On Friday night, the Northfield Arts Guild will present The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder at the Arts Guild Theater for a two-weekend run. The classic comedy, originally published in 1954 was itself a reworked version of Wilder’s 1938 play The Merchant of Yonkers, and eventually served as the basis for the beloved Broadway musical Hello Dolly.
The play centers around the attempts of a matchmaker named Dolly Levi to help a young woman marry the man she loves over the objections of her wealthy uncle. Northfield Arts Guild Performing Arts Manager Pauline Jennings said there are many reasons to see the show, not the least of which is because it is very funny.
“It’s a mayhem, mishap, misadventure, adventure, comedy. And so, if you need to laugh, because all of us have been inside and we all just need to laugh. I think I’ve said that a couple of times already, but it’s so true, particularly in the spring after being shut in over the winter and cold, to get out and socialize and laugh is a good thing.”
The play is directed by Susan Carlson and stars LeAnne Finger as Dolly.
Meanwhile, the Arts Guild has announced its 65th Theater Season which will begin in October. The Guild will produce Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady in October, followed by a pair of Holiday themed One Act plays, The Holiday Radio Hour Revue and Christmas Thieves. Other productions set for the new season include Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, and Tom Stoppard’s Shakespeare in Love.
Jennings is also very excited about the next entry in the 411 Concert Series. On May 5th, the Northfield Arts Guild will present Three, a trio composed of Lori Dokken, Rachel Holder and Judy Vinar. Jennings said the three women offer three part harmony stylings of pop songs and standards ranging from Joni Mitchell to Alicia Keys, who have made a home on the stage of the Dakota Jazz Club. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has called the group a “Twin Cities Cabaret staple,” and Jennings said it’s a rare treat to be able to see them without leaving Northfield.
Tickets for both Three and The Matchmaker, as well as season tickets for the 2024-25 theater season can be purchased at northfieldartsguild.org.
The Matchmaker will run this weekend and next weekend. Curtain will be at 7:30 Fridays and Saturdays, Sunday matinees begin at 2:30.
Arts a la Carte transforms High School into a ‘carnival of art’
On Friday night, Northfield High School will present the 22nd edition of Arts a la Carte, the very popular festival featuring the entire Northfield High School arts community. Attendees will have an opportunity to see student artists showing or performing their work in a whimsical, celebratory atmosphere.
One of the teacher-leaders of the event, Katherine Norrie, said Arts a la Carte is a student run and organized event that is part art fair, part art festival, and all-around party featuring visual arts, music, dance, theater and more.
“This is the night when all of our departments come together and really shine,” she said.
The event will feature a gallery filled with art created by any student who wishes to enter a piece. There will be 15-20 “Make and Take” art activities in a wide range of media from face painting to clay wheel lessons. There will be a print sale, featuring handmade student artwork as well.
Each Honors Art Student will have their own booth where they will show their work, discuss their vision, possibly demonstrate their technique, and have an activity for each visitor.
Music will be performed in the lower cafeteria along with roaming musicians throughout the festival. There will also be what organizers are billing as a “theater experience,” as well as a student-made film festival.
Admission to the event is $5 at the door. One need not have a connection to any of the student artists to attend, as the event is billed as something for “arts lovers of all ages.” The $5 admission charge includes a raffle ticket for the end-of-the-evening prize drawings. There will also be a variety of concessions available for purchase.
Arts a la Carte will run from 5:30 to 9pm on Friday night at Northfield High School.
Event will be first at Library Oasis
In celebration of Earth Day, the Northfield Public Library will host a mobile art workshop on Saturday Afternoon at the new Library Oasis located inside the Northfield Community Resource Center.
Artists Anna Haglin and James Kleiner call their program Paper Plains. The pair will demonstrate paper making techniques and share information about the history of invasive plants in Minnesota. Each sheet of paper will be embedded with native prairie seeds and will carry a little piece of the Great Plains.
Haglin teaches at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts and also teaches college courses in print, paper and bookmaking. Kleiner repairs unique printing and papermaking equipment. Together, they bring Paper Plains to communities around Minnesota.
The event will run from 1-4pm on Saturday afternoon at the Library Oasis. Patrons are welcome to drop in anytime to participate in this hands-on, outdoor, interactive experience that allows participants to create paper from regionally harvested invasive plants.
This event is free and open to people of all ages and abilities. It will be offered in both English and Spanish.
KYMN News 4-17-24
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
