RUSHFORD-PETERSON SCHOOLS WINTER BAND CONCERT

Middle School Band Director - Jacob Olson
High School Band Director - Burton Svendsen

 6th GRADE BAND:
Christmas Overture (O Come All Ye Faithful, Away in a Manger, O Christmas Tree)
Sugar Creek Saga
Timpalico
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (sic)

7th & 8th GRADE BAND
Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
Tutti Frutti
Bobsled Run
Kingdom of the Sun and Moon
White Christmas

 6th & 7th & 8th COMBINED BAND
Escapade
Pep Rally Rock

SENIOR HIGH CONCERT BAND
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Small Group Combo
We've Got Your Back
A Christmas Festival

 As usual, this is a pleasant concert and possibly one my wife and I will attend even after we no longer have children participating (soon!).

For a small school band(s) the sound is really nice.

I always comment on how obvious the childrens' musical growth is when you listen to the different bands at a concert like this. And this year was no exception. But I did also feel that this was possibly one of the strongest 6th grade performances I've heard in a long time (and no...I don't have a 6th grader).

All in all...very nice.

RAISING SPIRITS - Theatre du Mississippi

storytellers: Taff Roberts, Ray Felton, Margaret Shaw Johnson, Fran Edstrom, Enid Underdahl, Mark Peterson, Ken McCullough. Paul Lindquist, Emily Kurash, Patrick Marek

A fund-raiser for Theatre du Mississippi.  Locals share their own ghost stories.

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This evening had some ups and downs.  There were some really interesting 'true' stories and there were some that seemed obviously phony. Some of these individuals are natural storytellers and others seemed embarrassed to be there.

Mostly these were interesting as those who had real experiences of something that they can't explain were truly chilling.

One person, a journalist, is writing a book about Winona's most famous ghost (from Saint Mary's University) and he read from a couple of chapters.

THE 2014 CHRISTMAS RADIO SHOW - Theatre du Mississippi

playwrights: Paul Sannerud and Steve Andersen
director: Paul Sannerud
sets: Paul Sannerud
costumes: Peggy Sannerud
lights: Billy Murphy
sound: Bob Stuber
props: Peggy Sannerud
stage manager: Kara Eggers

Act One: Labor Day Weekend 1939
Act Two: Thanksgiving 1939
Act Three: December 12, 1939

A radio show, presented on stage for a live viewing audience, set just prior to the second World War.  The invasion of Poland and how it affects the community of Winona, MN is the primary focus, with a tale of Jack Armstrong, All-American Boy visiting Winona as well.

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This is a nice annual production that Theatre du Mississippi puts on.  It is almost a variety show, with a story, an old-time radio show, and lots of music from local talent.

Most of the performances were really strong, though a few were a little over the top.  It is difficult to tell if this was a directorial choice or if the actors mostly just did it their own way (without a lot of direction).

The highlight, as one might expect, was watching the sound effects team creating a wide variety of sounds for the production.  It's nice to see them moderately well-highlighted so that we can see how the sounds were made.

The Jack Armstrong story was well done and one could see the older patrons in the audience enjoying their trip through memory lane when they listened to Jack Armstrong back in the day.

Some period(-ish) costumes and simple staging keep this lively enough for the viewing audience.

An enjoyable evening.

MARY POPPINS - LaCrosse Community Theatre

original music and lyrics: Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
book: Julian Fellowes
based on the stories of P.L. Travers
new songs: George Stiles and Anthony Drewe
director: Greg Parmeter
music director: Diane Foust
choreographer: Jen Wilkinson
set design: Dillon McArdle
costume design: Mandy Parmeter
lighting design: David R. Kilpatrick
sound design: Chris Scheuermann

cast: Elizabeth Arihood; Olivia Belland; Anna Mae Beyer; Ryan Brown; MacKinley Bruemmer; Mel Carroll; Tanner Costello; Tom Desjarlais; John Divney; Christopher R. Dresen; Sheri Eimermann; Jeremiah Galvan; Brandon Harris; Maria Higgins; Connie Huebsch; Karla M. Hughes; Robert J. Jones; Joshua Kaiser; Jonathan Krocker; Sue La Crosse; Eric Leitzen; Chelsea Mann; Sean McDevitt; Joseph O'Flaherty; Scott Rathgaber; Darcy Reimler; Megan Taylor Seidel; Kristyn Taggart; Anna Taylor; Raina Thelen; Michelle Walker; Leslie Weber; Rhys Wolff

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This was my first opportunity to see this classic musical on stage and I was not disappointed.

