The Grand Marais Playhouse is OPEN! Yes, things look a little different but theater is happening. While we wait until the opening night that brings us all together in the shared space of the theater, the Playhouse is busy teaching theater, cleaning spaces, writing and in rehearsal!
Yes, we are in rehearsal with the production of The Remarkable Susan by Tim Kelly. It is a short play about the trial of Susan B. Anthony.
This production will be live-streamed from the Cook County courthouse on Monday, October 26 and Tuesday, October 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available on the Grand Marais Playhouse website. Ticket purchasers will receive a digital program, a link and a code to access the live production. Tickets are $5 for individuals, $10 for families and $50 for show supporters. All donations of any amount made on our website between now and October 27 will also receive the show information.
The Remarkable Susan
The Remarkable Susan cast starting in front L-R: Bryn Fitzgerald Wells, Claire Smith, and Saira Smith. Not pictured: Kaylee Selin. Back row: Jane Gellner, Kevin Kager, Diane Stoddard (on screen) Ella Hedstrom, and Bob Padzieski. Photo courtesy of Sue Hennessy
Susan B. Anthony is on trial for the crime of casting a ballot! Tempers flare, animosities run high, and insults are flung as the fiery defendant challenges the ruling of the court-determined to resist bigotry and injustice.
The Remarkable Susan is a play not only of courage, but also of dramatic force and theatrical vitality inspired by a truly remarkable woman.
This production is performed in modern dress, as the struggle for rights is timeless.
The run time of the play is about 25 minutes.
The ability to livestream is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to appropriations from the Minnesota State Legislature’s general and arts and cultural heritage funds.
November 14 fundraiser
Next the Playhouse will be holding a virtual fundraiser November 14. We call this the “No Show” as this would have been the time of our fall play. Community members will perform songs, readings and maybe even a short play to remind you why we love this “little theater” even after 49 years! The fundraiser will be posted on the Playhouse website 7 p.m. on Saturday November 14. If you would like to contribute an act, please contact sue@grandmaraisplayhouse. It will be a lot of fun as we raise funds to support the Playhouse through this challenging time. The Playhouse continues to provide this community with high quality theater and educational programing.
School programs
The Playhouse started its first after-school program with performance sessions on Tuesdays and tech sessions on Thursdays for students in grades 3-8. Kids are learning skills in many areas of the theater. These skills will soon be put to use in upcoming youth productions. This program is supported by a grant from the Cook County Community Fund.
The Playhouse has been working on its long term strategic and succession planning. Part of that planning has been to increase its educational offerings. The after-school program is part of this growth. Last fall the Playhouse met with teachers to discuss in-school residencies; to use the skills and activities of theater to engage students in new ways of learning. We had our first one in conjunction with Cinderella Tales in March. The Playhouse will be working in the schools this winter and spring through support from a grant from the Arrowhead Electric Operation Round-up. Plans are still being finalized with teachers in each elementary school, as well as the middle school and high school. The Playhouse also received support from the Henry and Sarah Wheeler Historical Awareness Fund to work with the Sawtooth Elementary School’s Social Studies program. Playhouse Director Sue Hennessy will work with each K-5 class to create a production based on different areas from local history, which will be performed at the end of the school year.
The school youth productions may look a little different this fall as all productions will be filmed. The grades 3-8 production will be split into more productions with smaller casts. The tales from last winter’s production of “Cinderella Tales”, which closed on opening night due to COVID-19, will be broken into the individual tales. The first will begin rehearsal in November with a virtual event in December. The high school production is still being discussed with the graduating theater students. The high school production will be performed via livestream in early March. All rehearsals will be in person if possible or through Zoom, if necessary. Ten Minute Play Festival
Beginning in December, the Playhouse will begin work on a Ten Minute Play Festival. The first part will be workshops in playwriting, acting and directing. Then the participants will pool their talents to bring the plays to life.
The Playhouse received a grant for $20,000 from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation to continue it’s programing and adapt its strategic plan to the new reality that the coronavirus has placed on our community. The Playhouse will call 2020 a “pause” year and continue its plans to celebrate its 50th season in 2022 when (hopefully) we can gather together in the theater to hear musicals, comedies and dramas live!
The Playhouse has also received support from Cook County Cares for its COVID-19 adaptations in safety equipment and adapting to contactless ticketing.
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