SCENE MARCH 2024

MAR15: TOLAUGHISTOLIVE! SILENTCOMEDYSETTOTHE1926KILGENORGAN! MAR22:COLLEENRAYEIN ROCKIN’&SWINGIN’THROUGHTHEDECADES

MAR24:MSCSE

PRESENTS:

STRINGS, WINDS&BRASS

APRIL4-7: PHOENIXTHEATRE PRESENTS PERFECT ARRANGEMENT

6 Love for the theater

Longtime Northfield director shares her love of theater on and off stage.

10 SoMinn female artists

Local watercolor artists add splash of color to life.

12 Female musicians

A look at some of SoMinns top female musicians that raise their voices.

COLUMNS:

5 Mollywood BLVD

The ladies of SNL

8 From the MUSIC SIDE

Minnesota music ladies I love.

9 Rants & RAVES

A long trip on the road? Never Again.

15 SoMinn FASHION

9 tips to dress light.

16 Through a SoMinn LENS

Color my world with flowers & greenery.

19 What to WATCH

We need more, but there are many great women-directed films.

20 SoMinn FOOD & DRINK Review

Women-owned establishments in SoMinn.

28 SoMinn THE BOOKWORM SEZ

- The Risk It Takes to Bloom

- Rental Person Who Does Nothing

- Accidental

- What Really Happens in Vegas

- Safe

- Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making?

- The Fast

- How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi

Mollywood BLVD

MOLLY PENNY

Molly Penny is a local radio personality and MNSU alum. It was her love of pop culture that got her interested in doing a radio show for KOWZ 100.9, and she is now the music and promotions director at KOWZ & KRUE Radio in Owatonna. She resides in Mankato with her movie buff husband and YouTube obsessed children. Catch her on Twitter at @ mollyhoodUSA.

The ladies of SNL

TINA

NNight

has been a mainstay in American pop culture since the 1970s, and from its inception included female comics who have proven through the years that women can be funny.

Not only can they be funny, the women of “SNL” have also proven to be wildly talented writers and producers.

Dozens of women have blazed a trail over the 41-year history of the show. Lorne is set to retire soon, and there are rumblings that “SNL” alum and producer Tina Fey is being scouted to replace him. Fey’s box office release of her 2024 reboot of the now classic 2004 movie “Mean Girls,” was critically mixed (70% Rotten Tomatoes score), but other projects, like the original “Mean Girls” and her cult classic show “30 Rock,” are increasingly loved. Her name is at the top of the list to replace Lorne. Her run on the show spanned 11 years, from 1997 to 2006 and she was the first woman named head writer.

Other notable women of the late-night comedy show include some infamous names you may remember from the original cast: Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman. Radner is probably the most famous of the females from the original roster. In fact, she was Lorne’s first hire- male or female! Radner’s quirky characteristics on the show even brought her an Emmy but she departed the show after only 5 years. You may recall some of her characters such as frizzy haired Roseanne Roseannadanna and nerdy Lisa Loopner. Radner was also the wife of Gene Wilder at the time of her passing from ovarian cancer in 1989.

Jane Curtin was the first female co-anchor on “Weekend Update” alongside Dan Akroyd. You may recall their “Point/Counter-Point” segment where he regulary quipped, “Jane, you ignorant s**t.” It was Curtin who was the first of the original comediennes to come forward on “Oprah” and admit that the writer’s room could be a hostile environment for women, stating that cast-mate John Belushi often

scoffed at and turned down the women’s sketch ideas. Aside from her feminism, I always love Jane Curtin’s deadpan delivery. Laraine Newman was a founding member with a sexy, hippie mystique.

In the 80s, Gail Matthius and Ann Risley and Jan Hooks were some of the casts’ female mainstays. Jan Hooks was a repertory player from 1986-1991.

