Bemidji Arts News

Last night I sat in on a rehearsal of “Ruby Lips Above the Water’ which opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Wild Rose Theater with some cast changes. Once again, I was drawn into the lives of five women and two men in northern Minnesota in 1987 and wanted it to go on so I would know the rest of the story.

The two bickering friends Irene (Vicki Stenerson) and Melva (Sarah Einerson) add a comic relief to the overall serious nature of the story which revolves around Ruby, a 27 year old developmentally disabled woman and Pearl, her over protective mother. Pearl makes so many mistakes because she truly loves Ruby and wants only the best for her daughter. But Pearl cannot let Ruby voice an opinion on what she wears, how her hair is cut, what she drinks, and well, you can guess the rest of the do’s and don’ts. Ruby has the same hormones as any other young woman her age and she wants to be like them and not like the prepubescent child that her mother demands. Vicki Wangberg as Pearl brings to the role a depth that comes from having a child of her own with Down Syndrome.

The women meet each morning at Jo’s café for breakfast and gossip. Jo (Julie Quanrud) and her boyfriend Marshall (Kevin Cease) are two more of the caring adults who love and support Ruby (Emily Quanrud).

Once again, I must say that this is the best role that Kevin has ever had for he plays an adult man who can see and empathize with the aspirations of Ruby. He relates to her with a tenderness that comes from knowing how a father can talk to a daughter and is even uncomfortable when Ruby wants to know more about the birds and bees.

Another actor from the first production at the Chief a couple of years ago is Sarah Einerson. She spoke about the intimacy of setting in the Wild Rose which works very well because the audience will be brought into the action. For this production, the author Steve Saari is also the director. The three newest members of the cast each bring their own perspective to their characters.. Emily is a softer and a more compliant Ruby; Vicki Stenerson as Irene is more exasperated with her friend Melva and Steven Mayer is new to the repertory group and has never had this large a role before. He is a student at BSU. Steven plays the role of a womanizer and all around bad guy who is into the drug trade and uses sex to overwhelm and subjugate. Ruby is afraid of him and yet curiously drawn to him when he tells her that “she looks almost normal.”

Yes, there is some language and a rape that takes place off stage. But don’t let that keep you away from this play for it addresses the quandary of all parents with a child whose mental capacity is limited but their physical and emotional needs are the same as any other person. The play is PG-13 and suitable for upper class high schoolers and up because of the mature subject matter. Don’t miss it this time around for it is worth an evening of your time. There is a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday and a final 7:30 show on Monday, Feb. 9. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors and $5 for students.

The deadline to make a reservation for the 4^th Annual Gala Love Songs and Arias is Monday, Feb. 6. The seating is expanded this year to allow for easier movement between the tables for the singers and attendees. Familiar performers from past galas will be on hand and also the mezzo-soprano who will be singing at the Loon Opera Company June production of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” Allison LaPointe will sing the role of Suzuki, the supporting character of Cio Cio San’s maid and confidant.

The gala is an opportunity to hear wonderful music, enjoy a gourmet dinner and support this fledgling opera company founded by Bemidji’s own Abe Hunter. If you cannot make the evening, please consider making a contribution toward the upcoming production. Tickets are $50 each and checks should be made out to Loon Opera Company and sent to 1007 Bemidji Ave., Bemidji, MN 56601. Any questions can be directed to Abe at 218-368-8805 or check here for website.

Love Songs and Arias at the Hampton Inns and Suites,      Saturday, Feb. 11.

            Social Hour with cash bar will start at 6 p.m.

            Dinner and performance will begin at 7 p.m.

Sometimes real life just gets in the way and that has happened to “Ruby Lips” this week. One of the players has a work related obligation that cannot be rescheduled so the next best option is to reschedule the play to next week. The dates are changed to February 2 to 6 but the times and place remain the same.

