| The Latest
Programs: |
  April
17th, 2013:Renowned
Prose Poet Louis Jenkins Talks With
Heidi Holtan and Steve Downing
- Duluth based prose poet
Louis Jenkins is celebrated
around the globe. Jenkins
recently joined Heidi Holtan and
Steve Downing to talk about his
career, and his process. And they
also delve rather deeply into
"Nice Fish," a play inspired by
a number prose poems written by
Jenkins. "Nice Fish," is currently
being presented by the Guthrie
Theater, and was created as a
collaboration between Louis Jenkins
and Mark Rylance. |
 Guido's Arts Review
- For this week Steve
describes the work in both galleries
at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand
Rapids: "Revisiting Twain's
Mississippi - New Photographs by
Chris Faust," and "Flyover - Prints
About the Places In-Between," by
Laura Brown. |
 April
10th, 2013: Julia Oxenreider - "Slam
Tools and Rools Skool"
- Julia
Oxenreider is a poet living in
Bemidji. She took second place in a
poetry slam in Bemidji that took
place early last winter. And Julia
emerged the victor at another poetry
slam that took place after
nationally renowned poet Todd Boss
graced a full house with a reading
of his poetry in depths of this past
winter. Both poetry slams were
sponsored by the Bemidji Public
Library and were made possible by
Minnesota's Arts and Cultural
Heritage Fund. Recently Julia
presented a class at the Rail River
Folk School called "Slam Tools and
Rools School" in which Julia covered
the rules of slam competition and
how to write and effective slam
poem. The the participants
participated in their own slam
competition at Rail River Folk
School. She also joined Charlie
Pulkrabek to talk about slam
poetry's characteristics and what
attracts to to the format. |
 Dan Sinykin - A Travel
Memoir from Mexico: Part Two
-
This essay has
Sinykin at a book festival, where a
spirited discussion narrows its
focus on the concept of truth.
Sinykin then applies the assertions
he witnesses to some of his own
knowledge on the subject.
Dan Sinykin
- A Travel Memoir from Mexico: Part
One - In Mexico
for the purpose of research towards
his graduate school studies, Sinykin
here blends lessons of philosophy
with memories of family to apply
perspective to his presense in his
new surroundings. |
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve elaborates on an appearance
by Palestinian-American poet
Naomi Shihab Bye as part of Jeff
Johnson's Verse Like Water Series at
Central Lakes College in Brainerd.
And Guido also previews
"Nice Fish," a play inspired by
a number prose poems written by
Jenkins. "Nice Fish," is currently
being presented by the Guthrie
Theater, and was created as a
collaboration between Louis Jenkins
and Mark Rylance. |
 April 3rd, 2013:
"Finns
In Minnesota: Finn Halls" by Britt
Aamodt - When
travelling through Minnesota's Finn
country, you'll see a good number of
Finnish-style log cabins, a lot of
saunas, and, if you look hard, a
handful of Finn Halls. In this
latest segment in our ongoing series
on Minnesota Finns, producer Britt
Aamodt travels to Wright and St.
Louis counties to investigate this
Finnish building tradition, which
for the immigrants of the early
20th-century Minnesota provided a
meeting place, cultural safe haven,
dance hall, a teetotaler's Friday
night out and a paradise of the
arts. In this piece from Britt
Aamodt you'll hear from Harvey
Broberg of Cokato, and Clarence
Ivonen from The Iron Range. |
|
Guido's Arts Review
- In this arts review Steve
Downing highlights the April exhibit
at the
B'nai Abraham Museum & Cultural
Center. It features photography
from
Vance Gellert focusing on images
related to life on the Iron Range. |
 Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
Series
-
Erika Reviews
"The Perks of Being A Wallflower,"
by Stephen Chbosky, and Relates the
Book To Her Own Experience
-
Erika Kooda is
a senior at Grand Rapids High
School. During the school year she's
been checking in with essays
reflecting on her experience. To
hear earlier essays in this series
from Erika scroll down the page.
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#25
-
The Close of
Erika's Pep Band Career
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#24
-
School's
Winding Down, College Decisions
Looming...Arggh...I mean Yay!
