Edge Center for the Arts

Art, Music and Science by Bigfork Students

2013-05-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

Right now The Edge Center Art Gallery has on display one of its most colorful, well-attended, and special exhibits of the year. It is the annual student art show. The art will be on display until June 1st, and on May 23rd, student music and science projects will also be celebrated. This student achievement day will include a student science fair at the Bigfork school from 4 to 6:30 PM, plus a choir and band recital on The Edge Center stage starting at 7PM. The gallery will be open during these events.

Add May 23rd to your calendar and come to enjoy what our students have accomplished. These events are the results of the hard work and dedication of students and school staff. The Edge Center is pleased to be the venue for part of the program. Please make a trip to Bigfork and see what resulted from this work If you can’t make the May 23rd show, keep in mind that the gallery is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 10AM to 4PM and will have the student art on display until June 1st. Admission is free

Students also are turning the school walls into art each year. During the science fair you might get a chance to see some of the paintings done for this impressive project. Below you can see part of this year’s project in process. This art is a special reminder of the fact that art and learning should go beyond the classroom.

The art on display provides a wide range of art mediums showing the versatility of these young artists. What a great way to end the school year by letting all of us see just a small part of the accomplishments brought about by hard work and talent.

The Edge Center congratulates the students and staff of the Bigfork School on a wonderful year of learning accomplishments, while keeping mind that the May events are just part of what has been done in the school during this past year. Thank you for letting us be part of it.

“Remember When” Concert for Mother’s Day in Bigfork

2013-04-27T06:15:00.005-07:00

This tribute concert for Mother’s day by Pat Surface and friends will be the fourth time Pat and his wife Donna appear on The Edge Center stage in Bigfork. They will also bring members of the Grand Rapid’s St. Joseph School children’s choir to sing “Everything is Beautiful” with Pat. The “Remember When” concert brings music of the 60s and 70s to life especially with Donna Surface signing music with a grace and energy that enhances the experience. The special Mother’s day concert will be on Saturday May 11th at 7PM. Admission $10 for adults, $5 for children.

Pat Surface says, “My family is my inspiration for much of my music. For family has taught me devotion and cohesiveness and how we are all the same.” Born in St. Paul and placed in foster care, Pat became part of a musical family, the LaPlants. They shaped his life and life’s work. The LaPlants, award-winning musicians themselves, are instrument builders and family builders. Pat has two adopted siblings: one Hispanic and one Native American.

Donna Surface says “This is our most popular show. They really enjoy revisiting songs they couldn't wait to hear on the radio or from their beloved vinyl LPs back in the day. There are so many 'Oh wow, I LOVED that song!' moments throughout the show. The late 60’s into the 70’s was a pivotal era in so many ways, and woven through the music in this show are reminders of what it was like to be us...then...as I recall the events and pop culture that shaped that time.”

“We have so enjoyed our engagements at the Edge Center For The Arts. We love the venue and our concerts have always been extremely well attended. We always look forward to performing at the Edge because it is an intimate venue yet it seats a nice-size audience. The sound and lights, stage and large screen really suit our shows - with multi-media and signing and a variety of musical sounds and voices.”

Return to a time when the lyric and melody were the essence of a song as you take this entertaining and nostalgic musical journey with Pat and Donna and their guests including members of the Boundary Water Boys band (above), John Ely, Jeff Menten, Marina Whight, and Pat's family, The LaPlants....and opening will be The Simple Guys.

Enjoy the timeless music of: John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Dan Fogelberg, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, Leonard Cohen, James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, The Eagles, America, (and more). During the concert you will be treated to nostalgic favorites from the 60’s and 70’s – great familiar sing-a-longs (and sign-a-longs) from Pat and The Boundary Water Boys’ 4 best-selling CDs, Songwriter, Songwriter Too, Songwriter Three and Songwriter Four, and Pat's new album, Little Folk Songs.

The performers include Pat Surface (above with his wife Donna) who is and award-winning singer/songwriter and leader of the Boundary Water Boys. Pat is the founder of Spiritwood Music of The Boundary Waters, an acoustic record label based in Ely. Pat grew up in Grand Rapids.

John Ely - An award-winning steel guitarist (and dobro player) with many hit songs, two Grammys, three other Grammy nominations, and numerous recordings and TV appearances to his credit.

Jeff Menten – Jeff plays smokin’ violin for the Boundary Water Boys. He has won many awards at the Minnesota Country Music Association competition, including Instrumentalist of the Year.

Donna Surface, a Performance Artist in Sign for The Hearing Impaired (a combination of American Sign Language, dance and dramatic interpretation), will also be performing.

Marina Whight, A native of the Grand Rapids area, Marina Whight has been involved with many local theater and musical groups, including Reif Center Dance, and Showboat. According to Marina, she has been singing and harmonizing forever. One of her musical highlights was winning Overall Grand Champion at the Minnesota Country Music Championships.

The Simple Guys are Bill Adamson and Jim Cagle. They are a couple of guys who like to play simple songs, using simple chords, simply to have a good time. They like to do some original songs based on Minnesota humor and just being Minnesotan. One person said "you guys are like the Smothers Brothers on lutefisk." We guess that says it all!

Also featuring members of the St. Joseph's Catholic School Children's Choir in Grand Rapids, plus members of The LaPlant Family (above).

We hope you come and enjoy an evening designed for moms and just right for the whole family. The e show is on Saturday May 11th at 7PM at The Edge Center in Bigfork Minnesota.

Show is Ready to Go…Come See ”Becky’s New Car” in Bigfork

2013-04-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

The stage is set, the actors ready and the final regular rehearsal was tonight: Tuesday April 23. It went great. Here are some pictures of that rehearsal and an invite to come and see one of the regular performances at the Edge Center in Bigfork April 25 – 28. That’s this Thursday through Saturday at 7PM and Sunday at 2PM. The price is $12 for adults. But we have one more offer for you…come tomorrow evening Wednesday April 24 at 6PM for the dress rehearsal…there is no charge and all you have to do is enjoy the play and laugh. For more information on the play see the previous blog.

Ever Want to Change Your Whole Life?

2013-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Becky’s New Car shows what happens to an every day sort of person given the chance to “try” a new life. She isn't really unhappy about the life she has now, but, like a lot of people, wonders “what if?”. She gets that chance when a millionaire walks into her car dealership and her life. This is a funny, fast-paced, and entertaining look at events for Becky and the people around her in the new play at The Edge Center in Bigfork. Becky’s struggles with the situation make her face the realities of her life and decide on her future. Performances are April 25 – 28: Thursday through Saturday at 7PM and Sunday at 2PM. Price $12 for adults.

Becky Foster is an ordinary person working in a car dealership dreaming about that “what if” question. Her husband is a hard-working, honest, down-to-earth roofer who loves her dearly…and she loves him. Pictured above Becky and her husband Joe who have a family, nice house, and all that goes with it. But still she feels at a dead end when her latest car customer lets her test drive a new life.

Becky Foster played by Greta Drewlow is a forty-something woman in a mid-life crisis. Becky works for a car dealership.

Joe Foster played by Archie Wass is a forty-something roofer, who is a good husband that means well but is settled in his ways.

Chris Foster played Elliot Wolfson is Becky and Joe’s mid-twenties son who is a psychology student and lives in their basement.

Walter Flood, played by John Hanson, is a wealthy businessman. He is in his late 50’s, widowed, and looking for a second relationship.

Kenni Flood played by Linette Schwartz is Walters’s mid-20’s daughter. She is a bit on the spoiled side.

Steve, played by Tom Boland, is a widowed, 50ish car salesman who works with Becky. He wants a better job at the dealership.

Ginger, played by Valerie Sobrack, is Walter’s unmarried neighbor.

Steven Dietz, above, wrote the play as a birthday present for a friend’s theater-going wife. The friend is Charles Staadecker, and his “present” was a hit for his wife and the public too. They have seen the play over 100 times around the country and are challenging organizations to follow suit and commission plays.

Becky's New Car had its world premiere on October 23, 2008 in Seattle and has kept audiences laughing ever since. It won a Steinberg/American Theatre Critics New American Play Award for a play that opened out side of New York. Dietz placed eighth on the Top Ten Most Produced Playwrights in America.

Photo by Andrew Walts

Charlie and Benita Staadecker Created a lasting arts legacy with this play. As Charlie says “You can choose to buy a new car, or throw a big anniversary party, or pay for a legacy work of art. What footprints do you leave in the sand?”

In a letter from Charlie to The Edge Center, he said, “we had no idea at the time what a journey we would take...and to date we have seen the play over 115 times in 27 cities…each production having their own interpretive feel.”

“Blessed with a hit, we became evangelical about commissioning (plays)...and am happy to report 20 new plays are currently underway, funded using the Becky model. And amazing at it is, the great professor emeritus Oscar Brockett in his 10th edition "Play Anthology" a textbook used by theatre and drama majors across the country included Becky's New Car; so Deitz is now alongside Moliere, TS Elliot, Oscar Wilde etc.....”

“We are so very pleased you (The Edge Center) selected Becky...it’s a story that will not only laughing throughout the performance, but has enough gravitas to be a story that universally resonates.”

In answer to a couple of questions about the play, Patricia Feld, Artistic Director of The Edge Center, says, "It was really time to do a comedy in town, and I went looking for scripts that were first funny, but weren't sophomoric, dated, or had all male roles. Then finding Becky’s New Car, I fulfilled those requirements, plus added a new genre for the Edge, a modern comedy of manners, aka farce.”

Why is this play a good fit for The Edge? "It's probably such a popular community theatre piece because it's so funny, has a small (7 member cast), and simple set requirements. But I have to wonder how well theatres are performing its fast-paced, running all over the theatre, frantic timing.”

Will The Edge ever commission a play "I do believe that arts organizations owe a debt to past artists by commissioning new works for future generations, but the Edge has yet to find the funding to commission any new plays."

What should the audiences look for? “A challenging production that requires fast entrances, exits, costume changes, and well-timed laugh lines. It’s a smart comedy whose characters are pretty well rounded, and they’re all really ‘nice’ people, one of whom makes a bad choice, tries to live with it, and does some growing. We have a new stage set-up that’s fun…and look out for the leaky roof.”

Come and see the newest play at the Edge and find out what Becky decides for the “rest” of her life and what Patty means by the leaky roof.

"You give me a real warm feeling like a potbellied stove on a frosty morning."