Special thanks to Fulton Gallagher for doing the footwork on getting the contact number for CEC theatres. Admittedly, that contact should have been included in the story and it took a maestro to ferret it out. Please send a note of support for the digital downloads of opera, ballet, concerts, plays, etc (including sporting events) to dblack@cectheatres.com or click here. His full name is Duane Black and I will add to this blog his exact title and a mailing address for those who wish to write a letter. Thanks again, Fulton!

The Mask and Rose Women’s Theater Collective play, “Ajax in Iraq” is an upcoming dinner-theater production in February at the Wild Rose Theater. Seating is limited for each performance and audience members are urged to get their tickets now at the Wild Hare Bistro and Coffee House. There will be two dinner-theater shows: 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 and at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19. The last performance at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20 will not be a dinner theater,just the play. Tickets are $30 for a dinner catered by the Wild Hare of traditional Iraqi fare including a vegetarian choice. Tickets to just see the play (which one can do at any of the performances) are $11 each and can also be bought now at the Wild Hare. Please note that the one-woman show, “Shirley Valentine” is being replaced by “Ajax in Iraq.”

The 4th Annual “Love Songs and Arias” will be held on Wednesday, Feb 11 at the Hampton Inn and Suites. “The Loon Opera Company is a young Minnesota based company devoted to providing emerging artists an opportunity to sing leading roles as they begin their professional careers” as written at their website. The tickets are $50 each for a 6 p.m. social hour to be followed by a three course gourmet meal and performance. Call Abe Hunter now to reserve your ticket at 218-368-8805. The profit from this event will go toward this summer’s LOC production of Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly.”

Bemidji Symphony Orchestra is building upon the enthusiastic response to Clay Jenkinson’s impersonation of Thomas Jefferson last season by offering a historical representation at the next concert. Jenkinson will assume the persona of J. Robert Oppenheimer at 3 p.m., February 12 when “History Meets Music.”

I have included two websites relating to the artist who will be profiled on Wednesday, Doug Trego. His website is www.stipplefineart.com. The website to his distant cousin William Trego who is acknowledged as one of the finest Civil War painters is www.williamtrego.org. Both websites are worth your time.

I never looked at my watch last night at the performance of the North Dakota Ballet Company of “Alice in Wonderland” with music by Joby Talbot and original choreography by Christopher Wheeldon and adapted by NDBC. It was wonderful, simply a joy to behold from the staging, costumes and dancing from the littlest rabbits to the soloists. Principal danseur Cole Companion and his partner Lindsay Baez both studied in Birmingham, Alabama with notable instructors. All the performances had younger members of the ND Ballet Academy sprinkled in during the show but the young dancers added to the production of this classical ballet for short charming stints under the tutelage of the White Rabbit, assuredly their dance teacher.

This rendition of a classical ballet is cutting edge for the music is modern, the choreography including belly dancing by the Caterpillar and her escorts to enthusiastic tapping by the Mad Tapper (Mad Hatter) to the emotionally charged Pas de deux by Alice and the Knave of Hearts kept the audience in rapt silence until the explosion of cheers at curtain call. A younger dancer from the company, Kayla Narum, showed versatility surprising for one so young in the study of dance and theater. As I told her last night after the show, “My three hour drive here was worth every mile!” (Your drive won’t take three hours as we had to drive to Larimore to pick up the grands and then back to Grand Forks for dinner and the show.) Kayla, a company dancer, exhibited a professionalism that was astounding for she portrayed the unpleasant and sometimes evil Queen of Hearts never giving even a hint of losing the character. Her dueling dance with the Card Men (Andrew Romero, Louis Sepelveda and Enrique Colina) was a comedic reprieve from her glowering looks and threatening poses. Another couple of dancers/actors who deserve special recognition are the cook (Natasha Thomas) and the Duchess (Darin Kerr). In fact they are not dancers at all but performed their pantomime perfectly. It took me a minute to recognize Darin as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in “Sweeney Todd” and Natasha as his daughter Johanna, a memorable production in Grand Forks a few seasons ago.

The downside is that the production is only for this weekend and I did not have advance notice to let others longing for classical ballet know about it. There are still two performances left: tonight at 7 p.m. and tomorrow a matinee. Try calling 701-777-4090 (Chester Fritz box office) for information. The show is at the Empire Theater in downtown Grand Forks on Demers Ave. Or just show up and hope that there are still some tickets for sale.

