Theatre

​North Dakota play about mental health launches Midwest tour in August

July 1st, 2025

North Dakota play about mental health launches Midwest tour in August

By Alicia Underlee Nelson

alicia@hpr1.com

A new one-act play inspired by patients buried in the Old Cemetery at the Jamestown State Hospital will tour festivals in Omaha, St. Louis and Indianapolis after a Grand Forks debut at Empire Arts Center on August 3. North Dakota playwright Kathleen Coudle-King wrote the play, titled “There’s Something I Must Tell You,” over the course of two years, funded in part by…

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​Act Up Theatre presents ‘The Sound of Music’

June 9th, 2025

By Alicia Underlee Nelson

alicia@hpr1.com

Act Up Theatre, in partnership with Minnesota State University Moorhead, will present “The Sound of Music” on June 10-14. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. at the Minnesota State Moorhead’s Roland Dille Center for the Arts, located at 801 13 Street S. in Moorhead.

The beloved musical is directed by Craig Ellingson and features legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes, including “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” as well as the familiar title…

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Fun and games with the Barker Brothers

February 15th, 2024

By John Showalter

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

High Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What better way to do so than playing the part of a fellow game show host quizzing them on the particulars of their craft?

High Plains Reader: Ladies and gentlemen and children of ages, welcome to another issue of High Plains Reader! Tonight our two contestants are…

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The PROM

April 27th, 2023

By Eric Dallman

ericd@hpr1.com

We recently watched “The PROM” at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, and it was an experience that left a lasting impact on us.

The story, a heartwarming yet familiar one, follows a group of Broadway stars as they travel to a conservative Indiana town to help a lesbian high school student, Emma, bring her girlfriend to the prom.

It's a musical comedy that features catchy songs, dance numbers, heartwarming moments, and comedic scenes that touch on the tough issue…

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DPRCA Continues Longstanding Theatre Tradition

July 20th, 2022

By Jessica M. Hawkes

jmhawkes84@gmail.com

It wasn’t long after the founding of the railroad and river town of New Rockford that entertainment venues started to put down their own roots. Its population bolstered by booms of nearby farmers taking advantage of the Homestead Act and itinerant workers building the Great Northern Railway Line to the west, the community teemed and fed the growth of dance halls, dining rooms, churches, bars, and, perhaps surprisingly, theatres.

In the days…

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​Selected Summer Events

June 15th, 2022

By Brittney Goodman 

goodmanbritg@gmail.com

June

June 16 – 17 - Footloose presented by Thompson Theater – Empire Arts Center – Grand Forks, ND

June 17 – Brothers Osborne with Caitlyn Smith – Bluestem Amphitheater – Moorhead, MN

June 18 – 3 – 11 pm - West Fargo Street Fair, The Yards on Sheyenne, West Fargo, ND

June 18 – Dia Del Taco – Outdoors at Fargo Brewing, Fargo,…

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​State of the Stages: Entertainment Venues in the Red River Valley

June 15th, 2022

By Brittney Goodman 

goodmanbritg@gmail.com

The High Plains Reader reached out to many owners, operators, managers, and caretakers of performance venues in our area to see the “state of the stages.” We talked about enduring and coming back from COVID, their missions and visions, and the outlook for summer events and beyond.

The central theme when asked about their purpose and mission is to bring entertainment, arts, and…

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Digital Dragathon

December 1st, 2020

By Kris Gruber

perriex1@gmail.com

Drag shows, for me, feel like a celebration of artistry, esthetic, music, and camaraderie. With a dash of confetti thrown in.

The local drag community is a close-knit family. Giving back to affiliated organizations and the community itself is an integral part of LGBTQ+ events in our area. When a fellow performer is in need, members are quick to step in and help in any way they can.

On December 12th, Sophie La Piff Cruz (Eric Hamley) and Nyxx (Andrew…

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Creative Teamwork : Eloise Breikjern and FMCT

November 14th, 2020

By Kris Gruber

perriex1@gmail.com

Eloise Breikjern has been the Executive Director of Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre since 2013. She will retire in December.

High Plains Reader spoke to her about the strength of her staff, the importance of the patrons, and the skills and creativity gleaned from working during COVID-19.

HIGH PLAINS READER: There must be countless special moments that you have experienced with your staff in your work with FMCT. Is there one that jumps to mind, that you can…

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Local lore and more: Ghostly Trollwood Trail & Tales Variety Show

October 21st, 2020

By Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

We’ve all taken a stroll through a haunted house this time of year but have you ever thought about taking a guided walk through a haunted park? Trollwood Park holds both a lot of history and a lot of mystery. Before it was home to Trollwood performing arts school it was home to the Cass County Hospital and Poor Farm was once the site of the county’s “pauper cemetery.” Close to 300 graves were moved to a different location in the 1990s, yet there…

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