2013-04-01T06:16:00.001-07:00

What a charmer… this is from “PILLOW TALK”…the last Classic Movie in Bigfork this season, ranked 5th in gross earnings in 1959, was nominated for four Oscars, won an Oscar, and in 2009 added to the National Film Registry. A period review said it was “…one of the most lively and up-to-date comedy-romances of the year.” With a cast including Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall and Thelma Ray, “Pillow Talk” is now a popular classic. Come to The Edge Center April 11th, enjoy this light-hearted movie, and leave smiling.

Learn the “story behind the story” of “Pillow Talk” along with a cartoon from the same year on Thursday at 6:30PM. The free movie presentation by the Classic Movie Series and treats matched to the movie will include a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

In “Pillow Talk” two people sharing a phone line, one a cad, who sings the same song with different names to different women he is trying to woe, and the other, a beautiful lady who hears the scheme and becomes disgusted with his antics. Then things get complicated.

The pretty lady is Doris Day. Today she is living in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California and professionally is known for both her acting and singing career. Born in 1924 as Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff; she will turn 90 next year. She started singing for big bands in 1939 and her first starring film role was in “Romance on the High Seas” in 1948. She appeared in 39 films, and, as a box office star, ranked number one for three years, in the top 10 for ten years and currently sixth all-time (male and female). She made her last film in 1968, “With six you get egg rolls.”

For another part of her professional career, Doris recorded 640 songs, released 29 albums, with songs spending 460 weeks in the top 40 charts. Her singing popularity began right after her first hit recording, "Sentimental Journey", in 1945. She also had an impressive television with her own show: “The Doris Day Show” for five seasons.

The handsome cad in “Pillow Talk” is Rock Hudson. At six feet four inches, Roy Harold Scherer, Jr. was an imposing handsome character even before his stage name of Rock Hudson. Born in 1925 and died in 1985, he became a well-known leading man in American films of the 1950s and 60s. He starred with Doris Day in three movies: “Pillow Talk, “Send Me No Flowers” and “Lover Come Back.” He was also recognized for his dramatic acting side in films like “Giant” (Oscar Nomination) and Magnificent Obsession.” In later years he had a significant career in television including as a star in “McMillan and Wife” and a reoccurring role in “Dynasty”.

As far as “Pillow Talk” was concerned, Rock Hudson, at that time, did not want the part, until he met Doris Day. He always credited Doris Day for teaching him “to do comedy.” Hudson was voted titles like “Star of the Year” and “Favorite Leading Man” by numerous movie magazines. He started in 70 motion pictures in his career that spanned four decades.

Tony Randall plays the best friend of Rock Hudson in “Pillow Talk” providing additional comedic power to the film. Born in 1920 and died in 2004, Tony Randall was an actor, comic, producer and director. Probably best known for his role as Felix Unger in the television adaptation of Neil Simon's play, “The Odd Couple”. Tony wanted to be known for more than the fussy half of the Odd Couple and deserved it. He acted on Broadway, was in radio and on television. His early fussy role in TVs “Mr. Peepers” was similar to the Felix Unger character. He was the comic foil to Rock Hudson and Doris Day in all three of their movies doing an excellent job. He also received a Tony award for his dance with ballerina Alexandra Danilova and even played the lead in the musical comedy “Oh Captian” in 1958. He received an Emmy for his Unger role in 1975. Read more about him at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36052-2004May18.html

Thelma Ritter plays Doris Day’s housekeeper in “Pillow Talk”. Her character is cynical, feels strongly about how men and women should relate, and drinks. Thelma was born in 1902 died in 1969 and was best known for her comedic roles as working class characters. With six Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and winning a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, she had an excellent career in the movies. She also was in numerous TV series episodes in the 1950s such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, general Electric Theater and The United States Steel Hour. Read more about her at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_Ritter

So, for the last movie of the season, The Edge Center ends up with a funny and entertaining movie: one that should leave you with laughs and more information about the period, the movie making and the stars. Please join us Thrusday April 11th at 6:30 PM. And if you need just a little more of a push read the following period review from the New York Times:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C05E3D81431EE3BBC4F53DFB6678382649EDE

Touring Ceramic Art Exhibit in Bigfork

2013-03-26T06:55:00.001-07:00

Ceramic art keeps pushing the “envelop” in colors, beauty and grace. That is good for everyone who enjoys art because there are always more upcoming surprises. The Edge Center Gallery opens its 2013 season early to accommodate some of the best surprises this year from the McKnight Touring Exhibition of the Northern Clay Center. Ever wonder how ceramic art is made, what the art objects mean, or even why is it art at all? The information here may help, but seeing the exhibit in person can make it real. The Exhibition runs in Bigfork April 4 through May 4 with the Opening Reception on Friday, April 5 from 5:00 to 7:00PM. The exhibit and reception is free and open Thursdays through Saturdays 10AM to 4PM.

The exhibition provides outstanding examples of what can be done with basically the same materials used from early time: Water and clay. They are from the work of seven artists who won McKnight Artist residency awards for ceramic artists at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis. The awards support a residency at NCC for a period of time after which some of the art may become part of a traveling exhibit.

It is not hard to image early man hollowing out a lump of clay to hold something. But at what point did it become art? The above figure, titled Venus of Dolní Věstonice, found in the modern day Czech Republic, is between 25,000 and 29,000 years old from the hunter-gather Paleolithic period. We can only speculate that it was not utilitarian and probably religious. We can also speculate that the artist, estimated between seven and fourteen year old, left his or her unintentional finger print fired into the work. For more info click:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_Doln%C3%AD_V%C4%9Bstonice

And when did those early bowls become more than just tools? Adding “art” to bowls and other vessels can be found in pottery shards (above) dating back over 20,000 years. There were beautiful vessels being made that have been saved from 4,500 to 5,000 BC such as the vessel below from Mesopotamia.

A very familiar way to work with clay is the potter’s wheel (below), but there are many other techniques for working clay with the most common being “hand-built”, which is how the Bigfork exhibits were made.

Factories commonly use slip casting techniques, but it can be an artist’s technique if they make the mold by hand. Clay can be made into slabs with rollers with the resulting slabs used for the work. Pressing slabs of clay into shallow molds can be used. The techniques are part of the art, and in one case the sculpture combines layers upon layers of newspaper and slurry, as well as screen-printed cloths, to create seemingly rough, brick-like, yet extremely delicate forms.

Just as bowls used to carry things evolved into “art”, clay pipes eventually became very decorative. According to The Museum of London, the earliest account of a pipe being used to smoke dried tobacco in England dates back to the 1570s, although people in Ecuador were using pipes as long ago as 500-300 BC.

As with clay pots, other seemingly common, useful clay objects can become art. At some point, decorations were added to pipes and glazing to make them very art-worthy. Clay pipes, of French origin, known as "pipes d'étalage” (image above were never intended for smoking, but were advertising. They were awarded to special retailers and displayed in storefronts. Very few were made and were of the highest quality in clay content and sculpture. Only eight of these “pipes” have surfaced and little is known about the artists who made them. Known for their "pipes d'étalage" includes: Dumeril Leurs, Dutel-Gisclon, Blanc Garin and Gambier. Below is a Gambier pipe. For more about this side of clay art refer to: http://www.facebook.com/tobaccopipeartistory/photos_stream

Lynn Nachbar, Director of the Current exhibit and former instructor of ceramics at Bowling Green State University explains what visitors should look for in the Bigfork exhibit, “…they should note the extreme variety of the ways that clay is handled by the artists. They should consider the “message” of each piece. Nakada’s license plate project is a type of conceptual art. What is the concept? How does Laidlaw’s work relate to her Buddhist heritage? Ferrari’s sculptures seem to derive from ethnic art – maybe African. What does that mean?”

Come to The Edge Center Gallery exhibit and see the power of the contemporary artist talent and imagination in basically simple clay and water. The McNight winning artists being shown at the gallery are: Gerard Justin Ferrari, Mika Negishi Laidlaw, William Cravis, Rina Hongo, Naoto Nakada, Kevin Snipes, and David Allyn.

"If music be the food of love; play on"

2013-03-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

According to the world-renowned violinist Paul Rosenthal, performing in the upcoming concert in Bigfork, “I often liken a musical program to a banquet…perhaps as diverse dishes from many lands.” Equally talented pianist Doris Stevenson will join him. Come and hear the music and listen to Mr. Rosenthal’s descriptions. Time: Friday March 22nd at 7PM. Place: The Edge Center for the Arts in Bigfork. Prices: $10 for adults, $5 for children. And please stay to meet the artists after the performance.

According to Mr. Rosenthal, the music that will be presented, will be like a banquet that “is nicest when there are familiar tastes that people generally love and, perhaps, a little novelty as well.” He began playing violin at the age of three, going on to attend the Juillard School in New York City and the University of Southern California under acclaimed master Jascha Heifetz. A resident of Alaska since 1969, Paul Rosenthal founded the Sitka Summer Music Festival, which is a chamber music festival held annually in Sitka, Alaska.

Pianist Doris Stevenson has won lavish praise from critics and public alike in performances around the world. She has soloed with the Boston Pops, played at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Salle Pleyel in Paris and Suntory Hall in Tokyo. She was pianist for the cello master classes of Gregor Piatigorsky, who described her as "an artist of the highest order." She is a founding member of the Sitka Summer Music Festival in Alaska..

The Piatigorsky Foundation brings these two exceptional artists to Northern Minnesota this month as part of their mission is to make live classical music part of the fabric of everyday life for communities throughout the United States who often would not have the opportunity to hear them. The Foundation was established in 1990 by cellist Evan Drachman, grandson of the great Russian cellist Gregor Piatigorsky (1903-1976). The Foundation carries on his legacy in the belief that, as Piatigorsky said, “Music makes life better. Music is neither a luxury nor a frill—it is a necessity! It is rich. It is imaginative. And it is for everyone.”

As far as what the selected composers brought to the classical music world, again Mr. Rosenthal, “Although the word ‘classic’ is often used very loosely, the music we generally think of as ‘classical music’, including much of the program we are presenting, has been played, and continues to be played, on every continent, by people of all ages, for centuries---hundreds of years. That's rather special, don't you think?”

The selected composers and music are:

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist of the Baroque period.

Selection: “Two Ancient Dances” (Violin solo)

Selection: “Sarabande from the Third English Suite”
(Transcribed for Violin and Piano by C. Saint-Saëns)

Selection: “Air on the G String” -- J. S. Bach
(Transcribed for Violin and Piano by A. Wilhelm)

Composer: Achille-Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918) was a French composer and was one of the most prominent figures associated with Impressionist music

Selection: “Gardens in the Rain” (Piano solo)

Compuser: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770[1] – 1827) was a German composer/pianist and an important figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western music.