The LaCrosse Community Theatre has consistently put on a top-notch production (all that I have seen) and this was the first production I saw in their new theatre.  Everything about it was gorgeous.

One of the hardest things about seeing a show that has a more famous movie connected to it is the tendency to compare characters, performances, and direction.  I'm as guilty of that as the next person and this show really was one of the harder ones to take on its own merit.  I'm a long-time fan of the movie and know it pretty well.

Where this took place the most is with the character of Mary Poppins herself.  Karla M. Hughes did a tremendous job with the role and had a gorgeous singing voice.  But her character of Mary Poppins was much tougher, more strict Poppins than the sugar-sweet Poppins we've seen in the film.  It took me a bit to accept this but once I did (maybe about half way through) it made good sense (why she took the harder edge).

All the songs and dances were fun and the chimney sweep number was truly a hit.

The scenery was very effective.  A simple look making use of a turn-table was wonderful.

I was particularly impressed with the park scenes and the statues that came to life.

All in all, a well-done musical proving that LaCrosse Community Theatre is a step above the typical community theatre.

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET -- Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

music& lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
book: Hugh Wheeler
director: Dennis Razze
music director: Vincent Trovato
sets: Steve TenEyck
lights: Eric T. Haugen
costumes: Lisa Zinni
sound: Matthew Given
choreography: Erin Hurley
cast: Charlie Mann; William Michaels; James Stabp; Michele Sexton; Dee Roscioli; Christophe Coucill; Evan Harrington; Katie Wexler; David Garry; Dave Schoonover; Andrew Goedel; Paul Louis Lessard; et al

The dark story of a vengeful barber and a down-on-her luck baker in 19th Century London, complete with song and dance.

*****

This was my first venture to the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.  The stage itself is somewhat small for such a large offering, but they did a great job of utilizing the space.

The voices were all quite strong, the leads being very good.

Overall, a delightful show.

ORIGINAL SHORTS 2012 - Theatre du Mississippi

"Assisted Living" by Jeffrey Neuman; director - Daniel Munson; cast - Alex Courrier, Daryl Lanz, Sontha Reine

"Dead Letter" by Tim J. Brennan; director - Kathy Peterson; cast - Lolly Foy, Ray Felton

"Final Witness" by J.D. Thompson; director - Daniel Munson; cast - Alex Courrier, Daryl Lanz, Sontha Reine

"Flash" by Daniel Munson; director - Lolly Foy; cast - Sean Krage, Andrew Halverson, Tracy Van Voorst, Ray W. Felton, Clare Foy, Bridget Foy, Mara Jarvis, Alex Jung, Jessica Clarke

Four short plays in staged reading format.  All four plays were the winners of the first Theatre du Mississippi playwriting competition.

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A delightful evening of four strong, original works.  I thought the staged reading format would bother me, but all the actors managed to have scripts in hand but pull off strong performances and I never really noticed the scripts.  Rehearsal-style props, and again it never really bothered me.

I hope to see more of this sort of theatrical offering from Theatre du Mississippi.

