Festival Theatre | St. Croix Falls, WI

Festival Faves: August Edition!

8/3/2020

1. Our Box Office and Marketing Associate, Megan Hanks says, “As we all know, binge-time is way up. Scotty and I have been blasting through an awesome series on Netflix called, Ozark (TV-MA). If you’re looking for some gripping, nail-biting TV, this is your show! It stars Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde, a financial planner who relocates his family from Chicago to a summer resort community in the Ozarks. With wife Wendy (Laura Linney) and their two teenage kids, Marty is on the move after a money-laundering scheme goes wrong, forcing him to pay off a substantial debt to a high-profile drug lord, in order to keep his family safe.

If you were a fan of Breaking Bad, I definitely recommend Ozark. The writing and acting is phenomenal, and the colorization is very intentional, and stylized in similar ways to Breaking Bad. The stakes are always high, alliances are always changing, and every episode is shocking. There are three seasons, and we’re currently in the middle of season two. I’m sure we’ll be through it soon!”

2. Jason Richards, our Executive Artistic Director says, “The Thursday special at our local Poco Loco is double decker tacos. It’s a soft flour tortilla that’s heated and drizzled with queso. Then they wrap it around a crunchy flour tortilla. What!? Then add whatever filling your heart desires. I get the seasoned white rice with black beans, then I add cheese, lettuce, red salsa, and a squeeze of sour cream. Chef’s kiss. Pair it with a Jarritos and you’ll be transported to old Mexico. Only available on Thursdays.”

3. Actor Jess Vanek (The Marvelous Wonderettes and Fools) says, “My fave right now is The Good Place on Netflix. It’s a hilarious show all about philosophy and frozen yogurt. I love Ted Danson specifically, but I find myself binging this show whenever I get the chance. (Jason is kind of like Ted Danson in the show, actually...)”

4. Emily Ahrens (Actor- The Fantasticks, Elephant’s Graveyard; Director- The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood) says, “I hope you all are well! I don’t know about you, but I have been reading like crazy during this quarantine. I am a particular fan of biographies and this one has quickly jumped to one of my top three favorite books of all time. (Joining my other two all-time favorites, The Diary of Anne Frank and Little Women) I have also been really trying to read books written by women, specifically women of color, and this one also fit that!
My Festival Fave is a book called Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian - My Story of Rescue, Hope, and Triumph by the incomparable Yusra Mardini.
I originally found the book because Emma Watson posted an interview with Mardini on her Instagram!

For those of you who don’t know, Mardini was a young, nationally competitive swimmer for Syria who became a Syrian refugee and escaped to Germany during a time of war in her homeland in order to pursue her dream of competing in the Olympics.
As detailed on the cover (so no spoilers here!), while in a dinghy to cross the sea to Greece, the engine of Mardini’s boat gave out, prompting Mardini and her sister (also a professional swimmer) to jump out of the boat to swim the passengers to safety. At the time of her escape, Mardini was only 16 years old.
The reason I recommend this book is not only because is it so well written and compelling from page to page, but it gives a personal look at the plight of refugees in a way that isn’t presented to us in the media. Many of us (myself included!) hear ‘Syrian Refugee’ and we probably think of someone living in the desert with no technology or plumbing. This book immediately wipes away that stigma: These refugees are modern human beings - While escaping Syria, Mardini is texting her Mom and posting on Facebook while sleeping in the dirt!
The novel confronts these stigmas and shows you how easily refugees are dehumanized simply because they are displaced. It completely opened my eyes and softened my heart to a situation that I usually switched the channel on when it came on the news.
Absolutely would recommend it to any reader, appropriate for all types and all ages! If you love The Diary of Anne Frank, you will adore this book.
I would ESPECIALLY recommend for you to buy this book for all the YOUNG (9-21 years old) women in your life (which is what I’ll be doing for many friends this Christmas!): Yusra is an incredible, strong role model - And I think all the young women in our lives should be directed to more of those!!”

5. Director Traci Ledford (Crimes of the Heart) says, “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a certain fascination with elephants. So, it should be no surprise that I follow elephant orphan and rehabilitation centers on social media. My favorite is The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust located in Kenya. They do such an excellent job of educating the public on their goals, and you get to see their work in action through their constant updates and live feeds. Not only do they raise and reintegrate orphaned baby elephants back into the wild, but they have anti-poaching units, aerial surveillance, community education and outreach, and a vet unit that will care for any species of injured or sick wildlife. To be honest, I often watch their videos to relax after a stressful day because baby elephants are the cutest. And if you feel so led, you can donate to the trust or adopt an orphan.

You can get all the information you need and see their multi-platform social media posts in one place at:
https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

6. Director Ryan Stevens (Stuart Little) says, “During these hot summer months I've been curling up with a lot of good books, and specifically, a lot of good comic books. My latest fav is Tillie Walden's On A Sunbeam. A science fiction story about literally star-crossed girlfriends, the book came from author/illustrator Walden's boredom with sci-fi movies that are "always full of white hallways and white men." So, she channeled this disappointment in a whole genre into an epic story about growing up, falling in love, and seeing how cool outer space is. Tillie Walden is three years younger than me so while reading her work does make me extremely jealous, it doesn't get in the way of enjoying her stories and feeling the same sense of awe and wonder at the joy of words and pictures that I used to feel as a kid.
You can even read the whole thing online here, though I really enjoy the weight and feel of the physical book.”

7. Peter Weber, Festival’s Technical Director says, “My Festival Fav this month is Taskmaster. This British panel comedy invites and pits five comedians against each other in random tasks. Each task feels more random and hilarious than the last one. Hosted by Greg Davis and devised and administered by Alex Horne, the duo poke fun at the contestants and award them points for how funny/well they complete the tasks. The Series can be found on YouTube at the Taskmaster channel.”

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Festival Faves: July Edition!

7/1/2020

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1. Isaac Bont our Marketing Director recommends Samosas at The Vegetarian in downtown St. Croix Falls. He says, “The Vegetarian is a real gem of a restaurant in St. Croix Falls. There are plenty of average to decent food choices in St. Croix Falls, but the Vegetarian feels unique and special in its cuisine choice of vegetarian/vegan Indian food. Whether you've had Indian food before or not, I can recommend their Vegetable Samosas to anyone. These are among the best samosas I've ever had at any Indian restaurant (I've been to lots, probably my favorite type of food) and it shocks me every time how delicious they are.

Pair their samosas as a starter with one of their excellent beer choices and an entree of Aloo Gobi, and you find me a very happy camper! Don’t be intimidated by their menu, the Vegetarian is consistently delicious no matter what choice you make, but their samosas are straight up universal!”