Selection: “Sonata in E Flat Major for Piano and Violin”

Composer: Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist of the Romantic era, and was a musical pioneer, introducing to France the symphonic poem.

Selection: “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso”

Composer: Henryk Wieniawski (1835 1880) was a Polish violinist and composer considered a violinist of genius and wrote some of the most important and difficult works in the violin repertoire.

Selection: “Scherzo-Tarantelle”

As far as what the audience can expect, Mr. Rosenthal says, “Please imagine it as a dinner experience once more: like most folks, when we invite you to eat, we prepare dishes that we know how to cook and present, and that we believe you will enjoy. That's true for old friends, who hear our kind of music regularly, and for new visitors, who would like to experience this special…presentation.

It’s Hot in Argentina

2013-03-05T04:19:00.001-08:00

In March it can still be hot in Argentina but that is not the heat you will see in this month's movie classic in Bigfork. “Gilda” is set in Argentina and stars Rita Hayworth who had her own global warming effect back in 1946 when it was released. In fact, the scientists testing atom bombs on the Bikini Atoll, found her performance so impressive they named one of test bombs “Glida.” This classic film noir production also stars Glenn Ford, just back from four years in the service, in his breakout performance with Rita. Add to that hearing about the movie’s background from an expert will make the visit special.

Learn many of the hidden stories about “Gilda” at The Edge Center in Bigfork along with a cartoon from the same year on March 14, 6:30PM. The free movie presentation by the Classic Movie Series and treats matched to the movie will include a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

The plot includes a shady gambler who gets into “hot” water by trying to cheat the wrong casino, a beautiful women singing and dancing up a storm, a bit of murder, and lots more.

Rita Hayworth was a wonderful “femme fatal” for the post war era. She was born Margarita Carmen Cansino in 1918, changed her name a couple of times, died her hair red to fit more roles, was on the cover of “Life” magazine five times, was the first dance partner of both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, was in 61 films and married/divorced five times. She said, "Basically, I am a good, gentle person, but I am attracted to mean personalities.”

Also her breakout film role, “Gilda”, became her personal identity to the point that she once complained "men fell in love with Gilda, but they wake up with me.” Her erotic appeal was cemented for all time in this movie when she wore black satin and performed the legendary one glove striptease. The American Film Institute lists her as one of the 100 Greatest Stars of All Time.

The Bikini bomb test story is true, the story stuck, and she hated it. According to Wikipedia, “(it) was repeated in her 1987 obituary in The New York Times, which readers relied on as fact. Her husband at the time, Orson Welles, issued a public statement, saying, "...they would be pleased only if this were the last bomb test ever. Hayworth was furious to be used in this way.” Her friendship with Glenn Ford was special and spanned the five films they starred in plus forty years and numerous marriages.

Glenn Ford was born in Canada as Gwyllyn Samuel Newton. Ford moved to Santa Monica, California, with his family at the age of eight, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1939. His interest in acting was fine with his father as long as he learned something else to rely on. He listened to dad and according to Wikipedia, “during the 1950s, when he was one of Hollywood's most popular actors, he regularly worked on plumbing, wiring and air conditioning at home. At times, he worked as a roofer and installer of plate-glass windows.”

His name came from his hometown Glenford Canada and his first major role was in 1939, “Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence.” In between his first major film role and “Gilda” was a good military career doing what he knew best: motion pictures and public relations. But that was not enough military for Glenn, so in 1968 he joined US Marine Reserve and even was in Vietnam in 1967 scouting combat training film locations.

A versatile actor, Ford’s career spanned seven decades and was in high gear in 50s and 60s continuing into the 80s. As said earlier, his breakout film was also “Gilda” and following that he did everything from thrillers, drama, comedies, and westerns in movies and for television. He worked very hard at his career. In a 2006 obituary, the New York Times said, “In his heyday, there were times when it seemed that Mr. Ford was averse to vacations. In 1960 and 1961 he worked on four overlapping projects: ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,’ ‘Cry for Happy,’ ‘Cimarron’ and ‘Pocketful of Miracles.’ In all, from 1939 to 1991, Mr. Ford appeared in 85 films…”

Written as an American Gangster story, the “Gilda” setting was changed to Buenos Aries because of “heat” from the Motion Picture Production Code office. It even “sparked” riots in Rio De Janeiro by frustrated fans who objected to inflated ticket prices. This movie is just full of strange happenings before, during and after its creation and you can hear a lot more about “Gilda” by just showing up. If you haven’t made the drive up to see a movie classic in Bigfork before, you might find this one special.

Book Series “Ghost Lake Chronicles” in Bigfork

2013-03-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

Author Frank Anselmo presents his four book series the “Ghost Lake Chronicles” with readings, explanations and a chance to talk with the audience at The Edge Center in Bigfork this month. Learn about the adventures of some young people in Northern Minnesota in the 1950s. Aspiring writers will learn the author’s approach to taking a central plot and developing it from the beginning to the end. Readers, young and old, will hear directly from the author about Ghost Lake. The free event is at The Edge Center on Sunday March 10th at 2PM. Following will be a reception with a book signing and refreshments.

With almost four decades in education, Mr. Anselmo is well suited for writing to young readers. Always interested in creative writing and teaching children, Frank says, “in retirement, I pursued a life long dream of writing a book for kids. The books…chronicle the sixth grade year of twelve year old boys and girls in the small northern MN town of Ghost Lake.”

His formal teaching career started in 1963 in Lakeville MN and ended in Cohasset MN in 1997, with time spent in both the Effie and Bigfork schools. During that time he enjoyed reading books to students. Now he visits area schools, “I talk about my writing process and encourage kids to read more and try their hand at creative writing.”

The four book series will also include a fifth book in development. Frank says, “I enjoy the writing process and, in doing so, try to portray to kids what life was like back in the 50’s before television, ipods, cell phones, and computers. A time when kids made their own fun and used their imaginations. Many adults also enjoy these books as they can relate back to their own youth and the memories of growing up at that special time.”

Book I- “The Legend” finds Randy and Scooter, two twelve-year-old boys, with their faithful dog Blanca, setting out on their first solo camping trip. Could the legend of a ghost haunting the very woods they are camping in be true?

An encounter with Arnold, the local bully, adds to the adventure as the boys spend the night in the woods and unravel the mystery and the legend of the lost boy of Ghost Lake

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Book II- “The Zerro Club” Randy and Scooter form a good deeds club. Arnold the bully would love to see them fail. So while Randy Scooter and their new member, Shelly, are trying to do good deeds, they find themselves in deep trouble with the police.

Book III-“Taylor's Tomb” finds the club with the first snow of winter and Randy, Scooter, and Shelly involved in a sliding tournament on Taylor's Hill. Mystery and scary moments follow as Arnold, once again, is up to his old tricks.

Gramp's warnings about Taylor's Hill prove true as they encounter Old Blind Bill Hawkins, an old bachelor living on the backside of the hill.

Book IV- “Makwa's Gold” has Randy, Scooter, and Shelly traveling north with Gramps, Shelly's grandpa Dan, and Blanca to the cabin of Lars Jansen on Clearwater lake. Here they learn of the legend of Makwa's gold and the mystery behind it.

Follow them as they meet new friends, Johnny Bowstring, a native American, and his daughter Terri, who teach them some Ojibwe language and some of the secrets and history of the forest and lakes. Where is Makwa's gold and will it ever be found?

Good fiction can based on real-life facts. In this case, it is the memory of Frank Anselmo’s childhood before the onslaught of modern “gadgets”. The last book, “Makwa’s Gold” is also based on the Bigfork legend of what happened to American Indian Chief Busticogan’s gold. Part of Bigfork's founding and history, he was a real-life person. Come to Bigfork on March 10th and you might find out more about the legend of Busticogan's hidden treasure.

Centuries of Cello and Piano Music in Bigfork

2013-02-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

Hear classical music that can be enjoyed by everyone when The Edge Center in Bigfork presents the pleasant sounds of cello and piano chamber music through the past three centuries. “From Beethoven to Barber: Masterpieces for Cello and piano Across the Centuries”, played by Cellist Josh Aerie and Pianist Kate Lanzer, PhD offer selections that demonstrate the power and range of their instruments. One of Josh’s students, Maggie Anderson on cello accompanied on piano by her father Ed Anderson, MD, a Bigfork Valley Clinic physician, open the program with a Joseph Haydn Concerto. Beautiful and smooth sounds of the classics, two of the best artists in the state, plus a very talented local touch: What a wonderful way to warm a February afternoon in Northern Minnesota. The place is center stage at The Edge Center in Bigfork with a reception following the performance. The date, Sunday February 17th. The time 2PM. The prices $10 for adults, $5 for children.

Josh Aerie is a sought-after performing and recording artist, instructor, and conductor. Josh’s career highlights span a wide array of credits and accomplishments, including major-label recordings, nationally syndicated television performances, and film soundtracks. He currently lives in Duluth, Minnesota, and is on the music faculty at the College of St. Scholastica, the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and Mesabi Range Community and Technical College. He is Music Director and Conductor of the Heartland Symphony Orchestra, the Red Cedar Symphony Orchestra, the Mesabi Community Orchestra, and the Duluth Community Orchestra. In the summer of 2007 he founded and inaugurated the Woodland Chamber Music Workshop for adult amateur musicians of all abilities.

Returning artist Josh Aerie is no stranger to The Edge Center Stage, “The Edge Center is a wonderful venue for our concert - it's acoustically near-perfect for cello and piano, with an intimate feel. I've performed in many concert halls across the country and the Edge is one of my favorites!”

Josh is a founding member of the Duluth-based Gichigami Piano Trio, and the Minneapolis-based AxialAge Ensemble. In September 2009 Josh was selected as a 20 Under 40 Award recipient in the Duluth News Tribune’s annual recognition of 20 community leaders under the age of forty. In June 2010 he was a recipient of a McKnight/ARAC Artist Fellowship Grant.

About Dr. Kate Lanzer, Josh says, “Kate and I have been collaborating in different ways for a number of years; Kate has played for and soloed with a couple of the orchestras I conduct, and we've kept up with and participated in each others musical endeavors along the way. This is the first time we've put together a major cello/piano concert and, speaking for myself, I'm so pleased to be partnering with Kate on this program. I think we make a good team.”

