Festival Theatre | St. Croix Falls, WI - News

Tech Week by Laila Sahir

6/14/2017

Laila Sahir- 1776 cast member and Marketing Intern

This is it. Tech week for 1776 is upon us. I can hardly believe that we've been in this process for three full weeks already.
Tech week is one of my favorite parts of the rehearsal process even though it can also be the most intense period of time. New technical elements are constantly being added, but the same amount of focus is required every day as during an actual performance. All of the moving pieces can sometimes be frustrating and cause tensions to run high.
And yet, tech week is also the time when I start to feel like the show truly comes to life. After spending countless hours with the ensemble reading the script, practicing in music rehearsals, and memorizing lines and blocking, now is the time when we are able to shift our focus from all of the intellectual work that we've done to being in the present moment with each other. The addition of lights, costumes, and props allows us to fully embody our characters and to truly live in the world of the Founding Fathers that we are portraying.
It is a truly incredible experience to be backstage with such amazing women and to feel all of our energy and focus being directed toward a common goal. I am constantly amazed by all of the incredible work done by my colleagues in the cast and production team; every day they inspire me to come to rehearsal as my best self, knowing that they will be there to help me when I need it in the same way that I am there to support all of them.
Above all, this is why I love tech week: the ensemble transforms from individuals focused on their individual pieces of the puzzle to a community of people working together to tell a story. I can't wait to share our story with everyone!

Wannigan Days Talent Show!

5/25/2017

The Wannigan Days Talent Show is back this year! Join us Saturday, June 10th, at 4 pm at the Overlook in St. Croix Falls for some of the best the St. Croix Valley has to offer.

The event, sponsored by Festival Theatre and Music on the Overlook, has a long history as a Wannigan Days staple and attracts people of all ages and talents: pianists, singers, cloggers, stand-up comedy and plenty of others.

“All acts are welcome, and it’s a very respectful atmosphere,” says Jaclyn Johnson, Festival Theatre’s Co-Artistic Director. “Though we do ask that the acts be family friendly. There are also prizes for all acts, but the sign up is first come, first serve and there’s only 20 slots, so sign up soon!”

Register at the Festival Theatre Box Office at the Franklin Square Black Box (125 N Washington.) Call Festival Theatre at 715.483.3387 with questions.The Wannigan Days Talent Show is back this year on Saturday, June 10th, at 4 pm.

Art In Action - Our new youth arts camp!

5/20/2017

Hey all!

My name is Rachel and I’m the new Arts Education Director at Festival Theatre. A few things about me: I just finished graduate school, I joined the Festival Theatre staff last January, and I know all the words to Don McLean’s American Pie.

I wanted to write a quick blog post about our Art In Action! summer arts camp for kids ages 5-12, which is replacing Creativity Camp.

We decided the best way to recommit our summer youth programming to our mission of meaningful enrichment through the arts was with a new name which put that mission at the forefront. To us, Art In Action! means empowering kids to take ownership of the creative process and put it into action!
Here are our two main goals: we want our campers to think of art as a verb. It’s something you do, not something you make. A process, not a product. When you focus on art as an action, then mistakes are less scary. And it's only through making mistakes that we can learn. We believe that practicing this mindset makes for better creative thinkers and better people.

In theatre, often called the collaborative art form, it’s easy to feel unempowered as an individual because you rely on so many other people. You first need to be cast, then directed, etc. But it doesn’t need to be that way. We want our campers to feel like they don't have to wait around to be cast in a play. They can write, produce and star in their own show! They can be actor, director, producer, designer-- an entrepreneur! How to ideate and originate your own work is among the most important professional skills you can learn.

Along with the new name, here are a few other changes we’re making:

We are now a morning camp rather than a day camp: 8:30 am - 12 pm. Our new fee is $50 per child.
Our teaching artists will receive a more in-depth teacher training.
We are developing a whole new curriculum in response to feedback from the parents and guardians in our camp community. Our campers will explore elements of story and character through games, exercises, and creative movement with the ultimate goal of creating a completely original short play.
As Arts Education Director, I will be in attendance each week maintaining our standard of quality education.

Like what you hear? Help us spread the word so we can reach as many in our community as possible! Registration is available now by clicking here.

Best,

Rachel Kuhnle, MFA
St. Croix Festival Theatre
ArtsEdFestivalTheatre@gmail.com

Festival Theatre Presents Carrie Elkin in Concert

4/24/2017

Carrie Elkin has earned a reputation for a sound both tender and evocative and her sixth and newest album, The Penny Collector, doesn’t disappoint. St. Croix Falls, WI is her ninth stop on her tour that starts in the US and ranges into England, Scotland, and the Netherlands. She’ll be in town Friday April 28th and with limited capacity in the Franklin Square Black Box, patrons are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. Tickets are $26 and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.

