Postponed Until May 11, 2013 - Pat Surface Concert

Postponed Until May 11 2013
Holiday Music and “Oldies” Coming to Bigfork

The Pat Surface Concert scheduled for tomorrow Sunday 9th has been postponed until May 11th. Any tickets sold for this concert will be honored for the May 11th concert.



This year's holiday concert at The Edge Center in Bigfork headline Pat and Donna Surface with their "Remember When" production featuring Christmas carols and hymns along with hit songs from the 60s and 70s. "Remember When" is their most popular concert and will warm your hearts while bringing you back to an earlier time with music. Pat combines a very talented group of musicians on stage along with his wife Donna who signs with an energy and grace that makes the whole musical experience extraordinary. The "Remember When" concert on Sunday December 9th at 2PM is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Shopping in the holiday gift store, which is also open in The Edge Center Gallery, can be free unless you find a special gift for that hard-to-buy for person on your list.
 

The gifts on sale in the gallery are all hand made by local artists. These gifts can help make giving different and special while still being affordable. Different and special because no one else will get the same thing and affordable because this year there are more inexpensive treasures than in the past.

Pat Surface is a very talented musician. Born in St. Paul and placed in foster care, Pat grew up in a musical family...the LaPlants.  They shaped his life and life's work while he grew into a 6 foot 8 inch star basketball player. The LaPlants are award-winning musicians themselves along with being instrument builders and family builders.  Pat has two adopted siblings: one Hispanic and one Native American.  Pat says,  "My family is my inspiration for much of my music.  For family has taught me devotion and cohesiveness and how we are all the same."

Pat and Donna are joined by: 2-time Grammy Award-winning musician John Ely, 4-time Minnesota State Fiddle Champ Mary LaPlant, and Marina Whight, along with the Adamson Family...Bill, Debbie and Bethany. This show showcases songs from Pat's new Christmas album, “Go Tell it to the Mountain”, which features John, Mary and Marina. Also appearing at the show will be special Guests - The Adamson Family - Bill, Debbie and Bethany.

Pat Surface and his music has reached over 20 million people and he has recorded 15 CDs. The “Go Tell It On The Mountain” CD, is on sale at the concert. The arrangements are traditional yet reminiscent of the swing/40's Christmas era. Songs like: I'll Be Home For Christmas, White Christmas as well as Christmas hymns such as Do You Hear What I Hear, Silent Night, Angels We Have Heard On High, Joy To The World - and the poignant, Mary Did You Know - along with many other favorites make this a special Christmas Holiday treat.

From their web site:  "Pat is joined by his wife, Donna, who is a Performance Artist In Sign For The Hearing-Impaired. Incorporating American Sign Language, dance, and mime, Donna’s contribution not only allows the hearing-impaired to appreciate Pat’s music - it also breaks down the "language barrier" in the hearing world. You will hear Pat’s lyrics and feel his music more acutely through Donna’s expressive and dramatic performance. Pat and Donna call this special duet See the Music...Feel the Love."

Come and join this holiday experience. It will include great seasonal music along with the sounds of the 60s and 70s. This all takes place in a wonderland of gifts, hot apple cider, and treats that will put you in the mood. The weather may be cold and wintery outside but inside The Edge it will be warm and cozy. 

“Love Loss and What I Wore” on Stage in Bigfork

A comedy about how women’s clothes dress up life’s events is what makes “Love Loss and What I Wore” special. The Edge Center, known for presenting the unusual and uncommon, presents a play that explains that, to really understand women, one needs to understand what they wear and why. By adding St. Paul’s Linda Kelsey with her well-known acting talents to a dynamic mix of local performers plus a new-comer,  you have an unforgettable cast-mix and play. Performances are at The Edge Center in Bigfork on November 16-18 at 7PM on Friday, Saturday and 2PM Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults.

The stage waits for "Love Loss and What I wore".

Rehearsals are in progress.

Written by Nora and Delia Ephron, it is based on the 1995 book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman. A cast of five principal actors performs a series of monologues discussing topics like relationships and wardrobes and the interaction of the two. The production won the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience as well as the 2010 Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite New Off-Broadway Play. Nora Ephron (Academy Award nominee for Silkwood,” “When Harry Met Sally”, and “Sleepless in Seattle”) and her sister, Delia Ephron, with whom she co-wrote “You've Got Mail”, “Hanging Up”, and “Bewitched”, collaborated on this show. Nora has said that it “is not about fashion; it is about what clothes really are to us, those moments when we are constantly trying to find our identity through them"

The cast is made up of two close theater friends, Linda Kelsey (above) and Patricia Feld (below), along with a team of medical professionals from the Bigfork Valley Hospital and Clinic, Heidi Korstad, MD, Kimberly Powell, RN and Paula Taylor, Pharmacist.

