Happenings in Bluff Country

(Lanesboro, Minn.) The Commonweal Theatre Company announces its 37^th season with a set of five marvelous plays: Lauren Gunderson’s ode to friendship The Half-Life of Marie Curie; Paul Slade Smith’s screwball comedy The Angel Next Door; Josh Tobiessen’s small-town comedy Lone Star Spirits; William Shakespeare’s legendary classic King Lear; and Mark Shanahan’s merry and mysterious mash-up A Sherlock Carol.

Season passes and single tickets are on sale at www.CommonwealTheatre.org or by calling the box office (800) 657-7025. All performances are at the Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., in downtown Lanesboro, MN.

The first play of the season is Lauren Gunderson’s captivating The Half-Life of Marie Curie. Chemist and physicist Marie Curie is about to accept a second Nobel prize for her pioneering work in radioactivity when a public scandal forces her to seek refuge. She retreats to the seaside home of engineer and suffragist Hertha Ayrton. There, the two friends explore what it means to be mothers, wives, scientists, and thought leaders in a changing world on the verge of war. With her sharp wit, crackling dialogue, and deep empathy, playwright Lauren Gunderson (Silent Sky and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley) illuminates the indomitable power of friendship between two extraordinary women. Jaclyn June Johnson will direct fellow company members Laurie Roberts (Marie Curie) and Stela Burdt (Hertha Ayrton). This ode to friendship will run from April 5 through July 5.

Next up is the glamorous and goofy comedy The Angel Next Door by Paul Slade Smith (who wrote last season’s smash-hit political comedy The Outsider). Audiences will be transported to an opulent Newport mansion in 1948, where playwrights, actors, and a star-struck novelist gather to work on their next Broadway hit. (Never mind the housekeeper who wants them gone.) “The Angel Next Door is a glittering, effervescent hit romantic comedy. It’s an elegant, sweet-dry glass of champagne, bubbling over with non-stop laughs, merriment, glamor, and high-spirited hijinks. It’s hard to think of more fun you could have at the theatre right now, or really, more fun anywhere” (BroadwayWorld). Charlie Oates (professor Emeritus University of California, San Diego) will direct Commonweal company members Hal Cropp, Tim Sailer, and Adrienne Sweeney, along with some beloved guest artists from the region. The fizzy screwball comedy runs from May 17 through September 6.

The third offering of the 2025 season is Josh Tobiessen’s small-town comedy Lone Star Spirits. A trip home gets wildly out of hand when Marley introduces her fiancé to her estranged father. Hoping for a quick visit, she ends up stranded in a liquor store with her football-hero ex, a single mom desperate for a girls’ night out, and the ghost of a bear-wrestling pioneer who founded their tiny Texas town. This fast-paced comedy with hairpin turns takes a sympathetic look at those who stay and those who leave their hometowns—and the ghosts that haunt folks either way. “A very fine coming-home story, reconciliation story and small-town-hero story—another spunky, funny work by Josh Tobiessen” (The New York Times). Adrienne Sweeney will direct fellow company members Lizzy Andretta, Cody Beyer, Alex Schlesinger, and Jeremy van Meter. The spirited fun runs from July 12 through October 25.

Next, the Commonweal will embark on a legendary classic by William Shakespeare: King Lear. As age overtakes Lear, he divides his kingdom amongst his daughters. Misjudging their loyalty, he finds himself stripped of all that defined him. Now this once-revered king is trapped in an emotional hurricane ravaging his head, home, and heart. Amanda Rafuse has adapted the script and returns to direct (recent Commonweal credits include Ugly Lies the Bone and Bernhardt/Hamlet). Producing Artistic Director Hal Cropp will play Lear, founding company member Eric Bunge will play Gloucester, and a host of company members will join them. The epic drama plays from September 13 through November 2.

Finally, the holiday offering to round out the 2025 season will be Mark Shanahan’s delightful caper: A Sherlock Carol. The worlds of Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle collide in the ultimate Christmas crossover. When a fully grown and not-so-Tiny Tim asks Sherlock Holmes to investigate the peculiar death of Ebenezer Scrooge, the Great Detective must use his tools of deduction to crack the case. But it’s a dark and gloomy Christmas Eve, and the holiday is haunted by the spirits of the past, present, and future. Michael Bigelow Dixon (Alice in Winter Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, and On the Verge) returns to direct, with Jeremy van Meter playing the Scrooge-like Sherlock. The merry and mysterious mash-up runs from November 8 through December 21.

