15 minute read
Holiday Theater in Southern Minnesota
from SCENE DECEMBER 2022
by Kate Noet
Holiday Theater
An image from 2021’s “A Christmas Carol” at Rochester Repertory Theatre. This year, the group is doing “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” as its holiday show.
in Southern Minnesota
By TOM NELSON Guest Contributor
The holidays are all about tradition, and catching a seasonal performance at one of the region’s many community and professional theaters is a perfect way to celebrate this special time of year with family and friends. The seasonal offerings provided by Southern Minnesota theaters at this time of year range from longtime stage favorites, like “The Nutcracker” or Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” to regional comedic takes on the holiday season — many of which are set to a soundtrack of perennial holiday hit songs.
Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault - A Christmas Carol
Included in this list is The Merlin Players’ (TMP) performance of “A Christmas Carol” at the Paradise Theater in downtown Faribault. After 28 years of bringing affordable professional theater to over 40,000 spectators, this will mark the final performance for The Merlin Players.
The choice of “A Christmas Carol” is fitting as TMP also opened the newly renovated Paradise Theater in 2007 with A Christmas Carol. At that time, this was the first live theater performance at the Paradise in over 70 years. This year’s production of “A Christmas Carol” will be led by Director Sam Temple and Technical Director Matthew Boyd.
“The Merlin Players’ history goes back to 1995,” Temple said. “The first production that the Merlin Players did at the renovated Paradise was ‘A Christmas Carol,’ so that is the significance of doing this story again. We have a lot of heavy hitters from The Merlin Players in this show, including some folks who were in the original Merlin Players production when the Paradise first reopened, so that has been really special.”
TMP Board President Steven Searl will take the stage in the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge for this year’s production. Temple, who began his association with TMP as a child in one of the past Christmas productions, said the company has been a regional hub for theatrical talent over the years.
“Faribault is the confluence of the Straight and Cannon Rivers, and the Paradise is kind of the confluence of the art scene where you get folks coming from all over the region,
(Photo courtesy of Tom Nelson)
Technical director Matthew Boyd (left) talks with two cast members during rehearsal for A Christmas Story. The group is wearing masks to prevent any potential illness spread during rehearsal, but they won’t have any during the live performances.
Technical director Matthew Boyd during a recent rehearsal for A Christmas Carol at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault. (Photo courtesy of Tom Nelson)
including Northfield and Owatonna,” he said.
He added, “Part of the legacy of this group are all the people who have been brought up in the Merlin Players, including myself. It has been really fun to see a mix of the veterans and young and older folks who are just getting into it for the first time.”
Temple said audiences can expect an exciting new take on “A Christmas Carol” at the Paradise: “We want to throw everything at it to make it a full meal of a show. We want folks to leave fully satisfied with their experience.”
On top of an outstanding cast and script adapted to the stage by Romulus Linney, TMP’s production will incorporate puppetry, innovate stage engineering, the Fezziwig dance scene, surround sound and live music with original compositions from noted local composer Sam Dwyer.
“In terms of a different take on A Christmas Carol, this is a ghost story,” Temple said. “Dickens wrote a pretty intense story here. So we are trying to make the scary moments as ghoulishly fun as they can be and also make the happy holiday moments as magical and heart-warming as they can be.”
Temple continued, “This show has been a fun challenge. We have a really good script that captures all of the things people
Technical director Matthew Boyd (left) and director Sam Temple (right) watch the cast rehearse a scene from the A Christmas Carol. (Photo courtesy of Tom Nelson)
come to expect from A Christmas Carol and our challenge with this show is to try and keep the audience on their toes. We want to present the familiar in a new and exciting way, so even if you know the story, you are still going to be surprised and enthralled in how it is being presented.”
TMP’s presentation of “A Christmas Carol” will run Dec. 2-4 and Dec. 8-10 at the Paradise Arts Center.