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#23
-
An Excursion
To Bagley and Bemidji For Rehearsals
and A Performance in the Bagley
Edition of the Great Northern Radio
Show
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#22
-
A Family Ski
Trip Out West
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#21
-
Erika Talks
About Some of the Ways She Thinks
Northern Community Radio Breaks the
Mold
|
 March
27th 2013:
"Sugar
Bush Voices"
by Anne Dunn
- Anne Dunn is an
Ojibwe storyteller and crone, which
she describes as an elder wisdom
keeper, holy hag, earth mother, and
sky woman. This is the sixth in a
series of essays that Anne Dunn has
been kind enough to contribute to
the airwaves of Northern Community
Radio.
"Tea
Pots"
by Anne Dunn
"Gown"
by Anne Dunn
"When
Radio Was Big"
by Anne Dunn
"Elder
To Crone"
by Anne Dunn
"Trip
In Dad's Truck"
by Anne Dunn
"All
My Elders Are Gone: Fabulous Crone"
by Anne Dunn |
|
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve covers a lot of
ground in this arts review. Guido
covers Joe Plut's recent appearance
at the Grand Rapids Public Library,
the current exhibit at Bemidji State
University's Talley Gallery, and
reflects on The Beat Cafe. |
 Mark
Christensen Talks About Getting His
Bachelors Degree In Music At Age 58
- Bemidji State University
English Professor Mark Christensen
joined Heidi and John on The Morning
Show to talk about being Bemidji
State University's oldest student to
get a Bachelors Degree in Music as
Vocal Recitalist, and about his
preparation for his Senior Recital. |
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#20
-
Erika Talks
About the Overwhelming Support She's
Received From Her Northern Minnesota
Community In Making Strides Toward
the Next Stage of Her Life
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#19
-
A Report on
the Annual Meeting For the Voyageurs
Lutheran Ministry
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay
#18
-
Erika Talks
About the Television Series
"Downtown Abbey"
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #17
-
It's Second
Semester, Senior Year and Huge Life
Changes Are Just Around the Corner
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #16
-
Staying Warm
with TV and Movies
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #15
-
Time Moves
Fast In Your Senior Year
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #14
-
New Year's
Resolutions
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #13
-
Being in The
Great Northern Radio Show in Bigfork
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #12
-
The
experience of downhill skiiing.
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #11
-
Erika awaits
the news from Atlanta. |
 February
20th, 2013:
Joe
Plut Talks About Fellow Writer and
Friend Jon Hassler
- The late
Jon Hassler was an author, an
educator, a playwrite, and an
artist. Hassler didn't begin writing
until age 37. Nevertheless he
published 15 works of fiction and
two of nonfiction. Jon Hassler
taught English in high school, and
college for 41 years. In this
segment of this interview Joe Plut
talks about Hassler book
"Simon's Night."
Joe
Plut Talks About Fellow Writer and
Friend Jon Hassler - Segment Two |
 February
13th, 2013:
Todd Boss
- The morning after poet
Todd Boss read to a packed house
at Headwaters School of Music and
the Arts in downtown Bemidji, and
then served as a judge in the poetry
slam that followed, he stopped in to
the Northern Community Radio studios
in Bemidji. Todd had a conversation
with Maggie Montgomery and Robert
Saxton, and read some of his
recently created poetry. |
 Guido's Arts Review
- Steve talks about the
National Federation of Music Clubs,
an organization that's existed since
1898.The Itasca Music Club, one of
the three chapters in northern
Minnesota, held its sanctioned
Annual Music Festival at the Reif
Center recently. Guido attended and
presents this reflection on the
afternoon of music. |
 February
6th, 2013:
Kellie Rae Theiss: An essay
on owls
-
Kellie Rae Theiss is an nature artist
and writer that lives in Floodwood.
Kellie spends a lot of her time
observing nature. Sometimes she
wonders if nature observes us. |
|
January
30th, 2013:
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve Downing touches on the
highlights of a day recently spent
in Bemidji. In this report you'll
hear about a performance by the
Bemidji Baroque Ensemble on the
campus of Bemidji State University,
and an exhibit at the Talley
Gallery, also on the campus of
Bemidji State University, by artist
Emily Wendland. |
 January
30th, 2013:
Bemidji
Photographer Cal Rice talks to
Maggie Montgomery and Robert Saxton
about his recent body of work
focusing on Bhutan and Cuba.
Cal Rice's
exhibit "Cultures in Change:
Photography of Bhutan and Cuba"
resulting from his recent trips to
Bhutan and Cuba, will be on display
at the
Bemidji Community Art Center
through March. |
 January
23rd, 2013:
Aaron Brown: "Least / Most
Stressful Jobs" |
 January
23rd 2013:
"Finns In
Minnesota: The 1907 Mesabi Range
Strike"
by
Britt Aamodt
- July 1907, nearly 15,000
miners rose up to protest low pay
and unfair and dangerous work
conditions on the Mesabi Iron Range.