GUYS AND DOLLS - Saint Mary's University

book: Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows
music & lyrics: Frank Loesser
director: Dr. Gary Diomandes
music director: Judy Myers
choreographer: Christine Martin
scenic design: Kit Mayer
lighting design: Greg Freeman
costume design: Nadine Parkos
sound design: Brett Huus
cast: Aaron Henry, Carlos Villapando, Brian Pipal, Becca Kring, Jake Rivet. Ashley Curry, Katie Sapper, Mary Doctor, Rachel Stetenfeld, Ashley Von Arx, Lauren Salonek, Taylor Marshall-Miernicki, Amalia Santos, Saral Collova, Hannah Virlee, Andrew Russell, Shelby Clarke, Haylie MacComb, Kaeli Todd, Sarah Anderson, Sydney Wilkins, Phil Soulides, James Gilbertson, Aaron Pepple, Alex Akers, Sam Gibson
Colleen Morgan, Hannah Schwarze, Matthew Gorgone, Tom Conry, Keara Hannan, Billy Murphy, Lydia Monroe, Maggie Allexsaht, Theresa LaValla, Rebecca Garrigan, Jessica Drake, Rick Baustien. Andrew Russell, Alex Green, Allie Kriz, Bryan Moore, Molly Nocera, Joanna Mills, Serica Rowley, Ashley House-Mischke, Sarah Adams, Emily Casey-Hare, Mary Mieszala

A gambler in the 1950's makes a bet that he can pick up any woman.  Another gambler takes the bet and picks out the prim and proper leader of the local Salvation Army.  Hi-jinks ensue and someone falls in love for real.  All set to popular music.

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Saint Mary's University of Winona has been setting the bar high for college-level theatre and this is another example of the great showmanship of the students and faculty at the small university.

There are no surprises here.  This is a classic musical theatre production.  Lots of singing, dancing, and workable sets that keep the action flowing.  The performances are all top-notch.  Bryan Moore as Sky Masterson has just the right amount of cocky swagger and believable affection toward Keara Hannan as the sweet Sarah Brown, leader of the local Salvation Army.

Allie Kriz delivers just the right amount of over-the-top crazy as the love interest of gambler Nathan Detroit (Alex Green).

But surely it's the singing gamblers, Matthew Gorgone as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Tom Conry as Benny Southside, and Brian Pipal as Rusty Charlie, who keep the play engaging after hitting a homerun with their song "Fugue for Tinhorns."

A big part of producing a show like this is getting the casting just right, and Dr. Gary Diomandes seems to have done that quite well.  Everyone fits their role to a 'T' and it makes the show just a whole lot of fun.

It's probably too late to see this (the shows only run one weekend), but given the quality of this production it's worth your while to make sure you see whatever this university produces.

NOISES OFF - Winona State University

playwright: Michael Frayn
sorry no no playbill offered, so no information to share


A dreadful sex comedy titled Nothing On—it is the type of play in which young girls run about in their underwear, old men drop their trousers, and many doors continually open and shut.  Nothing On is set in "a delightful 16th-century posset  mill that has been converted to a modern dwelling for which renters are solicited; the fictional playwright is appropriately named Robin Housemonger. Each of the three acts of Noises Off contains a performance of the first act of Nothing On.

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This farce needs split-second timing and constant movement but failed to deliver.

There were moments that I was surprised that these were college students-- their timing was almost impeccable on occasion.  But then there were other times that they completely let their focus down and the performance was akin to bad community theatre.  And of course it was this inconsistency that brought the whole show down.

Some plays are written in such a way that you can't ruin them, and that stands mostly true here.  As long as you get the lines out, you are bound to get some laughs.  But if you can get them out with the right inflection and with the timing of the movement, you can bring the house down with laughter.  That didn't happen.

A good effort, but it feel short, even for a college production.

BLACK COMEDY -- Rochester Civic Theatre

playwright: Peter Shaffer
director: Greg Miller
scene designer: Greg Miller
lighting designer: Janet Roeder
costumer designer: Tom Lydeen
cast: Benjamin Parrish, Lindsay Beach, Doug Petty, Debbie Hill Fuehrer, Sean Lundberg, Brian Bedard, Christina Stier, Jonathan Allan 

A farce in which a theatrical gimmick is used -- when the power in an apartment goes off the stage is flooded with light and the audience watched the actors struggle to move around 'in the dark' and when a match is struck or a flashlight goes on, the theatrical lights dim on stage. The plot is simple ... an artist and his fiancee borrow some expensive furniture from a neighbor in order to impress an art collector. When the power goes out, the neighbor returns, the artist's former mistress shows up, and there is comic confusion over who is the art collector.

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I haven't been to the Rochester Civic Theatre in MANY years, but I really, REALLY wanted to see this play. I remember reading it shortly after it first came out and thought it was hysterical and would be a lot of fun to actually see staged.