“Ruby Lips Above the Water” opens this week at the Wild Rose Theater. The last production of this play by Steve Saari was at the Chief Theater with a different director and lead actor (Ruby). Steve is directing the show and some of the actors have changed (too bad, Cate Belleveau is busy directing her own show right now for she and Sarah Einerson were a perfect fit in the last production.). If you liked Emily Quanrud as Shelby in “Steele Magnolias” last season, don’t miss this opportunity to see her as the developmentally disabled Ruby in this show. The show and subject matter is for mature audiences so it gets a PG-13.

See last blog for information on the upcoming “Love Songs and Arias” and “Ajax in Iraq” ticket information.

The Mask and Rose Women’s Theater Collective play, “Ajax in Iraq” is an upcoming dinner-theater production in February at the Wild Rose Theater. Seating is limited for each performance and audience members are urged to get their tickets now at the Wild Hare Bistro and Coffee House. There will be two dinner-theater shows: 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19. The last performance at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20 will not be a dinner theater,  just the play. Tickets are $30 for a dinner catered by the Wild Hare of traditional Iraqi fare including a vegetarian choice.  Tickets to just see the play (which one can do at any of the performances) are $11 each and can also be bought now at the Wild Hare.  Directed by Cate Belleveau, the play was written by Ellen McLaughlin and inspired by interviews with Iraq Ware veterans and their families. “Ajax in Iraq” explores the timeless struggles soldiers face in trying to make sense of war and is a parallel narrative of the ancient Greek military hero, Ajax, and A.J., a modern female American soldier.  Both are betrayed by their commanding officers. Please note that the one-woman show, “Shirley Valentine” is being replaced by “Ajax in Iraq.”

The 4th Annual “Love Songs and Arias” will be held on Wednesday, Feb 11 at the Hampton Inn and Suites. “The Loon Opera Company is a young Minnesota based company devoted to providing emerging artists an opportunity to sing leading roles as they begin their professional careers” as written at their website. The tickets are $50 each for a 6 p.m. social hour to be followed by a three course gourmet meal and performance. Call Abe Hunter now to reserve your ticket at 218-368-8805.  The profit from this event will go toward this summer’s LOC production of Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly.” Wow!  We are so lucky to have a young entrepreneur like Abe here in Bemidji and his young opera company.  A list of the singers and musicians will be forthcoming as Abe and I have a meeting scheduled for this week.

The deadline for the Region 2 Arts Council Individual Artist Grants is February 7.  Individual artists residing in the Region 2 area (Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, and Mahnomen Counties) can apply for grants up to $1,000 for exhibition, performance or production of a creative work; purchase of materials or equipment necessary for a creative work; educational opportunities; memtorships; and proposals for career enhancing projects or opportunities. Download a copy of grant application from the website or get a hard copy from the office located at 426 Bemidji Ave. Call 218-751-5447, 1-800-275-5447 or email staff@r2arts.org for more information.  

Classical Music, Ballet and Opera may be coming to Bemidji soon because CEC theater will be installing digital projectors in all of the auditoriums in Bemidji. At that point, they will be able to consider playing “alternative content” (which would include Opera
presentations). Click here to respond to Tony Tillmans regarding your desire to have such programming available in our community. Please make the effort to bring this opportunity to Bemidji. It works in Grand Forks so it can happen here too.  This email does not respond, please re-check for correct email address. thanks and sorry for the inconvenience.

I spent some time with the new artistic director of the playhouse, Terry Lynn Carlson and his wife Beth yesterday at the Chief. They were in town to audition Bemidji thespians and aspiring actors for the upcoming summer season, thereby making good on a promise he made to this reporter last August. Although not as many people showed up as I had hoped, it was still a decent turn-out for this area. Now onto the over 100 actors in the cities who have evinced an interest in coming back to Bemidji for summer stock! Don’t forget that coupon books are on sale now, click here for more information.