The intimate performance venue of the Franklin Square Black Box is just her style and complements the way her songs draw the listener in. The Penny Collector is soulful and reverent, with good reason: the album was released just over a month ago, and recorded after her father’s passing and her daughter's birth.

This unique album inspired Elmore Magazine’s Lee Zimmerman to say, “The lingering sadness is pervasive throughout, making Elkin’s hushed, mournful delivery both affecting and embracing. Plaintive and reflective, the music seems to flow from the core of Elkin’s soul, casting a quiet haze that’s often barely above a whisper.”

This will be her fourth time visiting Festival Theatre, her first since 2014. She comes again with her musical partner and husband Danny Schmidt. Tickets are $26 and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.

NEA Big Read, ArtReach Stillwater, and Festival Theatre Team Up!

3/28/2017

Actor Steven Czajkowski kneeling over the murder victim.

The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard is a lampoon on the murder mystery genre. Four suspects and one inspector are trapped at Muldoon Manor, while two critic watching from the audience comment, squabble, laugh, cry, and add to the wonderful theatre experience. At once funny and frightening, suspenseful yet full of obvious humor, it's a pleasure to watch.

This show is being performed in connection with ArtReach who received a grant from the NEA for the Big Read. The book they’ve chosen? The Maltese Falcon - another murder mystery. “ArtReach sees the NEA Big Read in the St. Croix Valley as an opportunity to create multi-disciplinary art programing around an incredible piece of literature,” says Heather Rutledge, ArtReach St. Croix executive director. “Theatre provides an opportunity for audiences to experience literature in alternative way.”

Director Rachel Kuhnle shares that the actors have found real joy embracing the dramatic side, but that only adds to the humor. "It's very funny for a murder mystery. Also, it's thrilling to be doing this show in our space at the Franklin Square Black Box - we're making the show fit the space in a way that puts our audience right in the middle of the action. I don't know of a Murder Mystery quite like this one - that's ever been done this way."

The Stillwater Trolley will be providing a free shuttle to the opening night performance of The Real Inspector Hound, on Saturday, April 8. The shuttle will depart from ArtReach St. Croix in Stillwater at 6:15pm with stops in Marine on St. Croix and Scandia. Reservations are required. To reserve your seat, please call ArtReach at 651-439-1465.

Free vignette performances of The Real Inspector Hound will also take place at River Falls Public Library and Bayport Public Library as part of NEA Big Read. Please note these will not be full performances.

Thursday, April 13 at 6:30pm

River Falls Public Library, 140 Union St., River Falls, WI

Saturday, April 22 at 1pm

Bayport Public Library, 582 N. 4th St., Bayport, MN

Opening night is April 8th and the show runs through April 30th. With limited capacity in the Franklin Square Black Box, patrons are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. Tickets are $26 for adults and $13.50 for students (ages 5-25) and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.

Exploring History and Empowering Our Youth

2/20/2017

Festival Theatre presents the first show in their Youth and Family Series, The Titanic Project. Shows run at the Franklin Square Black Box from March 10th-12th and then again from March 16th-19th. The Titanic Project is a devised show, that comes from the creative minds of young actors who have been working with the Festival Artistic Staff.

Artistic Director Jaclyn Johnston shared, “We’re devising a piece of theatre working with 26 youth from the area, where we research historical facts from that infamous voyage and then, using improv and creative movement, the youth are putting their touches on a show that will be unique only to Festival Theatre.”

"It’s really inspiring to watch the creative process. Our youth are used to being in youth and family shows - they’re always ready to dive into characters but asking them take ownership on the creation of the character has really opened them up”

Arts Education Director, Rachel Kuhnle led a workshop with the young actors on Saturday and spoke a little about the process and the goals:

"To get our creative juices flowing, we devised a movement piece based on rain. Everybody shared what came to their minds and we got answers ranging from "wet and loud” to "sad but boring” to "rain is like my tears" then we took all these feelings and words and as a group we came up with different ways to express rain with our bodies - we made a series of movements that became a piece.”

“I hope they leave thinking ‘we could do this ourselves, you know we could just make something up - we don’t have to wait for someone to create something for us, we can do this ourselves.’”

Come support the youth of the community and connect with this historical event in a new way. Tickets for The Titanic Project are $13.50 for adults and $8.50 for youth (5-25) and can be purchased here, by emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.

December 22nd, 2016

12/22/2016

The holiday season is in full swing at Festival Theatre, and “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas” will close this weekend with a special matinee on Christmas Eve. There only are four performances remaining of this heartwarming family show this Thursday, December 22nd at 2:00 and 7:30, Friday at 7:30 and Saturday at 2:00 at the Franklin Square Black Box in Downtown St. Croix Falls, WI.

Audiences have been raving about “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas”, Jody Hansen commented on Festival’s Facebook, “My daughter and I enjoyed this show very much!” She continued, “Definitely recommend to anybody looking for a heart touching, loving and humorous show!”

