Carousel and You're A Good Man Charlie Brown

It's time once again for Northern Light Opera Company to be holding auditions for its 2013 season!  It is hard to believe that a year has passed!  This means that winter's grip will soon be over an spring and summer will soon be upon us!!  YAY!

NLOC auditions March 23 through March 25

      When preparing for an audition, a lurking question is, “Who are the characters and what part should I audition for?”

      This weekend the Northern Light Opera Company will be holding auditions at Calvary Lutheran Church for its summer musicals “Carousel” and “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown.”

To help make preparations for auditions, the list of major roles and approximate ages in “Carousel” are:

Billy Bigelow - (20’s-30’s. Baritone.) Charismatic carousel barker, a bit of a rogue; a tragic figure who is basically good at heart, but who has never learned to control his violent outbreaks; yearns for freedom;

Julie Jordan - (20’s. Soprano.) Very shy but headstrong millworker who falls for Billy; “complex, quieter, deeper;”

Carrie Pipperidge - (20’s. Alto.) “naive, direct, normal young woman,” Julie’s friend, who wants to become Mrs. Snow;

Enoch Snow - (20’s-40. Tenor.) Ambitious fisherman, who has his whole life planned out. Firm beliefs in what is proper and good;

Nettie Fowler (30’s-60’s. Mezzo.) Julie’s older wiser cousin (aunt?), who runs a local eatery. A big organizer of events and well-liked;

Jigger Craigin (20’s-30’s. Baritone.) A good-for-nothing sailor, who dabbles in criminal endeavors;

Mrs. Mullin (35-50) Owner of the Carousel, who has complicated relationship with Billy, her employee;

Mr. Bascombe (40-75) Owner of the Mill, strict and respected by community;

Starkeeper (??) A heavenly figure, Kapra-esque. Folksy;

Louise (14-18) Billy and Julie’s daughter, free-spirited and troubled. Dances;

Enoch Snow Jr. (15-20) Enoch and Carrie’s son, in love with Louise, but not allowed to associate with her because of strict upbringing; and

Policeman (30-65) Friendly but tough on Billy and Jigger.

There are also plenty of cameo roles, and many chorus scenes. The above listed characters represent the leads and supporting characters.

The cast needed for “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown,” include; Charlie Brown, Linus Van Pelt, Lucy Van Pelt, Snoopy, Sally, Schroeder and various cameo roles.

Sides for “Carousel” are available at Beagle Books in Park Rapids.

What are sides? Sides are unique pages, usually taken out of a script in order to help the actor prepare for the audition. The sides are the most important thing that helps the actor to rehearse the part.

See the NLOC website at www.northernlightopera.org for audition dates and times.

NLOC receives and OXCAR

Northern Light Opera Company, of Park Rapids,  received an “Oxcar” award for their set designs at the Oxcar Award Ceremony held at the New City Ballroom in Bemidji, on Saturday, December 8. Collin Perry, from NLOC, was honored with an award for his work on set designs. Perry has been working with NLOC and set designs for many years. 

Pat and Paul Dove attended the event, and so did Gail Haller and Brian Ahert, as well as Collin Perry!  Gail performed for the event representing NLOC.  Thank you to Gail!

Two general categories were included in the recognition ceremony: Awards for established works and for emerging works produced by non professional Region 2 Arts Area theater organizations and individuals. Recognition for work in the areas of production, design, direction, performance, and special citations (determined by a group of 8 volunteer evaluators). The official “Oxcar” is a Blue Ox a familiar figure in Bemidji, MN. 

Congratulations to Collin and Northern Light Opera Company!!

Of Thee I Sing performance

"Of Thee I Sing" to be performed

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.

Last performance

We just gave our 5th performance of the Sound of Music. We have put in many hours, a lot of heart and soul, and just about everything we have within us to make this story come alive!  It is bittersweet that tomorrow night, Saturday, August 4 will be our last show for Northern Light Opera Company's 2012 show.