The new editor Steve Wagner has asked for suggestions from readers for stories about people in the arts. Please send any ideas that you may have to me (prall@bemidjipioneer.com) and I will be sure to follow through on any request. Arts organizations, artists and workshop presenters, please be aware that an upcoming event or show will only appear once in the arts column and then be printed nearer the date as a news brief. This is a significant change from what was previously known as the Wednesday Pioneer Previews which is now Pioneer Profiles (I still need to run the title by the new editor but it sounds catchy to me!)

Many thanks go to John Svingen, our computer guru at the Pioneer for designing the new banner for the arts blog. It’s the start of a new year and initiatives in reporting the arts news so we thought an update was in order. The new pictures show the auctioneers from last spring’s Bemidji Sculpture Walk Live Auction which raised over $10,000 to support public art in Bemidji.. The middle picture is from last spring’s Bemidji State University production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the painter is Kathy Gustafson from the fall Studio Cruise.

That’s all she wrote.

At this time of year, it seems more personal to write a note of thanks 
to all the readers of this blog for their comments, corrections and 
suggestions during the year. It's been a busy year in Bemidji for the 
arts and we are so fortunate to have some many people who are willing 
to share their talents with us. Bemidji Community Theater just 
completed a collaboration with the Paul Bunyan Playhouse in a new 
version of "Christmas Carol" the musical. Unfortunately too many 
people were disappointed by being turned away at the door for the 
houses were full most nights. It was a rousing success and would be 
Broadway bound if only it was at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New 
Jersey and not the historic Chief Theater.

While writing this blog, I am listening to ?The Nutcracker Suite? and 
remembering the days when I worked for New Jersey Ballet and the 19 
performances we had each year at the Paper Mill Playhouse---just added
a bit more stress to the holiday season for us but what magic for the 
audiences. Some of the soloists were the same as those who danced at 
Lincoln Center. Most of the dancers I worked with are retired now or 
running their own ballet schools. So it was especially nice to hear 
that First City Dance "Nutcracker" played to full houses this past 
weekend. Congratulations to Cathy Marcotte and her dancers.

Thanks to all those who sang for the Bemidji Chorale, the Madrigals 
and the Varsity Singers. You are gave us (the Bemidji community) still 
another reason to be proud. Thanks to those nameless fellows who give
their time and talents to spread joy as Santa (helpers) and to those
with the generosity to pay off the lay-a-ways of total strangers.
Thanks to all those who donated food to the Bemidji Food Shelf.
And thanks to my former boss and editor Molly Miron for
giving this novice a chance to write for the Pioneer (that was a
penultimate thanks). And thanks to my new boss and editor,Steve Wagner
who has kept me on and raised the bar a bit.

Speaking about raising the bar, there will be some changes to the arts 
and entertainment sections coming in January. The arts column will go 
back to Sunday,the day it was originally printed a few years ago, and 
the Wednesday (or maybe Thursday) feature will be observations, 
previews of plays or events, profiles of people in the news and the 
arts (am already working hard at lining up interviews) and whatever 
else that comes along that will be of interest to the arts community 
and Bemidijians at large.

There will be a revival of Steve Saari's play "Ruby Lips Above the 
Water" in January.This is a serious play that explores how we react 
and rejoice with those who are developmentally disabled as they 
struggle to have a "normal" life in our society. I went to see it 
twice when it played at The Chief a couple of years ago and look 
forward to seeing it again with a somewhat different cast. It will be 
interesting to see these actors' interpretations of the roles. One of 
my favorites in that show was Cate Belleveau, she was amazing! Cate is 
planning on a one-women show "Shirley Valentine" in February with the 
Mask and Rose Women?s Theater Collective. Not to be out done, the 
Bemidji Symphony Orchestra will present "History Meets Music: Up Close 
and Unplugged" with Clay Jenkinson as Robert Oppenheimer in February.