2. Our Marketing Intern, Emily Kessler (btw, Emily is the person who posts our FF’s and adds all the cool graphics and basically makes it look awesome) says, “My fave for July is the podcast 1619 produced by the New York Times. It's sort of like a crash course in the history of slavery and racial oppression in the United States. There are six episodes (each an hour long) so it doesn't take long to listen to, but it's packed full of really life changing information. I listened to it in one day. It's not light and fluffy- it deals heavily with racialized violence, sexual assault and death so TW for anyone sensitive to that material. But it's packed full of rich, engaging conversations, and features a beautiful audio landscape. Overall, it's a great starting point for anyone ready to educate themselves on racial oppression in the United States.

It's such vital work for anyone concerned with the future of our country. You can listen for free on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify."

3. Arts Ed Director Brooke Smith says, “I am coming up on my One Year Vegetarian Anniversary, yay!! In honor of this, I wanted to recommend something that has gotten me through many a lonely night when I haven’t wanted to take the time and prepare a full vegetarian dinner for myself. My July Festival Fav is something that anyone who has walked down a grocery store frozen food aisle will know and love: a Roma 4 Cheese Frozen Pizza! Approximately 50 cents cheaper than its counterpart, the Jack’s Original Thin Crust Cheese, Roma’s budget friendly variant keeps all of the delicious, cheesy, greasy flavor you’d expect of a frozen pizza. Pop one of these bad boys in the oven and after 10 minutes (I leave mine in a little longer than recommended to get it extra crispy), you have dinner and the following day’s lunch!

All for $2! And with no meat involved! A vegetarian on a budget’s true kitchen staple. Pro tip: This is a great food item to bring to a game night, as it’s super easy to cut into approximately 24 square pieces. Next time you’re in the frozen section at your local grocery store, grab a Roma pizza and think of me.”

4. Jason Richards our Executive Artistic Director has fave new music to share! “Two of my favorite bands have recently released new albums. One is Waxahatchee with her release of Saint Cloud. This has been on loop at my apt. Saint Cloud is her fifth studio album and she just keeps getting better. Also check out American Weekend, my favorite album by her. Here is a review from Rolling Stone about the new album, Saint Cloud. She is on Twitter as well, @k-crutchfield. Check her out.

Other new music is from Phoebe Bridgers and Punisher is the new album. While she has most certainly been busy writing and recording Punisher, she also managed to create music with other bands. She is one-third of the band Boygenius with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. Check them out as well. All three ladies are brill’. She has partnered with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes to form Better Oblivion Community Center. They have a great self-titled debut album. She has also released the song “Walking on a String” with National’s front man Matt Berninger. She is everywhere and awesome. Go check her out and you’re welcome. She too is on Twitter @phoebe_bridgers.”

5. Director, Traci Ledford (last summer’s Crimes of the Heart, and can be seen in an episode of our online series “Festiv@l Home” called Mock Audition) suggests, “One thing I miss during this pandemic is carefree, long-range travel that led me to magical places in the great outdoors. So, I have compiled a list of my favorite trails and hikes that I've experienced in the past five years. These are all easy to moderate hikes found in city, state, and national parks (as well as one international entry). I've included links to help, particularly if there is a fee involved to access the land. In no particular order, they are:

A) Bowl and Pitcher Trail in Riverside State Park: Spokane, Washington (fee)
https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/riverside-state-park

I was lucky to do this hike in January with a bit of snow left on the ground. With majestic views of the Spokane River, which was a glacial blue in color, and the surrounding rock outcroppings (which look like a bowl and pitcher), this hike is breathtaking good fun.

B) Bridal Veil Falls, Hooker Falls, and High Falls in DuPont State Forest: near Brevard, North Carolina (no fee)
https://www.dupontstaterecreationalforest.com/Pages/WaterFalls.aspx

There are four waterfalls within this park, but I only managed to see three on my trip. Hooker Falls was the smallest (good for a foot soak), but Bridal Veil and High Falls were awe-inspiring and soul-filling (and often the settings for major motion pictures such as The Hunger Games). It's possible to visit them all on a single day, but worth spending more time to really explore the area.

C) The White Cliffs of Dover: Dover, England (no fee to walk or access; transportation fees possible)
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-white-cliffs-of-dover

On my bucket list for a long time, I was able to visit Dover this past December. The trick is to have your taxi drop you off at the halfway point and walk towards the visitor's center, but you can also choose to be dropped off at the light house and walk the full length. Just wear good shoes that can get muddy and be sure to download a map before you set off. It was a moderately challenging walk but absolutely breathtaking.

D) Tubbs Hill Park: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (parking meter fee likely)
https://www.cdaid.org/763/departments/parks/all-parks/tubbs-hill

This is a stunning hike near some sheer rock faces which stretch down to a beautiful lake. While it's only a 2-mile trail around the park, there are so many spots to stop and enjoy the scenery, that I never made it all the way around. It was a delightful place to work up an appetite as there are several delicious restaurants in Coeur d'Alene.

E) Moses Cone Memorial Park: Blowing Rock, North Carolina (no fee)
https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/moses-cone-trails.htm

There are 25 miles of gently sloping trails all around the impressive Moses Cone Manor. You can choose anything from an easy, paved stroll around Bass Lake to a more strenuous hike across fields and forests up to the Flat Top Fire Tower (where you are rewarded with spectacular 360* views of the Blue Ridge Mountains). As many times as I have been here (I've lost count), I still have not hit all the trails. This part of the country is especially magical in the fall.”

6. Our Technical Director Peter Weber recommends the movie Booksmart.
Peter writes, “This coming of age comedy features two girls who are focusing on become top of their class and have missed out on all the classic high school experiences outside of school work. On the eve of graduation, the pair try to fit four years of high school hi-jinx into one night. The goal of their quest is to make it to the big party of the year. Can they do it or will they miss out?”

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Festival Faves: June Edition!

6/1/2020

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1. Marketing Director Isaac Bont shares the HBO tv series The Wire.
“I just finished The Wire on HBO which has often been the subject of great critical hyperbole over the years. It starts out familiar enough as a police procedural about homicide and drug police in Baltimore, but the reason it holds a special place in the tv canon is that it quickly becomes much bigger than that. One of the most fascinating elements of its storytelling is how it humanizes and personalizes the figures within the drug trade.

While we often write off such people in real life as monstrous, The Wire is empathetic and critical in its understanding of why people choose that lifestyle or how society and systems give them no other choice. The various seasons cover larger topics too, including blue collar work, the role of politics and the press in shaping a city and its resident’s lives, and most strikingly, a look at the public education system, its successes and failures in its children in West Baltimore. The show does this while having excellent acting, writing, and is exceptionally entertaining to boot! This is a critical darling that absolutely lives up to the hype!”