JANE GILDA

KRISTEN

Hooks did a perfect, overthe-top, Kathy Lee Gifford but Hillary Clinton became one of her hallmark impressions before leaving the show in 1991. Hooks made reappearances on the show throughout the 90’s and had cameos in several comedic films, but sadly passed away from throat cancer in 2014 at the age of 57. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was a cast member, in fact, the youngest cast member hired to date at the age of 21, and it landed her the role of Elaine in “Seinfeld.”

If 1970s were the Golden Age for “SNL,” then surely the 90s were its Renaissance. From Julia Sweeney’s “Pat” to Molly Shannon’s Mary Katherine Gallager, “sweata weatha” with Cheri Oteri and the infamous “Mom Jeans” commercial, there were so many iconic characters and moments coming from the female cast. However, when it came to feature films, it was the male counterparts who saw massive success, with films like “Billy Madison,” “Tommy Boy” and “Waynes World.” Still, you could find

some of the female comediennes with bit parts in those films, but the era of womenproduced full-feature and television comedy came in the 2000s.

MOLLY

JAN LESLIE

“Saturday Night Live” road the success of its all-star cast of the 90s (Will Farrell, David Spade, Chris Farley, Jeneane Garofolo, Jimmy Fallon, Colin Quinn, Tim Meadows, Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer) into the new millennium. By 2003, Amy Poehler had joined the cast as well as Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig. This was when “SNL” seemed to tilt towards the women cast members and writers being the ones carrying the show. Poehler saw success with the show “Parks and Rec,” Fey with “Mean Girls” and “30 Rock,” and of course Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph in “Bridesmaids.”

The 2010’s continued to see rising success from female cast members, including Leslie

Jones and Cecily Strong. When there were no African American women on the show, Keenan Thompson played everyone from Maya Angelou to Oprah. In 2013 he announced he would no longer cross-dress until “SNL” hired a black comedienne. Lorne hired two, Zamata Thompson and Leslie Jones. Recently, “SNL” cast member Kate McKinnon appeared as “Weird Barbie” in Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” showing that the rise in female comedy is not going away anytime soon, but in many ways, we have a little studio in New York to thank for that. Oh, I would also like to take this time to personally request that Amy Poehler and Tina Fey come back to host the Golden Globes next year… and every year forever. They were hands down the best. 

BC and Lorne Micheal’s “Saturday

Live”

Longtime director shares her love of theater on and off stage

By PAMELA THOMPSON pamela.thompson@apgsomn.com

orthfield has a vibrant arts scene.

That’s precisely what longtime theater director Rachel Haider was looking for when she moved there in 2004.

“My husband and I did a three-state

search, including Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa,” explained Haider.

They wanted to be located close to a major airport and one that supported education and offered a robust arts environment, especially strong theater arts.

“This is an amazing community,” she said.

“When I found Northfield Arts Guild, I felt like I had won. It’s an organization that breeds arts and gives our kids access to various arts. It makes an incredible contribution to our lives.”

Haider said even when she first moved here, she never felt like an outsider when she was in the theater

“Everyone was so welcoming,” she said. “I made instant friendships with the cast and crew. They gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.”

As the daughter one of the people instrumental in founding the Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, Haider said her love of theater dates back to when she was a two-year old. The theater was her home away from home, and the theater people were her second family.

Not only did she work backstage on props, sets and lights, she ushered for every show and always took acting classes.

When her family moved to rural East Troy,

Wisconsin, she appeared in every play staged at the high school. As a senior, she was asked to direct “The Enchanted Journey.” That marked the first time a student was invited to direct a school production. That show was also performed in all the elementary schools.

Since then, her career as a director has soared. Haider estimates she’s been in charge of 150 productions, give or take. Most recently for the director was “The Hobbit” by Patricia Gray, based on the classic

by J.R.R.

book

Tolkien.