COUNTY FREE NIGHTS
THE HALF-LIFE OF MARIE CURIE – Thursday, April 10
THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR – Thursday, May 22
LONE STAR SPIRITS – Thursday, July 17
KING LEAR – Thursday, September 18
A SHERLOCK CAROL – Thursday, November 13

All County Free Night performances begin at 7:30 pm. While admission is free of charge to residents and employees of Fillmore and Houston Counties, seating is limited and reservations are strongly recommended to be made at least two weeks in advance. There is a limit of four tickets per household. To claim tickets, call the box office: (800) 657-7025.

County Free Nights at the Commonweal Theatre are made possible with support from Houston Dental Clinic, POET, Merchants Bank Lanesboro, and Nethercut Schieber PLLP

“PAY WHAT YOU CAN” PERFORMANCES

Additionally, the Commonweal offers “Pay What You Can” performances on the following dates: 

THE HALF-LIFE OF MARIE CURIE – Friday, April 18
THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR – Thursday, May 29
LONE STAR SPIRITS – Thursday, July 24
KING LEAR – Thursday, September 25
A SHERLOCK CAROL – Thursday, November 20

For these performances, anyone may choose to pay any amount for their tickets. There are no county restrictions. Single adult tickets are normally $38. The “Pay What You Can” program has been supported by the Mayo Clinic Community Foundation.

For more information about the 2025 season, visit www.CommonwealTheatre.org. To check availability and to reserve tickets, contact the box office at (800) 657-7025.

ABOUT THE COMMONWEAL THEATRE COMPANY

Since 1989, the professional artists of the Commonweal have brought to life soulful stories told with honesty and creativity. Located in the heart of southeast Minnesota’s bluff country, Lanesboro (pop. 720) is home to the company’s theatre in its historic downtown. Under the leadership of producing artistic director Hal Cropp, the company boasts a distinctive organizational model with resident ensemble members (who have come from all over the country to make their home in the area) fulfilling the day-to-day artistic and operational needs of the company as artist/administrators.

For more information, visit www.commonwealtheatre.org.

DECORAH, Iowa — The schedule of classes through September 2025 at Vesterheim at Folk Art School has been released and registration is open at vesterheim.org/folk-art-school! Each year, Vesterheim Folk Art School offers a wide variety of classes and programs for all ages, both in person and online, including forging, Norwegian language, family and afterschool programs, fiber arts, rosemaling, jewelry making, woodworking, knifemaking, cooking, and much more!

A highlight this summer will be classes taught by Norwegian weaving instructor Marta Kløve Juuhl from Indre Arna, a village near Bergen. She will teach “Åkle Weaving on a Warp-Weighted Loom” from July 19-23. This technique creates beautiful textiles with banded designs, traditional to western Norway. Then from July 28-August 1, she will teach “Varafell Weaving on a Warp-Weighted Loom,” a traditional Viking-age technique.

Juuhl has 27 years of experience teaching weaving and art, and she was a textile curator at Osterøy Museum for 10 years. She has maintained her own weaving studio since 1989 with notable commissions throughout Norway. She has written two textile books and her articles have been featured in several publications.

With the completion of the new Vesterheim Folk Art School forging studio at 418 W. Water St., the year 2025 begins an exciting new chapter in metalworking and forging education in Decorah. More information will be shared soon about a dedication event, but class registration is open now. Classes include “Forging Fundamentals,” “Forged Tool Making,” “Laminated Knife Blades,” “Viking-Style Padlock,” and more! There will even be an afterschool Forging Klubb for youth ages 15-18.

Andrew Ellingsen, Director of Folk Art Education at Vesterheim, said, “We are excited to see the traditional Scandinavian handcrafts of metalworking and forging move into their new home – their own safe studio! We can’t wait to welcome beginner and experienced metalworkers and share these historic handcrafts.”

Another 2025 highlight for Vesterheim Folk Art School is the launch of a new model for folk art instruction – on-demand classes, which include a kit of materials in the mail and online access to a set of video tutorials taught by one of Vesterheim’s master instructors.

Ellingsen said, “Designed to be classes to take anywhere at any time, we hope that the addition of on-demand classes can make Vesterheim’s programming available to folks who have had schedule conflicts in the past.” The first two on-demand classes are “Norwegian Language for Travelers” with Dr. Maren Anderson Johnson, and “First Cuts: Scandinavian Flat-Plane Figure Carving” with Vesterheim Gold Medalist Charles Banks.

“We have already filmed additional courses and are excited about the possibilities this new model offers!” Ellingsen added. On-demand classes at Vesterheim are supported in part by the Harlan and Connie Sanderson Endowment.

Vesterheim Folk Art School offers several ways to provide financial access for all. Vesterheim offers a 60% discount for in-person class tuition on a space-available standby basis to any legal year-round resident living within 50 miles of Vesterheim. There are also need-based scholarships supported by gifts to Vesterheim’s annual fund. Find information at vesterheim.org/folk-art-school.

Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to engage in the conversation of the American immigrant journey through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience, and to participate in the continual evolution of traditional folk art as it meets new influences. Vesterheim offers innovative and interactive exhibits, classes, and programs, both at the dynamic campus and park in scenic Decorah, Iowa, and online at vesterheim.org and Vesterheim social media. For more information on exhibits, classes, programs, tours, membership opportunities, and ways to donate and volunteer, connect at vesterheim.org, (563) 382-9681, and Vesterheim, 502 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379.

The Nordic Fest Board of Directors is excited to announce the 2025 Nordic Fest theme — Commemorating Crossings 1825-2025.

With this year’s theme, Nordic Fest joins international, national, and local organizations, including Vesterheim – the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, in commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Norwegian Emigration in 2025.

On July 4, 1825, a group of 52 Norwegians set sail from Stavanger, Norway on the sloop ship Restauration to make the first organized migration from Norway to North America. Since the Restauration was a type of vessel called a sloop, the immigrants onboard became known as “Sloopers.” More than 800,000 Norwegians have followed since then, in search of new opportunities. In North America today, nearly five million people claim Norwegian ancestry. The Nordic Fest Board looks forward to commemorating the 200th anniversary and celebrating the strong ties that continue between Norway and North America.

Nordic Fest Board President Cole Steffen shares, “Norwegian heritage is strong in the Decorah community and we are excited to be able to commemorate the 200th anniversary of that first crossing, and the crossings that followed, at this year’s Nordic Fest. We look forward to seeing local businesses, organizations, and groups incorporate this special theme into Nordic Fest offerings and beyond.”

Businesses, organizations, and groups are encouraged to incorporate the 2025 theme into food specials, window displays, activity offerings, and parade float entries at this year’s festival in July.

Nordic Fest is an annual three-day summer festival held in Decorah, Iowa that celebrates community and the area’s Scandinavian heritage. The 58th annual Nordic Fest will take place July 24-26, 2025. Organized by a board of volunteers, Nordic Fest offers food, activities and entertainment for the whole family. Learn more and get involved at nordicfest.com.

Lanesboro, Minn. – Lanesboro Arts proudly presents Mediterranean music group, Other Country Ensemble (OCE), at the St. Mane Theatre in downtown Lanesboro on Saturday, March 29th at 7:00 p.m. OCE will take listeners on a sonic journey, traveling from old Spain though France, Italy, Albania, Greece, and landing in Turkey. Tickets are available for purchase now through the Lanesboro Arts website for $25 for General Admission; $22 for Lanesboro Arts Members.

ABOUT OTHER COUNTRY ENSEMBLE:
Other Country Ensemble is a Twin Cities-based group that performs original compositions and traditional music from the northern Mediterranean region. These veteran musicians will tell many historical tales of the music and the wide swath of instruments they perform including oud, bouzouki, mandocello, alto and concert flute, soprano sax, bass and alto clarinet, flamenco guitar and vocals, and various percussion including doumbek and frame drums. Their latest disc Convivencia relishes the medieval era when Muslims, Jews and Christians co-existed in relative peace – highlighting music is the common thread that brings people together.

Steve Clarke is a founding member of OCE and performs on soprano saxophone, flute, alto and bass flute, and bass clarinet.  He is a winner of eleven Minnesota Music Awards with three Grammy Nominations including one for work on a Ringo Star recording.  He teaches at Groth Music in Bloomington and also is the band leader for the jazz swing band ‘Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs’.  He first started working with Scott in the medieval rock band ‘Felonious Bosch’.

Laurie Knutson performs alto and bass clarinet for OCE.  She is a degreed Music Therapist (MT-BC) and recently retired from the Veteran’s Hospital providing music therapy services.  She also teaches clarinet and saxophone at Groth Music in Bloomington and is the singer in the ‘Working Stiffs’.  She is a member of the ‘One Hit Wonders’ cover band performing on baritone saxophone.

Scott Nieman is a founding member and the band leader of OCE, performing on various ‘things with strings’, primarily Greek bouzouki, Turkish oud and baglama saz, and Italian mandocello.  Scott has been researching Sephardic Jewish music for over 25 years and its linkages throughout the Mediterranean and Balkan regions.  Scott also owns a sizable but private recording studio, which is where he composes his music.  Originally from rural WI, he has performed world music in the Twin Cities metro for over 40 years including ‘Felonious Bosch’, ‘seven thieves’ (early music ensemble), ‘The County Popes’ (Celtic), and also currently performs with ‘Makam Baklava’ (Turkish/ Bulgarian Balkan band).