The strike would go down in history
as the first organized strike on the
Range, one that was supported,
sustained and led principally by the
Finns living in the hardscrabble,
pre-unionized industrial frontier of
Northeastern Minnesota. Northern
Community Radio producer Britt
Aamodt brings us this feature on
that historical event. |
|
January
23rd, 2013:
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve Downing breaks down the
experience he enjoyed when he
witnessed a live performance at the
Reif Center recently presented
by The Gitchigami Trio from Duluth. |
 January
19th, 2013:
Amy Rutten recalls growing up in Ely
in a ski jumping family. |
 January
19th, 2013:
The Slaughters: Authentic Gospel
Music - Produced by Louise
Mengelkoch
Roosevelt and Elizabeth Slaughter
have been playing the organ and
piano for 45 years. They’ve lived in
Bemidji since 1999 when their
younger son moved here to attend
BSU. Roosevelt grew up in
Mississippi and Elizabeth is from
Chicago, where they met in the late
60s. At the time, they both played
spiritual music in the
African-American tradition in
Baptist churches. Last Sunday they
treated those in attendance at the
First Lutheran Church in Bemidji to
their unique talents in the form of
authentic gospel music. Thanks to
Louise Mengelkoch for contributing
this piece. And thanks to the
Slaughters for their participation
as well. |
 January
9th, 2013:
Winona LaDuke's essay about Idle No
More
Photo by Chris Peplin. |
 January
2nd, 2013:
Finnish Accordionist, Oscar
Forsman talks to Scott Hall
- Oscar Forsman is an elementary
school teacher from DeKalb,
Illinois. Oscar has strong ties to
his Finnish American roots on the
Iron Range. He plays traditional
Finnish and Finnish American music
on his accordion. During his visit
to the Iron Range over the holidays,
Oscar stopped into our studios to
play a few songs and talk with Scott
Hall. |
|
January
2nd, 2013:
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve Downing takes a look back at
2012. |
|
December
19th, 2012:
Dan Sinykin: Christmas In A
Swamp
- Dan Sinykin illustrates an
experience he and friend had
spending Christmas removed from
civilization in Argentina. |
|
December
19th, 2012:
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve Downing reviews the recent
youth focused concert presented by
the Itasca Orchestra and Strings
Programs. Steve also talks about the
final gig for long time northern
Minnesota band Backroad. |
 December
12th, 2012: Crossroads
with Britt Aamodt - Red
Lake
Every weekend
during summer, vacationers from all
over Minnesota and beyond its
borders have packed up the family
car and headed north to Highway 1.
The highway cuts a jagged route
across the top quarter of the state,
from North Dakota in the west to the
rocky shores of Superior in the
east, through farmland, reservation,
lake and lodge country. KAXE
producer Britt Aamodt got curious
about this storied northlands
highway and decided to hit the road.
In this
episode Britt is on one of the most
unique Indian reservations in the
United States, Red Lake. Aamodt
talks to two Gary Fuller and Bob
Treuer about their lives.
