As Director of Arts Education at St. Croix Festival Theatre, I get front row seats to the daily discoveries and innovations of our Valley’s young artists.  This month has been all about gearing up for a summer full of arts education programs, and I hope you’ll mark your calendars and take the opportunity to get involved – as a participant, volunteer, or cheerleader and audience member!

Each time I see one of Festival Theatre’s youth actors craft a new character for one of our Youth & Family Series Productions or hear a young Creativity Camper describe their process in choosing just the right colors for the newest painting, I am reminded that arts-making experiences should not be considered simply “extra-curricular” – but essential!  When exposed to the arts, children are given a task:  with limited resources and limited time, they must turn ordinary things (a piece of paper or an empty stage) into extraordinary new creations.  These arts encounters foster self-confidence, empathy, and innovative thinking and insist upon collaboration.  I have no doubt that arts-making opportunities, such as those offered through Festival Theatre, help equip young people to meet the challenges of our ever-changing world.

For this reason, our team at Festival Theatre is constantly working to provide many opportunities for children of all ages at little or no cost to families, and our busy summer programming schedule is full of opportunities to get involved.

This summer, we will be taking our guest teaching artists on a tour of the valley for our 2014 Creativity Camp series.  Creativity Camp is an environmentally-themed travelling multi-arts day camp and will be held for two weeks at St. Croix Falls Elementary School (July 7-11 and August 11-15), one week at the Clear Lake Community Center (July 21-25), and one week at Luck Elementary School (July 28 – August 1).  Each session runs from Monday through Friday (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and is open to children ages five to twelve.   Each day includes experiences in Drama, Creative Movement, Visual Arts, and Literary Arts, where campers are taught key techniques by professionally trained artists and then given time to explore, play, and create.  The $85 enrollment fee covers all supplies and registration fees; campers are only asked to bring lunch, snacks, and suntan lotion! 

If you’d like to try a sample of Creativity Camp before signing on for a full week, check the calendar at your local library.  Festival Theatre teaching artists will be touring libraries early in the summer to offer 90-minute “mini-camp” sessions at no cost to the youth.  These sessions will be an abridged version of what a camper would experience during a normal day at Creativity Camp – with opportunities for creative movement and dramatic play, as well as a visual arts activity.  Sessions are currently scheduled for libraries in St. Croix Falls, Balsam Lake, Centuria and Dresser.

Meanwhile, on site at Festival Theatre, a group of six youth actors will be busy working alongside our professional actors and designers for a production of Aristophanes’ classic comedy, The Frogs.  This production will be a result of our fourth annual Festival Theatre Conservatory for Young Performers.  The Conservatory is an opportunity for older youth (ages 13-18) to receive a more comprehensive actor training experience; over the course of the four-week rehearsal process, youth actors will participate in a series of workshops led by our summer teaching artists, where they will receive training on vocal technique, movement, and tips on tackling Aristophanes’ classic language! The Frogs opens on July 19 and runs through July 31.  Tickets are $13.50 for an adult and $8.50 for youth and can be purchased here or call the box office at 715-483-3387.

Prior to seeing the performance, check out the Resource Guide for The Frogs, which will be available on our website and at nearby libraries one month before opening night.  Festival Theatre creates Resource Guides for each of the season’s Youth & Family Productions; these guides are designed to prepare young audience members for an engaging visit to the theatre.  Full of activities and packed with fun facts, these Resource Guides are created with children, parents, and educators in mind and provide information about the play’s setting, story, and history in one fun packet!

Nearly all of Festival Theatre’s Arts Education offerings, including the Conservatory experience, are currently available at no cost to families.  This is made possible by the financial support of Royal Credit Union, as well as the generous contributions of Festival Theatre donors.  On Wednesday, July 30, Festival Theatre will be hosting our third annual Summer Party, which will be an opportunity to recognize the work of our young artists and raise money for future programs.  We invite you to attend this celebration, which will include food, games, and performances.  Details are forthcoming; to receive all the latest updates on Festival Theatre Arts Education programs, including information regarding our next round of youth auditions in mid-August, call our box office at 715-483-3387 and ask to be included on our Arts Education email list, or like us on Facebook.

There’s a lot to say “wow” to in the creative work of our community’s young artists.  This summer, Festival Theatre invites you to discover that “wow” for yourself!

Seth Kaltwasser

Festival Theatre has a few people to thank for keeping track of the archives these past 24 years, but none more than Angie Lundin.

Angie, a resident of Dresser, Wisconsin, has been collecting and organizing materials and assembling the large 3-ring binders for more than ten years.

"Angie is an amazing volunteer and long-time friend of the theatre," said Liz Reddy, who handles many of the marketing tasks for Festival. "She has shared her gift of organizing and detailing our archives with grace and generosity."

