Dear Blog,

I’ve never blogged before, so I’m not entirely sure how this works… So I’m just going to use you as a sort of diary in which I will summarize my stay in St. Croix Falls so far.  Yeah, that sounds nice. J

I heard about Festival through my dear friend Seth Kaltwasser, who I’m sure you’re all familiar with!  It seemed like such a good fit and in a beautiful area, so how could I not want to be here?  I was thrilled when I got the call, and I’m ecstatic to report that my excitement has been met with an experience that has exceeded expectations (believe it or not, I did not intentionally use that many “ex-“ words in that sentence..)

I am blown away by the kindness I encounter every day here. As is normal for anyone, I get nervous when I know I’m going to a completely new place, but I have never had such a successful transition as this one has been. Firstly, I’ve been placed with a wonderful woman, Barb Delaney, so this is a shout-out to her for being endlessly interesting in addition to gracious!

Secondly, the Festival team is so encouraging and the ideals of the company, holding each other up and being kind in everything you do, are beautifully simple yet incredibly effective.

Thirdly, my fellow apprentices and interns are an amazing group of talented, warm-hearted, hilarious people.  It is an awesome feeling to look forward to rehearsals for so many reasons – learning, practicing our art, AND spending time with some of the coolest people I’ve ever met.  I feel spoiled, honestly!

Okay, so that’s how the last two and a half weeks have been in general… AND THEN YESTERDAY (June 9) WE DID THE COOLEST THING EVER.  Wisdom Horse Coaching provided the summer 2013 company with an unforgettable experience, learning more about ourselves through the unbiased honesty of horses.  As I’ve learned through conversations with my family and friends, it’s basically impossible to adequately describe the experience; suffice it to say, I learned a lot about myself, how I deal with others, and the energy I give off from just a couple of hours of this equestrian-guided education.  Only problem being… Now I want a horse.

In sum – I love it here, and you are why.  So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Steph

Hi!

I’m Erich Peltz.  I was born in raised in St. Louis, Missouri.  I work with Festival Theatre as a performance and education intern.

Since I have been at work here a lot of fun things have been happening.  Rehearsals have been going on and other professional things have been rolling very smoothly.

I have also been meeting good friends and exploring what St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls has to offer.  Posted here are some pictures of what I love to do when I get to live someplace new:  climb things, fish, and laugh.  Most of the time I have a camera on standby when I am out exploring, so I can capture beautiful moments like these.  This area is beautiful, especially in comparison to my home town.  (I do some fishing and exploring there as well, but I feel like I've seen most of it).  I cannot wait to plan a camping trip with everyone in the cast and crew as well as a bike ride, more fishing days, and maybe even a bear safari!  More pictures and fun things to come!

Thanks for reading!

Erich

A Fulfilled Sense of Adventure

Dennis and Cam Raedeke have been more places than the average person, traveling the world by boat for fifty years. What motivates that kind of unique lifestyle? All will have an opportunity to hear the complete story and ask questions when the Raedekes and biographer Phil Peterson, along with pianist Dan Chouinard, share a presentation, “Around the World and Then Some,” covering the Raedeke’s travel adventures on Saturday, June 15th at Festival Theatre in St. Croix Falls.

Their adventure began with Cam’s family business. Her grandfather owned Muller Boat Company, which originated in Stillwater as a boat building company and expanded into Taylors Falls in tour boat operations. She grew up in Taylors Falls with her father, mother and sister, spending most of her time in and around the waters of the St. Croix River. The Muller family’s paddlewheel boats have been traversing the St. Croix River since 1906, giving thousands upon thousands of visitors a river’s-eye view of the beautiful bluffs and a lesson in geology as the boat crews tell the history of this region.

Dennis enters the story as a young member of the U.S. Air Force stationed at the Air Force Radar Station near Osceola, Wisconsin. Once he and Cam met, and he learned about her family’s business, the stage was set for a lifetime of adventure together.

After being discharged from the service, Dennis immediately went to work at Muller Boats for his father-in-law, Bob Muller. Driving and maintaining the excursion boats was perfect training for someone with a sense of wanderlust, for such a person needs to know how to fix motors and navigate bodies of water. In his youth, sailing small boats on lakes and rivers in Canada built skills and confidence. As an adult, constant practice using larger and larger boats helped him gain valuable experience.  Upgrading to a larger vessel and sailing Lake Superior was the next step in their intentional pursuit.   The dream of traveling the world and sailing the oceans provided the motivation to study hard and learn all that could be learned, in order to see that dream become a reality.

Dennis and Cam eventually took over the Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tour operations, including the canoe rental business, and expanded into the downhill ski industry to fill the winter months. They worked hard to turn Wild Mountain Ski Area into a modern, profitable tourist attraction.

With their businesses growing and doing well, the Raedekes were able to purchase their first catamaran in California. Their first extended family adventure on the ocean took place in 1979 aboard the original Wild Wind, sailing with their three teenaged kids from Los Angeles to Florida through the Panama Canal, a trip lasting four months and covering 6,000 miles.

Amy Frishmon, daughter and current co-manager of Wild Mountain, relates how her parents have influenced her outlook on life. “I consider myself blessed to have parents that are so adventuresome,” she states. “They taught me that anything is possible.  I’ve been able to travel throughout the world with them as well as with my existing family.   My love of travel, adventure and the courage to go anywhere and to do anything definitely comes from my parents.”

After many more years of traveling, the dreams and plans of sailing the world have now been completed, a rare thing indeed. The Raedekes feel satisfied and fortunate, and even more so as they share their experiences with interested readers. But Dennis is quick to tell the grandchildren, “This did not happen by accident.”

“Around the World and Then Some” with author Phil Peterson, Dennis and Cam Raedeke, and musician Dan Chouinard will take place at Festival Theatre on Saturday, June 15th, with a social hour at 6pm and the presentation beginning at 7pm. Copies of the book will be available. Tickets for this event are just $15, with the proceeds going toward the purchase of a baby grand piano for the theatre. Call the box office for reservations (715-483-3387) or purchase online.