 Crossroads
with Britt Aamodt -
Ely
Crossroads
with Britt Aamodt - Tower
Crossroads
with Britt Aamodt -
Northome
Crossroads
with Britt Aamodt -
Effie |
|
December
12th, 2012:
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve Downing reflects on the
highly positive nature of the
existence and effects of Minnesota's
Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. |
|
December
5th, 2012:
"Before the Tabernacle"
- An essay from Dan Sinykin about
attending deer camp, and deer
hunting with his family in the
Jacobson area. |
|
November
28th, 2012:
"Sally the Snapping Turtle"
- An essay from Kellie Rae Thiess
-
Kellie Rae Theiss is an artist
and writer that lives in Floodwood. |
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #10
-
Erika attends
tryout camp for Spirit of Atlanta
Drum and Bugle Corps 2013 Color
Guard
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #9
-
Erika looks at
potential colleges
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #8
-A
strong case for the arts in school
curriculum
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #7
-
Interviewing
my favorite author
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #6
-
KAXE Changed
My Life
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #5
-
The Summer of
2012
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #4
-
Final experiences in Marching Band
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #3
-
Picking a Senior Song
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #2
Erika Kooda's Senior Year: Essay #1 |
|
November
21st, 2012:
Guido's Arts Review
- Steve Downing recently attended
the inaugural reading and crowning
of
Deborah Cooper as Duluth's
fourth Poet Laureate. Steve recounts
a brief history of Duluth's Poet
Laureate position and touches on the
establishment of Minnesota's Poet
Laureate title. |
 November
14th, 2012:
"Love, Loss, and What I
Wore" on stage at The Edge Center
For the Arts in Bigfork
- Scott Hall recently spoke with
Linda Kelsey and Patricia Feld about
the presentation of "Love, Loss, and
What I Wore," written by Norah and
Delia Ephron at the
Edge Center For The Arts in
Bigfork. |
 November
7th, 2012:
An
Essay From Sage Davis
- Sage Davis is a 23 year old
Anishinaabe woman and mother of a
two year old. She lives in Onigum on
Leech Lake. She brings us an essay
about herself, and how language,
culture, and spirituality define for
her what it means to be Ojibwe. |
|
October
24th, 2012:
Guido's Arts Review
- This week Steve reviews the recent
staging of the play "8" at the Reif
Center in Grand Rapids. Then he
covers a screening of the movie
"Being Flynn" which took place on
the campus of the College of Saint
Benedict. |
 October
17th 2012:
"Finns In
Minnesota: Saunas"
by
Britt Aamodt
- The first Finnish
immigrants to arrive in Minnesota
settled here sometime around the
middle of the 19th century and the
close of the Civil War. Minnesota
quickly became one of the cultural
homelands of immigrant Finns in
America, and their legacy lives on
today in last names--Niemi [NEE-me],
Lahti [LAH-tee], Saari
[SAR-ee]--town names (Esko, Heinola
[HEY-no-la] and Finland, come to
mind) and even a made-up saint, St.
Urho, who, by the way, boasts his
own celebration every March 16. But
the Finnish tradition we Minnesotans
have the most to be grateful for
takes place in a small room with a
bucket of water and a firebox for
heating the rocks. Check out this
piece by producer Britt Aamodt. This
is the first in our 5-part series on
Finns in Minnesota. |
|
October
17th, 2012:
Guido's Arts Review
- This week Steve reviews the recent
benefit concert for NAMI (National
Alliance on Mental Illness) that
featured High Bongo and Sam Miltich
and Friends and took place at Davies
Theatre in Grand Rapids. Second,
Steve recounts the experience he and
Heidi Holtan had operating a booth
at the 12th Annual Twin Cities Book
Festival. |
 October
3rd, 2012:
Dan Sinykin
presents this review of northern
Minnesota author
Will Weaver's memoir "The Last
Hunter: An American Family Album." |
 September
26th, 2012:
"North Country:
The Making of Minnesota" by Mary
Lethert Wingerd
-
For a lot of
us the history of Minnesota
begins at the time of statehood in
1858, and is a history of progress
from then to the present. Historian
Mary Lethert Wingerd's new book,
focuses on the two hundred years
prior to statehood and culminates in
the Dakota War of 1862. She calls
the Dakota War "Minnesota's Civil
War" and says it created the
conditions that led to waves of
immigration and the writing of a
version of our history that is now
widely accepted. Mary is Associate
Professor of history at St. Cloud
State. She recently spoke with Kathy
Dodge and Scott Hall about why she
decided to write about the two
hundred years before statehood. |
|
September
26th, 2012:
Guido's
Arts Review
Recently Steve
Downing attended the Inaugural event
in a series titled "Verse Like
Water: the visiting poets program of
Central Lakes College."
Li-Young Lee is a writer important
enough that it would be silly to try
to decribe his life and work with
any list of "bullet points." Steve
Downing ellaborates on why the
Brainerd area was fortunate to have
him in their presence last this past
Monday. |
 September
12th, 2012:
Native
Studies Hip Hop Project at
Schoolcraft Learning Community
-
Lisa Robinson teaches social studies
at Schoolcraft Learning Community in
Bemidji. As part of a middle school
project about intercultural
ubderstanding and literacy. Lisa
worked with students to write poetry
to express their feelings. Leech hip
hop
artist (and dad), Kaboose helped
them set the poetry to music.
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
|
 August
22nd, 2012:
Finnish immigrants had a good
amount of influence in shaping
Minnesota's history.
Scott Hall talks with Historian
Arnold Alanen about his new book
"Finns In Minnesota." |
 August
15th, 2012:
Maddi Frick recently toured the
historic Lyric Center for the Arts
and produced this piece resulting
from what she learned. As the 100th
Anniversary of the
Lyric Center for the Arts passes
the Lyric Center celebrates new life
and a bright future. |
 August
15th, 2012:
Duluth Glass Artist Ron Benson talks
to producer Amy Clark.
