Theatre

Trollwood production examines life in someone else’s shoes

July 10th, 2019

Photograph by Joy Photography

The annual mainstage summer musical, produced by Trollwood Performing Arts School and sponsored by Bell Bank, opens Thursday, July 11. This year’s performance is Disney’s “Freaky Friday.” Trollwood Performing Arts School’s website describes the musical as a, “classic story of a mother and daughter magically swapping bodies and, as a result, learning what life is like by spending a day in each other’s shoes.”

“‘Freaky Friday’ is a new musical and Trollwood Performing…

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​‘Weather the Storm’ blows into Bonanzaville

June 19th, 2019

Weather the Storm - photograph provided by Tracy Frank

The Cass Act Players will take the stage this weekend to bring “Weather the Storm” to Bonanzaville’s Dawson Hall in West Fargo.

“Weather the Storm” is a musical based on the infamous tornado that hit Fargo’s Golden Ridge neighborhood, killing 12 and destroying over 300 homes, in 1957. Local residents Tracy Frank and Topher Williams collaborated on the project.

“‘Weather the Storm’ is a story of community and, ultimately, it’s a story of a fractured community –…

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​MSUM’s regionally acclaimed Straw Hat Players opens 56th season

June 12th, 2019

Straw Hat Players - photograph  by Dave Arntson, MSUM Photographer

By Amber Westereng

Minnesota State University Moorhead’s (MSUM) Straw Hat Players has performed more than 300 shows during their 56 years and has groomed more than 2,000 actors, technicians, and crew for careers in the theatre industry. The Straw Hat Players kicked off their season in June with “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” but many may wonder, who are they?

MSUM’s summer theatre company is a dedicated 50-person crew comprised of actors and off-set staff who work 10-hour days,…

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​FM Opera’s 50th Season Capped Off with Carmen

April 10th, 2019

Carmen - photograph provided by John Showalter

Countless examples can be found throughout the history of great art that was only recognized as such after the life of the artist that created it. Such is true of Georges Bizet’s opera "Carmen."  While its reception during his lifetime could be arguably be referred to as ‘lukewarm’, it went on to become of the most widely performed and recognized works in the opera repertoire. One would think that a story of love, jealousy, revenge, and a fiery femme fatale would have perennial…

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​Macbeth opens at Fargo South

April 10th, 2019

Joey and Elizabeth Wilhelmi practice at Fargo South - photograph provided by Ryan Janke

Macbeth is set to open at Fargo South High School Theatre Thursday, April 11 and will run through Sunday. The show will be filled with betrayal, thirst for power, sorrow, and revenge for an action-packed two hours. It will also bring one real-life family full-circle as they all contribute to the production of the play.

Macbeth (played by Blaze Remmen), was written by William Shakespeare and is the story of a Scottish general who is told by three witches that he will one day rule…

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​Celebrating 50 Years with Three Decembers

February 13th, 2019

Anne Jennifer Nash as Beatrice - photograph provided by FM Opera

To many people unfamiliar with the wide range of the musical genre, the word ‘opera’ conjures up stereotypical images of people in period costumes and large women in Viking garb singing in foreign languages. The truth, however, is that opera has continued to evolve over its life as an art form. FM Opera, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has been introducing people to the wide range opera can take as an art form during its long tenure in Fargo.

Recently, I had the…

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​HAIR: Presented by the MSUM University Theater

January 30th, 2019

HAIR - presented by MSUM University Theater - photograph provided by Craig Ellingson

By Nataly Routledge
natalyroutledge@googlemail.com

If you put today and the early 1970’s on a timeline, you’d find close to 50 years spanning between the two. That’s half a century, arguably a long time in the life of a human. Simultaneously, many people live to be much older than 50, and there are thousands of people across communities that can recall where they were at in life 50 years ago.

A group called Minnesota Remembers Vietnam based out of the Twin Cities intends on reviving…

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A Christmas Story: The Musical continues at The Stage

December 12th, 2018


by Ryan Janke
ryan.janke78@gmail.com

Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Story: The Musical” which is underway at the Stage at Island Park and will run through December 22. It has been promoted as a show both fans of the original movie as well as those new to the story will love.

“A Christmas Story: The Musical” is based on the 1983 movie of the same name and is fun for the whole family. It includes all the same characters and scenes that fans have grown to love…

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FM Ballet’s dreamy holiday production

December 12th, 2018

by Gabrielle Hersch
gabbyhersch@gmail.com

Listening to Christmas music as I decorated my tree this weekend, I couldn’t help but find myself drawn into a sort of eerie, mystifying melody. It took several moments before I recognized the familiar and alluring “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

As the lovely, unearthly tune played, I found myself thinking about the dreamy surrealism that I often feel during the Christmas season. Dark rooms only illuminated by the glowing lights on the…

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Theater B Presents ‘The Santaland Diaries’

November 28th, 2018

photography by Tucker Lucas

by Nataly Routledge
natalyroutledge@googlemail.com

MOORHEAD—Do you like theater? Do you have about 85 minutes of spare time? If your answers to these questions were yes, then it would be advantageous for you to know about Theater B’s ongoing production “The Santaland Diaries.” Based on the essay written by David Sedaris, this one-man show runs from now until December 15th.

David Sedaris’ essay centers around an account of his time as a Christmas elf at Macy’s. Traditionally the…

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