The holiday season at the Paradise will also include a visit from Mick Sterling as he brings A Grand Ole Opry Christmas to Faribault on Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The festive presentation features Sterling along with lead vocalists Cate Fierro, Shalo Lee, Lisi Wright and Dan Neale.
For ticket information please contact the Paradise Center for the Arts box office at 507-332-7372 or visit its website at paradisecenterforthearts.org.
DalekoArts, New Prague - White Christmas & Chris Smith’s White Chrismith
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Berlin’s “White Christmas” at the historic Prague Theater this holiday season. DalekoArts will also offer their original holiday musical comedy “Chris Smith’s White Chrismith” during December 2022.
Based upon the beloved 1950s movie starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney, White Christmas follows veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis who have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander.
“Chris Smith’s White Chrismith” centers on a beloved local holiday character that DalekoArts created many years ago - Chris Smith. As the story goes, Chris wasn’t cast in Daleko’s production of White Christmas, but instead of getting angry, he’s getting even. He breaks into the Prague Theater on an off day to perform his one-man tribute to Irving Berlin, and give the local townspeople the holiday show they so richly deserve, or so he believes.
“White Christmas” runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays 2:00 p.m. from Nov. 25 to Dec. 18. “Chris Smith’s White Chrismith” runs Sundays through Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. from Nov. 27 to Dec. 20.
“DalekoArts’ first season was in 2013, so we’re currently in our 11th season,” Artistic Director Ben Thietje said. “We’ve had a holiday production every year since 2015, when we produced our first original holiday show, Main Street Holiday.”
Founded by Thietje and Amanda White, DalekoArts located in New Prague due to the community’s strong interest in theater, the area’s growth in recent years along with its proximity to the Twin Cities. Of note, the cast and crew for all of the DalekoArts productions are local theater artists from throughout the metro area.
Tickets on sale at DalekoArts (110 Main St. E., New Prague) at 952-314-9077 or dalekoarts. com. Advanced ticket purchases are recommended since the holiday shows tend to sell very quickly and seating is limited.
The Guild Theater, Northfield - Mrs. Moxie’s Home for the Holidays
Join Northfield’s very own country drag queen housewife Mrs. Moxie as she frets about getting ready the holidays in Mrs. Moxie’s Home of the Holiday, which will take place at the Guild Theater in Northfield on Dec. 2-3. The show will feature some of Mrs. Moxie’s fun holiday stories along with favorite seasonal songs and a visit from a special guest of two.
Tickets are on sale at the Northfield Arts Guild (304 Division Street in Northfield) or online at www.northfieldartsguild.org
The Mankato Playhouse - Who Kidnapped Santa Claus
A late scheduling change will bring the Christmas whodunit mystery “Who Kidnapped Santa Claus” to The Mankato Playhouse this holiday season.
With only a few days before Christmas, the North Pole discovers that Santa is missing and it’s up audience members, to figure out Whodunit.
During the performance, the audience reviews the clues, alibis, and motives for the usual suspects like the elves, Mrs. Claus or reindeer - or maybe some other jealous holiday suspect, such as the Fourth of July’s Uncle Sam, the Easter Bunny, Lucky the St. Patrick’s Day leprechaun, Wanda the Halloween Witch … remember, the audience will help solve the Christmas mystery.
The show will run Dec. 15-18 at the theater in downtown Mankato. A dinner option is available, which includes salad, bread, entree, dessert and gratuity. You do not need to purchase the dinner option to attend the show, but you must make dinner reservations in advance.
“Mankato Playhouse opened in September of 2019 and this is the third Christmas show we have done,” Executive and Artistic Director David Holmes said. “We had to postpone our 2020 Christmas show due to COVID, or this would have been the fourth annual Christmas show.”
Established in 2019, The Mankato Playhouse and Davori Productions Co. was founded by David and Lori Holmes as a way to provide the local and surrounding communities an opportunity to experience and be involved in quality musical theater. The cast and crew of productions at The Mankato Playhouse are all local volunteer actors and actresses from the greater Mankato area.