I have heard so many wonderful comments and praise of our efforts!  We wouldn't be able to do what we do without an audience - you make our performance alive.  When you laugh, cry, sing-a-long...we know we have touched your heart!

I wish to thank Lisa Dove, Greg Paul, Paul and Pat Dove, the NLOC board, the cast, the stage crew, the orchestra and anyone else involved with this production!!  I deeply appreciate your time and love of live theatre!

And, to our audience - many thanks for coming to the show - there is one more to see - don't miss it!!  We do what we do - for you!

We look forward to providing  you with more great talent when we perform "Of Thee I Sing" on Sept. 22 at the Armory in Park Rapids and when we have our fund raising Soiree on Sept. 29!

Please come to our fianl performance of the Sound of Music, Saturday, August 4 at 7:30 at the Park Rapids High School!

Jennie Anderson
Publicity and Marketing Director, NLOC

Dress rehearsal

Tonight is the last night we get a run-through - it's dress rehearsal night!  Full costume, full make-up, with every cast member waiting in the wings waiting for their turn on stage!  The pit orchestra will be in place by 6:30, warming and tuning, while the cast puts on the finishing touches!

Then, it's curtain call...no stopping tonight. We will go straight through. A dropped line, a dropped note...it's all part of live theater!  Tonight we work the final "bugs" out and prepare ourselves for opening night.

Our stage crew has done phenomenal job on the sets and backdrops - you feel as if you are in Austria, in the Von Trapp home, and in the abbey. I can't say enough at how exquisite the sets are. This is small town Park Rapids, MN. And, we know how to do it BIG!!  This is a big city production!!

Lisa Dove, director; Paul Dove, music director, and Gail Haller, stage manager have made our cast come alive - and just wait until you see our Maria and Captain Von Trapp!  The nuns, the Nazis, the children, Max, Elsa, the house staff, Rolf, Mother Abbess...they will delight the audience!!!  Everyone in the cast has done an excellent job making their character come to life for the audience.

And this production wouldn't be possible without those behind the scenes working on the sets and costumes.  They have put in countless hours (personally, I think they have been living at the high school to get all of this put together!).

I also have to acknowledge the NLOC board, as they have worked hard to help promote and raise funds for our productions!! Ad the funding from the R2AC which also makes these shows possible!!!

You will be amazed and entertained!  Please come, and enjoy the show!!

Three days

It's hard to believe that in three days Northern Light Opera Company will be presenting The Sound of Music.

It's seems like just yesterday - it really was this past April - that we had auditions!  Now we're on the edge of opening night!

But, like with any performance, there are last minute details yet to be done.  Costumes are still being worked on, sets are being finished, lines are still being memorized...and there are a great deal of nerves to be overcome!

Tonight we put the orchestra and the actors together for the first time!  I can feel the excitement building!

I had a sneak peak at the stage scenes last night - our audience will feel like they are in the Austrian Alps!  The photo doesn't do justice, but take a look at the mountain!

This is going to be a great show.  With so many bonuses we don't normally have, such as:
Debbie Turner Larson visiting on 7/27, 7/28 and 7/29 45 minutes prior to each performance!  We also have collector Sound of Music Madame Alexander dolls that we are holding a raffle for.

We look forward to performing for our audience and we hope you want to see the show again and again!

Madame Alexander Sound of Music Doll Raffle

We are excited to announce that Northern Light Opera Company was donated a 10-piece collector's set of Madame Alexander "Sound of Music" dolls.  These are all in their original boxes (actually they have never been taken out of their boxes - even more valuable).

We will be holding a raffle and one lucky winner will be drawn at the final performance on August 4.  These dolls have at least a $1,200 value.

Tickets are available at Beagle Books, Mon-Sat, 11am-1pm, from NLOC board members, and at all the performances.  For one $5 dollar raffle ticket you could be the winner of these 10 beautiful dolls!