The records date back to 1990, when the theatre company first came to the Civic Auditorium in St. Croix Falls. Angie has done some work on the oldest binders that needed some attention or were incomplete, and has the rest well-preserved and in order.

Reddy recently organized an "Archive Day" to bring out all of the binders, get more pages inserted, and to offer a chance for Angie to pass on her methods and experience to some new volunteers.

The staff and Board of Festival Theatre wish to thank and share their appreciation for Angie, her dedication, and her excellent work!

A Summer Rotating Repertory of Classics

Summer is in sight, and Festival Theatre’s summer company of guest artists arrive this week to begin the comprehensive rehearsal process for the four shows in the theatre company’s rotating repertory of classics.

Opening the season on June 19th is the raucous musical comedy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This show has one goal, to make audiences laugh.  Utilizing classic ideas from burlesque entertainment, this play tips its hat to lots of adult humor, while still keeping things innocent and appropriate for most ages.  A favorite since its Broadway debut in 1962, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” won several Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Musical.  Readers may be familiar with the 1966 film adaptation starring the hilarious Zero Mostel.  Notable for many reasons, the film marks Buster Keaton's final on-screen performance.  Still there is nothing like seeing it come to life on stage before your eyes, so all are reminded to come ready to laugh, to applaud, to guffaw, and to cheer.  

And truly, audience members for every production should come ready to embark on a story's adventure.  Almost, Maine is a journey of a different style.  Often humorous, often tender, this show consists of several short scenes, all set in the same small town in rural Maine.  All taking place over the course of one night, we see different characters grappling with human experiences, all on the theme of love.  Some are falling into love, some falling out of it. Some are ending a relationship; others don't even realize they are beginning one.  This play is a romantic comedy with a slightly surrealist approach allowing the figurative to become tangible.  “Almost, Maine” opens July 5th and will be produced in the Elbow Room, the street-level performance space, which will assist in creating an intimate atmosphere, and will feature limited seating. Early reservations are recommended for this memorable play about the rise and fall of our hearts, and the human stories that are created from sharing love.  

Popping back upstairs to the main stage for the rest of the summer repertory, Aristophanes’ The Frogs is the fourth annual Festival Theatre Conservatory for Young Performers (FTCYP) production, opening July 19th. Featuring a cast of roughly half youth actors and half adult professionals, "The Frogs" is an ancient but hilarious play.  It centers on the Greek god Dionysus as he journeys to the underworld to bring back to the land of the living the best playwright, Euripides, who has recently died.  Along the way he encounters many obstacles and humorous characters as he battles his own fear, vanity, self-importance, and a few outside intrusions.  Although the play is centuries old, the humor and the values that it reflects are timeless.  From slapstick style humor to thoughtful examination of what makes good art, this play is perfect for audiences of all ages. With the goals of introducing young audiences to classical work, this Conservatory production will delight, entertain, astonish and even surprise audiences!  Festival’s Arts Education Action Group has been working to develop "The Frogs" Theatre Resource Guide, a tool for school groups or families to use, which will be available on the website.  Prior to bringing your child or grandchild to the show, read through the activities together.  It will help to deepen their understanding of the show, and it might even let you in on some interesting factoids. 

The final repertory selection of the summer is the mysterious playground of a show, The 39 Steps, opening August 9th.  This show is theatre candy!  Four actors take on a hundred roles in this face-paced mystery comedy. An adaptation of the 1935 Hitchcock film (which was based on the 1915 book by John Buchan), this spy thriller is taken apart and put back together in the almost Monty Python-like style.  One actor will play the lonely Richard Hannay, one actor will play the beautiful and mysterious women he encounters, and the other two actors will play everyone else in the show.  A whirlwind of dramatic action, "The 39 Steps" moves from a dusty apartment to train stations to high-brow parties to police stations and back again in seamless transition. The show will take advantage of every creative impulse the director, actors and designers put into this play, and will be an experience that audiences remember as a true act of theatre magic.  Come and see how the mystery unfolds, but come ready to have a blast, because theatre artists having this much fun is simply bound to be contagious!  

See the calendar for show dates and times, and reserve your tickets here!

Festival Theatre has added some new events to the 2014 schedule, including community events with wide-ranging appeal. Read on to discover what is now being offered, alongside the loaded calendar of theatre and music series, special events and youth education opportunities.

Drumming 101 with Don Karsky will take place on Saturday, May 24th, from 10:00 – 11:30 am in the street-level Elbow Room. No previous experience is necessary to enjoy this class. Don offers years of experience in drumming to those interested in learning a new skill. For years Don had performed as a percussionist in numerous bands and drum & bugle corps before picking up hand drumming. He now plays a variety of world hand drums, including djembes, doumbeks and congas for drum circles and other events in the region.

Curious about what a drum circle is? Come find out. Drumming is a self-rewarding tactile activity one can perform either alone or in a group. It is a mode of expression, providing both release from and connection to forces greater than oneself. Cost is $10 per person and drums are provided. Don also restores and sells instruments, for those eager to continue playing at home.