2. Jason Richards, our Executive Artistic Director, says, “Recently, I’ve been checking out live feed animal cams. There are also many “zoo cams” but I don’t like those because personally I don’t like seeing animals in cages. But there are others that feature wild animals, which is infinitely better. You can access a variety of cams on Explore.org. Also you can check out these awesome bears on the Romanian Wildlife Live Feed - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BDnAMR3GLg

3. Madison Fairbanks (actor – The Marvelous Wonderettes, Fools, and the upcoming The Gift of the Magi) says, “Like most of us, I’ve been binge-watching and consuming shows at an alarming rate. But the one that’s stuck out to me is Mrs. America. This story follows the women involved in the movement to ratify (or not to ratify) the Equal Rights Amendment. It has a female powerhouse of a cast: Cate Blanchett, Rose Byre and Sarah Paulson, just to give you an idea. It’s funny. It’s sad. It’s based in history. And I think, most of all, it’s important. It’s also on Hulu with new episodes every Wednesday."

4. Ryan Stevens (director of the upcoming production Stuart Little) says, “Like many other quarantined citizens, I've been spending a lot of my in-door time playing video games to keep my mind occupied. Here are a few of my recent favorites!

--A lot has already been said about Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a game about living on a peaceful island with cartoon animals and not really having any stress or objectives except for the ones you want for yourself. It's very easy to lose a few hours a day just hanging out with your virtual neighbors and visiting other friends who have the game to simulate hanging out in real life. This game is only for Nintendo Switch, though there is a phone version, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, that's honestly not bad either.

--A similar 'do whatever you want in a peaceful little town' game is Stardew Valley, which swaps animal neighbors for real people and casts you as a city-slicker taking over your grandpa's farm. This game really encourages you to take things at your own pace, growing crops, raising animals, and hanging out with all the other kind and quirky people in your little farm town. It can be a little confusing at the start, but once you take some time to figure out how you want to live on your new farm, the whole game opens up to meet you on your own terms. And the good thing about Stardew Valley is that it's available on pretty much any game system or computer.

--Neko-Atsume is a phone game where you leave food and toys out for cats to come play with. That's it. You open the app every few hours, look at the cats that are chilling on your porch, smile, and leave them be. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

5. Technical Director, Peter Weber offers the movie The Platform. He says, “This Science Fiction horror movie hosts a vertical prison. Food is distributed daily on a platform that lowers from the top floor to the bottom. The film is a set of thrilling twists and turns for the viewer with tension that makes it hard for one to look away.”

Click here for previous Festival Faves! And be sure to check back next month for a fresh round of recomendations!

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Festival Faves: May Edition!

5/1/2020

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1. Our Marketing Director, Isaac Bont recommends Quiplash! “My fave this month is Quiplash, a Jackbox games party game! Quiplash is a game that anybody can sign onto with their phones and answer ridiculous questions such as “Make up a name probably no one in history has every had!” and then anonymously everybody votes on which answer they enjoy the much. This is an insanely hilarious and fun party game that really acts a lot like competitive improv with friends. Definitely one of the best digital party games I’ve seen in the past decade, and anybody can have a joyous time playing it. You can buy versions of Quiplash via the Jackbox Party Pack 2, 3, or standalone! There may be a livestream edition of Festival staff playing Quiplash coming to our social media sometime soon, and many of our hangout sessions have gone late-night just playing Quiplash over and over again!”

2. The lovely and talented Jackie Johnson says “I love listening to podcasts! In the car, while doing laundry or dishes or vacuuming, or just wanting a story that does not require visual focus, podcasts are a great means to hear stories, be entertained, and/or stay informed. Generally, I tend to be pulled toward story-driven podcasts, short-stories being my favorite. Today I'm recommending the work of a very smart and talented American Journalist, Phoebe Judge. I'm a fan of her two podcasts, Criminal and This is Love. They are both excellently produced, interesting explorations of the human experience. The first podcast, Criminal, tells stories that are somehow intertwined with a crime. Might be from the perspective of the victim, or a dive into an unsolved case, or a memorable means of investigation. They are all fascinating true stories from various perspectives. It's been around for a while now so there's hundred-thirty-something backlogged episodes for you to work through if you find yourself enjoying it. This is Love is Phoebe's newer podcast, just entering its fourth season. As you may have guessed from the title, the theme of this podcast is love. Stories surrounding love, different acts of love, moments shaped by love, stories about expressions of love. And this fourth season centers around animals. If you know anything about me, you'll know that I love animals, and so this season is turning out to be exactly what I need, maybe now more than ever! Stories that center around love and animals. It's my kind of thing. For added fun, this season's opening episode titled "Episode 19: The Wolves," is a crossover episode Criminal's "Episode137: Wolf 10." I can't recommend these podcasts enough, but if there were only two episodes you gave a listen to, it's those.

Please note that these podcasts are for adult listeners, and while Phoebe does a great job of including content warnings at the start of certain episodes, it's worth noting that these stories may reference violence, injustice, grief, or other difficult topics which parents may want to be aware of and/or screen before sharing with youth. The two I mentioned are on the safer side for a wider span of ages, but does share information about wolf behavior/aggression and poaching.

Sending love to all the animals, humans included!”

3. Actor (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Fools, Into the Woods, Pride and Prejudice) Jessica Vanek says… “I have been LIVING for the new “Losing my Mind: A Sondheim Disco Fever Dream” album. It features over 40 Sondheim tunes and just makes you want to get up and dance! In these drab times, this album gives the listener a sense of fabulousness. It also provides a fun challenge to try and guess each song you hear. Sondheim is 90 years old now, and he deserves to be celebrated in the most frivolous way possible. Here’s the link to the Spotify album!”

https://open.spotify.com/album/20usfxMh6yPRcjBRw4oIbp?si=qITCF_NTQi6HSQb2X0S1tw

4. Technical Director Peter Weber says… “I would like to submit Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. This classic adventure tale of the high seas is still one of my favorite books since I first read it as a youth some 20 years ago. It features instant classic characters throughout the book, from young Jim to Long John Silver, whose likeness still colors our views of pirates to this day.”

5. Actor (Fools, Crimes of the Heart, Into the Woods, Pride and Prejudice) and Costume Designer (The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood) Ellie Larson says… “My May Fave is the app Marco Polo! It is a video messaging app, so you can record a message and send it to your friends and loved ones. It is basically a combination of FaceTime and texting. Marco Polo is available for Apple and Android users. It has been such a great tool to stay connected with everyone during social distancing, and, it is super easy to use. I am bad at using new technology, but I figured it out fine. Jess (Vanek) and I Marco Polo pretty much daily and send videos of our plants and pets and talk about how excited we are to return to St. Croix Falls (<3). I highly recommend it!”