This year saw the passing of two men who added much to the fabric of 
the arts scene in Bemidji: Don MacKinnon a brass player with the 
Bemidji Area Community Band passed away in November..Don
and his wife Ginny retired to Bemidji only a few years ago and they
both gave much to the community in volunteer efforts. Dick Lueben,
a long time member and treasurer of Bemidji Community Theater
(which just began its 30th year in Bemidji theater) passed away in
December.Dick was very active in other community organizations as well
will be missed by many.

Again thanks to you all and keep those comments coming, especially 
those with ideas for feature articles. Sometimes what interests me 
doesn't peak the interest of others,I've found. So keep me posted on 
what you?d like to see in the upcoming blogs and features. You can 
always reach me at the Pioneer by email prall@bemidjipioneer.com.

May we all find peace, love and good health in the new year and a wish 
for a rousing summer season at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse with its new 
artistic director. Buy those coupon books now for yourself or as
presents for others and let's show those folks how much Bemidji values 
it's summer stock offerings.Click here 
That's all she wrote, folks!

The Bemidji Chorale will sing their 33rd Annual Christmas Concert at 3 and 7 p.m. on Sunday at First Lutheran Church on the corner of Bemidji Ave. and 9th Street. Conductor Patricia Mason has selected choral literature which celebrates the bounty of the harvest: “Autumn Leaves,” “A Soalin’ “and “The Road Home” by Stephen Paulus. Wayne Hoff will feature the organ in accompanying the Chorale in “Praise Ye the Lord” by John Rutter and “Joy to the World” arranged by Frank Kuykendall. Gretchen Rusch will play the English Horn in a new arrangement of “Away in a Manger,” by Bemidji State student John Stewart. The men of the choir will sing Bach’s “Glory and Honor are Before Him” in a program that is designed to be pleasing to all.

Please stay for the after concert coffee and cookie reception and the chance to thank and/or congratulate the chorale members for a job well done. As in past years, a free will donation will be accepted by the members. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008

The Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Beverly Everett, will present its 7th Annual Holiday Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6 in the Bemidji High School Auditorium. Please note the change of time and venue this year. This familiar holiday concert invites the public to sing along with members of local choral groups for selections from Handel’s “Messiah.” Musical scores will be available for those who cannot bring their own copy. Amber Joel, a music student from Bemidji State, will sing “Rejoice Greatly.” Musical scores will be available for those who cannot bring their own copy.

This year, the concert will fall just one day after the anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s death. Dr. Everett will include a commentary of her escorted trip to Mozart’s homeland, Austria, this past summer. Gretchen Rusch will play the first movement of Mozart’s Oboe Concerto. Amanda Boring, a Bemidji State music student, will sing “Alleluia” from “Exultate Jubilate” by Mozart.

The concert will also include holiday favorites such as Katherine Davis’s “Carol of the Drum,” Leroy Anderson’s “Christmas Festival” and “Sleigh Ride,” “White Christmas” and the ever popular “Frosty the Snowman.”

Tickets will be available at the door: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for college students with ID. Children grades K through 12 are admitted free. For those who hold BSO Season Tickets, the Holiday Concert is included as part of the season.

The public is invited to the senior recitals at BSU this weekend. Jini Block, a flute instrumental music education major will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Thompson Recital Hall of Bangsberg. Samantha Becker, a French horn player and instrumental music education major will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday in Thompson Recital Hall.

Charles Dickens himself, in the person of Mark Christensen, will appear on stage throughout this updated version of the original story. Known in the Bemidji community as primarily an opera singer, Christensen’s deep basso voice lends drama to the original score in expected and sometimes unexpected ways as he weaves Dickens throughout the action of the play. Another Bemidji actor, Mark Fulton who is also a professor at Bemidji State as is Christensen, reprises his role as Ebenezer Scrooge in this year’s production by Bemidji Community Theater and the Paul Bunyan Playhouse. Chuck Deeter, another professional actor on the stage, plays Bob Cratchit the faithful bookkeeper and father of the Cratchit family. Julie Kaiser is the Ghost of Christmas Present and theater goers will be delighted to see other familiar faces on stage.

