PAGE 10 - INTER-COUNTY LEADER - NORTHERN CURRENTS, SECTION B - JUNE 9, 2010
Festival’s Featured Artist Mark Baer ST. CROIX FALLS – With only a week until opening, Festival Theatre is abuzz with busy actors, designers and various other personnel swooping about to prepare for the first of the Theatre Series shows. One such company member happens to be an old friend to St. Croix Falls and Festival Theatre. After recently completing his Master of Fine Arts in directing at Illinois State University, Mark Baer rejoins the Festival family as the director of “To Fool the Eye.” Arriving shortly after finishing his thesis production of Steven Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” Baer’s critical eye for deep connections between actors brings a great sincerity to a script that, at first read, could seem little more than a fantastical romp in a foreign land. His education, training, attention to detail and past acting experiences enable him get his cast to engage in the real moments created onstage, a fitting goal given the story of “To Fool The Eye.”
Although Baer’s career has been a long and successful one, like many young people, he went to college planning a different major than what he walked out with four years later. He enrolled Mark Baer at The University of Findlay (Ohio) as an international business major and while he excelled in his business classes, at the end of the day he always wanted to be on stage. Given that he had chosen a small college, Baer was able to double major in contrasting fields. By graduation it was clear to him that he
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wanted to pursue theater as a career. And if, as they say, the proof in the in pudding, then it is no surprise that he was recently awarded the Stage Director’s and Choreographers Fellowship by the American College Theatre Festival. For those who have seen any of Baer’s theatrical work, it is certainty no surprise that he’s received acclaim. Yet for those who know about his humble upbringing, it may be a real surprise. Baer grew up in Canton, Ohio, with a less-than-artistically inclined family. It was not until his junior year of high school that he first experienced the thrill of theater. Back then, he was more passionate about football than anything else, but the summer before his sophomore year, he broke his right arm at practice, and life took him down another path. After three months in a sling, his arm was darn near useless on the football field, so Baer was forced to look elsewhere for extracurricular activities. Acting came very naturally to him, and he never looked back. Now he has over 10 years of acting, directing and producing under his belt and an MFA in
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directing to back it up. Baer is proud to be back after five years away from St. Croix Festival Theatre. In reference to his thoughts on coming back to Festival, Baer said, “I feel such a strong connection to this community and the wonderful people who have supported it over the years. Seeing so many familiar faces and being part of the amazing progress that the theater is making is a real pleasure.” While speaking about memorable moments on Festival’s stage, he cited a 2004 production of “There Shall Be No Night” that he was privileged to direct. He commented, “we had assembled a talented and tight-knit bunch of actors that season, and we all loved that wonderful play so much. What we didn’t realize before opening was how brilliantly the audiences would react to this musty WWII story. I remember tears and standing ovations. It was the right play at the right time.” He is certain that “To Fool the Eye” will hold another similarly special place in his heart. Welcome back Mark!
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