6. Actor (The Fantasticks, Leading Ladies, Elephant’s Graveyard, and many more!) Kim Braun is offering “…an abbreviated mixtape for my loving, creative community.

I know many of you already share some of my favorite musical artists; Joni Mitchell (oh my goodness I just discovered “Cactus Tree” this winter), Darrell Johnston (wrote a gorgeous song about murmurations this spring), and Danny Schmidt (just released some artwork for his song “This Too Shall Pass” which is fitting right now) to name a few. Below are a couple songs from artists you may or may not be familiar with that are my go-to listening choices to cleanse the soul. Enjoy!

“Emmylou” by First Aid Kit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC57z-oDPLs
I was introduced to First Aid Kit as a student at Gustavus, where we were all enamored with this Scandinavian sibling duo. First Aid Kit’s cover of Fleet Foxes' “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” in the woods as young artists is beautiful. “Emmylou” encapsulates their awesome sister harmonies and unbridled vocals perfectly in an upbeat country tribute.

“Summer” by Josh Pyke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJNKjkbzZGw
Friends in Alaska introduced me to Josh Pyke and this rendition with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra lifts singer songwriter simplicity to the ethereal in a way the Beatles effortlessly used strings. The restraint and build in this song perfectly pair pop with the refined, evoking unsettled nostalgia.

“Chandelier” by Twisted Measure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSjr6ixi4ik
Speaking of classical arrangements of pop hits, I can put headphones on and listen to this recording of Elon University’s a cappella ensemble three or four times for a meditation. I was first introduced to this through an uptown Minneapolis yoga class and not only does this do what many of my favorite covers do (take a point of view on a song that enhances the original), the vocal harmonies are divinely inspired and these young artists nail it in their interpretation of this song’s vulnerability. The cascading pop styling magnifies Sia’s hit song like Iron and Wine to The Postal Service or (see above) First Aid Kit to Fleet Foxes. Listen to this and breathe. Maybe find some movement or stillness. Bet you can’t listen just once!

I hope we can all be together again soon! Love, Kimberly Braun”

7. Incoming 2020 intern Sarah Weyrich says… “I am currently preparing for school to be over, but in the meantime, I am painting these little log ornament type things for all of the people in my senior class as gifts! I am also busy writing letters to my professors and friends. I try to do about one of these a day because they are super easy. It gets my creative juices flowing and takes my mind off schoolwork!”

Here is a link to the log ornaments: http://tiny.cc/6o46nz

8. Actor (1776, Rumors, Death of a Salesman, It’s a Wonderful Life: Radio Play, Lone Star Spirits) Erika Kuhn says…

“The New Play Exchange (NPX), a National New Play Network program, is an awesome digital library of lesser known and up and coming plays. There's a variety of affordable subscriptions ranging from Reader, to Writer, and Organization ($10-$25 annual membership) that offer some really great resources. If you're on the hunt for a fresh monologue, want to dig into your local playwriting and dramaturgy scene, or network it's the place to be. It's completely user friendly with comprehensive search filters and cool features. Plus, if you're a writer yourself you can share your work. There are over 30,000 plays available typically through an easy download, (a lot like Scribd) but in a pinch I've been able to connect with writers directly to access their work! If you find something you really like you can leave a recommendation or seamlessly inquire about rights. Go forth and read!”

Here is a link: https://newplayexchange.org

Check out previous Festival Faves at the links below!
April
March
February
January

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Festival Faves: April Quarantine Edition!

4/1/2020

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Hello! We have created something new for 2020. Every month we will be sharing our Festival Faves! Faves can be anything from books to websites to movies to recipes, or anything that we are currently into. So, check them out each month. It’s just another way to connect with our community.

1. Traci Ledford director of last summer’s Crimes of the Heart and future director of this fall’s The Crucible offers this tasty recipe.

“Homemade soups can go a long way during isolation and quarantine. Here is one of my own recipes that can easily be adapted to your own tastes and preferences. If you’re a vegetarian, just omit the meat and switch to your favorite vegetable broth.

Chicken Cilantro Lime Soup

1 (32 oz) to 1 ½ cartons of chicken stock or broth [best to buy two and have one on reserve]
1 (10 oz) can of Ro-tel chopped tomatoes and green chilies [substitute 1 (14 oz) can of diced petite tomatoes if you prefer non-spicy soups or mix and match the two]
1 medium-sized white onion, diced
2-3 yellow summer squash, sliced
2-3 boneless chicken breasts [boneless chicken thighs are good too]
1 bunch of cilantro; leaves only, discard stems—simply add your preferred amount
[If you dislike cilantro, then just leave it out and rename your soup.]
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
2 large or 3 small limes

Optional items to add to according to your preferred taste:
½ cup of rice
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained

Place all items, except the limes, in a stew pot, soup pot, or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat once the soup boils, keeping the soup at a simmer. When the chicken is cooked through (30-45 minutes simmering), remove each breast and shred or dice before returning to the soup. If the chicken stock/broth cooks off, add more as needed to desired consistency.

Just before serving: halve the limes. Squeeze and stir in the juice of each lime to your preferred taste. I go for more rather than less here.

Optional toppings:
shredded cheese
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
fresh cilantro leaves
more lime juice

Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips and a side of queso or guacamole! It will taste even better the second day.”

2. Here is a fave from Board member and director of our upcoming summer production of Into the Woods, Mark Baer. “For parents with students age 7-12 or so, I have a great suggestion. We were gifted a Highlights Which Way USA subscription and my 7yo Samantha is loving it.

Grade school is more rigorous than ever these days. She is so far ahead of where I was at her age in math and reading. But geography and social studies are still just on the periphery of her awareness. These magazines allow us to take an imaginary trip to places all over our country.

You get a map of the country at the beginning and then each month you get two new issues, one for every state. The premise is that your child is on a team that is completing challenges related to each state’s unique landmarks and attributes. Your child has to complete puzzles and challenges to help their team – each one earns points toward the team victory. The competition is imaginary – you don’t have to login or anything – but my daughter sure doesn’t know that!