Dr. Kate Lanzer is a performing artist and teacher in Duluth, MN. Since completing her Doctorate in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of WI-Madison, Dr. Lanzer has been on the faculty at the University of MN-Duluth and the College of St. Scholastica. Currently, Kate teaches at the College of St. Scholastica in addition to maintaining a private teaching studio in the Duluth community. As an active recitalist, Kate has given solo and collaborative performances around the country and abroad. Dr. Lanzer is also a certified instructor of Yoga and is a sought after clinician on her research that combines the practice of Yoga with art of playing music.

Maggie Anderson is an up-and-coming student of Josh Aerie who is dedicated to making the cello an important part of her future. Her accompanist father, Dr. Anderson and her mother, Kristen, have played piano from childhood and her younger sister is now starting out with the violin. Maggie has been a “regular” at The Edge Center as a musician.

Earlier in 2012 Maggie played in the Itasca Symphony Orchestra when it visited The Edge Center for a concert.

More recently, Maggie and her mother played during the Great Northern Radio show with Maggie on cello and Kristen playing the guitar.

Maggie and he father will open the concert with a challenging work by Joseph Haydn, the Haydn Concerto in C Major for Cello and Piano.

About the music for the concert, Josh says, “The repertoire for our concert, 'From Beethoven to Barber: Masterpieces for cello and piano across the centuries' includes three wonderful and distinct pieces: Beethoven's most famous cello sonata, the No. 3 in A Major; Debussy's only cello sonata - an impressionistic masterpiece full of color and wit; and Barber's cello sonata - an early work brimming with vigor and passion." Below is Beethoven and Debussy on top plus Barber on the bottom.

“These three pieces nicely encompass the cello/piano literature: the Beethoven is an example of early Romanticism during which the cello emerges as a solo instrument; Debussy displays his mastery of the French Impressionism genre and inventive compositional technique in his sonata; the Barber hints at emerging 20th-century tonalities and poly-rhythms while still remaining melodically and emotionally driven.”

So come and warm yourself on a cold February afternoon with music, friendship and enjoy a reception to help share the fun.

Many Hollywood Legends

2013-02-04T04:20:00.000-08:00

Come and see one of the best Hollywood love stories for Valentine’s day this year at The Edge Center in Bigfork. No matter how many times you've seen “Casablanca”, this is a good time to see it again on the big screen and learn much more about the “story behind the story” from an expert. Possibly things like: why the ending might be totally different if made elsewhere, or why Rick could have lost his cynical edge if made just a little later in the war. And, maybe why Bogart and Bergman would not have shared this career defining moment in movie history without perfect timing and the right studio.

Learn more when you see “Casablance” at The Edge Center in Bigfork along with an informative discussion about the movie February 14, 6:30PM. The movie is presented by the Classic Movie Series with an appropriate cartoon, treats matched to the movie, and a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

With a general release in 1943, the fact that Casablanca starring, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, won a Best Picture Academy Award tells us how the public and critics felt about the movie back then. It truly is a movie classic love story and one that is still very special on this 70th anniversary year of its release.

The studio system was in full force during that time with each major studio having a reputation for making a certain “type” of movie. Warner Brothers, was a tight run organization watching budgets closely and known for making “edgy” movies.

Edgy was the Warner Brothers mark and it made their movies often distinctive. That’s why “Casablanca” is that it is, why it became a cult classic, made its stars “super stars”, and, most importantly, made the studio money.

Humphrey DeForest Bogart (1889 – 1957) appeared in 75 films during his 30-year film career, after his Broadway career slowed due to hard times for plays due to the 1929 stock market crash. He was a successful movie actor at the time of “Casablanca”, but it made him a film icon and, in 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male film star in the history of American movies. He had four wives with his last being Lauren Baccall (below).

It is hard to talk bout Bogart without talking about Lauren Bacall. They were truly meant for each other with only his death from cancer ending the marriage. Lauren provides some insight to Bogart’s feeling about “Casablanca” when she said, “Boggie would say, ‘ Of course, I did nothing in Casablanca that I hadn't done in twenty movies before that, and suddenly they discover I’m sexy. Any time that Ingrid Bergman looks at a man, he has sex appeal.’ ” This according to Aljean Harmetz in the 1992 book, “Round up the Usual Suspects.”

Above is Ingrid Bergman (1915 – 1982), a Swedish actress who has 53 acting credits in her career with 13 in Swedish movies. It is said her career had its up and downs, with her best work in the 1940's and ending up winning three Academy Awards in her movie life. She left the United States for some six years due to a marriage scandal in the 1950's, but came back strong winning an Oscar in 1956 for "Anastasia". About “Casablanca” Bergman says, “"I feel about Casablanca that it has a life of its own. There is something mystical about it. It seems to have filled a need, a need that was there before the film, a need that the film filled.” This is according to Charlotte Chandler in the 2007 book “Ingrid: Ingrid Bergman, A Personal Biography.”

Not only a box office success, Casablanca became a cult film with people seeing it 50 – 60 times or more and audiences shouting lines at the screen. A truly special film with special stars, and you can see it all, learn some of the background and history about the 1940's wartime period in our history and enjoy the treats. Bring your valentine too if you wish.

Auditions…Comedy in Bigfork…Looking for Actors…

2013-01-22T03:49:00.001-08:00

“Becky’s New Car” is a very funny comedy about what it might be like to try a new life for a while. Actors get a chance to not only talk to the audience but seek their advice. And, as long as Becky keeps her millionaire friend in the dark about who she really is, she gets to keep enjoying what it might be like to change everything in her world. Needed are three women and four men. Auditions are Monday and Tuesday – February 4th and 5th from 4:30 PM to 6:30PM.

This EdgeWild Players production, directed by Patricia Feld, will be performed April 25-28, 2013.

Here is a chance to act in a play that is funny, challenging, and enjoyable. A chance to help Becky stroll through an existence one might fondly wonder about, but only can experience in imagination or onstage! Becky gets the chance to really do it and learns a lot about herself in the process. The cast of characters needed for the play below covers a nice range of middle-American society. Below is a poster with a "Variety" comment about the play.

Becky Foster – Looking for someone who can play a forty something looking woman with quick comic timing, a range of emotions and very is charismatic. Becky Foster works for a car dealership.

Joe Foster – Looking for someone who can play a forty something man, salt-of-the-earth type, who is a good husband who means well but settled in his ways. Joe Foster works as a roofer.

Chris Foster – Needed is an actor who can play a mid-twenties son, living in the basement and is a psychology student.

Walter Flood – If you would like to play a wealthy businessman, one who is 60 and widowed…Walter Flood would be your choice.

Kenni Flood – Needed is someone to play Walters’s daughter, who is in her early twenties who means well…but. Kenni Flood appears in the second act.

Steve – Can you play a 50ish car salesman who works with Becky?….He’s NOT your typical car salesman.

Ginger – How would you like to try to be Walter’s neighbor in her fifties? We are not sure about her plans, and she appears in the second act.

Written by Steven Dietz's (above) “Becky's New Car”, had its world premiere on October 23, 2008 in Seattle and has kept audiences laughing very successfully since. It won a Steinberg/American Theatre Critics New American Play Award for a play that opened out side of New York. Dietz placed eighth on the Top Ten Most Produced Playwrights in America.

So come out and audition for this play, it will help pass winter and keep you laughing too.

Below is a part of the Seattle Times review of this play and here is the URL if you wish to read more. Above is a picture from the Seattle opening of the play.

http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2008280381_dietz20.html

Steven Deitz's "Becky's New Car" was written as a birthday present:
The new Steven Dietz play "Becky's New Car" plays at Seattle's ACT Theatre Oct. 17-Nov. 16.

By Misha Berson
Seattle Times theater critic

Steven Dietz is the prolific author of more than two dozen plays, and his work has been presented at major theaters around the U.S. But "Becky's New Car," in previews at ACT Theatre, is the only play he's created as a birthday present from a husband to his wife.

The wife Dietz wrote it for is not his own (fellow playwright Allison Gregory) but another man's spouse.

How's that? Let Dietz, a part-time Seattle resident with long ties to this area's theater community, explain.

"'Becky's New Car' was commissioned in a program ACT started recently, where anybody can underwrite a new play as a gift to someone," said Dietz, by phone from Austin, Texas, where he spends the academic year teaching writing at University of Texas.

Seattle commercial realtor Charles Staadecker commissioned "Becky's New Car" for his wife Benita, an ACT trustee. And that led to the forging of ACT's New Works for the American Stage, which grants $5,000 to $8,000 per year over a three-year period to a writer toiling on a new script ACT might produce later. (The company won't specify the exact amount of Dietz's commission.)

"I wanted to make this gift to Benita something unusual and memorable, something that would be a real legacy," says Staadecker. And yes, his theater-loving wife was indeed pleased by the gesture.

"On Betina's birthday," notes Dietz, "I sent her the play's first scene."

The practice of arts patrons funding new works in tribute to friends or lovers was commonplace in, say, Shakespeare's day, and Mozart's.

It happens far less frequently now, but Dietz says he's been happy to oblige with "Becky's New Car," a satirical comedy that sounds like a cross between the Demi Moore film "Indecent Proposal" and the Craig Lucas farce "Reckless."

"My play is about a regular middle-class woman, Becky, who works in an auto dealership and her husband is a roofer," Dietz elaborated. "She meets this slightly eccentric, somewhat bumbling millionaire, and through a bunch of misunderstandings, he offers her a chance to live a kind of parallel existence."

The idea of having a secret double life fascinated Dietz.

"I think we all love those great little stories you find in the corner of the newspaper — you know, 'after his death, Florida man is revealed to have three different families.' That felt like the stuff of comedy to me."

The settings and subjects of Dietz plays have been all over the map — from 19th-century France (in "Inventing van Gogh") to 1990s Seattle ("Lonely Planet") and the isle of Grenada during the Reagan Era ("Halcyon Days"). But he often ponders secrets, lies and identity, and employs strokes of sardonic humor.

As for "Becky's New Car," Dietz insists his benefactors the Staadeckers "put no restrictions on me in terms of the writing. But they have become very enmeshed in the production, coming to rehearsals and watching over the project. And really, I've just loved having them around."…

Edge Putting on Our Winter Coat

2013-01-10T04:34:00.001-08:00

Winter in Northern Minnesota can be really white, really windy and really cold. If you are in the Bigfork area, take a break from winter and stop by The Edge Center gallery to see color again, get out of the wind...and warm up. That’s because the gallery has changed to its permanent collection: a warm mixture of color and art. The painting above is one of four Bill Hafeman paintings on display. Known as an extraordinary hand-made canoe builder, he also was an accomplished painter, and the gallery is very fortunate to have some of his Northern Minnesota landscapes on display. The gallery's permanent collection will be up until the spring and summer exhibits start.