The youth cast has learned a lot from playing the Ingalls family. Elliana Naegelen plays Laura’s older sister Mary in the production, and she has enjoyed her new perspective on the Little House tales. “Through playing her older sister and watching Laura’s life from the back and inside, I’ve experienced it as almost being inside the book.” she shared, “filling this gap of her life between books for our viewers has been a blast.”

The final performances of “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas” are selling fast, and with limited capacity in the Franklin Square Black Box, patrons are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. Tickets are $26 for adults and $13.50 for students (ages 5-25) and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.

“The SantaLand Diaries” Opens this Friday

11/29/2016

After a successful opening of “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas,” Festival Theatre is ready to open its second holiday show for the year. “The SantaLand Diaries,” Festival’s more sarcastic holiday show (adult content warning) will open on Friday, December 2nd at 7:30 pm. The opening night performance will be followed by an afterglow party sponsored by Marketplace Foods. Based on the writings of David Sedaris and adapted by Joe Mantello, “The SantaLand Diaries” is sponsored byLuhrs/Bjornson Artworks.

“The SantaLand Diaries” follows a young man as he becomes an elf in Macy’s SantaLand. At first he finds the job simply humiliating, but soon it becomes more than he can handle and he takes out his frustrations on unsuspecting parents and children. Rachel Kuhnle, the director of the production, considers "The SantaLand Diaries" to be a new holiday classic. “Whether you buy into the Santa Clause craziness or abhor it, love your job or hate your job, believe in the true meaning of Christmas or are merely living for the spiked eggnog, ‘SantaLand’ has laughs for everyone," said Kuhnle. She added, expressively "It is the perfect politically incorrect holiday nightcap for parents after the kids have gone to bed.”

“The SantaLand Diaries”, with its sarcastic remarks and sassy humor is running alongside the family oriented “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas” at the Franklin Square Black Box in downtown St. Croix Falls. Tickets for both holiday shows are selling fast, and with limited capacity in the Franklin Square Black Box, patrons are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. Tickets are $26 for adults and $13.50 for students (ages 5-25) and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailingfestivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.

Festival Theatre’s Holiday Special Comes to Franklin Square

11/29/2016

This year will mark the 6th annual Festival Theatre Holiday Special. The event, which features a party and distinctive performance by Festival Theatre’s artists from the year, will take place starting at 6:30 pm on Sunday, December 11th at the Franklin Square Black Box in Downtown St. Croix Falls.

Seating will be limited to only 75 at the Franklin Square Black Box this year, and patrons are strongly encouraged to make reservations with the Box Office for this annual fundraiser. The smaller venue will have no effect on the celebrations, however, and the night is sure to feature music, sing-alongs, and improv comedy. Festival Artists have also promised teasers at the 2017 Theatre Series. Festival Theatre Co-Artistic Director Jaclyn Johnson said, “the Holiday Special has become a tradition for the core of the Festival family to gather, celebrate and make merry. There’s a whole lot of silliness, some spontaneous surprises, a lot of laughter and heartwarming cheer.” She added, “this fundraising event will help us prepare for the new year while we celebrate all the achievements of the past season.”

Come celebrate a year of hard work and great theatre-arts-making in the St. Croix Valley at the reception starting at 6:30 pm and the show at 7:30 pm on Sunday, December 11th. Seats for this fundraiser can be reserved through the box office by emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.

“A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas” Opening Weekend

11/22/2016

This weekend will mark the opening of “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas” at Festival Theatre in downtown St. Croix Falls. This homespun Christmas tale written by Laurie Brooks opens on Saturday, November 26th at 7:30 PM, and will be followed by an afterglow party sponsored by The Village Pizzeria in Dresser.

Per Wiger, who plays Pa in the show, is excited to bring these familiar characters to life. “I read the books as a kid and Pa Ingalls was something of a hero for me,” he shared, “so it really feels like coming full circle to go from playing him in my living room to playing him on stage.” Wiger also has enjoyed working with the local youth actors on this production, marveling at their talent and dedication to the show, “Honestly, I've met a number of professional actors that could learn something from these kids,” he noted.

This year Festival Theatre is offering two Christmas shows to satisfy anyone on both naughty and nice lists this holiday season. “A SantaLand Diaries” will open on Friday, December 2nd at 7:30 PM. Based on an essay by David Sedaris and adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, this show is perfect for adults looking for a more sarcastic view of the holiday season. With only five performances, “The Santaland Diaries” features Seth Kaltwasser as Crumpet, a young man who becomes elf in Macy’s SantaLand on a dare. At first he finds the job simply humiliating, but soon it becomes more than he can handle and he takes out his frustrations on unsuspecting parents and children.

There are still a few seats left for the opening weekend of “A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas,” Saturday, November 26th at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 27th at 2:00 PM. The Franklin Square Black Box has limited capacity, so patrons are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible for all shows this holiday season. Tickets are $26 for adults and $13.50 for students (ages 5-25) and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.