 Unfortunately, this was not so much fun to see staged.

 I appreciate community theatre, I really do, and community theatre CAN be a tremendous experience. Unfortunately, this particular show was so hard to sit through, it was embarrassing.

 I had dragged a friend along, talking highly about the show for our hour drive, but we both sat in silence through most of the show. I did chuckle a couple of times -- thank you Peter Shaffer -- but mostly just wished I had gone by myself, instead of bringing a friend.

 Mostly I blame the direction here. The lack of pacing and not understanding where the conflicts were and how to build to them, had the actors floundering around, performing schtick rather than letting the play work for them.

 Farce is tricky, I understand. As an actor you WANT to just let go and be funny, but farce needs to be 'controlled' in order to be done right and get the best laughs. Individually, the performances were fine. Together, they didn't work, and the play didn't work.

TOTEM - Cirque du Soleil

senior artistic director: Sylvie Galarneau 
artistic director: Melanie Lalande 
Charlotte, NC

A theatrical, circus, acrobatic event.

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 This was my first time seeing a 'Cirque' show and I was not disappointed. Simply- the theatricality of this in incredibly high. From the exaggerated make-up to the fantastical lighting to the constant movement, Cirque du Soleil has found the way to reach an audience in today's short-attention-span world. Individually, some of the acts were a little boring (roller-skating on a big drum for instance), but as a package, this show definitely entertains.

25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE -- Saint Mary's University

Page Theatre
book: Rachel Sheinkin
music & lyrics: William Finn

The delightful shenanigans at a Spelling Bee.

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A wonderfully talented cast entertained a moderately full crowd.  Each performer was well suited to their roles and came through with a great performance.  The audience members who were brought on stage were not as talented.

I knew nothing of the show before hand, but was thoroughly delighted when done.

This school does very good work with their students.

POETRY OUT LOUD 2011 - Rushford-Peterson High School

Eight high school students recite Poetry Out Loud with hopes to move on to the next level of competition.

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I have enjoyed this event for a few years now.  These students do a good job of memorizing and reciting, with proper emotion, the intent of a number of poems.

DROPS & DRAMA 2010 - VALHALLA TO RAGNAROK: THE MYTHS & LANDS OF THE NORDIC GODS -- Theatre du Mississippi

Performed at the Masonic Lodge, Winona, MN
Director: Daryl Lanz
Writer: Daniel Munson
Cast: Judy Schmidt, Catherine Schmidt

100 year old, hand-painted drops, once used in Masonic rituals, are prominently displayed in this 30 minute production.  The mythology of the Scandinavians is used as a source for a thin plot to feature the drops.

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Perhaps a little too much information is provided in this short script.  It certainly provides a good amount of Norse mythology lesson, but not knowing much, it seems a bit of an overload.  The presentation of the material was okay, though a little dry.

Still, it seemed as effective a means as any to showcase these marvelous drops.

LIE, CHEAT AND GENUFLECT -- Rushford Area Society of the Arts

script: William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore
director: Beth McManimon
costumes: Nancy Svendsen & Maureen Pronschinske
lights: Blaire Pronschinske & Samara McManimon-Myers

A pair of down-on-their-luck brothers decide to steal the inheritance they think should be theirs from the cousin they haven't seen in twenty years.  An Avon Lady, a nun, an alcoholic house-keeper, a baby, a mobster, a bimbo, and a few others are the characters to tell the story.

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I've seen a great deal of bad community theatre, but this might possibly be the worst.

First, the script itself is typical community theatre fare ... somewhat farce, mistaken identities, and unrealistic characters making appearances.  This could be done moderately well, but it would unlikely be a long-well-remembered play.

Add, now, a cast of over-acting, mugging, unrealistic actors with absolutely no direction (how many times can you have a group of people standing in a straight line?!) and you've compounded the play's problems.  What this director doesn't seem to realize is that what is funny to a group during rehearsals often won't be funny when performed on stage.  And yet, it felt like everything ever chuckled at in rehearsal made it to the stage and fell flat.

Was the man dressed as a nun funny?  Yes.  Did he seem to think he was funnier than he really was?  Yes.Did he have potential?  Yes.  Did he have help?  It doesn't seem so.