Tickets on sale from The Mankato Playhouse (12 Civic Plaza Suite 1700) in Mankato at 507317-1245 or mankatoplayhouse.com.
State Street Theater Company, New Ulm - A Christmas Carol
The Rochester Repertory Theatre Company will present “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” on Dec. 1-3 and Dec. 8-10 at 7:00 p.m. and on Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. at 103 Seventh St. NE in Rochester.
The audience will go back to 1939 in Atlanta, Georgia. Gone with the Wind is making its premiere, Germany has invaded Poland but Atlanta’s Jewish families are more concerned with who is going to ‘Ballyhoo’ - the social event of the season. This includes the Freitag’s, who struggle to find their place in the United States and with each other in this holiday comedy about family, friends, identity and celebration.
“The Rep is currently in its 39th Season of producing theatre here in Rochester,” Managing Director Philip Muehe said. “We began in 1984 and have been delighting audiences ever since. The Rep is run by hundreds of dedicated volunteers each season. Each year we aim to produce a holiday show that will offer our community a special treat to ring in the season.”
He added, “The entire cast, crew and design team (of The Last Night Ballyhoo) is made up of local talent and volunteers.”
For more information on tickets or the Rochester Repetory Theatre Company, visit www. rochesterrep.org or call the box office at 507289-1737.
Tickets on sale at Rochester Repertory Theatre Company at 507-289-1737 or rochesterrep.org,
The State Street Theater Company (SSTC) in New Ulm will present its production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” on Dec. 2-4. Follow the classic holiday tale of the miserable miser Ebenezer Scrooge as he journeys through Christmas past, present and the future to discover the true meaning of what really matters for the season, and life.
The performances will be staged in the State Street Theater, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project which was built as part of the former New Ulm High School in the 1930s.
The cast and crew for productions at the SSTC primarily come from New Ulm but performers and stage technicians for A Christmas Carol also come from many nearby communities. The mission of the SSTC is “to foster the joy and art of theater; to responsibly care for and interpret its historic site and murals and to provide its spaces to the regional community.” The State Street Theater will also An Intimate Christmas with Lorie Line on Dec. 16. This evening of holiday music by acclaimed artist Lorie Line will begin at 7 p.m. For more information or tickets for events at the State Street Theater in New Ulm, call 507-3599990 or statestreetnewulm.org.
MORE OPTIONS
A variety of other holiday stage performances at locations near southern Minnesota are listed below.
A scene from A Celtic Holiday Hooley at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre.
Ames Center, Burnsville - The Nutcracker
The Ames Center in Burnsville will once again offer a wide range of holiday music performances throughout the month of December. The list includes Rocky Mountain High Experience, A John Denver Christmas on Dec. 2, An Intimate Christmas with Lorie Line on Dec. 3, the Dakota Valley Symphony and Chorus’ performance of Handel’s Messiah on Dec. 4, Shaun Johnson’s The Big Band Christmas Tour on Dec. 12, Tonic Sol-Fa’s Misfit Tour on Dec. 13, Anthony Shore’s Christmas with Elvis on Dec. 14, A Motown Christmas on Dec. 15, Hitchville Country Christmas on Dec. 17 and An Andy & Bing Christmas on Dec. 18.
The holiday schedule will also include the Twin Cities Ballet’s Minnesota Nutcracker on Dec. 9-11. The show provides a Minnesota twist on the beloved holiday classic. The costumes and choreography portray iconic Minnesota characters and landscapes and have created a regional holiday classic.
For ticket information on any of the holiday events at the Ames Center, visit ames-center.com or call 952-895-4685.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres - Assorted holiday stage offerings
Up at the Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, the holiday will be celebrated with a variety of stage of performances including musical events such as the Rock & Roll Xmas Spectacular on Dec. 1-4 and Dec. 7-1, Christmas With a Whole Lot of Soul on Dec. 14, A Kat Perkins Christmas on Dec. 15-17, Christmas on the Prairie on Dec. 21-23 and and An Andy and Bing Christmas on Dec. 26-30.