Ron Benson talks to producer Amy
Clark about his unique process and
the eventual results. |
|
August
1st, 2012:
Todd Boss speaks with Heidi Holtan
-
In honor of the 5th Anniversary of
the 35W bridge collapse in
Minneapolis, Minnesota poet Todd
Boss has composed
35 poems consisting of 35 words
per poem. Heidi Holtan spoke with
Todd Boss about this group of poems,
his own experience of the bridge
collapse disaster five years ago,
the
art installation project by European
visual artist Maja Spasova
commemorating the anniversary, and
poetry as an art form. |
 May
31, 2012:
Edge Center
Gallery’s Karen Ferlaak tells us about
Minnesota native artist Joe Geshick’s
retrospective in Bigfork through June. |
 Marsh
Muirhead of Bemidji is the reigning
winner of The Great American Think
Off for 2011. He is one of four
finalists, selected from hundreds of
contestants, again this year. Marsh
joined Maggie Montgomery on the
morning show to talk about his
writing and the nature of
The Great American Think Off
contest put on annually by The New
York Mills Regional Cultural Center. |
|
May
31, 2012: Blood On The
Tracks:
A musical train trip up Highway 61
in honor of Bob Dylan's 71st birthday.
Produced by Amy Clark. |
|
Lisi
Wright
of
Galactic Cowboy Orchestra talks with
Dave Lathrop about their two recent full
length releases, and about making this
diverse sounding band work both in the
studio and on stage. |
|
Nov.
10,
2011
A visit with the
members of Bipolar Bear, headlining the
Terrapin Fest at Terrapin Station in Nevis
this weekend. Patrick Dewane talks
about his grandfather's World War II service
and the upcoming show, The Accidental
Hero. 14 year-old cellist Maggie
Anderson talks about the thrill of working
with professional musicians from the
Minnesota Orchestra. |
|
Sept.
29,
2011
In light of the
Pagami Creek blaze, Ed Nelson from the
Forest History Center reviews our
state's worst forest fire disasters.
Jo Wood tells us about her intricate
bead art and her role in the
Bemidji Community Art Center's current
programs.
Bemidji Symphony director Beverly
Everett visits about their adventurous
season, which begins Sunday. |
|
Story Highlights |
 "Solveig":
MN filmmaker documents Duluth-based Arctic
indigenous painter.
by
Amy Clark April
12, 2012
The indigenous people from the far north of
Scandinavia have endured years of abuse.
Governments in the region tried their best
to eliminate their culture, but the Sami
people persevere. These people now enjoy new
legal protections and even a semi-autonomous
parliament, but challenges remain. An
acclaimed Twin Cities filmmaker recently
focused her lens on one woman of Sami
heritage who lives and paints in Duluth. Amy
Clark explores the story of Solveig Arneng
Johnson, and the new documentary that bears
her name.
Click
here to listen to listen to Amy Clark's
audio documentary.
|
"Rez Life" -
David Treuer's new nonfiction book.
by Charlie Pulkrabek
February 23, 2012
 Leech Lake
Native American writer,
David Treuer,
has a new book,
"Rez Life."
The author of three novels and one
collection of essays, "Rez Life" is his
first full length work of non-fiction. In
the book, Treuer addresses tough and
controversial subjects like treaty rights
and relations with non-Indians; and the
corruption and shortcomings of tribal
governments and leadership. He skillfully
weaves valuable historical data into
narratives that tie the large historical and
legal issues he writes about to the lives of
contemporary Indians living in Minnesota.
Charlie
Pulkrabek has an in depth conversation with
Treuer at the Cass Lake Library. |
The Gunflint
Mail Run -Amy
Clark interviews race organizer and musher
Frank Moe.
by
Amy Clark
February 23, 2012
 When the John Beargrease sled dog marathon
was cancelled, racers banded together to
offer an alternate course. The
Gunflint Mail Run race, organized with only a couple
weeks of advance notice, was a result. Amy
Clark was on the Gunflint Trail the last two
days of January and talked with organizer
and racer Frank Moe about this effort, and
mushing culture.
Amy
Clark talks with
race organizer and musher Frank Moe. |
"In Search of
Enough" - Travelling exhibit on Display at
MacRostie Art Center.