Linda and Patty have been friends for decades meeting at the University of Minnesota while performing in the play “Tom Sawyer”. Linda was Becky Thatcher and Patty the minister’s wife. They have remained close friends ever since. The first time Linda performed in Bigfork was in “The Bell of Amherst”, then in “The Lady With All The Answers”, directed by Patty. Returning the favor, Linda directed Patty in “Wit”. This will be the first time they will be on stage together since college.

The Bigfork Valley trio includes Dr. Korstad (above), a physician in Bigfork for over 20 years, who will be making her on-stage debut. However she has been an indispensable talent for The Edge Center from its beginning as Technical Director and lighting expert. Kimberly Powell was an EdgeWild player in “Mary, Mary” in 1998 and many other plays including, “Circle Mirror Transformation” and “The Laramie Project”. Paula Taylor has appeared as an EdgeWild player since 1997 in “Ah, Wilderness!” and many others since then including “Three Tall Women”, “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Circle Mirror Transformation”.  The following picture is from "Three Tall Women" showing left to right, Paula Taylor, Patty Feld and Kinberly Powell.

Patricia Feld, Artistic Director of The Edge Center says, “It was time to do a comedy, but it had to be a smart, sophisticated one that met The Edge criteria of being different. This play was recommended by Linda Kelsey and passes all the tests wonderfully. It’s a hoot of a play that’s a series monologues and one-liners just like women chatting together. It has been shown on six continents in over eight countries. This is one you should see because it is unforgettable and you will keep it with you for a long time whether you are a man or woman.”  Below is another view of rehearsals for The Edge performance of  "Love, Loss and What I Wore."

In case you have not heard enough to encourage you to come to Bigfork and see this play here is part of a review by the New York Times when it included Rosie O’Donnell in the cast.


THEATER REVIEW
'LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE'

Spandex Agonistes: Why Don’t You Try It On?

Below is the cast in New York with Rosie O’Donnell.

By CHARLES ISHERWOOD
Published: October 2, 2009

I have always been happy not to have to carry a purse, but I am happier than ever at this lifelong good fortune after hearing Rosie O’Donnell describe the soul-scarring humiliation of possessing a messy handbag in “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” a new show about matters of the heart and matters of the closet that opened on Thursday night at the Westside Theater.

Written by Nora and Delia Ephron and based on the book by Ilene Beckerman, the show is a scrapbook of stories about unfortunate prom dresses, the traumatic lighting in fitting rooms, high heels, short skirts and the existential state of having nothing to wear. Accessorizing these tales — which are mostly comic but often sad or sentimental too — are the mothers who disapprove, the men who disappear, the sisters who’ve got your back.

If there are chick flicks and chick lit — derogatory though some might find those terms to be — “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” should clearly be classified as chick legit. (In old-school parlance, legit is shorthand for the legitimate theater.) Breezy and perfectly enjoyable for the stray men in the room, it’s like a big bowl of buttered popcorn (but calorie-free!) for the women who can share deeply in the particulars of experience dissected and discussed…

For more see the whole review at:

http://theater.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/theater/reviews/02love.html?_r=0

Below is a final view of The Edge Center cast.

So many New Ways to Say Happy Holiday

This year’s holiday gift sale at The Edge Center Gallery in Bigfork helps make giving different. Everything is handmade by over 20 local artists providing a way to give a gift that’s affordable and special. Special means that no one else will get the same thing, that someone local has made it, and that the person receiving it knows you care about what a gift says. There are many more affordable treasures than in the past and if your purchase early, it will include a discount coupon for the upcoming Edge production, “Love, Loss and What I Wore”. This 8th annual gift show is open in The Edge Center Art Gallery November 1 through December 16th on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday each week from 10AM to 4PM. The opening reception is November 2 at 5PM.

This year’s show is really full! You won’t be able to see everything in a quick pass though. And, you will be able to find a lot more that is priced to sell. Too bad the gallery is not bigger for this year’s event.  The following is just a part of the gift show's delights.  You will also see paintings, cards, wild rice, handmade soaps & bath products, knitted & sewn gifts, rustic arrangements and more.

Starting with decorating for the season, you can add a unique look with some really matchless items that can catch anyone’s attention. It is amazing how many ways one can make a wreath look beautiful.

