PERICLES: Prince of Tyre - William Shakespeare

Great Rver Shakes. Fest

by: William Shakespeare



Shakespeare's romance, chronicling the travels and trials of Pericles.



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I've come to really enjoy the Apprentice Acting Company's presentations of Shakespeare. I see new plays that I've not been too familair with (Cymbeline, Julius Caesar, Pericles) and I get to hear the words (well learned and thought about, not just spoken quickly off the tongue) without a lot of baggage for sets and props and costumes.

THE SENSUOUS SENATOR -- Rushford Area Society for the Arts

playwright: Michael Parker
director: Daryl Lanz
set design: Burt Svendsen
costumes: Nancy Svendsen
lighting director: Andrea Hatleli
cast: Casey Howe, Burt Svendsen, Chris Hallum, Ellen Eliason, Nancy Svendsen, Jessica Clarke, Andy MacKenzie, Kristin Ekern, Kelly Peter

A farce in which a young senator, running for President on a morality platform, easily skirts the community morals himself.

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This was funny and very appropriate during this election year.

At times the pace dragged, but during the key moments, necessary to keep the farce moving, the action moved along appropriately.

I would have liked to see the young senator play it a bit more 'real' (rather than for the laughs), but the laughs came and it seemed to work for most of the audience.

Casey Howe and Kristin Ekern were stand-outs in excellence. Both were very believable and their scenes worked extremely well. Like many in the audience, I looked forward to seeing them on the stage.

A fun production, worth seeing.

THE 21st ANNUAL DIXIELAND JAZZ FESTIVAL -- Goodview Pavilion

The Upper Mississippi Jazz Society

A program of Dixieland Jazz performed by a Senior High & Junior High School Jazz Camp, as well as more experienced and practiced groups:
Barbary Coast Dixieland Jazz Band
Gate City Jass Band
Wonderful World Jazz Band

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A real delight to see so many youngsters getting a chance to experience and perform dixieland jazz.

The music was well performed and even most of the solos went off without a hitch.

We didn't stay for most of the professional dixieland jazz bands. Three young children and a dog had us keep moving, but what we heard was great fun.

A tradition that needs to keep on!

MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA -- Minnesota Beethoven Festival

Winona Lake Park Bandshell
Sarah Hatsuko Hicks, conducting
hosted by Classical Minnesota Public Radio's Brian Newhouse

A series of pieces performed outside as part of a free concert to kick off the Minnesota Beethoven Festival season.

"The Star Spangled Banner" -- John Stafford Smith
"Summon the Heroes," music from the 1996 Summer Olympics -- John Williams
"Hungarian Rhapsody No.2" -- Franz Liszt
"Blue Liberty" -- Steve Heitzeg
"Armed Forces Salute" -- traditional
Overture to "The Creatures of Prometheus," Op. 43 -- Ludwig Van Beethoven
"Semper Fidelis" -- John Phillip Sousa
"Superman," theme from the movie -- John Williams
"1812," overture, Op. 49 -- Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

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It was a beautiful evening, perfect for an outdoor concert as performed by the incredibly talented Minnesota Orchestra. The colors of the sky (bright orange clouds, reflecting the setting sun, against a deep blue sky, framed by clouds almost purple) really highlighted this performance. Too bad the music wasn't somehow ... gutsier.

Ms Hicks tried to build a repoir with the large crowd gathered on the green, but I sensed her enthusiasm and spirit were forced.

The pieces performed were rather typical fare for such a concert -- look at those titles...does anything seem a surprise? But even with familiarity one could infuse a little more vigor.

The most unusual piece was Steve Heitzeg's "Blue Liberty." Kudos for performing a relatively new piece. Certainly not something that people were going to be familiar with. Sadly, though, I found it dull. Whether it was the piece itself, or the conducting, is hard to say.