Outside The Edge Center.

Inside The Edge Center

During the winter, the gallery is open during theater events and visitors are welcome during The Edge Center’s normal business hours Wednesday thorough Friday from 9AM to 1PM . Gallery visits for groups are also available by special appointment. It might be a nice stop for snowmobile groups. There might even be some hot coffee available for group visits. Call The Edge Center to make an appointment.

There is more art on display than Mr. Hafemans’s paintings, like above, which include lots of color, some abstract views of the world and more looks at nature up north.

Mr. Hafeman at work below.

As far as William Hafeman’s paintings are concerned, they show what is special about Northern Minnesota in a way that seems real enough to step into. He came to the area in 1921 with his wife to live in the woods. In a 1982 interview by Charles Kurault he said.

“I wanted to live in a wild country like the Indians did … I didn't want to live in a city where you go to work by a whistle, go home by a whistle.”

His canoe building started out of necessity. He built his first canoe to be able to get to Bigfork some 15 miles by river. After that he just kept building them along with his reputation as one of the best. You can see the interview and read about his canoes at the following links, but you need to see his painting at the gallery to appreciate his "other art".

Link to interview below.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/cb-of6jB7RLZikP/just_like_old_times/

Minnesota history article below with URL following.

http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/43/v43i04p142-145.pdf

The Hafeman Canoe Works, now owned by Ray Boessel and his wife Christie, is still in existence where Bill founded it on Highway 6 just 15 mile upriver from Bigfork. Christie is the granddaughter of Mr. Hafeman and Ray learned his craft from him in the 1980's. You can see one of Ray’s 13 foot Chippewa Long Nose canoes on display in the Commons area of the Bigfork Valley Hospital just around the corner from the gallery. There you can also see another of Mr. Hafeman’s paintings along with a lot more art from local artists. While in the Commons, you might want to have a lunch in the cafeteria. It will be delicious.

Bigfork Valley Hospital commons area below.

So, why not make a day of a visit to Bigfork this Winter? See The Edge Gallery exhibit and then go to the Commons to see more art plus have a great lunch.

“Monte Walsh” Western Movie At The Edge Center In Bigfork

2013-01-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

How can it be that the 1970 movie “Monte Walsh”, acknowledged to be one of Lee Marvin’s best performances and with a beautiful haunting score sung by none other than Mama Cass Elliott, end up so well hidden in film history? This is a movie about changing times involving conflicted people in a classic tragedy. Leave it up to the Park Classic Movie folks in Bigfork to find such a gem this month. Viewers will leave with the music score in their heads, the story on their minds and possibly some answers to why this classic didn’t garner awards instead of obscurity. Learn more when you see it along with an informative discussion about the movie at The Edge Center Theater in Bigfork on Thursday, January 10 at 6:30PM. The movie is presented by the Classic Movie Series with a cartoon from the same year and a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

It could be that in 1970 the country had lots of issues on its agenda, and a good western about the end of the cowboy era did not fit the times. When a made for TV remake was done with Tom Selleck in 2003 it received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing and, in 2004, the Western Heritage Awards Bronze Wrangler for Outstanding Television Feature Film. But you still need to go back to the original to get the Lee Marvin touch.

In the movie, Monte Walsh (Lee Marvin) and his friend Chet Rollins (Jack Palance), two long-time cowhands, will do whatever ranch work comes their way, but "nothing they can't do from a horse".

Lee Marvin as Monte Walsh

Jack Palance as Chet Rollins

"Monte Walsh" is all about the two aging cowboys who have a hard time dealing with the end of open ranges, cowboy work, and the “wild” in the Wild West going away. To get a glimpse of what that era was like, look at some of the work of America’s own western artist Charles Russell (paintings below). About the film and Charles Russell, Jack Nachbar says, “I think the film comes closest to his work. Charlie was a working cowboy, much like Monte and Chet.”

Known as the “cowboy artist,” Russell’s more than 2000 paintings showed the life of cowboys and Indians along with landscapes in the Western United States and Alberta Canada. In his life he was a working cowboy, and he lived with the Blood Indians, a Branch of the Blackfeet nation. In his life as an artist, Russell (below) was a painter, sculpture, and author.

Charles Russell came to Montana in 1880, left for a brief period returning in 1882 and remained there for the rest of his life. “Laugh Kills Lonesome” (below) is probably Russell’s most famous painting and recreates the beauty of a night under the stars. The other images following show more of the cowboy life.

"Bronc for breakfast" (below).

"Russell and friends" (below) was also used on a Montana stamp.

These Russell images will just help set the tone for the movie “Monte Walsh” and Monte's lifestyle. You need to see this special showing of this hidden gem to understand more about “Monte Walsh” the person. The movie may bring a real tear to your heart for the by-times your remember. Share this great classic and some treats picked especially for the film.

Russell's painting "Loops and Horses are Surer than Lead" (below) is one more look at his view of the cowboy life.

2012: What a Wonderful Year At the Edge

2012-12-31T14:44:00.000-08:00

For the last 12 months, The Edge Center for the Arts in Bigfork has tried to include as much new programming as possible while keeping in mind that it serves many audiences. We have included student art and education, Native American exhibits/programs, thought provoking plays, a touch of history with classic movies, nationally prominent entertainment, plus lots of music and laughter. Next year we hope to repeat the experience and possibly add a whole new category of “literary art” education for the young and old.

Of paramount importance to The Edge Center is being part of our young people’s education. The Edge Center is part of and attached to the Bigfork School by design so students can participate in this process. During the year some artists participating in Edge Center events also include student classes as part of their activities. Also, The Edge Center is utilized throughout the school year for numerous school activities.

All of what we do is only possible with the continued support of you, without which we would not exist. From our large and expanding group of volunteers, to the community as a whole, and to each individual supporter, thank you very much and we hope we can make 2013 even more of an enjoyable artistic experience.

In 2012 The Edge Center's community work revolved around its Art Gallery, On Stage Performances and hosted Bigfork School Activities (volunteers doing stage set-up shown below).

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In 2012 in the Art Gallery, with your help, The Edge Center presented a variety of events with each accompanied by an opening reception such as shown below:

April – Edge of the Wilderness Art League Show

May – Bigfork School Student Show (below)

June – Joe Geshick – Journeys, Native American paintings (set up below)

July – Art on the Edge: 8th Annual Juried Show (award below)

August – Al Kruger - Wildlife (set up below)

September – Jackie Solem - Migration to the Edge, photography (below)

October – Mary Lingen - Landscapes, paintings (below)

November – 8th Annual Holiday Gift Show (goodies below)

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In 2012 On Stage, with your help and a very ample stage, The Edge Center presented performances ranging from classic movies, to music, to thought provoking plays. Below is a photograph from this year's giant puppet show in June.

Sunday January 15th - Sam Black, pianist, with Josh Aerie, cellist, - Chamber Music (below)

January 12 – “The Mark of Zoro” Classic Movie

January 29th - Polar Revue #7 - Local Talent Show

February 8 – “Robin and Marian” Classic Movie

February 23, 24, 25, and 26 - EdgeWild Players present Circle, Mirror,
Transformation (below)

March 2, 3, 4 - "I am Anne Frank" presented by the Nautilus Music-Theatre of St. Paul

March 8 – “White Heat” Classic Movie

April 12 – “Some Like It Hot!” Classic Movie

April 24th – 29th: -TU Dance returns with a School performance plus Community performance and Saturday Dance Movement Class

May 6 - Itasca Symphony Orchestra (below)

June 21-24 - Almanac with Big Puppets, with Master puppeteer Theresa Linnehan,
were in the Wilderness Parade and filled the stage. (below)

July 13, 14 - Stages Theatre of Hopkins is coming to the Edge with the
musical, "Seussical" (below)

August 11 - Piano Bar with the Northern Lights Trio (below)

August 25 - John Perkins, local song writer (below)

September 9 - Pretenders and Friends – 50’s; and 60’s Rock n Roll (below)

September 13 – “Cabaret” Classic Movie

September 16 - Art Redhorse and Nico - Native American Grass Dance
and Native Flute (below)

October 11 – “Dr. Strangelove” Classic Movie

October 13 - "8 The Play" BellWether's performance

October 6 - SAM MILTICH trio and CHARMIN MICHELLE (below)

October 25 - Theatre "Stories for the Stage" and Diary of Anne Frank

October 26 - Monroe Crossing, nationally famous bluegrass music

November 8 - “Meet John Doe” Classic Movie

November 16-18: EdgeWild Players present Love, Loss & What I Wore (below)

December 13 - "Shop Around the Corner" Classic Movie

December 15 - Great Northern Radio Show (below)

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In 2012 Edge Hosted Bigfork School Activities included:

January - On-going violin lessons through June

January - 18, 25 High School communications class

January - 19 Community Education

February - 1 “Alice Unwrapped,” Nautilus Music-Theatre of St. Paul, school & comm.

February - 3 English class political debates

February - 7-8 Winter Fest, prep & coronation

February - 25 Speech Tournament awards ceremony

March - 9-11 Bigfork School's presentation of Tom Jones

March - 29 Community Speech night

March - 30 D.A.R.E graduation

April - 11 Honor Society Induction

April - 18 Elementary spelling bee

April -20-21 Prom prep and Grand March

May - 1 Itasca Sheriff’s Drug Lyceum

May - 10 High School Academic Awards

May - 14 Strings Recital, school and community

May - 16 High School senior reception

May - 24 High School athletic awards

May - 23-31 Five days of giant puppet building 3rd-6th grades

May - 31 Kindergarten graduation

July - 24-25 Grand Rapids HS Band at Edge

September - Piano lessons begin for elementary students each week
Violin lessons continue for elementary students each week

September - 14 Violin demo for students

September - 25 School & community meeting

October - 9-10 Homecoming prep and coronation

September - 16-17 English class presentation

November – 28 Elementary Talent Show

December 11-12 HS Winter concert & prep

“Snow Radio”…From GNRS On The Edge

2012-12-16T06:28:00.000-08:00

What a great way to end the programming year for The Edge Center in Bigfork. The Great Northern Radio Show’s live broadcast on KAXE Saturday December 15th made the drive in the snow worthwhile. Lots of songs, jokes, tall tales and real history added to the cider and cookies to put the audience in a good Christmas spirit. Here are some pictures of the evening’s fun…pick out the people you know, enjoy the rest, remember that some may have been missed (sorry) and listen to the whole broadcast on the KAXE web site when it is posted later this week at: http://kaxe.org/programs/gnrs.aspx

The show was a great learning experience for typical theatergoers. Doing a live radio show means the most important thing is what goes on the air and not performing for the audience. That means you don’t get to see all of the performers up front, that you may get to see only the backs of some, that you need to be aware of any noises you make (except laughing, clapping, whistling, hollering, etc.), and that you’d better take a bathroom break before the show starts or you may miss something fun. The Bigfork show was the fifth one in the series and the KAXE staff has perfected the process. They are a very talented group of people. If you get a chance to see a performance…do it and you will find it very entertaining. After two hours, I didn’t want it to end.

