Day Trip Destinations: Lanesboro
By Tanner Kent
Lanesboro’s 16th annual Ibsen Festival I
f you’ve never been to Lanesboro, April 12-14 is a good time for an introduction. The idyllic southeastern Minnesota hamlet is home to only 750 people, no stoplights and not a single franchise. Ensconced along the Root River, Lanesboro’s combination of smalltown charm and scenic surroundings have earned multiple inclusions in various best-of lists, including: 100 Best Small Art Towns, 50 Best Outdoor Sports Towns and 20 Best Dream Towns. Lanesboro has been further dubbed the “Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota” as well as the “Rhubarb Capital of Minnesota.” It could also be called the “Henrik Ibsen Capital of Minnesota.” On April 12-14, Lanesboro will host the 16th annual Ibsen Festival, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting the plays of the Norwegian playwright whose genius, some believe, is rivaled only by Shakespeare himself.
The festival is sponsored by the Commonweal Theatre, a professional stage company housed in a $3.5 million, 200-seat theater. “To my knowledge, we are the only company committed to doing an Ibsen every single, solitary year,” said Adrienne Sweeney, associate artistic director for the Commonweal. This year, the Commonweal is performing an adaptation of “A Doll’s House,” Ibsen’s profound masterpiece that is considered the most performed play in the world. The adaptation is by acclaimed Twin Cities playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, with whom Commonweal has collaborated several times in the past. But an Ibsen performance is only one aspect of the festival. This year’s event includes a play by Ibsen’s contemporary and playwrighting rival August Strindberg as well as presentations by such Ibsen luminaries as: Astrid Saether, former Director for the Centre of Ibsen Studies; Amal Allana,
Mankato
chair of the National School of Drama in Delhi, India; and Nissar Allana, director of the annual Delhi Ibsen Festival. Other events include art galleries, dance performances and book talks. Almost all of the events are free. “This is always a very, very special weekend for us,” Sweeneys said. “We are very excited.” For a full lineup of events and other information, visit www.ibsenfest.org. M
Wykoff’s cozy confines What’s a road trip without spending a night in jail? In Wykoff, just a 20-minute drive from Lanesboro, the Jail Haus Bed and Breakfast can accommodate — without any of the hassle of getting arrested. Unlike other jails-turned-touristIt doesn’t get much cozier — or more confined — attractions, the 1913 city jail still retains its iron bars and bunk beds. than the Jail Haus Bed and Breakfast in Wykoff. 48 • april 2013 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
If you get out on good behavior, visit the nearby Ed’s Museum, the legacy of a notorious Wykoff junk collector who “gifted” his curious collection of things most people throw away to the town when he died in 1989. For accommodations at the Jail Haus, call 507-352-4205.