Razzle Dazzle has rich tradition in FF

By Rebecca Petersen | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, March 8, 2008

It’s fun to see things coming together for this year’s Razzle Dazzle Revue.

Last year we did the “Prevue” to give you a taste of what we have in mind for a spring fund raiser for A Center for the Arts every year.

This is a chance for everyone to get involved —either on the stage or in the audience. It’s one of those things that helps us keep the ship afloat for the rest of the year.

All of these talented folks volunteer their time and energy to offer you a first class, affordable opportunity to get together as a community and support the arts.

I remember when I had my office over at The Chamber of Commerce — gosh that must have been in 1994 and 1995 — it seems like yesterday.

Steve Emerson, then Chamber of Commerce executive director, pulled this box of programs and stuff off of the shelf and said, “You should think about doing this Razzle Dazzle Revue again. They hired this New York City director and put together this Broadway-style show and it was a big hit.”

Now, 14 years later, we’re doing it — thanks to Steve Emerson and Dee Gust (who was in several Razzle Dazzles and even helped organize them).

A couple of years ago, Dee and I started talking about this. She had great stories to tell me about all of the people who got involved. (I won’t mention names here, but many of your friends and neighbors danced in dance lines, did solos and ensemble work — the whole shabang!)

“It was so much fun,” she said.

Well, she was right. It is so much fun and this year we’ve got lots of kids and lots of adults and lots of your friends and neighbors.

And, instead of hiring a New York City director, we’ve got our own Fergus Falls native, Scott Brusven (who, we’re convinced, is on his way to New York City some day).

However, in the style of the original Razzle Dazzles (which happened I guess about 25 years ago), we’ve got other folks working behind the scenes on choreography (that would be Shannon Denzel), and music (Becky Sonmor and Sommer Robles), so that the behind-the-scenes stuff is already happening when the director shows up (kind of like New York City).

It’s really fun to watch the process of how it all comes together. Next steps — sets and costumes — and that is all starting to come together as well. Whew. Producing a show can be exhausting and exhilirating.

So, plan to come and sit back and relax and enjoy all of the good, hard work. Tickets will go on sale next week for the two big nights — April 4 and 5, with possible matinees on Saturday and Sunday, if we sell out the evening shows.

In the meantime, plan to join us for Piper’s Crow, a St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 17 and The Biddies, A Big Read Concert and celebration of Women’s History Month, March 22. The Biddies call themselves eccentric older women, telling stories and singing songs.

Many of you know Claudia Schmidt who has been here several times with Gales of November and on her own.

In fact, Claudia and I go back to the first year we were open here, so it must have been January 1996 that she came with her solo program. But that’s a story for next week — a wild and crazy story.

I hope you’re all getting involved in this year’s Big Read — The Joy Luck Club and other companion books.

We have lots of things scheduled between now and April 22 — book groups, community ed classes, visits by musicians and authors and speakers and teachers.

Pick up a schedule of events at A Center for the Arts — or call us and we’ll mail you one. (218-998-ARTS)

Rebecca Petersen is the director of A Center for the Arts in Fergus Falls.