In a moment when many parents have suddenly been signed up for homeschooling, this is a unique educational resource that doesn’t feel like “school” and doesn’t involve additional screen time. It’s been very fun for the two of us. The other day we finished several puzzles about Florida and then Samantha set up her stuffed animals in a pretend classroom in front of the map and taught them all about the Fountain of Youth!”

https://www.highlights.com/store/puzzle-book-clubs/which-way-usa

3. Our executive Artistic Director, Jason Richards says “For this quarantine edition of FF my recommendation is the Pulitzer Prize list for fiction. For years, I have been working on reading the entire list of winners. There are 92 winners (and counting), I have read 66 so far! I’m currently working on number 67; The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson. (Update: The Orphan Master’s Son is brilliant, and devastating, and haunting, and exhilarating, and endlessly fascinating. I can’t put it down.) You may enjoy reading this list of great works of fictions as well. Some of my favorite winners are (in no particular order):

1. Lamb in His Bosom – Caroline Miller
2. The Town – Conrad Richter (This is the third book in the series that includes, The Trees and The Fields. All three are great.)
3. The Travels with Jamie McPheeters – Robert Lewis Taylor
4. Angle of Repose – Wallace Stegner
5. The Executioner’s Song – Norman Mailer
6. Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri
7. Empire Falls – Richard Russo
8. The Known World – Edward P. Jones
9. The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
10. The Underground Railroad – Colson Whitehead

Here is the Pulitzer Prize link
https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/219

However, there are several book lists to choose from if the Pulitzer Prize list doesn’t strike your fancy. Here are a few links

1. The 50 Coolest Books Ever
https://www.listchallenges.com/the-50-coolest-books-ever

2. The National Book Award
https://www.nationalbook.org/national-book-awards/years/

3. 100 Best Books from the 19th Century
https://www.listchallenges.com/100-best-books-from-the-19th-century

4. Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels
http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/

Happy reading!”

4. Amy Hayes, director of our upcoming summer production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile recommends these favorites.

-New favorite drink: cucumber Perrier
-Favorite pastime: listening to Classic novels on Audible while doing nostalgic jigsaw puzzles
-Favorite online exercise: Yoga with Adrienne (YouTube)
-Favorite meditation app: Calm
-Favorite streaming radio app: Classic FM (UK)
-Favorite podcast: The Daily (NYTimes)
-Favorite tea: Lady Grey (with either a little honey or a little milk; not both)
-Favorite non-dairy milk: Flax milk
-Favorite new ritual: eating dinner at the table every night with the candles lit and the music on

5. Actor (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Fools, The Somewhat True Tale of Robinhood, The Gift of the Magi) and Costume Designer (Charlotte’s Web, The Gift of the Magi) Madison Fairbanks says, “I love to read but the recent shutdowns have made it pretty hard to get out to a library or bookstore. This is where Scribd comes in handy. Scribd is an online book/document/written word library that I find to be incredibly user friendly. I enjoy it because there are truly hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from in a wide variety of genres and formats. Need a book recommendation? Scribd users have made tons of easily accessible lists to guide you in the right direction. Like to multitask? Try an audiobook! Sheet music is available if you’ve been thinking about learning a song and auditioning for a certain local theatre's musical! Scribd also has an app so you can read on your phone or tablet. My favorite thing is that I’m constantly discovering new scripts and monologues for work as well as play (pun intended). There is a subscription fee, but you can get a free trial month when you sign up!”

https://www.scribd.com/subscribe-now?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=adwords_brand&utm_campaign=Google_Search_Alpha_Brand_US&utm_term=scribd%20free%20trial&utm_device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItrSJ8OK56AIVzP_jBx3XIAMqEAAYASAAEgI1zPD_BwE

6. Stage Manager (The Diary of Anne Frank, A Christmas Carol: A live Radio Play, The Crucible, The Gift of the Magi) Emily Carey says, “Since quarantine has, inevitably, taken over everyone's lives, I've found one of my favorite things to do to pass the time is find Virtual Museum Tours! In uncertain circumstances many people, like myself, have been turning to art to get us through. I think now is a more valuable time than ever to take the chance to learn more history and consume as much art as possible. It's incredible how many iconic museums are available to the public!

I went through the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA (https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/video-tour/#), The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum), and the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam (of course!) (https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/landing/) to name a few! There are many more out there. All it takes is a Google search!”

7. Morgan Fanning one of our upcoming 2020 summer interns shared her Festival Fave. "I've decided to take advantage of my free time during quarantine by watching some Netflix! Sherlock, from the BBC, is a great way to pass the time. It's a mystery series following the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in modern day London. There are a lot of things about this show that I really love. The way the audience is able to see into Sherlock's mind when he is solving a crime is so cool, the catchy music enhances the show by setting the mood, and there are always moments of humor amidst the otherwise series content. I also like that as a viewer I am trying to solve the crime with them. If you're looking for something to watch, I would recommend checking out Sherlock!"

8. Here is a Fave from one of our incoming 2020 interns, Lauren Lash, “One of my favorite things I've rediscovered during quarantine is Trivia Crack. This is a mobile trivia game that allows me to test my knowledge on things like art, science, etc. I like this particular game because it allows me to stay connected with my friends while learning new things and refreshing old things I already knew.

9. Upcoming 2020 summer intern Sarah Weyrich says “Currently my two ‘Quarantine Faves’ are redecorating my room back at home and painting!

Redecorating Room in Utah: School is online for the semester and my room was still decorated from high school so when I packed up my apartment at school I decided to use some of my decor to revamp my room!

Painting: Painting has always been a sort of relaxing activity for me. I haven’t been able to do it as much since being busy with school, but now I have more time and love getting back to it.

Check out previous Festival Faves at the links below!
January
February
March

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Festival Faves: March Edition!

3/5/2020

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Festival Faves: February Edition!

2/7/2020

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Festival Faves!

Welcome to the second installment of Festival Faves. Every month we will be sharing our Faves, which can be anything from books to websites to movies to recipes to restaurants, to quotes, to just about anything you can think of. So, check them out each month. It’s another way to get to know the Festival Family.

1. Our Development Director, Seth Kaltwasser says, “My recommendation is Something Wonderful: Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution. The musicals and songs created by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein have had such an impact on our culture that it can be easy to take them for granted. From The Sound of Music to Oklahoma!, these artists revolutionized musical theatre and provided a seemingly endless soundtrack for twentieth-century American lives. This book by Todd S. Purdum offers a decades-spanning tour of the two men’s careers and collaborations: the big hits, the big failures, the personal struggles. Along the way, the reader enjoys cameos from other giants of the industry (Julie Andrews, Mary Martin, Stephen Sondheim, and Edna Ferber) and is introduced to some behind-the-scenes heroes who wouldn’t receive their due until decades later. I enjoyed picking up this book each evening and taking a time warp to a different era in theatre history.”