Chanhassen will also bring back the Celtic Holiday Hooley on Dec. 18-20, which will include Irish music, sketches, step dancing and carols all presented by the O’Shea Irish Dancers. The choreography and music is the work of original Riverdancer, Cormac O’Sé of Dublin. In addition, Chanhassen throughout the holiday season will present Mistletoe Mischief in Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret. The show features comedy sketches, improv and songs to celebrate the season. Of note, the popular musical Footloose will continue its run on the Chanhassen main stage through February 2023.
For complete information on the performances and tickets, visit chanhassendt.com or call 952-934-1525.
Lakeville Area Arts Center - A Christmas Carol Radio Play
Turn back the clock to the days of classic radio shows at the Lakeville Area Arts Center with its production of A Christmas Carol Radio Play on Dec. 16-18. The Dickens’ holiday classic comes to life as a 1940s radio broadcast on the stage of the Lakeville Arts Center. The performers use live sound effects and musical highlights to tell the story, which even includes vintage “commercials” from the era.
For more information about A Christmas Carol Radio Play, visit lakevilleareaartscenter.com or call 952-985-4640.
The Mantorville Theatre Company - The Nutcracker’s Nuts
If you act fast, you can catch the final performances of the The Nutcracker’s Nuts at the historic Mantorville Opera House. This wacky comedy based on the Christmas classic Nutcracker began its run on Nov. 18 and will conclude with performances on Dec. 2, Dec. 3 and Dec. 4. The Nutcracker’s Nuts tells the tale of the resident’s of Simon’s Rest, a retirement community in Frankfort, Mich., who have been complaining about the quality of their annual production of A Christmas Carol. The person playing Scrooge can’t remember his lines anymore and Tiny Tim is six feet tall. They opt to put on a production of The Nutcracker but before the cast realizes it is a ballet, it is too late since the show is sold out. Hijinks follow and this may be your only opportunity to see The Nutcracker performed with walkers.
Tickets available at mantorvilletheatrecompany.com or by calling 507-635-5420.
Paramount Theatre, Austin - A Very Roxi Christmas
Celebrate the holidays in Roxi style with Las Vegas glitz, glamour, seasonal songs and laughs as the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Minn. welcomes entertainer Roxi Manacoochi and A Very Roxi Christmas to the stage on Dec. 10.
For more information, visit austinareaarts.org/paramountevents or call 507-434-0934.
Becoming stage-worthy Mrs Moxie takes between two and three hours of primping. (Photo courtesy of Craig Moxness)
The Sheldon Theatre will offer a full lineup of holiday themed performances during the month of December. An Intimate Christmas with Lori Line will start the season on Dec. 4 followed on Dec. 7 with An Andy and Bing Christmas. Other holiday music performances include Soul of the Season on Dec. 10 and The New Standards Holiday Show on Dec. 17 at the Sheldon. A Christmas tradition at the Sheldon, The Continental Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker will take stage on Dec. 15. Last year’s performance of The Nutcracker was sold out at the Sheldon.
Another special Sheldon Theatre offering is Lightwire: A Very Electric Christmas on Dec. 20. The audience can follow the story of a young bird, named Max and his family, as they head south for the winter. When Max gets blown off course and ends up at the North Pole the adventure begins. This unique and electroluminescent stage presentation includes dancing toy soldiers, caroling worms and performing poinsettia’s. The story is for all ages and it is set to timeless holiday hits, including Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey and Tchaikovsky.
For more details on tickets for these performances, visit sheldontheatre.org or call 651-388-8700.
Tom Nelson is a resident of Northfield. Prior to his move to this area in 2021, Nelson worked as an intercollegiate athletics professional for over 30 years. A graduate of North Central College in Naperville, Ill., Nelson began his writing career as a reporter for newspapers in the Chicago suburbs including the West Chicago Press, Wheaton Daily Journal, Naperville/Bolingbrook SUN and the Aurora Beacon News.
