy' at the Winnipeg Fringe. (Sticky Fingers Productions) 8. Searching for Dick: A Paranormal Comedy (Sticky Fingers Productions): Tara Travis wowed Fringers with her solo performance in Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII. This time, she delivers the true story of her journey to make a psychic connection with her deceased in-laws. (Sticky Fingers Productions): Tara Travis wowed Fringers with her solo performance in Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII. This time, she delivers the true story of her journey to make a psychic connection with her deceased in-laws.

9. Magical Mystery Detour (Gemma Wilcox): After a long absence, London's Gemma Wilcox — who scored hits with her previous multi-character solo shows — returns to the Winnipeg Fringe.

10. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl (Peachy Keen Productions): Winnipeggers Sydney Hayduk and Christy Taronno struck Fringe gold with last year's Bizarro Obscure, and Justin Otto had a busy year appearing on various local professional stages. Here, the three of them team up for what promises to be an unconventional take on the romantic comedy.

The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival runs at 31 venues around the city from July 15 - 26.