This was painful to sit through.  I honestly don't know why I stayed for the second act -- the optimist in me ... that it had to get better!

The alcoholic, nymphomaniac housekeeper was a riot.  She was totally believable throughout and brought the energy level on stage up a couple of notches any time she appeared.

The stranger, 'Jane,' was also quite 'real' but could have used a director reminding her to stop acting from the waist all the time (she'd plant her legs and bend at the waist every time she delivered a line).

I suspect that there's a lot of theatre just like this happening all over the country and perhaps I've been fortunate to not have had to deal with this too often.  And now it's caught up to me with a vengeance.

Nice set.

PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE -- Commonweal Theatre Company

playwright: Steve Martin
director: Zach Curtis
set designer: Kit Mayer
light designer: Jason Underferth
costume designer: Jeffrey D. Stoltz
cast: Jerome Yorke; David Hennessey; Laura Depta; Hal Cropp; Sarah Kathryn Hawkins; Scott Dixon; Eric Bunge; Tim Sailer; Michael Van Schoik

Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso meet in a bar and discuss genius and talent.  Both men are on the verge of the greatest works.

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Hmm.

The play itself doesn't strike me as powerful ... not in the way that I think it's trying be, but this production doesn't help it along and it's hard to separate one from the other.

The 'minor' characters were good.  Strong.  Seemed to have a clear idea of their characters and their characters' roles in the play.  But the two leads, Bunge and Cropp as Picasso and Einstein, missed the mark.

Cropp's Einstein seemed much too focused on his accent.  Sounds trite, but that's what I walked away with.  So thick and hard to understand that I was constantly hearing people all around me asking the people around them, "What did he say?"  It's nice to be authentic, but if it's a distraction it doesn't serve the play.

Beyond the accent, the character didn't strike me as a brilliant mind, but rather a kook who got lucky.  Perhaps that's what Martin had in mind with the script, but I think it lacks drama.

Bunge's Picasso came across a little lighter than air.  He seemed to float around the room as if he were slightly above it, rather than crashing through it.  It was not an effeminate characterization, but it was also not a masculine characterization.  It was tepid.

What both characters lacked was passion.

I've been fortunate to know consummate artists (friend Steven Arnold was the protegee of Salvador Dali and world renowned photographer) and brilliant scientists (I've worked with Carl Sagan) and one thing that they have in common, something that I think Martin was getting at with the play, is passion.

The truly brilliant people in any field have an absolute passion for their work, and that passion shows even more when they are on the verge of something new.  The creations come from within and it wells and builds before it comes out.

That's where these two characters should have been.  But they weren't.  And for me, it let the play down.

SPRING VOCAL CONCERT -- Rushford-Peterson High School

Rushford-Peterson Elementary & High School Choir
directors: Diana Poppe & Burton Svendsen

DALE KOR: High School Choir
   "What a Wonderful World"
   "A Whole New World"
   "The Shoop Shoop Song"

KINDERGARTEN:
   "I'm a Nut"
   "Down by the Bay"
   "Going on a Picnic"
   "Rain"

GRADES 1,2, 3:
   "I Need a Vacation"
   "Are We There Yet?"
   "Gone Fishin'"
   "Hit the Beach"
   "A Letter From Camp"
   "Way Out In Left Field"

GRADES 4&5:
   "Hodie!"
   "Shine on Me"
   "Bee! I'm Expecting You"
   "O, Colored Earth"
   "John Henry"

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Another delightful evening of strong voices from a small town's school.

SPRING CONERT featuring the Rushford-Peterson Senior High School Band -- Rushford-Peterson High School

A band performance of a small town high school featuring:

"Miracles!" -- Lane M. Powell
"Sicilienne" -- Peirrie Lantier
"We Will Remember" -- Gary Fagan
"Menuett" -- Friedrich Kuhlau
"AFTERBURN" -- Randall Standridge
"Allegro" -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
"Canon" -- Johann Pachelbel
"Pictures at an Exhibition" -- Modest Moussorgsky
"Drum Check" -- Elliot A. Del Borgo
"Where the Sun Breaks Through the Mist" -- Michael Sweeney
"Russian Sailor's Dance" -- Reinhold Gliere

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Once again this small town band impresses with their talent.