Great Northern Radio Show Takes Holidays to the ‘Edge’

2012-12-11T08:07:00.001-08:00

Radio (91.7 KAXE), heads to Bigfork on Saturday, December 15. The The Great Northern Radio Show, a popular variety program produced by Northern Community show will be broadcast live from the Edge Center for the Performing Arts in Bigfork from 5-7 p.m. on 91.7 KAXE on the Iron Range and across northern Minnesota, 89.9 Brainerd and 90.5 KBXE Bemidji. The program will also be streamed live at kaxe.org. Admission to the live performance is free, but reservations are requested by calling KAXE at 218-326-1234. Audience members are asked to be seated by 4:30 p.m. Walk-ups are welcome on a first come, first served basis.

Written and hosted by Iron Range writer Aaron J. Brown, the Great Northern Radio Show features music, stories and comedy about modern life off the beaten path. “We’re really excited to come to Bigfork,” said Brown. “It’s our first try at a holiday show and the Edge Center is such a wonderful theater. I’m excited myself because, while Bigfork might be the ‘edge of the wilderness’ to everyone else, I live in Balsam Township and it’s just a short drive for me.”

The Great Northern Radio Show is a true radio variety show, featuring an eclectic mix of material fit for audiences of all ages and styles of humor. What makes it different is its strong focus on northern Minnesota and the way it includes the location of each show as a central part of the program.

December 15 also is the last day of The Edge Gallery Gift Show and Sale. The gifts on sale in the gallery are all hand made by local artists. These gifts can help make giving different and special while still being affordable. Different and special because no one else will get the same thing and affordable because this year there are more inexpensive treasures than in the past.

The Dec. 15 show will feature the Sam Miltich Trio playing a mix of Eastern European folk, jazz and holiday music. Bigfork-area musicians Kim Harrington, Maggie and Kristen Anderson, Jerry Hagen, Terry Price, Harold Boege, Alycia Johnson, and the Celebration of Grace Band from Grace Community Church under the direction of Karen Wetzel are among the expected performers, along with some surprise additions.

The Great Northern Radio Players, a rotating group of actors from towns around Minnesota, will feature local actor Marshall Oelmann, among others. Howard Pittson of Effie will tell stories about the Effie Rodeo. A western-themed holiday special will be presented, along with material celebrating the history of Bigfork, Effie, Togo and other parts of the region. Guests from popular Northern Community Radio shows are also likely.

The mix of local talent performances include Jerry Hagen, Harold Boege, Terry Price, Marshall Oelmann plus Maggie Anderson performing "Bigfork Valley World", which is an original song written by Jerry about the area.

Marshall Oelmann will sing “Don’t go to Togo and possibly more. Marshall will be accompanied on the Togo song by Dave Evenson, Marlene Sethney and Julie Ingstad..

The song was written by Todd Harper from Minneapolis. He wrote it for a 100th anniversary of Bigfork melodrama that was at the Edge in 2008. Terry Price will perform a special song he wrote for this event. "Jack-the-Horse".

Karen Wetzel, pianist from Grace Community Church, will direct a group of people from different churches called the Celebration of Grace Band and will sing three polka Gospel songs. The “band” includes Harold Boege-accordion, Terry Price-banjo, Jerry Ingstad- guitar, Karen Wetzel- piano, and Jerry Hagen on bass guitar. Voices for for this include Julie Ingstad, Dean Springer, Marlene Sethney, Donna Loosebach, and Alycia Johnson.

Kim Harrington, musician and song writer, is going to be on the show and he will sing his original song "The Riverman", a local favorite about the canoe making legend Bill Hafeman.

“Each show is unique, exciting and unpredictable,” said Brown. “Whether you attend the live performance, where you get to see behind the scenes, or listen on the radio, you’ll have a great night of entertainment.” Great Northern Radio Show regulars include director Shelly Nowak and associate producer Kelly Gustavsson, both of Hibbing. House music is by Nickolai Koivunen of Zim. Longtime Iron Range broadcaster Scott Hanson provides foley sound. The show is written by Brown with additional material from Hibbing native Matt Nelson.

The Great Northern Radio Show started in 2011. After its Hibbing debut, the show has broadcast from the Chief Theatre in Bemidji, Central Lakes College in Brainerd and the Boardman Auditorium in Eveleth. In 2013, the Great Northern Radio Show heads to Hubbard and Grand Rapids, with more stops in the works. “Our show lives on the road,” said Brown. “Our only home is northern Minnesota and we hope to play every place here that remotely resembles a theater before we’re done.”

Aaron Brown also is the author of an entertaining book about the area titled “Overburden” describing how Iron Range culture is changing at a rate hard for us to absorb. Talking about the “history and mystery” of the range, it in includes biographies of the people and places creating a unique blend of characters and sites. Aaron, who has lived in the area nearly all of his life and as a columnist for the Hibbing Daily Tribune, is well qualified to write about it and has done so with humor a accuracy that could only be done by someone who calls the range home.

“Shop Around the Corner” at The Edge in Bigfork

2012-12-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

“Shop Around the Corner” is a 1940 movie about two workers in a shop who don’t like each other and both would prefer the persons they are anonymously corresponding with in letters. It is this month’s classic movie shown at The Edge Center in Bigfork. The movie is a wonderful romantic comedy perfect for the Holidays that will warm you up on a cold December evening. And, if the movie sounds a bit familiar, it should…if you add modern Email, make the shops bookstores, and name one of them “Shop Around the Corner” you might be talking “You’ve Got Mail”. The 1940 movie was so well liked and well done that it has been the inspiration for movies, musicals along with radio and television shows.

Learn more when you see it along with an informative discussion about the movie at The Edge Center Theater in Bigfork Thursday, December 13 at 6:30PM. The movie is presented by the CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES with a cartoon from the same year and a background presentation by Jack Nachbar. And while you are there you can “shop” in the gallery gift shop for a hand made treasure for your special person. Admission is free, with a cartoon from the same year and treats appropriate for the movie.

The 1940 “Shop Around the Corner” movie is an adaptation of a Hungarian play with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan playing the leads. You’d think any two people hating each other as much as they do would never get together, but will “love conquer all” in this classic? Alfred Kralik (Jimmy) and a newly hired Klara Novak (Margret) not only loathe each other but also have fallen for their pen pals. No great leap for viewers to figure out early they are writing to each other, but the subplots and romantic intrigue carried the 1940 audiences very well and still does. The “villain” in this whole mess is said to have even garnered applause when he gets what’s coming to him.

If you come and see this Jack Nachbar selected movie you will learn a lot more about the movie, its stars, the pre-war times, in which this was popular, and why it has stood the test of time so well. And don’t forget The Edge Center Galley filled with hand made holiday gifts...it will be the last week open this year.

If you want to learn more about the movie and not wait until you see it, here is part of the review published in the New York Times in 1940. The whole review can be found at:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9505E5D81E3EE23ABC4E51DFB766838B659EDE

MOVIE REVIEW

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; Ernst Lubitsch Offers James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan in a Genial and

Tender Romance in The Shop Around the Corner' at the Music Hall

By FRANK S. NUGENT

Ernst Lubitsch is offering some attractive screen merchandise in "The Shop Around the Corner" which opened at the Music Hall yesterday. "Ninotchka" appears to have used up his supply of hearty comedy for the time at least, but his sense of humor is inexhaustible. He has employed it to brighten the shelves where his tidy Continental romance is stored and, among the bric-à-brac, there are several fragile scenes which he is handling with his usual delicacy and charm, assisted by a friendly staff of sales-people who are going under resoundingly Hungarian names, but remind us strangely of Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan and Joseph Schildkraut. All told, they make "The Shop Around the Corner" a pleasant place to browse in…

…THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, as adapted by Samson Raphaelson from a play by Nikolaus Laszlo; musical score by Werner R. Heymann; directed and produced by Ernst Lubitsch for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. At the Radio City Music Hall.

Postponed Until May 11, 2013 - Pat Surface Concert

2012-12-03T04:09:00.001-08:00

Postponed Until May 11 2013
Holiday Music and “Oldies” Coming to Bigfork

The Pat Surface Concert scheduled for tomorrow Sunday 9th has been postponed until May 11th. Any tickets sold for this concert will be honored for the May 11th concert.

This year's holiday concert at The Edge Center in Bigfork headline Pat and Donna Surface with their "Remember When" production featuring Christmas carols and hymns along with hit songs from the 60s and 70s. "Remember When" is their most popular concert and will warm your hearts while bringing you back to an earlier time with music. Pat combines a very talented group of musicians on stage along with his wife Donna who signs with an energy and grace that makes the whole musical experience extraordinary. The "Remember When" concert on Sunday December 9th at 2PM is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Shopping in the holiday gift store, which is also open in The Edge Center Gallery, can be free unless you find a special gift for that hard-to-buy for person on your list.

The gifts on sale in the gallery are all hand made by local artists. These gifts can help make giving different and special while still being affordable. Different and special because no one else will get the same thing and affordable because this year there are more inexpensive treasures than in the past.

Pat Surface is a very talented musician. Born in St. Paul and placed in foster care, Pat grew up in a musical family...the LaPlants. They shaped his life and life's work while he grew into a 6 foot 8 inch star basketball player. The LaPlants are award-winning musicians themselves along with being instrument builders and family builders. Pat has two adopted siblings: one Hispanic and one Native American. Pat says, "My family is my inspiration for much of my music. For family has taught me devotion and cohesiveness and how we are all the same."