2. Box Office Manager, DeeAnn Naegelen says, “Admittedly, I would rather be inside watching a play or sitting by the fire reading one of my co-workers book suggestions, but there is one event that will pull me out on a cold February evening - enjoying the beauty of Interstate Park by candlelight. Every year around Valentines, Friends of Interstate Park host this event. I usually hike it, but this year I'm going to double my efforts and add free snowshoeing. It's conducive to a quiet walk alone, a romantic date or a family outing. I lost an energetic competition with a friend once, so will skip that option! Between the luminaries, music and refreshments, the best part is, I can still end the night warming near a (bon)fire.” Follow this link for more info…

https://dnr.wi.gov/calendar/events/parks/?id=14748

3. Marketing Director, Isaac Bont recommends the movie JoJo Rabbit. “It's very difficult to describe how this movie works. When I first heard the plot summary, my initial thought was this is going to be very offensive. It turns out that it wasn't offensive at all, but equal parts hilarious and devastating! JoJo Rabbit follows JoJo, a fanatic 10-year-old member of the Hitler Youth in 1945 Germany who has an imaginary friend version of Adolf Hitler who is both a silly imaginary friend, but also the infamous, terrible icon of the Nazi Regime. It's hard to get satire right, and very unusual for it to have the emotional highs and lows that this film hits. Even if the plot summary turns you away, the film is utterly unique from an up and coming filmmaker (Taika Waititi) who approaches some difficult material with great humor while also capturing the devastating reality of Nazi Germany in its final days. There are masterful child performances, and the adults do tremendous work too. It's rare for a film to have such a unique voice and story, and worth giving it a chance. Also, it's a very strange but fitting companion piece to The Diary of Anne Frank. Check it out!”

4. Executive Artistic Director Jason Richards says, “A very useful and interesting website is haveibeenpwned.com. Yes, the spelling is correct. It is a website dedicated to helping you find out if your email address or personal information has been compromised in a data breach. HIBP creator, Tony Hunt says ‘This site came about after what was, at the time, the largest ever single breach of customer accounts — Adobe. I often did post-breach analysis of user credentials and kept finding the same accounts exposed over and over again, often with the same passwords which then put the victims at further risk of their other accounts being compromised.’ Even if you don’t want to use the website, just reading their FAQs will shed a lot of light on online security.”

5. Box Office Assistant and actor Megan Hanks says, “I’ve started reading the The Dark Tower (series), by Stephen King, and I’m almost finished with the first book, The Gunslinger. It is such a fun read! As expected, King delivers an incredibly vivid landscape, filled with danger and peculiar characters; you never know who you can trust, including the main character who can be unpredictable. The story is centered on Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, who has been chasing his adversary, “the man in black,” for many years. The novel fuses Western fiction with fantasy, science fiction, and horror. We follow Roland’s trek through a vast desert and beyond, in search of the man in black. The pacing clicks along so quickly, and I love how this story functions forwards and backwards simultaneously. We constantly encounter distant memories, and then blink forward into whatever crazy, eerie “present-day” situation Roland has found himself in. This careful layering of information makes for delicious character development. This story is like, John Wayne meets Voldemort meets Frodo meets Jafar... There is so much happening! There’s sex-appeal, philosophy, violence, dark magic, adventure, and mystically shrouded pop-culture references; a world that’s familiar to us, but also set in obscure and forgotten time zone. Definitely recommend to anyone who loves adventure and fantasy novels!”

I hope you enjoy

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Festival Faves: January 2020 Edition!

1/4/2020

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The Hollow by Trademark Theater

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Podcast with Brooke Smith (Arts Education Director) about Art in Action!

7/2/2019

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This week on the podcast, Isaac Bont and Brooke Smith chatted alot about the upcoming summer youth camps (titled Art in Action Camps), teaching the summer company to be arts educators, and a little about Brooke's first year anniversary being on the St. Croix Festival Theatre staff! For more information about the upcoming summer camps (there's still a few slots available in each camp) check out http://www.festivaltheatre.org/art-in-action.html

Here's the transcript!

Isaac
H!.

Brooke
Hi!

Isaac
Thanks for doing this thing with me. I think the first one went pretty well and people were excited and wanting to check it out. It's almost been a year that you've been working here which is pretty exciting. I have a lot of questions about that. But first, let's slate. Who are you?

Brooke
I am Brooke Smith and I'm the arts education director and an artistic associate here at Festival Theatre!

Isaac
Of course, I want to talk to you on the podcast anytime because you and I started around the same time and it's interesting to hear from the staff what their lives are like. But I definitely wanted to get you on right now because I know art in action is debuting in a couple weeks so I figured this would be another good chance to approach that from a different avenue and keep getting the word out.

Brooke
Yes art in action! Yay!

Isaac
Yay! Can you tell me a little bit about art in action? What is it?

Brooke
So art in action is our week long theatre summer camp. We do five of those. So it's five weeks, but they're all in different places, which is great because we can bring our philosophy and our teaching artists at Festival Theatre to different cities around St. Croix Falls to different people who we may not have met before at our weeklong summer camp. It's all about process-based learning and allowing our campers to take a hold of the creative process themselves. They will come in and they will create their own play from a game that we play together on the first day. They will be cast in it. They will come up with designs for a set with costume designs. At the end of the week they will put on a play for their family members or friends or anyone who wants to come and see it. It's always a wonderful really inspiring experience to see these young people take hold of these ideas and make it their own.

Isaac
Yeah. I like the sounds of that because it sounds like it really approaches theatre from a very broad perspective. A lot of times when people think of theatre camps as acting, acting, acting. But it sounds like it kind of goes through a lot of the different processes of theatre which I think is really neat.

Brooke
Yeah. Definitely because they are starting up creating a story that's playwriting right there 101 and then they get to also think about technical elements like scenic design. They do paint their own backdrop which is a very fun, messy day for all of us.

Isaac
So, you said that the story is brought up by a game that happens on the first day. Is it kind of an improv game in a way, or what is that game like?

Brooke
Yeah, definitely! It's a game called Story Ball. So one person starts with a ball or any sort of object (it doesn't have to be a ball) and passes it around the circle and when ball is in your hand it's your turn to add something else to the story. The only real rule is that you can't negate anything that was said before you. So you can add whatever you want, you just can't take away something that someone else has said.

Isaac
That's so "Yes and"! Classic improv! Improv starts tonight! .

Brooke
Woo-hoo!

Isaac
Do you remember one of the stories from art in action or a brief example of either if you've trained recently with the teaching company of this year or a story that happened? Like a brief synopsis of what came about from Story Ball?

Brooke
Yes. One of my favorites from last year was a story called "Gus!" Exclamation point and it was about a police chicken working at a local mall who had to stop a group of young adult shoplifters. And the twist was you find out at the end that the chicken's name is Gus. So that's where the title comes from.

Isaac
Wow! I would watch that!

Brooke
Yeah it was beautiful.

Isaac
I would watch adults put that on, but kids? That would be delightful! So last year, you went through the process of being taught art in action to be a teaching artist. This year, you're teaching the teaching artists how to be teaching artists. Can you talk about what that's like or how that transition has been and how Brook Smith teaches art in action in a different way? How do you put your own flavor on it as the arts education director?

