Theatre

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…

Read more...


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…

Read more...


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…

Read more...


​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,…

Read more...


​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…

Read more...


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…

Read more...


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…

Read more...


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…

Read more...


Making strangers laugh again

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…

Read more...


Theatre Means Breathing Together

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…

Read more...


Tracker Pixel for Entry MidwestRoadTripAdventures Tracker Pixel for Entry Nicholeshotdish Tracker Pixel for Entry GardeningSaturday Tracker Pixel for Entry Aquarium Tracker Pixel for Entry UNDWritersConference2 Tracker Pixel for Entry FargoFilmFestivalTeaser1

Recently in:

By Laura Simmonslaurasimmons2025@u.northwestern.edu Gerald Briggs, the Warren County Mississippi Fire/EMS chief, was at a festival in February 2020 when a local law enforcement officer asked him if he had heard about the explosion…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu Dwight Herr interviewed his father, Julius E. Herr of Wishek, North Dakota, in June 1979. Dwight provided a transcription and donated the “Life Story of Julius E. Herr” to the Germans…

Saturday, March 1611 a.m.Downtown FargoWear something green and celebrate spring during Fargo-Moorhead’s premier parade. Thousands of spectators line the streets, so arrive early to snag a prime spot. This community celebration…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com When one googles “What traits are desirable in a new employee,” some of the first words that pop up “from sources around the web” include “communication,” “team player,”…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comPoliticians could learn a lot by watching dung beetles work for a livingThe 400,000 species of beetles is the largest order of insects discovered on Planet Earth, so far. Insect researchers believe…

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 In this land of hotdish and ham, the knoephla soup of German-Russian heritage seems to reign supreme. In my opinion though, the French have the superior soup. With a cheesy top layer, toasted baguette…

The Aquarium, 226 Broadway North upstairs, Downtown FargoFriday, December 8, 7:30-11pmDoors 7:30 pm // Music 8 pm21+ // $10 advance // $12 DOSOver two decades, Christmas songs have appeared throughout Owen Ashworth’s recorded…

Now playing at the Fargo Theatre.By Greg Carlson gregcarlson1@gmail.comPalme d’Or recipient “Anatomy of a Fall” is now enjoying an award-season victory tour, recently picking up Golden Globe wins for both screenplay and…

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the pursuit of knowledge has directed humankind to new horizons – the ocean depths, the infinite reach of space, and the hidden secrets of cells and microbes…or to Artificial Intelligence, which…

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 John Showalter  john.d.showalter@gmail.comThey sell fentanyl test strips and kits to harm-reduction organizations and…

JANUARY 19, 1967– MARCH 8, 2023 Brittney Leigh Goodman, 56, of Fargo, N.D., passed away unexpectedly at her home on March 8, 2023. Brittney was born January 19, 1967, to Ruth Wilson Pollock and Donald Ray Goodman, in Hardinsburg,…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On the first day of the month I ask people to thank a journalist they know or someone who contributes to papers in some meaningful way. When I grew up, my best friend's father was a journalist…