In this an election year, when many advertisements, television broadcasts, commentaries, etc. for candidates running for public office over-inundates people, either for or against a particular candidate, Northern Light Opera Company will put a humorous spin on the political "circus."
If you find current politics intriguing, don’t miss the one-time performance of George and Ira Gershwin’s "Of Thee I Sing" at Armory Square, in Park Rapids, on Saturday, September 22, at 7:30 p.m.
For the first time in 20 years the Armory in Park Rapids will be used to host an event. This is very exciting for the city of Park Rapids - to watch a piece of the city's history come back to life and to be a vibrant part of downtown!
The story line of this satirical musical, set on American politics in the 1930s, has John P. Wintergreen, running for President of the United States on the "love" platform. However, when he falls in love with sensible Mary Turner instead of Diana Devereaux, the beautiful pageant winner selected for him, he finds himself in political hot water.
Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Presidency, and the democratic process itself are all targets of this satire and specific political parties are not identified.
"Of Thee I Sing" was the first American musical with a consistently satirical tone to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in 1932.
NLOC presents the concert version - main characters and a chorus to provide the entertainment. Although there will be no sets or costumes, the audience will be surprised at how eerily some of the productions jokes seem to take precise aim, from decades back, at current affairs.
Tickets for "Of Thee I Sing" are available at Beagle Books or by calling 866-766-7372. Seating is limited, so get your tickets early.
This activity is funded, in part, by a Region 2 Arts Council grant through an appropriation by the MN State Legislature and the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund passed by MN voters on November 4, 2008 and also sponsored in part by Park Rapids Community Development Corporation.
