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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
December 1st, 2020
By Kris Gruber
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…
November 14th, 2020
By Kris Gruber
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…
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…
October 7th, 2020
By Scott Ecker
notharrisonford@gmail.com
Like many artists the quarantine seemed like a great opportunity to finally get around to some writing. I mean what else was I going to do? Looking on the bright side of oblivion, I could at least be productive.
I did a fair amount of writing that I am happy with. But overall COVID hasn’t been a great motivator. Part of it is that there isn’t a safe way to interact with an audience. My background is in improv, which I believe was created to give…
October 7th, 2020
by Monika Browne-Ecker
monikabrowne4@gmail.com
Thinking back on February and the beginning of March, I recall conversations I had with my family here and outside of the US about the truthfulness of the news surrounding this new pandemic. Skepticism gave way to concern and real fear as the days went by with news stories from Italy and the death count they reported. COVID-19 became a reality in the middle of March as my colleague and I scrambled to pack our offices as fast and as best as…
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By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Rodeo is a family tradition for sisters Kate and Tera Flitton. The duo performs under the moniker Stellar Trick Riding Cowgirls. The Utah natives will be performing along with bareback riders,…
Saturday, April 19, 8 p.m. doors open at 7 p.m.Fargo Theatre, 314 N Broadway, FargoCheck out this cult classic on the big screen as a live band performs along with David Bowie’s vocals, all while basking in the Art Deco glory…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com I feel like reading a newspaper is the equivalent of listening to music on vinyl. Not only is it analog, it’s an experience. I might be a little biased, but there's something about the rustling…
By Ed Raymondfargogadly@gmail.comThe wizards and kleagles in whites now wear blue suits and red tiesA hundred years ago, more than 30,000 members of the Ku Klux Klan from virtually every state in the Union wearing their white…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Photos by Rick GionLiving in downtown Fargo has its perks. One of them is taking walks along Broadway and peeking into the restaurants and shops for a glimpse of what’s new. Sometimes this makes a…
Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Given the volume of existing media material on the topic, longtime admirers of legendary documentarian Errol Morris might wonder why he would elect to become the umpteenth person to cover the…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comPhoto by Chad Nodland, "Artistic Freedom"On January 19, 2025, the last full day of Joe Biden’s presidency, he commuted Leonard Peltier's two consecutive life sentences to home confinement at his…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh 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…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…
By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…
By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…