The set, as in every production by BCT for the past few years, shows Dwayne Johnson is on top of his game in building an authentic Victorian street with a toy shop filled with goodies. And director Mary Knox Johnson has her “stitchers” working overtime to complete the amazing costumes for the show. Talk about working overtime, Musical Director Karen Bradley took on the task of designing and building all the bonnets and ghosts. Ably assisted by Wayne Hoff, Bradley has taken an original score of non-traditional Christmas music and transformed the players into a well rehearsed and competent musical group.

This play is only a couple of years old, written by an English duo Chris Blackwood and Piers Robinson, and discovered by Mary and Karen after an extensive search for a new and innovation interpretation of a timeless classic. This family event will be produced at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday of this week and next weekend with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Dec. 11.

Tickets are $6 for children and $12 for adults at Iverson Corner Drug and Ken K. Thompson Jewelry at the Mall. A non-perishable food donation for the Bemidji Food Shelf brought to the theater the day of performance will get a $1 refund on a ticket. This activity is made possible, in part, by a grant provided by the Region 2 Arts Council through funding from the Minnesota State Legislature.

I am sure that others will join me in thanking all these volunteer singers and actors for the joy they bring to theater goers in Bemidji and surrounding areas. Thanks!

There are still five chances to see the Rose Ensemble’s newest venture–the Temperance Tour. Don’t miss it! Although not the usual fare for classical religious offerings, this production has sets, scripts, visuals (photos from Minnesota from the 1826 to the 1939 ), charicature costuming and music that goes from simple folksongs to complicated polka rhythms. Obviously the creative genius of Jordan Sramek, founder of the Rose Ensemble, was put to the test with this particular offering as it is so different from the norm. Where did they find the lyrics and music for “A Sober Spouse for Me,” “The National Prohibition Wave” and “Under the Anheuser Bush”? Even two tunes by Irving Berlin made the cut, “I’ll See You in C-U-B-A,” sung and danced by Jette and “A Tune to Prohibition) which was arranged by the Rose Ensemble.  

Created and directed by Sramek with a script by Patricia Hampl, the selection of music from the period–Temperance Movement to the repeal of the 18th Amendment and the start of AA in the home of Dr. Bill.  It is an astonishing show that deserves a good audience. They played in Bemidji last night (Thursday) to an appreciative crowd with a desire for more, more and rewarded them with a standing O.

Dan Chouinard (piano and accordian) and Maria Jette (narrator) joining the regulars added to the evening’s event.  The Rose Ensemble will be at Brainard, Austin, Fergus Falls, Willmar and Hutchinson, so check their website for dates and times.

Patrick Carriere will be performing in this last drama to be offered by the theater department at BSU. An alum of BSU’s Theater Department, Patrick returned a few years ago to the theater department, spiced up the offerings and caused a stir on campus and in the community.

 Audiences coming from the community along with college students were treated to new interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays to avand-garde offerings like “The Inspector General” and “Urine Town.”  Patrick was able to stretch the creative ability and instincts of his students in a way not seen for a long time at BSU.  Although “Cabaret” is a dark rendition of Germany at the beginning of the Third Reich, who can forget the charming duet of Andy Bowers and K.D. Howells extrolling the wonder of a fresh pineapple?

Take the time to see Patrick as Robert the brilliant mathetician in “Proof” at Bangsberg. He plays the father of Catherine (Liz McGregor) who struggles with mental illness, Bob Boland plays her boyfriend and Carissa Reis is the impatient, succesful lawyer sister who just wants to get things “settled.”  The play is directed by student Jess Villarreal and the spring musical will also be directed by a student because Patrick will be on sabatical next semester. 

The next time we hear from you, Patrick, let it be from a prestigious university with a solid theater program for you and they certainly deserve the best. I can’t speak for the rest of the Bemidji arts community, but I can speak for myself. I will miss you and your work (ably assisted by Ellen Jones, technical guru). Good luck and “may the  road rise to meet you.”