Michael Zieghan has been with OCE for roughly six years and is a long standing name in Flamenco music in the Twin Cities.  He teaches guitar and continues to perform with various flamenco dance troupes on-stage and in the classroom.  He is a former president of the MN Guitar Society and one of the earliest MN Renaissance Festival performers.

Mark Black has been with OCE for just over ten years performing on frame drums, dhol, doumbek, and various other hand percussion.  Like Michael, Mark was one of the earliest medieval/ early music performers of the MN Renaissance Festival.  Mark is also a co-founder of the legendary odd-metered industrial band ‘Savage Aural Hotbed’, which features handmade drums made of found objects ranging from oil barrels to Skil saws!   He lives only one block from Scott’s studio which makes for great fun.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

By Karla Bloem

People often ask how an event in Houston, Minnesota – with a population just shy of 1,000 – could be international. The answer is: owls!

The International Festival of Owls traces its roots back to 2003 as a hatch-day party for Alice the Great Horned Owl, an educational ambassador at the Houston Nature Center. The event has grown over the years to include World Owl Hall of Fame awards, international speakers, and a highly competitive international children’s owl art contest.

This year’s World Owl Hall of Fame Award winners, selected by a panel of five owl experts from four continents, are Scott Rashid from Colorado and Rudolf Schaaf from Germany.

Scott Rashid is the founder and director of the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute (CARRI). He has spent 27 years working with owls, banding more than 1,400 owls of 10 species, delivering hundreds of educational programs, and live streaming owl nests to the world. He has put up more than 150 owl nest boxes, has published many popular and scientific articles, and rehabilitates wild owls in need of help. To top it off, he has written several books about owls, generously illustrated with his own artwork and photographs. He will be the keynote speaker at this year’s International Festival of Owls on Saturday, March 8.

Rudolf Schaaf from Germany is being honored with a Special Achievement Award for his more than 30 years of dedication to the publication of international owl research, conservation and cultural aspects in KAUZBRIEF, a publication of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Eulenschutz im Landkreis Ludwigsburg (owl protection and research group). One thousand copies of each issue are disseminated to members of owl groups and universities conducting owl research. Schaaf is unable to attend in person but has created a 30-minute presentation that will also be shown on March 8.

Former World Owl Hall of Fame Award winner Raju Acharya from Nepal will also attend this year’s festival and will give a presentation on Sunday, March 9. Acharya has created a sister festival that takes place in early February: the Nepal Owl Festival.

In an unexpected twist, what started as a local coloring contest at the first festival has morphed into a highly competitive international art competition, with 2,000 – 4,000 entries from 30-50 countries each year. This year nearly 3,000 entries from 32 countries were submitted, with judging slated to take place on February 22. Winners and about one hundred staff favorites will be displayed at the International Owl Center until next year’s Festival of Owls, and hundreds more will be displayed at Houston High School and in storefronts around Houston during this year’s festival, March 7-9.

The International Festival of Owls also includes just about everything you can think of related to owls: ambassador owls from the International Owl Center and visiting owls from the Illinois Raptor Center (including a Snowy Owl), owl prowls to call in wild owls, owl nest box building, owl pellet dissection, owl crafts, owl face painting, a kids’ owl calling contest, vendors of all manner of owl products, owl-themed food, and more.

One special part of this year’s festival will be two readings of the new book “Owl Music” by author Kat Beaulieu. Although written as a children’s book about a boy, an owl and a feather, it contains a powerful soul-touching message about our connection to nature for people of all ages.

Alice the Great Horned Owl has been retired for several years and now has arthritis, cataracts and atherosclerosis. She will be turning 28 this year and although she will not be present, there will still be a hatch-day cake for her on Sunday. This year will also mark the International Owl Center’s 10^th year in operation.

For more information about the festival and to register for special events, visit www.FestivalOfOwls.com.

George Thompson will be our special guest on Tuesday, February 25, for our Lunch & Learn series.

George grew up in St. Louis and moved to Rochester in 1968, during tumultuous years of the Civil Rights Movement, to work at IBM. At the time, George was one of very few Black men in the region. Over 55 years later, George has many stories from decades of his life and leadership in southeastern Minnesota, where he has always sought to serve and to create community.

George believes that when we understand each other and our differences, we have the best foundation for a strong community. His presentation, “An Hour in My Shoes,” will explore his experiences as a Black husband, father, friend, business man, and leader in southeastern Minnesota. He will offer stories and perspectives as a truly remarkable family man, neighbor, and leader.

Doors open at 11. Separate goodwill offerings will be collected upon entry for lunch and for our speaker. For more information and to register, visit www.goodearthvillage.org/lunchandlearn

Tuesday, February 25, 2025
25303 Old Town Drive, Spring Valley, Minnesota
Log Lodge
Doors open at 11:00 am