Brooke
Yeah, definitely. So you know last year I was a teaching artist and I did three of the four camps that we did last year so I got a lot of experience which was really great. It's really nice to be able to bring that experience into teaching teaching artists. The biggest thing that I have found helpful in teaching other teachers is making sure everything's very clear, which was really well laid out by my predecessor, Rachel Kuhnle, who is fantastic and lovely and wonderful.

Isaac
Yeah, she's great.

Brooke
So she had a lot of that information laid out in all these beautiful documents. So it's been so easy to take that over and then take it into the classroom with our interns this year and give them some real hands on experience. This year, I guess a little differently, we've delved more into the psychology of ourselves as teaching artists. We talk a lot about teacher personas as well as the co-teaching relationship. So at art in action, every teacher has a co-teacher; you are both co-teachers for the week. So you always have someone in the room with you helping you out and playing the games and being in the plays. So it's very integrated and fun. And we are a true co-teachers. There are different sorts of co-teaching philosophies like "one teach one observe". That's not as helpful for us. We need both teachers to be just as engaged even if they're not necessarily the person leading the game. So it's been a really great experience seeing how our teaching artists are learning to deal with that and learning to work with each other. And this week, actually, they will all go into turns being co teachers and they will have a great time I'm sure and do wonderfully.

Isaac
How do you figure out that different philosophies like "both teachers need to be engaged"? How do you figure that out? Just from the experience of running these camps last year?

Brooke
Yeah, I think a lot of it is just experience doing it, but also and this goes along with experience, it's seeing how the kids react. If we've got two people who are equally engaged, then the kids are going to be equally engaged. We always say that our best classroom management tool is our teaching persona. So if we come in and we are excited to be there and we are jumping in and having a great time then everyone else will too. And that's pretty much the case across the board. We have very few classroom management issues, which you know, speaks to obviously we're in a great region with some great kids, but it also speaks to the power of our teaching artists and the way they come in and take control of the room and make sure everyone's having a great time.

Isaac
Any funny or weird anecdotes about this process of teaching your summer company? Anything crazy happen?

Brooke
Last week, they have all been experimenting with their facilitation of games which means that while they are facilitating, the rest of us get to be children. So that has obviously been a wonderful time as they all tap into their little child selves and show us exactly what they were like as children and it's exactly what you think if you have met any of these people. So you've got people who are very strict rule followers and then kids who are fun little weirdos who will say whatever comes to their mind, which is true for you know the kids who will be at camp. But it's also true for us when we think back to ourselves as children.

Isaac
That's funny. Yeah now we're all fun big weirdos. I can see how that personality would translate. That would be a fun exercise. While you're on staff here, you also said you're an artistic associate and I feel like summer is where things get crazy for the Arts Education Director because you've got Marvelous Wonderettes. Four girls, they're onstage singing almost the entire time and then Fools, you've got a great part and a huge part in Crimes of the Heart. There's also improv going on. There's a whole lot going on for the arts education director this summer at Festival Theatre. How are you doing with all that?

Brooke
I think I'm doing well. So far you know we're still at the beginning, but we've already got a lot of balls in the air. We've got the resource guides that come out with every show that tell a little about the show and that's Arts Ed. And then we've got teacher training shows, like you said, in improv. We really have a great team of interns this year. I mean, we always do. But this year, you know they're so willing to jump in and help out with everything. It's been so helpful. I'm so proud of them. Just how they're handling all the work that comes their way because sometimes they have more than I do when they come in for work calls: to paint and everything. They're so willing to help each other, which is very helpful for all of us on staff, I think, when they can jump in and help each other with things.

Isaac
Yeah, they're a good group.

Brooke
So they have really made things a lot easier than I ever could have imagined. Though obviously, it is a busy summer and it will continue to be a busy summer. But it's all things I love. So it's a wonderful time.

Isaac
You're doing great work. I love watching you perform. I love watching your arts education stuff. You're an inspiration. Thank you for your time.

Brooke
Thank you.

Isaac
I look forward to hearing more about art in action camp. The first one is in two weeks?

Brooke
Yes, our first one is July 15th in St. Croix Falls. The next week we are back in St. Croix Falls, so two in St. Croix Falls. Then we are in luck. Then Grantsburg then finishing it out in Scandia.

Isaac
And if somebody were, to say, want to find more information they can go to our Web site?

Brooke
Yes, they can go to our website: festivaltheatre.org or come into the box office. We have registration forms here in our lobby and we also have posters hanging up that say a little more about it.

Isaac
Super! Actually one last question! I probably won't get around to interviewing you again before you've officially been here for a year. So, what are your thoughts a year into being on staff at Festival Theatre?

Brooke
It doesn't feel like a year at all. I guess, because we move very quickly here. So that takes away some of the time, but also because it hasn't felt like work. It's been so fun to be around my friends and to be around this community that loves us so much, and who we love so much, that it's gone by so quickly! It doesn't feel like it's been a year at all.

Isaac
That's great! All right. Thank you Brooke.

Brooke
Thank you Isaac.

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Podcast with Isaac Bont (Marketing Director) and Jason Richards (Executive Artistic Director) of St. Croix Festival Theatre!

6/25/2019

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Isaac Bont and Jason Richards recently sat down to try their hands at recording a podcast about St. Croix Festival Theatre. They briefly chatted about what Jason's job (Executive Artistic Director) entails and also about choosing The Marvelous Wonderettes and the musical it beat out to be the summer 2019 musical!

Here's the transcript of the recording if you'd rather just read it!
Isaac
Hi Jason!

Jason
Hi!

Isaac
This is nice! The past couple times we've recorded, we're worried about appearances and about making sure that I'm not talking over you. But now I can talk over you all I want!

Jason
My hair can look silly and I don't mind!

Isaac
I'm Isaac Bont! I'm the marketing director for Festival Theatre.

Jason
And I'm Jason Richards I'm the executive artistic director for St. Croix Festival Theatre.

Isaac
Oh St. Croix, very good. We're toying around with a podcast just because it's a different medium of sharing what we do here in Festival Theater. I was just on a trip to Chicago and on the way back we listened to three different podcasts and it made time go by so quickly.

Jason
I love podcasts.

Isaac
Yeah, I understand better this year why podcasts are a completely different medium of sharing or storytelling.

Jason
I love that. They're very interesting.

Isaac
So tell me about executive artistic director. What exactly does that mean?