Writing from the foothills of Mt. McKinley and so far the internet access has been spotty hence the delay in updating this blog– with any luck it will be posted today. We went to see “The Last Resort” at Long Lake Theater before leaving and enjoyed it immensely—if you can get there, get there! The owner of the resort, Freda Heitz, is played by BSU theater student Nick Dahn to a fine comedic edge. I neglected to mention that it is a murder/mystery with lots of music (some fine voices like Aaron Kjenaas) who portrays a “poet” in name only, certainly not by talent. Another BSU student, Liz McGregor plays the roles of twin sisters very convincingly. BSU graduates Sara Bull, an FBI agent with thoughts of romance about her charge, and Andy Browers, a histrionic Italian mob informer round out the Bemidji contingent. The Barzinis, Dennis Skjonsby and director Juliann Kjenaas, are an anniversary couple trying to recapture the glow of earlier times. The audience enjoyed the give-and-take with the actors during the show and there was lots of talk about telling their neighbors how much fun the show was for them. We were late getting there as we left the Pioneer office later than originally planned so had to stop at the Park Rapids Golden Arches for “dinner”—don’t! There is a good steak house on the way—Y Steak House—and an Inn at the bottom of the hill from the theater—do!

During a recent interview with Zach Curtis for an upcoming feature, we talked about “21A” and his emotion connection to the piece. Curtis has known the author Kevin Kling for a long time, even before the tragic accident that left Kling with injuries to his arm. I actually wrote a nice long review of this play but it was lost along with the internet connection so will finish up with—go see it, you’ll appreciate the fine character acting of Curtis.

It’s really cold here, hear it’s really hot back home and that’s all she wrote til next time

Laughter from the first scene to the last was heard at the opening performance for “Lend Me A Tenor” last night at the PBP. Set in 1934, Cleveland, Ohio, all of the people anticipating the arrival of a famous Italian tenor to play the lead in “Othello” for the Cleveland Opera Company seem to be more in awe of the legend than the real man. The company manager (Ari Hoptman) has his hands full (so to speak) with a star-struck daughter Maggie, charmingly played by Katherine Tieben, and his assistant Max (Ryan Parker Knox) who himself is an aspiring opera tenor who suffers from a lack of confidence and the hypochondriac opera singer. Newcomer to the playhouse this season, Lee H. Adams holds the stage as Tito Merelli or Il Stupendo, an Italian tenor whose artistic personality controls the action on stage and off. Adams has a physical presence that belies the emotionally fragile personality of the character. The verbal dueling between Merelli and his wife Maria as portrayed by Karen Wiese-Thompson is a perfect caricature of the fiery South European persona or in other words, a perfect imitation of my cousin Anthony and his wife Ginny back east. The bellhop (Matt Goinz) is also an aspiring tenor who tries every way possible to insert himself into the presence of the great and famous Il Stupendo. And the soprano (Sigrid Sutter) who will sing with Merelli in the performance only wants this experience to be her chance at the Metropolitan Opera, by vocal or vamp ability. Rounding out this cast of perfectly matched actors is Leslie Ball as Julia, the obsequious chair of the opera society.

In short, there are so many surprises on stage that the audience is held captive by the action and nuanced script. Zach Curtis has done a masterful job directing this play as Ken Ludwig’s devotion to pratfalls, shtick and frantic staging requires experience. One could only hope that Curtis would have the chance to stage Ludwig’s “Crazy for You” sometime in the future here at the playhouse. You know the show is a success when the audience leaves still laughing from the action stage. Get there, it’s wonderful, it’s some of the best theater one will see on stage this season and tickets will be scarce once the word gets out!

Performances are at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday July 6-16 and a 2 p.m. matinee this Sunday (July 10) with a $15 ticket price. Tickets for the evening performances are $22 for adults, $15 for students and $20 for groups of 10 or more. Call box office at 751-7270 for tickets or on-line at paulbunyanplayhouse.com. This production is underwritten by Arrow Printing, Ken K Thompson Jewelry and Forestedge Winery. “This activity is funded in whole or in part by a Region 2 Arts Council grant through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund passed by Minnesota voters on Nov. 4, 2008.