The Edge Report Card

This is one of two great audiences enjoying this year’s elementary school holiday concert at The Edge Center Theater in Bigfork. The Edge Center for the Arts is part of and attached to the Bigfork School. Throughout the school year it provides a state-of-the-art theatre and gallery for students to show their creative talents and become acquainted with this important part of their education.

In addition to its continual use for educational purposes, The Edge Center presented a full calendar of art in the summer and stage performances throughout the year. Here is the 2011 schedule along with a few photographs of the year’s events. Besides a full gallery schedule for 2012, the 2012 theater season is shaping up to include an even more ambitious selection. Visit www.the-edge-center.org for a look at the 2012 theater schedule.

None of this would be possible without the fantastic support of the community, audiences, volunteers and donations. The Edge Center humbly thanks all of them for making it possible.

In 2011 The Edge Center Art gallery presented:

"Art & More": Edge of the Wilderness Art League Show April 1 – 30
Bigfork Student Show May 5 – 21
Pete Pestalozzi and Jeanne Bourquin - Furniture and Paintings May 26 – June 25




Art on the Edge: 7th Annual Juried Show June – July 30
Anything Quilted: Quilt Show August 4 – September 3
Terry Honstead paintings September 8 – October 1
Gordon Coons - Paintings and Prints October 6 – 29




Annual Gift Show November 3 – December 11

In 2011 The Edge Center Theater presented:

WIT directed by Linda Kelsey - January 28-30
Polar Revue - February 20
Flamenco, Pure and Strong (De Danza Touring Company) - April 2
Ann Reed: Heroes - April 29
Piatigorski Concert - May 6
John Perkins Concert - July 28
GODSPELL (McNally-Smith College of Music) - August 13-14




Piano Bar - August 20
THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS starring Linda Kelsey as Ann Landers August 25-28
Pretenders and Friends - September 11
Classical Cello and Piano at The Edge (Piatigorski) - Sept 14





Classic Movie Night – September 21 “The Searchers”
Deer Camp, the Musical (Great North Show Providers) - Oct 15-16
Classic Movie Night – October 19 “It Happened One Night”
Classic Musical Movie Night - November 2 “On the Town”
Classic Christmas Movie Night - December 8 “Christmas Memories” and “Stubby Pringle’s Christmas”
Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus - Dec 18

Greek Theater, a Time Out or Circle Mirror?

Ancient Greeks used theater as holistic healing. It was thought to becalm the mind the release the ills within. Obviously the cast of the newest play in rehearsal at The Edge Center in Bigfork got the feeling. They look very relaxed to say the least, or are they napping? Actually, it’s a scene from Circle Mirror Transformation and is one of just many interesting "exercises" in an upcoming play produced by the EdgeWild Players. It will run February 24th through the 26th. The play, which won last year’s Obie for Best New Play off-Broadway is about a Creative Dramatics class taught at a community center in a small Vermont town.
　
What Circle Mirror Transformation provides is a "different" look at how local theater happens. In this play, the class members begin to understand that "real" acting comes from authentic, inner feelings and thoughts, not just "pretending." The author Annie Baker grew up in a small town and experienced that difference. The Edge Center has five actors who share that "experience" with the audiences.
　
Below are the cast members left to right --- Brianna Krickhahn, Michael Raymond, Paula Taylor, Greg Anselmo, Kimberly Powell and Director Patricia Feld.






The play’s creator, Annie Baker, believes silence is an important part of everyday life and a play’s dialogue. She uses silence in her plays as an effect that sometimes makes audiences aware of themselves, sometimes making them uncomfortable until they get used to the hyper-realistic silence.
　
In an article in The Brooklyyn Rail, talking about how this play can reach audiences, she described one performance where there was strongly divided opinions. She said, "when a performance almost resulted in a fight between people who like the play and those who hated it, I was cowering in the back row the whole time, humiliated but also thrilled." That could be called an engaged audience. And could be considered the purpose of a play, right?
　
Put this one on your calendar for February. It’ll be hard to find anything like this in all of Minnesota, except at the Guthrie!

At The Edge: See Two Rare Christmas TV Movie Classics For Free

Two very special Christmas TV movie classics not generally available for three decades will be the holiday treat for viewers at The Edge Center in Bigfork next Thursday December 8th at 6:30 PM. The movies are CHRISTMAS MEMORIES and STUBBY PRINGLE'S CHRISTMAS. They are not on Netflix or in stores. Admission is free except for a smile at the door. Bring some loved ones, friends and an open heart. These movies will really help to make your Season bright.

Read more below about these great classics from Jack Nachbar discussing this special event that is part of the Park Theater Memorial Classic Movie Series.

"Of the hundreds of TV holiday movies, how many stick in your mind as "classics"? Charlie Brown, of course. And the Grinch is on every list of favorites. Others might nominate Rudolph. Besides the obvious fact that they are wonderful, these animated treasures are so well loved because they are seen over and over every year. Our December classic movies, however, deserve to be called Christmas Classics even though they have not been generally available in over thirty years. In addition, neither of them is commercially on Netflix or in stores. Like Charlie Brown and the Grinch, they are wonderful, and the chance to see them on December 8th will be a rare treat guaranteed to put you in that happy Holiday mood."

"A CHRISTMAS MEMORY (1966) stars the great actress Geraldine Page in an Emmy Award winning performance. Based on a short story by Truman Capote, A CHRISTMAS MEMORY tells the story of a young boy and his best friend, an aging aunt, who despite Depression hardships in the rural South, manage to create a memorable Christmas for themselves through love and kindness. This movie is so good it may even convince you to like fruitcake."

The following photo is of Gelaldine Page.





"STUBBY PRINGLE’S CHRISTMAS (1978) stars Beau Bridges and another great American actress, Julie Harris. Stubby is a young, penniless cowboy, whose selfless instinct to give happiness to others leads everyone he meets on Christmas Eve to feel the goodness of the Season. "Are you Santa Claus?" a little girl asks Stubby and after you see this little movie you may well ask the same question."

The following photo is of Beau Bridges.