Home made jellies and jams, handmade potholders and cards all can add a very personal and warm touch to saying “you are special” with a gift.

This wood burning took an artist’s talent and the plenty patience to turn ordinary wood into something superb to hang on a wall or stand-up on a table.

There are so many jewelry items in one case here that you will be hard-pressed to choose the one for your loved one or special friend. All hand-made they show a style and beauty that says “you are distinctive”.

These gems are hand knitted chatelaine purses with glass beads and take days or weeks to complete. Patience, skill and commitment go into each one. Certainly anyone who receives one of these will feel loved.

An art that goes back thousands of years is well represented here with colors and beauty that will decorate anything anywhere. The artist who did these certainly shows what this art form can represent.

If you make a purchase in time from the gift show this year you will get a discount coupon for a ticket to “Love, Loss and What I wore” being presented this month by The Edge Wild Players on stage at The Edge Center. The coupon is for $2 off of a $12 adult ticket or $1 off of a children’s ticket. The dates of the play are Friday November, 16 through Sunday, November 18. So come and buy your gifts early.

Here is a little bit about the play. The show is performed by a cast of five women. It is a scrapbook of 28 different stories, which usually have a strong emotional component and that seek to illuminate the female identity. The subject matter includes women's relationships, their wardrobes, and at times the interaction of the two; unfortu-nate prom dresses, the traumatic lighting in fitting rooms, high heels, short skirts and the existential state of having nothing to wear!

Edge Center Gallery wouldn't be possible without the help of our generous volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include: Gallery hosting, Opening Reception Assistance and Show Set-Up or Take-Down. This photo only shows some of the volunteers who set up this show over two days. Thanks to all the volunteers who work very hard all year to make visiting the gallery a special occasion.

MEET JOHN DOE in Bigfork

If you need a break from the political ads blasting out of TVs and radios, here is one way to “decompress”. Right after the election you can watch a comedy drama from 1941 called MEET JOHN DOE. The things done to him in the name of politics make what went on this year like mild warm milk. This American comedy drama shows how a “money man” wanting to be president uses our hero to try and get there. Staring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, this one might help put in perspective every generation’s political shenanigans. It will be shown at The Edge Center Theater in Bigfork Thursday, November 8 at 6:30PM free of charge.

Learn more about John Doe when you see the movie along with hearing an informative discussion about the movie. The movie is presented by the CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES with a cartoon from the same year and a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

Meet John Doe was the first of director Frank Capra's independent productions (in partnership with Robert Riskin). It was also was screenwriter Robert Riskin's last film collaboration with Capra. The film derived from a story, "The Life and Death of John Doe", was written by Richard Connell and Robert Presnell. It was a huge success and would go on to be the film's sole Academy Award nomination for Best Original Story. Capra always wanted “the Coop” to play John Doe, but Barbara was his third choice for the hardened reporter after Ann Sheridan and Oliva de Havilland offers feel through.  Here is a photo of Barbara Stanwyck. How could she be anyone’s third choice for anything.

Basically the film is about a "grassroots" political campaign created unwittingly by a newspaper columnist and pursued by a wealthy businessman. It became a box office hit. Though the film is less well known than other Frank Capra classics, it is highly regarded today. It was ranked #49 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers. In 1969, the film entered the public domain (in the USA) due to the claimants' failure to renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after release.

The film also includes other notable stars:
Edward Arnold - D.B. Norton

Walter Brennan - The Colonel

Spring Byington - Mrs. Mitchell

James Gleason - Henry Connell

Gene Lockhart - Mayor Lovett

Here is a photo of Walter Brennan adding his talents and charm.

And for a real shocker, the New York Times film critic of the era, Bosley Crowther, gushed over it.. He often did his job as a “critic” with inspiration picking apart some films that, since then, have withstood the test of time. This one he loved. Here is some of what he said in 1941 and here is the URL for the whole review:
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9501EFDD1E38E33BBC4B52DFB566838A659EDE&pagewanted=print

March 13, 1941
'Meet John Doe,' an Inspiring Lesson in Americanism, Opens at the Rivoli and Hollywood Theatres -- "The Roundup' and 'Mr. Dynamite' Also Here
By BOSLEY CROWTHER

Call him Joe Doakes or George Spelvin or just the great American yap—he is still the backbone of this country and as sturdy a citizen as there is. You've seen him at the ball parks, on buses, at county fairs and political rallies from coast to coast. You've even caught glimpses of him—and seen him squarely, too—in films once and again. But now you will see him about as clearly as Hollywood has ever made him out in Frank Capra's and Robert Riskin's superlative "Meet John Doe," which had its local premièere last evening at the Rivoli and Hollywood Theatres—you and countless other John Does. For, in spite of a certain prolixity and an ending which is obviously a sop, this is by far the hardest-hitting and most trenchant picture on the theme of democracy that the Messrs. Capra and Riskin have yet made—and a glowing tribute to the anonymous citizen, too.