Art that examines to
idea of having enough inhabits the MacRostie
Art Center during January.
by
Travis Ryder
January 13, 2012
 What do consider
to be enough? Do you have enough physically,
emotionally? If you already have enough are
you willing to share what you have with
someone who doesn't? "In Search of Enough"
is part of a statewide effort to eliminate
poverty in Minnesota by 2020. Director of
the
MacRostie Art Center, Katie Marshall
joins Travis Ryder to discuss the art in
this travelling exhibition which examimes to
concept of having "enough."
The exhibit also features art created, with
guidance from artist Lea Friesen, by
students from the Northern Lights Community
School in Warba.
Katie
Marshall talks about "In Search of Enough."
|
 Willow shoots
become graceful seating
Don and Patti Erven's
furniture and decor items will be at Goods
from the Woods, Sept. 17
by
Travis Ryder
September 15, 2011
Don
Erven first took up willow work 24 years ago
when he was a teacher in Togo. Now he
and his wife Patti build chairs of several
sizes, garden benches, and even loveseats
from fresh, pliable willow boughs.
They also have home items like coat racks,
picture frames, and custom signs made from
smaller pieces of willow.
The Ervens and 70 other artisans will show
their Northwoods-oriented wares on Saturday,
Sept. 17 at the IRA Civic Center in Grand
Rapids.
Don
and Patti Erven, willow artisans
Learn more about Goods from the
Woods here.
|
From defunct
train yard to cultural centerpiece?
Range man hopes to
rebuild Mitchell Yards engine house as metal
sculpture, performance center
by Travis Ryder
August 8, 2011
From 1906 to
the early 1960s, the steam trains of the
Duluth, Missabe and Northern and its
descendent, the DM&IR, were housed, serviced
and fueled in a massive brick building just
north of Hibbing. These trains hauled
the ore that became American skyscrapers,
and the Allied ships, tanks and munitions of
two World Wars. Bob Dylan would have
heard the whistles from this yard, perhaps
fueling the frequent references to trains in
his songs and poems.
After the switch to diesel locomotives, this
building spent five decades slipping into
disrepair and ignoble service as a
scrapyard. Now, the owner of the
Mitchell Yards engine house and its 80-acre
grounds has a grand plan to give this relic
a new, proud future.
 David
Aho at the Mitchell Yards
Find
Aho's plans and images of the yards' past
and present here.
Aho's metal sculpture work can be seen here. |
Effie native
stars in McNally Smith production of
Godspell
Jake Rahier and
company bring the show to Bigfork
 by Travis Ryder
August 11, 2011
The
NcNally Smith College of Music
production of the smash musical Godspell
came to
The Edge Center in Bigfork this
weekend. And with it comes Effie native and
2008 Bigfork High School alumnus Jake
Rahier. Rahier has the lead role of
Jesus.
Culturology 8-11-2011: Jake Rahier
on "Godspell"
Performances were at 7 p.m.
Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at The Edge
Center, adjacent to Bigfork High School.
|
Loon Opera keeps
it fresh
Director Abe Hunter
makes his case for vibrance of form with
Figaro this weekend
by Travis Ryder
July 28, 2011
The Loon Opera Company is out to prove
that opera is not stuffy, but fresh and
exciting. Their production of The
Marriage of Figaro is on stage in
Bemidji Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at
the BSU Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex. I spoke
with artistic director Abe Hunter, a
Bemidji-based freelance pianist and artistic
director of the troupe. His company is in
its second year of producing opera. Hear my
interview with him and performances from a
recent rehearsal here:
Abe
Hunter and the Loon Opera Company
|
Puppetry is
not just for playtime
Theresa Linnihan offers giant
puppet-building and improv workshops
by Travis Ryder
July 12, 2011
Puppets aren’t just child’s play. They’re a
longstanding theatrical tradition and they
can take on serious roles on stage and in
the public square. That’s part of what
Theresa Linnihan is going to be teaching in
a series of workshops starting this week in
Grand Rapids. Linnihan has run a children’s
theatre in Massachusetts, and worked with
the improv group Brave New Workshop in
Minneapolis. Now she works with the
Czech-American Marionette Theatre and
the
Puppeteers' Cooperative in New York.
She’s visiting family here this summer and
presenting
sessions on puppet building and
improvisation at MacRostie Art Center.
I started my interview with her by asking
about how puppetry helped her children’s
theatre performances adapt to an outdoor
space:
Theresa Linnihan on Puppets, Improv,
and this summer's workshops |