This year’s Festival features two comedies chosen with summer fun in mind. In Nunsense: the Mega Musical, the sisters of Mount Saint Helen of Hoboken put on a fundraiser to raise money to bury four dead sisters.
The cast is Rena Rogers, Karina Roth, Karen Blackburn, Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux, Michaela Peterson, Jan Healy, Don Grant, Daniel Ditmanson and Gerry Grant.
In Nana’s Naughty Knickers, grandma (Jan Healy) is caught operating an illegal boutique from her apartment, much to the dismay of her granddaughter (Yvonne Block). Other performers are Julie Fredlund, Karl Olson, Ron McClellan, Jane Gellner, Bill Shaffer and Tina Krauz.
Performances of Nunsense: the Mega Musical are July 17, 19, 25 27, 31, Aug. 2, 8 and 10. Performances of Nana’s Naughty Knickers are July 18, 20, 24, 26, Aug. 1, 3, 7 and 9. Show times are Thursday – Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., except for Fisherman’s Picnic, Aug 3, when the show begins at 3 p.m. following the parade. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students under 18. Save $5 by purchasing a ticket to both shows. As always, the first Sunday matinee is donation day; pay any amount to see the performance.
The Grand Marais Playhouse has two delightful plays in repertory in July and August. Left: A few of the sisters of Mount Saint Helen of Hoboken (actually Karen Blackburn and Karina Roth) getting a little rowdy in Nunsense: the Mega Musical. Below: The audience is sure to share the shock of the granddaughter (Yvonne Block, on the right) when she discovers that her grandmother (Jan Healy) is operating an illegal boutique in Nana’s Naughty Knickers.
There are only seven days until opening night. More than two dozen people are busily working on the roles, costumes, props, stage. With two shows alternating performances, there is plenty of work to do. Set construction and painting continue from 10:00 to 4:00. Everyone is invited to help out. Please use the backstage door when you come. Ushers are still needed for some performances. Contact the Playhouse at 218-387-1284 or playhouse@boreal.org for more information about volunteering or the shows.
The reasons why people volunteer at the Playhouse are as varied as the people themselves. Personally, I fall into the “retired theater junkie” category. Like the other volunteers, I have enjoyed theater for many years as part of the audience. When time allowed, I answered Sue Hennessy’s request for help with stage construction and showed up at the Playhouse door in my painting clothes. I painted anything Sue pointed at, from the underside of a staircase to the sunset backdrop for Treasure Island. I got involved in other ways, too, such as sewing costumes and ushering. I was happy, as an introvert should be, just seeing my handiwork on the stage during performances and getting my name in the Playbill.
Eventually I realized that the people in the spotlight were having more fun. I took a deep breath and tried out for a role. This summer I will be in my third play, Nunsense: the Mega Musical. I’m still helping with the set and costumes, though, because I’m not in this for the adrenaline rush of performance. There are many parts to putting on a show and I enjoy watching them come together, just in time for opening night.
The best part of being in theater is working with talented people to create something uniquely ours. Each person brings something special to his or her character and encourages others in the cast to do the same. A special camaraderie develops during the long weeks of rehearsal and culminates on opening night. For eight performances, the cast does its best to charm the audience with a story and characters that exist only on the stage. Then they are gone forever. For me, that is theater magic.
Playhouse participant Gerry Grant provides this behindthe scenes look at Grand Marais Playhouse activities.
Playhouse Summer Festival “After Party”
After Nunsense: the Mega Musical July 17
After Nana’s Naughty Knickers July 24
Sydney’s Frozen Custard on Broadway.
Tickets – $10 at the door or
purchase on-line at www.tix.com
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