Pat and Donna are joined by: 2-time Grammy Award-winning musician John Ely, 4-time Minnesota State Fiddle Champ Mary LaPlant, and Marina Whight, along with the Adamson Family...Bill, Debbie and Bethany. This show showcases songs from Pat's new Christmas album, “Go Tell it to the Mountain”, which features John, Mary and Marina. Also appearing at the show will be special Guests - The Adamson Family - Bill, Debbie and Bethany.

Pat Surface and his music has reached over 20 million people and he has recorded 15 CDs. The “Go Tell It On The Mountain” CD, is on sale at the concert. The arrangements are traditional yet reminiscent of the swing/40's Christmas era. Songs like: I'll Be Home For Christmas, White Christmas as well as Christmas hymns such as Do You Hear What I Hear, Silent Night, Angels We Have Heard On High, Joy To The World - and the poignant, Mary Did You Know - along with many other favorites make this a special Christmas Holiday treat.

From their web site: "Pat is joined by his wife, Donna, who is a Performance Artist In Sign For The Hearing-Impaired. Incorporating American Sign Language, dance, and mime, Donna’s contribution not only allows the hearing-impaired to appreciate Pat’s music - it also breaks down the "language barrier" in the hearing world. You will hear Pat’s lyrics and feel his music more acutely through Donna’s expressive and dramatic performance. Pat and Donna call this special duet See the Music...Feel the Love."

Come and join this holiday experience. It will include great seasonal music along with the sounds of the 60s and 70s. This all takes place in a wonderland of gifts, hot apple cider, and treats that will put you in the mood. The weather may be cold and wintery outside but inside The Edge it will be warm and cozy.

“Love Loss and What I Wore” on Stage in Bigfork

2012-11-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

A comedy about how women’s clothes dress up life’s events is what makes “Love Loss and What I Wore” special. The Edge Center, known for presenting the unusual and uncommon, presents a play that explains that, to really understand women, one needs to understand what they wear and why. By adding St. Paul’s Linda Kelsey with her well-known acting talents to a dynamic mix of local performers plus a new-comer, you have an unforgettable cast-mix and play. Performances are at The Edge Center in Bigfork on November 16-18 at 7PM on Friday, Saturday and 2PM Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults.

The stage waits for "Love Loss and What I wore".

Rehearsals are in progress.

Written by Nora and Delia Ephron, it is based on the 1995 book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman. A cast of five principal actors performs a series of monologues discussing topics like relationships and wardrobes and the interaction of the two. The production won the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience as well as the 2010 Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite New Off-Broadway Play. Nora Ephron (Academy Award nominee for Silkwood,” “When Harry Met Sally”, and “Sleepless in Seattle”) and her sister, Delia Ephron, with whom she co-wrote “You've Got Mail”, “Hanging Up”, and “Bewitched”, collaborated on this show. Nora has said that it “is not about fashion; it is about what clothes really are to us, those moments when we are constantly trying to find our identity through them"

The cast is made up of two close theater friends, Linda Kelsey (above) and Patricia Feld (below), along with a team of medical professionals from the Bigfork Valley Hospital and Clinic, Heidi Korstad, MD, Kimberly Powell, RN and Paula Taylor, Pharmacist.

Linda and Patty have been friends for decades meeting at the University of Minnesota while performing in the play “Tom Sawyer”. Linda was Becky Thatcher and Patty the minister’s wife. They have remained close friends ever since. The first time Linda performed in Bigfork was in “The Bell of Amherst”, then in “The Lady With All The Answers”, directed by Patty. Returning the favor, Linda directed Patty in “Wit”. This will be the first time they will be on stage together since college.

The Bigfork Valley trio includes Dr. Korstad (above), a physician in Bigfork for over 20 years, who will be making her on-stage debut. However she has been an indispensable talent for The Edge Center from its beginning as Technical Director and lighting expert. Kimberly Powell was an EdgeWild player in “Mary, Mary” in 1998 and many other plays including, “Circle Mirror Transformation” and “The Laramie Project”. Paula Taylor has appeared as an EdgeWild player since 1997 in “Ah, Wilderness!” and many others since then including “Three Tall Women”, “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Circle Mirror Transformation”. The following picture is from "Three Tall Women" showing left to right, Paula Taylor, Patty Feld and Kinberly Powell.

Patricia Feld, Artistic Director of The Edge Center says, “It was time to do a comedy, but it had to be a smart, sophisticated one that met The Edge criteria of being different. This play was recommended by Linda Kelsey and passes all the tests wonderfully. It’s a hoot of a play that’s a series monologues and one-liners just like women chatting together. It has been shown on six continents in over eight countries. This is one you should see because it is unforgettable and you will keep it with you for a long time whether you are a man or woman.” Below is another view of rehearsals for The Edge performance of "Love, Loss and What I Wore."

In case you have not heard enough to encourage you to come to Bigfork and see this play here is part of a review by the New York Times when it included Rosie O’Donnell in the cast.

THEATER REVIEW
'LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE'

Spandex Agonistes: Why Don’t You Try It On?

Below is the cast in New York with Rosie O’Donnell.

By CHARLES ISHERWOOD
Published: October 2, 2009

I have always been happy not to have to carry a purse, but I am happier than ever at this lifelong good fortune after hearing Rosie O’Donnell describe the soul-scarring humiliation of possessing a messy handbag in “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” a new show about matters of the heart and matters of the closet that opened on Thursday night at the Westside Theater.

Written by Nora and Delia Ephron and based on the book by Ilene Beckerman, the show is a scrapbook of stories about unfortunate prom dresses, the traumatic lighting in fitting rooms, high heels, short skirts and the existential state of having nothing to wear. Accessorizing these tales — which are mostly comic but often sad or sentimental too — are the mothers who disapprove, the men who disappear, the sisters who’ve got your back.

If there are chick flicks and chick lit — derogatory though some might find those terms to be — “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” should clearly be classified as chick legit. (In old-school parlance, legit is shorthand for the legitimate theater.) Breezy and perfectly enjoyable for the stray men in the room, it’s like a big bowl of buttered popcorn (but calorie-free!) for the women who can share deeply in the particulars of experience dissected and discussed…

For more see the whole review at:

http://theater.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/theater/reviews/02love.html?_r=0

Below is a final view of The Edge Center cast.

So many New Ways to Say Happy Holiday

2012-11-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

This year’s holiday gift sale at The Edge Center Gallery in Bigfork helps make giving different. Everything is handmade by over 20 local artists providing a way to give a gift that’s affordable and special. Special means that no one else will get the same thing, that someone local has made it, and that the person receiving it knows you care about what a gift says. There are many more affordable treasures than in the past and if your purchase early, it will include a discount coupon for the upcoming Edge production, “Love, Loss and What I Wore”. This 8th annual gift show is open in The Edge Center Art Gallery November 1 through December 16th on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday each week from 10AM to 4PM. The opening reception is November 2 at 5PM.

This year’s show is really full! You won’t be able to see everything in a quick pass though. And, you will be able to find a lot more that is priced to sell. Too bad the gallery is not bigger for this year’s event. The following is just a part of the gift show's delights. You will also see paintings, cards, wild rice, handmade soaps & bath products, knitted & sewn gifts, rustic arrangements and more.

Starting with decorating for the season, you can add a unique look with some really matchless items that can catch anyone’s attention. It is amazing how many ways one can make a wreath look beautiful.

Home made jellies and jams, handmade potholders and cards all can add a very personal and warm touch to saying “you are special” with a gift.

This wood burning took an artist’s talent and the plenty patience to turn ordinary wood into something superb to hang on a wall or stand-up on a table.

There are so many jewelry items in one case here that you will be hard-pressed to choose the one for your loved one or special friend. All hand-made they show a style and beauty that says “you are distinctive”.

These gems are hand knitted chatelaine purses with glass beads and take days or weeks to complete. Patience, skill and commitment go into each one. Certainly anyone who receives one of these will feel loved.

An art that goes back thousands of years is well represented here with colors and beauty that will decorate anything anywhere. The artist who did these certainly shows what this art form can represent.

If you make a purchase in time from the gift show this year you will get a discount coupon for a ticket to “Love, Loss and What I wore” being presented this month by The Edge Wild Players on stage at The Edge Center. The coupon is for $2 off of a $12 adult ticket or $1 off of a children’s ticket. The dates of the play are Friday November, 16 through Sunday, November 18. So come and buy your gifts early.

Here is a little bit about the play. The show is performed by a cast of five women. It is a scrapbook of 28 different stories, which usually have a strong emotional component and that seek to illuminate the female identity. The subject matter includes women's relationships, their wardrobes, and at times the interaction of the two; unfortu-nate prom dresses, the traumatic lighting in fitting rooms, high heels, short skirts and the existential state of having nothing to wear!

Edge Center Gallery wouldn't be possible without the help of our generous volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include: Gallery hosting, Opening Reception Assistance and Show Set-Up or Take-Down. This photo only shows some of the volunteers who set up this show over two days. Thanks to all the volunteers who work very hard all year to make visiting the gallery a special occasion.

MEET JOHN DOE in Bigfork

2012-10-31T12:54:00.001-07:00

If you need a break from the political ads blasting out of TVs and radios, here is one way to “decompress”. Right after the election you can watch a comedy drama from 1941 called MEET JOHN DOE. The things done to him in the name of politics make what went on this year like mild warm milk. This American comedy drama shows how a “money man” wanting to be president uses our hero to try and get there. Staring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, this one might help put in perspective every generation’s political shenanigans. It will be shown at The Edge Center Theater in Bigfork Thursday, November 8 at 6:30PM free of charge.

Learn more about John Doe when you see the movie along with hearing an informative discussion about the movie. The movie is presented by the CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES with a cartoon from the same year and a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

Meet John Doe was the first of director Frank Capra's independent productions (in partnership with Robert Riskin). It was also was screenwriter Robert Riskin's last film collaboration with Capra. The film derived from a story, "The Life and Death of John Doe", was written by Richard Connell and Robert Presnell. It was a huge success and would go on to be the film's sole Academy Award nomination for Best Original Story. Capra always wanted “the Coop” to play John Doe, but Barbara was his third choice for the hardened reporter after Ann Sheridan and Oliva de Havilland offers feel through. Here is a photo of Barbara Stanwyck. How could she be anyone’s third choice for anything.