Actually, this is not our first introduction to John Doe. Mr. Capra has already presented him under the names of Longfellow Deeds and Jefferson Smith, the fellows, you remember, who went to town and to Washington, respectively. He is the honest and forthright fellow—confused, inconsistent but always sincere—who believes in the basic goodness of people and has the courage to fight hard for principles. When he went to town, he was fighting for a vague but comprehensible social ideal; in Washington, his adversaries were those who would use the United States Senate for corrupt and venal purposes…”

Come and join us for a viewing of this old classic, a good cartoon and treats…it will help you forget the election ads and you might find out how this one passed the time test.

October Bluegrass in Bigfork from Monroe Crossing

One of the country’s best Bluegrass bands will be in at The Edge Center in Bigfork this month to present their special music. Minnesota-based Monroe Crossing will both entertain and educate audiences during this visit with their artistic blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals. Known for their precise harmonies, sharp arrangements, and on-stage rapport, they are audience favorites across the United States and Canada. A no charge history of Bluegrass student performance in the afternoon and public evening concert will round out a full day of entertainment for the community. The date is Friday October 26. The evening concert at 7PM is $10 for adults, $5 children.

Since 2000 Monroe Crossing has released 11 CDs, a live concert DVD and has made over 1250 concert appearances throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. The band is made up of five very distinct personalities with differing musical backgrounds and tastes combining for a very unique ensemble sound.  Above photo by James Guy.

Eighteen year old David Robinson joined Monroe Crossing in 2012. From a musical family, he developed an interest in folk music early. Inspired by musician and storyteller David Holt, he taught himself how to play many different instruments, including harmonica, mandolin and guitar. David took up the banjo at the age of 14 and has stuck with it ever since.

Singer/guitarist Derek Johnson joined Monroe Crossing at the beginning of 2011. From Moorhead, Minnesota, he moved to Minneapolis in 1993 and, for many years, he performed in a variety of rock and roll bands. Around the "turn of the century" Derek discovered bluegrass music and there’s been no turning back.

Originally from Nigeria, Lisa Fuglie learned mandolin from an old Bill Monroe 78rpm record. Excelling on many stringed instruments, she plays fiddle, mandolin and guitar with Monroe Crossing. She is an accomplished vocalist, prolific songwriter, solo performer, studio musician, and educator. She received the 2000 Female Vocalist of the Year Award (in the Related Music category) from the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association.

Mark Anderson came to Bluegrass after twenty years of playing bass and drums in a series of "alternative" groups. Nominated by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association as 2000 Bassist of the Year in both the Bluegrass and the Related Music categories, he is one of the best Bluegrass bass players in the Midwest. Mark wrote "He Did Rise" on the band's second gospel project, Into The Fire, and several other songs for Monroe Crossing. .

Matt Thompson is the band’s MC and arranger, is a superb singer, plus plays Mandolin and twin fiddle with the band. He received the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association's Bluegrass Mandolin Player of the Year Award in 2000.

Bill Monroe pictured below.

The 60-minute Bigfork afternoon multimedia History of Bluegrass presentation will discuss the origins of bluegrass with slides, video and audio clips of the 1st generation masters of bluegrass (Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, The Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin and others) with band renditions of artists from the 1940s to the present. Included is the decline of bluegrass in the 50's, the 60's folk music revival, impact of the bluegrass festival and movie/TV’s impact (The Beverly Hillbillies, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonnie & Clyde, Deliverance, O Brother, Where Art Thou?).

The band demonstrates the sound and versatility of all five instruments, how each contributes to the ensemble sound, and “brother duet” and 3-part harmony as they relate to a simple chord. Monroe Crossing’s paths crossed through the music of Bluegrass founder Bill Monroe so they like to say they had a “Monroe Crossing.”


Monroe Crossing Performing in a the Bluegrass Mass below (unknown location).

And if all this is not enough, Monroe Crossing will be the orchestra for the Carnegie Hall premier of "The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass" under the direction of Nancy Menk on February 18, 2013.