Jason
What does that mean? Well it's a dual title: executive director and artistic director. Those are two separate things. An executive artistic director takes on the role of both of those jobs, basically. So an executive director deals more with board meetings and checking in on and keeping up with all the other departments: marketing like you're doing or arts ed or finances or box office just to make sure that all those things are running smoothly and what can I do to help those kinds of things that an executive director would do more so than the artistic director would do? An artistic director generally directs things that are artistic which is sortof funny to say. That person will hire actors, hire directors, find designers for the shows, choose the shows. Part of my personal contract is I have to perform or direct three shows per year. That's just my personal contract. That's not saying any artistic director has to do that. They could do more or less according to whatever their personal contract is. Mine says I have to do three things, you have to be in at least one or two plays and direct one or two plays that kind of thing. So you put all that stuff together and it's a larger job and you have your finger in more things that are going on in the company. You have your hand on the pulse of what this company is. You feel like "I want to give the people that 'work for me' enough space to do what they need to do." But also you have that one person, that executive artistic director, that keeps all these people moving in the same direction. Whatever vision you have for this theater. The artistic vision that we have for this theater or what our mission statement is; something that is guiding us something or that I use as a guide that I can pull everybody along and say we're all going in this direction.

Isaac
Interesting. This is kind of a weird question, but can you say what is a current direction? Can you give an example of "We're all moving in this direction right now"? Maybe something like "We're moving towards the summer season and just getting that all underfoot."

Jason
Yeah well we are. Yes. That's a good point. I guess we have moved into our summer season since our our summer company is here. Part of the job that artistic director has is "What's next. What's on the horizon. What's coming up?" Everything has to be in place before the first day of rehearsal. That process really starts a year before that rehearsal starts. Picking the show and thinking "well if we do this show, do we have the resources to do this? Do we have the actors that can do it or can we hire actors to do this? Do we have the money to build the set? Or will this set fit our stage?" We were just talking about this show that we're discussing for 2020 and "why do you like that show better than the other show we read and what's funny about it?" Do you as an actor, are you excited about being in this show or is it like "Yeah OK we'll do it great." Or are you challenged by it? Are you excited by it? You get to think about those things as an artistic director to say "if we do this show, will the actors like it, first of all, and would they feel challenged and have fun doing this show?" Then what about the the crew? If you're going to design costumes for this, do you like that? Are you compelled to work on that? Are you saying, "this is going to really challenge me and I like that"! Or "we can't do it. We don't have the money and the resources the time to create all these costumes" or whatever it happens to be. And then you look at the size of the cast and you think there's no way we can hire twenty people because we can't pay twenty people for one show. We can't put them backstage. We can't even put them onstage! "It's just too many for what the space that we have.| That can be a bummer too because there are great plays that call for 20 to 25 people. So there's a lot of that goes into the first steps of a production and it starts way earlier than you realize.

Isaac
Right. When did you read or start considering the Marvelous Wonderettes for this season?

Jason
It probably would have been this time last year, maybe a little earlier something like June. Yeah June or May. It probably would have been April/May of 2018 when we started thinking about 2019 and what we may do. For Marvelous Wonderettes, I had chosen a separate musical and that was pretty solidly decided on. Then time passed and more thought was put into it and then that got changed.

Isaac
Out of curiosity, can you say what that musical was?.

Jason
Yeah, it was She Loves Me, which is still something that's in the fold to do at some point.

Isaac
Is that a Beatles musical?

Jason
No it's not a Beatles musical. So it's what the movie, You've Got Mail, is based on. It's an older version of that. Not sending e mail though sending, actual letters. It's really great! It just required more people. It required more and more detailed sets than what Marvelous Wonderettes does. Marvelous only has four ladies. There's two sets basically, but they look very similar. I don't know if it was cheaper to do but it had less actors, which was good. We needed that at the time. Also, I think Marvelous Wonderettes will make more money than She Loves Me.

Isaac
Interesting.

Jason
I think that, you know, I don't know that, but I think that it will.

Isaac
Just to know sort of your process, "Why do you think that?" is my question. What do you think it is about Marvelous Wonderettes versus this other show?

Jason
Because when I said She Loves Me to you, you were like, "Oh is that the Beatles? I don't know what that means?" I had to explain it, but then when I said it's the musical that they based You've Got Mail on, you said, "Oh OK." So I know that's a reference and you say, "oh now I'm interested in that because that was the original story and I remember liking that movie."

Isaac
Yeah I can't really market, "It's like the musical version of You've Got Mail but they're sending letters"

Jason
But I mean you can market it that way! You can say something to the nature of, "If you enjoyed You've Got Mail, you'll like this" or "You've Got Mail was based on this."

Isaac
"It's a charming romantic comedy."

Jason
It's a charming romantic comedy. And with Marvelous Wonderettes, the first act is set in the late 50's and there's this girl band. And they're performing for their high school senior prom and they're singing all these great songs of the 50's. Well, already people are interested in that. And then act two is their ten year high school reunion and these ladies come back and they sing all the great hits from the 60's. And so it's a wide swath of songs that people really like. It's a great era for music: the 50's and 60's and so I think people are gonna love it. You're going to know the songs, and then the ladies; the characters in the play are very charming and you learn about their hopes and dreams and wishes and what they what they want out of life in act one and then in act two you find out whether those things came true or not and whether they're better off because they did or didn't. It's a great story to go along with these wonderful songs.

Isaac
Yeah yeah. The first thing that stuck out to me was looking at the songs, the music, I'm like "of course, I know these songs. These are great, charming songs and this will already be great because of the music." It reminded me of Forever Plaid which is more 20's and 30's style music.

Jason
I think maybe it is maybe 30's and 40's. I can't remember. But they had the same kind of premise: there's these four guys that have a guy band and they play these songs.

Isaac
I remember Forever Plaid being charming but I don't remember it really being funny except in the performance of the songs. But when I read the script for Marvelous Wonderettes, I was like "oh, this is funny! This is a fun show."

Jason
I think in Marvelous Wonderettes, the ladies have more of relationships than the guys do in Forever Plaid. These ladies have more of a backstory because they've been going to high school together all this time.

Isaac
Yeah and they've got changing relationships even in the actual show, which is fun to watch.

Jason
Yeah there are discoveries that happen.

Isaac
The competition of "who's going to be the prom queen?" is a silly, fun conceit.

Jason
And I like that they hand out ballots to the audience and the audience gets to vote for prom queen. It's fun!

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Festival Faves: August Edition!

Festival Faves: July Edition!

Festival Faves: June Edition!

Festival Faves: May Edition!

Festival Faves: April Quarantine Edition!

Festival Faves: March Edition!

Festival Faves: February Edition!

Festival Faves: January 2020 Edition!

Podcast with Brooke Smith (Arts Education Director) about Art in Action!

Podcast with Isaac Bont (Marketing Director) and Jason Richards (Executive Artistic Director) of St. Croix Festival Theatre!

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