Purple Door Youth Theater auditions were held in mid-December and rehearsals started

Rachel Haider stands at the purple door named in her honor in the basement of the Northfield Arts Guild which is used as the theater’s Green Room. (Photos courtesy of Rachel Haider)

The director closely monitors a rehearsal. (Photos courtesy of Rachel Haider)

Teaching a recent theater Thrills and Skills class. (Photos courtesy of Rachel Haider)

the first week of January. The show opened in late February and ran through the first weekend in March at the Northfield Arts Guild Theater.

Backstory

Haider got her bachelor’s degree in Arts, Promotion and Management with a theater emphasis from the University of Wisconsin in Superior. There, she learned the administrative side as well as the promotional and marketing side.

After a brief foray to Texas with the Stages Repertory Theater in Houston, she returned to the midwest and met her husband in Milwaukee. The couple has two daughters, both of whom were involved in theater.

Haider’s local theater involvement included theater coordinator, performing arts manager, and interim director for NAG; a three and a half year stint as the drama director at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault; and as co-founder with Joe Jorgensen of Purple Door Youth Theater.

Working with students aged second grade to 12th grade, Haider said she was determined to acquaint them with the two pathways of theater: the acting side and the technical side.

“There is so much to learn in theater as an educational experience,” explained Haider. “It’s not just a show.”

Costumer Kate Stuart said she’s been working with Haider since 2019 as a costume supervisor for some of her Purple Door Youth Theater productions.

“One of the wonderful things about Rachel is that she is willing to allow the children and adults who work with her to try new things,” Stuart said.

Steve Lawler, a theater colleague said it would be impossible to separate Rachel from the rich tapestry that is the arts scene in Northfield.

“If there is theater happening, she is either part of it, evangelizing it, or going to see it,” Lawler said. “Often all of those things at once. She is an incredibly hard worker and a tireless supporter of the arts. More than once, she has stepped into important administrative roles at the Northfield Arts Guild during challenging times.”

Lawler said he first met Rachel during the Northfield Art Guild’s 2004 production of “H.M.S. Pinafore” when she wasn’t even living in town yet. A few months later, when he was cast as Rooster Hannigan in the musical “Annie,” and Rachel was cast as his sister, the infamous Miss Hannigan.

“I’ve thought of Rachel as my theater sister ever since,” he said.

Since “Annie”, Lawler said Haider has focused mostly on directing.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with her both on- and off-stage in classics like ‘Guys & Dolls,’ ‘The Music Man,’ and ‘Oliver!’ as well as newer shows like ‘13 — The Musical,’ ‘White Christmas,’ and ‘Peter and the Starcatcher.’

Lawler added that they’ve even done some brand-new plays, like “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” and “The Great Northfield Bank Raid: A Love Story.”

“As a director, Rachel is focused, organized and has a strong artistic vision,” said Lawler. “She will not hesitate let you know, usually in the kindest way possible, if she’d like to see you try something a little differently. I think these traits contribute to her success directing young people, as she has for the last several years with the Purple Door Youth Theater.”

“It doesn’t hurt that she also focuses on having fun throughout the process,” said Lawler. “I’m pretty sure I’ve heard her exclaim, more than once, ‘It’s called a ‘play’ for goodness’ sake.’”

Another friend, Jerry Fox, said working with Rachel in the theater was “one of the highlights” of his 18 years of living in Northfield. Fox said they shared the stage as actors; she directed him many times — in some great roles — and he stage managed for her multiple times.

“One (of many) notable things about Rachel is that, in a room full of boisterous energetic and loud kids, she could zero in on the one on

the other side of the room who was asking a question and she could answer that question as though they were the only two people in the room,” said Fox. “Rachel is amazingly patient, endlessly kind and very, very forgiving.”

Fox added that he believes her life’s work is to share her love of the theater.

“There are many young people in Northfield and Faribault who have benefited from that and who are better people for having shared experiences with her in productions and workshops that she has lead.” he said. “I am very fortunate to be able to say that she is one of my best friends.” 

Pamela Thompson is the associate editor for the Northfield News. Reach her at 507-645-1115 or pamela.thompson@ apgsomn.com.

