Arts remains front and center

By Rebecca Petersen | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, September 8, 2007

Sad to say it but summer seems to be officially over. Students are all back in school. The leaves are turning colors. Fall is in the air in spite of the high temperatures. I love the changing seasons primarily because they offer us a time of reflection and a time to look ahead.

It’s been a great summer for the arts in Fergus Falls. Concerts in the Park were a huge success and we’re already talking about the schedule for next summer. We’ve even had some folks come forward and ask if they too, could sponsor and if they too, could be a food vendor. So that’s something to look forward to next year.

The summer musical, “Beauty and the Beast,” is still the talk of the town. The cast will soon come together and see the video of their performance on the big screen at A Center for the Arts. We’ll announce the musical of choice for next summer. That’s something to look forward to as well.

The “On the Road Tour” of “Songs from the Tall Grass,” is going exceedingly well with audiences in Bayfield, Wis., and Albert Lea, already raving about the show and spreading the word. People who didn’t get a chance to see it in these communities are already calling some of the other venues to see if they can get tickets there.

“Songs” returns to Fergus Falls Sept. 28, 29 and 30. That’s something to look forward to. If you haven’t seen the show this year, you really owe it to yourself to try to get to it. It’s always a little different every time we do it.

We’re also looking forward to this year’s “Talk of the Town,” where we’ll give our attendees a little taste of what’s to come in 2008, with some of the performers in attendance to do “a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”

We invite everyone to “Fall Back Into The Arts,” with us at The Bigwood Event Center on Oct. 5, for our gala fund raiser, “Talk of the Town.”

This event helps A Center for the Arts raise money to offset the costs of future productions and building and operating expenses.

A ticket for $100 helps assure our longevity and promises the ticket holder a fabulous dinner, entertainment that includes music, theater, and dance of several varieties, a live auction with Cary Aasness and a silent auction, dessert, fun and more. Give us a call or stop in to pick up your tickets.

Tickets are also on sale for “Songs from the Tall Grass”; JPP Finnish Fiddling on Sept. 30; The Rose Ensemble’s return visit on Oct. 4; Pam Chabora in The Belle of Amherst; The Butch Thompson Trio on Oct. 21; the internationally acclaimed violinist, Midori on Oct. 25; Gales of November on Nov. 1; Folk Legend Bill Staines on Nov. 2.

You might want to think about that year-long ticket for two. With the programs and concerts and events ahead it’s quite a bargain (does not, however, include tickets to our fund raising events, Talk of the Town and Razzle Dazzle Revue).

So, looking ahead, we have a lot to look forward to. Looking back, it’s been a great summer. Thanks to the board and the staff and the community for everything they have contributed to making the arts so exciting in our community.

Rebecca Petersen is the director for A Center for the Arts.