Basically the film is about a "grassroots" political campaign created unwittingly by a newspaper columnist and pursued by a wealthy businessman. It became a box office hit. Though the film is less well known than other Frank Capra classics, it is highly regarded today. It was ranked #49 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers. In 1969, the film entered the public domain (in the USA) due to the claimants' failure to renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after release.

The film also includes other notable stars:
Edward Arnold - D.B. Norton

Walter Brennan - The Colonel

Spring Byington - Mrs. Mitchell

James Gleason - Henry Connell

Gene Lockhart - Mayor Lovett

Here is a photo of Walter Brennan adding his talents and charm.

And for a real shocker, the New York Times film critic of the era, Bosley Crowther, gushed over it.. He often did his job as a “critic” with inspiration picking apart some films that, since then, have withstood the test of time. This one he loved. Here is some of what he said in 1941 and here is the URL for the whole review:
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9501EFDD1E38E33BBC4B52DFB566838A659EDE&pagewanted=print

March 13, 1941
'Meet John Doe,' an Inspiring Lesson in Americanism, Opens at the Rivoli and Hollywood Theatres -- "The Roundup' and 'Mr. Dynamite' Also Here
By BOSLEY CROWTHER

Call him Joe Doakes or George Spelvin or just the great American yap—he is still the backbone of this country and as sturdy a citizen as there is. You've seen him at the ball parks, on buses, at county fairs and political rallies from coast to coast. You've even caught glimpses of him—and seen him squarely, too—in films once and again. But now you will see him about as clearly as Hollywood has ever made him out in Frank Capra's and Robert Riskin's superlative "Meet John Doe," which had its local premièere last evening at the Rivoli and Hollywood Theatres—you and countless other John Does. For, in spite of a certain prolixity and an ending which is obviously a sop, this is by far the hardest-hitting and most trenchant picture on the theme of democracy that the Messrs. Capra and Riskin have yet made—and a glowing tribute to the anonymous citizen, too.

Actually, this is not our first introduction to John Doe. Mr. Capra has already presented him under the names of Longfellow Deeds and Jefferson Smith, the fellows, you remember, who went to town and to Washington, respectively. He is the honest and forthright fellow—confused, inconsistent but always sincere—who believes in the basic goodness of people and has the courage to fight hard for principles. When he went to town, he was fighting for a vague but comprehensible social ideal; in Washington, his adversaries were those who would use the United States Senate for corrupt and venal purposes…”

Come and join us for a viewing of this old classic, a good cartoon and treats…it will help you forget the election ads and you might find out how this one passed the time test.

October Bluegrass in Bigfork from Monroe Crossing

2012-10-21T06:12:00.000-07:00

One of the country’s best Bluegrass bands will be in at The Edge Center in Bigfork this month to present their special music. Minnesota-based Monroe Crossing will both entertain and educate audiences during this visit with their artistic blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals. Known for their precise harmonies, sharp arrangements, and on-stage rapport, they are audience favorites across the United States and Canada. A no charge history of Bluegrass student performance in the afternoon and public evening concert will round out a full day of entertainment for the community. The date is Friday October 26. The evening concert at 7PM is $10 for adults, $5 children.

Since 2000 Monroe Crossing has released 11 CDs, a live concert DVD and has made over 1250 concert appearances throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. The band is made up of five very distinct personalities with differing musical backgrounds and tastes combining for a very unique ensemble sound. Above photo by James Guy.

Eighteen year old David Robinson joined Monroe Crossing in 2012. From a musical family, he developed an interest in folk music early. Inspired by musician and storyteller David Holt, he taught himself how to play many different instruments, including harmonica, mandolin and guitar. David took up the banjo at the age of 14 and has stuck with it ever since.

Singer/guitarist Derek Johnson joined Monroe Crossing at the beginning of 2011. From Moorhead, Minnesota, he moved to Minneapolis in 1993 and, for many years, he performed in a variety of rock and roll bands. Around the "turn of the century" Derek discovered bluegrass music and there’s been no turning back.

Originally from Nigeria, Lisa Fuglie learned mandolin from an old Bill Monroe 78rpm record. Excelling on many stringed instruments, she plays fiddle, mandolin and guitar with Monroe Crossing. She is an accomplished vocalist, prolific songwriter, solo performer, studio musician, and educator. She received the 2000 Female Vocalist of the Year Award (in the Related Music category) from the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association.

Mark Anderson came to Bluegrass after twenty years of playing bass and drums in a series of "alternative" groups. Nominated by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association as 2000 Bassist of the Year in both the Bluegrass and the Related Music categories, he is one of the best Bluegrass bass players in the Midwest. Mark wrote "He Did Rise" on the band's second gospel project, Into The Fire, and several other songs for Monroe Crossing. .

Matt Thompson is the band’s MC and arranger, is a superb singer, plus plays Mandolin and twin fiddle with the band. He received the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association's Bluegrass Mandolin Player of the Year Award in 2000.

Bill Monroe pictured below.

The 60-minute Bigfork afternoon multimedia History of Bluegrass presentation will discuss the origins of bluegrass with slides, video and audio clips of the 1st generation masters of bluegrass (Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, The Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin and others) with band renditions of artists from the 1940s to the present. Included is the decline of bluegrass in the 50's, the 60's folk music revival, impact of the bluegrass festival and movie/TV’s impact (The Beverly Hillbillies, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonnie & Clyde, Deliverance, O Brother, Where Art Thou?).

The band demonstrates the sound and versatility of all five instruments, how each contributes to the ensemble sound, and “brother duet” and 3-part harmony as they relate to a simple chord. Monroe Crossing’s paths crossed through the music of Bluegrass founder Bill Monroe so they like to say they had a “Monroe Crossing.”

Monroe Crossing Performing in a the Bluegrass Mass below (unknown location).

And if all this is not enough, Monroe Crossing will be the orchestra for the Carnegie Hall premier of "The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass" under the direction of Nancy Menk on February 18, 2013.

This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota State Arts Board through the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

“Stories for the Stage”…Presentation of Anne Frank in Bigfork

2012-10-19T16:40:00.002-07:00

The Stages Theatre Company (STC) of Hopkins presents "Stories for the Stage", an arts-integrated residency and touring project in Bigfork this month. Stories for the Stage provides selected middle schools with 60 hours of theatre arts residency programming. Concluding the arts residency is a free, public performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank” produced by STC. Eight adult actors and two STC perform this professional production. Although this is a school event, the performances will be at The Edge Center in Bigfork. They will be on Thursdsay Oct. 25 with a student performance at 6:15PM and general public at 7 PM

"The Diary of Anne Frank" was selected because it is required reading for many middle school students and the story provides a non-fictional depiction of a period in world history that had a major impact on world history. It also relates to the Minnesota State Arts Board’s desire to increase "understanding of the role that the arts play in daily life". The script for "The Diary of Anne Frank" is well written and time tested, and the film adaptation is also exceptional. Viewing the film provides an additional learning tool for students.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the State’s general fund and its arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Dr Strangelove Comes to Bigfork in October

2012-10-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

This movie is made to give you belly laughs no matter how you end up feeling about it. “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” is a black comedy to say the least. Peter Sellers goes above and beyond playing three different bizarre characters that show his comedic talents extremely well. And with costars George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, and Slim Pickens the film is packed with talent.

Because the movie, released in 1964, is about a mad US General who orders the first strike option on USSR during the cold war, you’d think the movie would include some sanity around to stop him. But sadly most of the other key characters are somewhat unhinged or inept too. Learn more when you see it along with an informative discussion about the movie at The Edge Center Theater in Bigfork Thursday, October 11th at 7PM. The movie is presented by the CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES with a cartoon from the same year and a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

Peter Sellers must have had a ball playing three different characters: Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffey and Dr. Strangelove. The director Stanley Kubrick probably had lots of challenges during the production making some sense of the chaos. But then it was his own fault being a co-writer with several others who eventually got into a squabble over who did what for the script. Who really did write Dr. Strangelove is so complicated that this blog would be too long to just clear up that one simple question. You can read more about who wrote it in this blog:

http://babylonwales.blogspot.com/2006/06/who-wrote-dr-strangelove.html.

Here is the pie fight final scene that got cut.

And the whole production thing was chaos too, and probably would make another strange film on its own. Things like having to be made in England because its star, Peter Sellers, could not leave the country, why the final scene was changed from a huge pie fight to a mushroom cloud of the bomb, and how Dr. Strangelove’s black arm with a will of its own came about are some of them. By the way Peter Sellers, as the President tells his staff at one point “Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.”

Peter Sellers as Dr. Strangelove

Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffey

Peter Sellers as Group Captain Lionel Mandrake

If you need any more reasons to come to Bigfork to see this movie, below read some of what the New York Times reviewer had to say in 1964 and see for your self why he was so frazzled by it. He even called it “dangerous”. Then read what the same newspaper said about it in 2004 with a different reviewer. The movie has passed the test of time and on its 40th anniversary in 2004 was called “…one of the greatest satires in American political or movie history….” Which is a considerable complement from the same newspaper by the different reviewer, Fred Kaplan.

New York Times By Bosley Crowther

Published: January 31, 1964 in the New York Times

“Stanley Kubrick's new film, called Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, is beyond any question the most shattering sick joke I've ever come across. And I say that with full recollection of some of the grim ones I've heard from Mort Sahl, some of the cartoons I've seen by Charles Addams, and some of the stuff I've read in Mad magazine.”

“For this brazenly jesting speculation of what might happen within the Pentagon and within the most responsible council of the President of the United States if some maniac Air Force general should suddenly order a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union is at the same time one of the cleverest and most incisive satiric thrusts at the awkwardness and folly of the military that has ever been on the screen. It opened yesterday at the Victoria and the Baronet.”

“My reaction to it is quite divided, because there is so much about it that is grand, so much that is brilliant and amusing, and much that is grave and dangerous...”

Read the rest of the review at:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF173DE367BC4950DFB766838F679EDE

2004 New York Times review by Fred Kaplan

Dr. Strangelove," Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film about nuclear-war plans run amok, is widely heralded as one of the greatest satires in American political or movie history. For its 40th anniversary, Film Forum is screening a new 35 millimeter print for one week, starting on Friday, and Columbia TriStar is releasing a two-disc special-edition DVD next month. One essential point should emerge from all the hoopla: "Strangelove" is far more than a satire. In its own loopy way, the movie is a remarkably fact-based and specific guide to some of the oddest, most secretive chapters of the Cold War...

Read the rest of the review at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/10/movies/10kapl.html?_r=1

The War Room from Dr. Strangelove