This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota State Arts Board through the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

“Stories for the Stage”…Presentation of Anne Frank in Bigfork

The Stages Theatre Company (STC) of Hopkins presents "Stories for the Stage", an arts-integrated residency and touring project in Bigfork this month. Stories for the Stage provides selected middle schools with 60 hours of theatre arts residency programming. Concluding the arts residency is a free, public performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank” produced by STC. Eight adult actors and two STC perform this professional production. Although this is a school event, the performances will be at The Edge Center in Bigfork. They will be on Thursdsay Oct. 25 with a student performance at 6:15PM and general public at 7 PM

"The Diary of Anne Frank" was selected because it is required reading for many middle school students and the story provides a non-fictional depiction of a period in world history that had a major impact on world history. It also relates to the Minnesota State Arts Board’s desire to increase "understanding of the role that the arts play in daily life". The script for "The Diary of Anne Frank" is well written and time tested, and the film adaptation is also exceptional. Viewing the film provides an additional learning tool for students.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the State’s general fund and its arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Dr Strangelove Comes to Bigfork in October

This movie is made to give you belly laughs no matter how you end up feeling about it. “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” is a black comedy to say the least. Peter Sellers goes above and beyond playing three different bizarre characters that show his comedic talents extremely well. And with costars George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, and Slim Pickens the film is packed with talent.

Because the movie, released in 1964, is about a mad US General who orders the first strike option on USSR during the cold war, you’d think the movie would include some sanity around to stop him. But sadly most of the other key characters are somewhat unhinged or inept too. Learn more when you see it along with an informative discussion about the movie at The Edge Center Theater in Bigfork Thursday, October 11th at 7PM. The movie is presented by the CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES with a cartoon from the same year and a background presentation by Jack Nachbar.

Peter Sellers must have had a ball playing three different characters: Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffey and Dr. Strangelove. The director Stanley Kubrick probably had lots of challenges during the production making some sense of the chaos. But then it was his own fault being a co-writer with several others who eventually got into a squabble over who did what for the script. Who really did write Dr. Strangelove is so complicated that this blog would be too long to just clear up that one simple question. You can read more about who wrote it in this blog:

http://babylonwales.blogspot.com/2006/06/who-wrote-dr-strangelove.html.


Here is the pie fight final scene that got cut.

And the whole production thing was chaos too, and probably would make another strange film on its own. Things like having to be made in England because its star, Peter Sellers, could not leave the country, why the final scene was changed from a huge pie fight to a mushroom cloud of the bomb, and how Dr. Strangelove’s black arm with a will of its own came about are some of them. By the way Peter Sellers, as the President tells his staff at one point “Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.”

Peter Sellers as Dr. Strangelove

Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffey

Peter Sellers as Group Captain Lionel Mandrake

If you need any more reasons to come to Bigfork to see this movie, below read some of what the New York Times reviewer had to say in 1964 and see for your self why he was so frazzled by it. He even called it “dangerous”. Then read what the same newspaper said about it in 2004 with a different reviewer. The movie has passed the test of time and on its 40th anniversary in 2004 was called “…one of the greatest satires in American political or movie history….” Which is a considerable complement from the same newspaper by the different reviewer, Fred Kaplan.

New York Times By Bosley Crowther

Published: January 31, 1964 in the New York Times

“Stanley Kubrick's new film, called Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, is beyond any question the most shattering sick joke I've ever come across. And I say that with full recollection of some of the grim ones I've heard from Mort Sahl, some of the cartoons I've seen by Charles Addams, and some of the stuff I've read in Mad magazine.”

“For this brazenly jesting speculation of what might happen within the Pentagon and within the most responsible council of the President of the United States if some maniac Air Force general should suddenly order a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union is at the same time one of the cleverest and most incisive satiric thrusts at the awkwardness and folly of the military that has ever been on the screen. It opened yesterday at the Victoria and the Baronet.”

“My reaction to it is quite divided, because there is so much about it that is grand, so much that is brilliant and amusing, and much that is grave and dangerous...”

Read the rest of the review at:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF173DE367BC4950DFB766838F679EDE

2004 New York Times review by Fred Kaplan

Dr. Strangelove," Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film about nuclear-war plans run amok, is widely heralded as one of the greatest satires in American political or movie history. For its 40th anniversary, Film Forum is screening a new 35 millimeter print for one week, starting on Friday, and Columbia TriStar is releasing a two-disc special-edition DVD next month. One essential point should emerge from all the hoopla: "Strangelove" is far more than a satire. In its own loopy way, the movie is a remarkably fact-based and specific guide to some of the oddest, most secretive chapters of the Cold War...

Read the rest of the review at:


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/10/movies/10kapl.html?_r=1






The War Room from Dr. Strangelove