Particularly outstanding where Pachelbel's "Canon" performed by a saxophone quartet, and "Drum Check."  Certainly this band, with a slight over-abundance of percussionists should be able to perform a song titled "Drum Check" but the rhythms were tricky and the syncopation was challenging.  Fortunately they seemed to thrive on the challenge.


A very delightful evening.

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND CONCERT -- Rushford-Peterson Middle School

A concert featuring first year 5th grade band students through 8th grade students, featuring:

5th Grade:

"African Dance Song" -- Douglas Bradley
"Bring On Da Band" -- Michael Sweeney
"Sakura ... traditional Japanese Folk Song" -- arr. Michael Story
"Overture" -- Peter Tschaikowsky

6th Grade:

"Rockero" -- Don Schaeffer
"An American Mosaic" -- arr. John Edmondson
"Hogan's Heroes March" -- Jerry Fielding, arr. John Edmondson
"Dixieland Dazzle" -- John Edmondson

7th and 8th Grade:

"Come Go With Me" -- C.E. Quick
"Pulsar (Concert March)" -- Eric Osterling
"Take Me Home Country Roads" -- Bill Danoff, John Denver
"We're Not Gonna Take It" -- D. Snider
"My Heart Will Go On" -- James Horner

6th, 7th and 8th Grade:

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" -- Hans Zimmer

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Another spectacular performance by a group of young students. These kids do an amazing job with some challenging pieces.

What's fun to note at a concert like this is the growth in talent.

HARVEY -- Fountain City Players

script: Mary Chase
director: Judee Brone
cast: Jessica Hosch, Karen Dulak, Carew Halleck, Beth Halleck, Lindsay Maus, Jamie Bautch, Rowdy Whitman, Tegan Blank, Jackie Beck, Ann Kohner
set, light, sound design: Jason Passow

The classic invisible rabbit comedy as performed by a small town community theatre.

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It seems rather odd that I've now seen Harvey twice in the last few months when I hadn't seen the play in such a long time before-hand.

The play is such that it is difficult to not do well.  It is written in such a way that it is going to be funny, and any actor even slightly competent will be funny talking to an invisible rabbit.

While the production values are typical for small community theatre, this production did well.  There were some interesting, unique aspects to the set which made it easy to change-over to a different set, and the actors did a fine job in all roles.

Particularly charming was Carew Halleck as Elwood P. Dowd.  He had a true, natural talent which made it seem as though he wasn't acting.  His conversations with Harvey were perfectly conversational and he treated all the other characters on stage as charmingly and calmly as he possibly could.

The direction was somewhat lacking, with characters wandering the stage and not looking as though they quite understood why they were moving or standing at any given time.

A fun production.

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL -- Saint Mary's University School of the Arts

playwright: William Shakespeare
director: Judy Myers
scenic designer: Kit Mayer
costume designer: Janis Martin
lighting designer: Kirstin "Fluffy" Blake

One of Shakespeare's "problem" plays that, in the end, is not so all-well as it reunites an ill-suited couple.

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I'm always wary to attend a Shakespeare production, and doubly so when it's performed at a college.  Unfortunately, this production did nothing to allay my concerns.

The students worked admirably on a tough show, but there seemed to be no actor who could combine strong acting with the ability to know what they were talking about.  Either they knew what they were saying but were completely wooden or they had great flair and acting style but spoke as if they had no clue as to what they were saying.

One of the problems with college Shakespeare is that there are so many actors needed that it's unlikely that anyone can get a full cast of multi-talented actors.  While the leads might have a good grasp on what they are doing, the supporting actors, which so often drive the plot from one scene to another in Shakespeare, simply can't handle the work.

The best energy in the entire show was the curtain call, when the actors came out and danced and sang Beyonce's "Single Ladies".  Where was this energy during the play?  This is a sure sign that the cast simply did not know what they were doing on stage -- didn't understand the lines, didn't understand the motivations.

I've seen a few productions at this school and this, sadly, is one of my least favorites.