Next is “Ole and Lena’s 50th Wedding Anniversary and Vow Renewal,” showing during the Wannigan Days celebration in St. Croix Falls. Two performances will take place on Saturday, June 14th, at 2:00 and 7:30pm.

Lena sees a couple renew their vows on Dr. Phil and decides that’s what she and Ole are going to do for their 50th wedding anniversary; but the only thing on Ole’s mind these days is the Lodge’s ice fishing tournament, and how he and his neighbor, Sven, are going to win the “whole deal.” Will Lena get Ole to the altar to renew his vows? Will Ole talk Sven into covering for him so they can both fish in the tournament? Find out in this comedy about love, marriage, and growing old together.

Stop in to Festival Theatre during Wannigan Days for this down home comedy, taking place in the street-level Elbow Room. To celebrate Ole and Lena’s special event, traditional wedding fare will be offered in the Act II Lounge. Tickets for this touring production are $20 and space is limited.

A second Wine & Canvas event is set for Saturday, September 13th, 1:00 – 4:00 pm. “Autumnal Palette: Wine & Canvas at Festival Theatre” follows the first one held last Friday, May 9th.

No previous painting experience is necessary to participate. Come and enjoy a beautiful evening of painting and wine. This workshop is for adults interested in learning to paint with acrylics, following a step by step process culminating in a ready-to-hang work of art. Even if you’ve never held a paintbrush in your life, learn to paint and enjoy the company of friends old and new at this popular event.

The cost is $40 per person and reservations are required. The Act II Lounge will feature Chateau St. Croix wines and appetizers available for purchase during the session.

Just announced is a fall addition to the Music Series featuring Colleen Raye and friends, called “Sinatra and Company – Music from the Rat Pack Era.” On Friday, September 26th, beginning at 2:00 pm, Colleen Raye, Debbie O'Keefe, Tim Patrick and the 10-piece Blue Eyes Band bring a totally entertaining presentation featuring iconic music from the '50's and '60's crooners – both guys and gals. Patrons will hear songs from Sinatra, Garland, Ella, Marilyn, Dino, Sammy, Dinah, Rosemary and more - all with the spontaneous feel of a Rat-Pack concert. Tickets are $21 in advance, $26 at the door, and this concert is Flex Pass eligible. Group rates are also available, and group reservations can be made by calling the box office at 715.483.3387.

Reservations for all these events can be made online. Watch the website and the weekly emails for more ticket promotions and events to be added this year. Stay connected by signing up for the email list through the website, www.festivaltheatre.org. Other social media links can be found on the website home page, including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Plus, here’s a sneak peak at the 2015 Music line up: Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, the Johnny Cash Tribute Band, and the return of singer/songwriters John Gorka and Michael Johnson!

Nearly a quarter century ago, three young actors were looking to open a summer repertory theatre company in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  But a funny thing happened on the way to Lake Geneva - the trio instead discovered an historic theatre venue being spruced up in a lovely river town just 50 miles northeast of the Twin Cities and, in 1990, St. Croix Festival Theatre was launched!

Since that day, a lot of water has flowed down the beautiful St. Croix River and many memories have been made within the walls of our city's historic Civic Auditorium. Surely, 2013 was a year to remember! Here is just a sampling of how Festival has engaged and enriched our community over the past 15 months:

• More than 100 theatrical performances have been offered, including shows in our professional Theatre Series, our Youth & Family Series, our New Doors presentations, and Sew Good Improv Troupe's summer season;
• 1,600 youth have been reached through our Arts Education offerings, which include summer creativity camps, a Student Matinee Series, workshops, and opportunities for on-stage performance in four productions;
• Our largest-yet group of young professional artists came to the St. Croix Valley, including three apprentices and nine interns in our summer season;
• Our downstairs Elbow Room space saw standing-room-only improv shows in Summer 2013 and a sold-out "Hopelessly Romantic" in February 2014!

As we move toward this year's opening of the theatre's 25th season, we can celebrate another year of marvelous professional theatre and music. Already Festival has seen productions by Patrick O'Brien, a Youth & Family presentation of Aesop's Fables, and the first of two mystery plays performed in partnership with Chateau St. Croix Winery. On June 19th, the 2014 Theatre Series opens and our summer acting company will make their debut with that beloved musical romp through Rome -- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. We can't wait!

Your support makes all of this possible. Ticket purchases account for only about 50 percent of the income we need to continue the great work of Festival Theatre. You, in conjunction with our tremendous corporate sponsors, supply the necessary additional revenue to keep our historic doors open and our programs vibrant and alive. You can help us by giving what you can through direct gifts to the theatre, sustaining gifts over time and planned giving through our endowment program or testamentary gifts.

We count on you and are so very, very appreciative of your support.  Click here to donate now!