Rachel Haider directs a Purple Door Youth Theater production. (Photos courtesy of Rachel Haider)

Rachel Haider directs a class of aspiring young thespians. (Photos courtesy of Rachel Haider)

Rachel Haider as Miss Hannigan in “Annie.” (Photos courtesy of Rachel Haider)

Rachel Haider played Mrs. Potts in a production of “Beauty and the Beast.” (Photos courtesy of Rachel Haider)

From the MUSIC SIDE

IMEGAN ROLLOFF

Minnesota music ladies I love

f you’ve read this column once or twice before, you know that I have a pretty big soft spot for Minnesota women in music. I might be a little biased, but I think the female talent in this state is second to none. In honor of March being Women’s History Month, I thought I would share a few of my all-time favorites from our state. In no particular order …

Dessa

Okay, I know I said no particular order, but Dessa really is my number one. Dessa was born here (in Minneapolis to be specific), grew up here, started her career here, and, to my knowledge, still considers Minnesota home (though she does split her time with NYC these days). She’s released 5 full-length solo albums since 2010 and each one is worth spending some serious quality time with.

Caroline Smith/Your Smith

I recently saw Ms. Smith live at First Avenue. The show was in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the release of her solo album “Half About Being a Woman”. A fabulous listen when you

need a little feminist boost. The show was everything I was hoping for and more. It was nostalgic and familiar with the “Caroline era” tunes, and fresh and exciting with some selections from the newer “Your era”. She’s backed off a little from performing as of late, but if you hear of a show date in the future, my advice is to snap up those tickets. You won’t be sorry.

Kiss the Tiger

Yes, this is indeed a band. But a band fronted by the dynamic Meghan Kreidler. Meghan’s background is in theater and this comes in handy in their live shows. They aim to create an experience for the audience. Their latest release is “Vicious Kid” and has some seriously explosive tracks. Three of my favorites are “Motel Room”, “Who Does Her Hair?”, and “Talk To Me”.

Bad Bad Hats

These days, Bad Bad Hats is technically a duo made up of Kerry Alexander and Chris Hoge. Kerry takes the lead on vocals and on songwriting. Her voice is sweet, her lyrics are clever with a great sense of humor, and their Instagram reels are funny as heck.

Lizzo

Yes, I know she was not born in Minnesota. Yes, I know there has been some recent drama swirling around her. But I am no fair-weather fan, and I truly believe there are three sides to every story; this side, that side, and the truth. Lizzo had some pretty serious local success before she began her meteoric international rise to fame and fortune. I would like to think that the support she recieved here helped her on her journey to writing and performing some of the greatest hip-pop (not sure that’s a word,

but it should be) music in recent memory. “Worship”, “Good As Hell”, “Truth Hurts”, “Water Me”, “About Damn Time”, “Batches & Cookies”, “Fitness”...NEED I GO ON?!

Judy Garland

Ooh! Didn’t see that one coming, did you? Judy’s place on my list is, admittedly, primarily due to one perfect song. Though she didn’t write it, the way she sang it cemented “Over the Rainbow” into our collective consciousness and our American culture for all time. While The Wizard of Oz is indeed my favorite movie, the song goes far beyond the silver screen. It stands proudly on its own independent of its soundtrack. Though she only lived in Minnesota until she was four years old, it was long enough to have been the place of her first public performance at the age of two. A little girl from Minnesota grew up to be Dorothy Gale from Kansas. So maybe the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.

I could seriously go on, and on, and on...and on. The legacy of ladies in music in this state is as wide and deep as Lake Superior But in my opinion, it’s more than just being born with talent. Something about the crisp Minnesota air inspires a girl to hustle. These ladies all work/worked hard and use/used their brains just as much as their talents to become successful. I’m proud to have anything in common with them, even if it’s just a little geography. 

Photo by Maddy Fox

A long trip on the road? Never again.

Never again!

My dad used to say that everyone should take a long train or bus ride at least once to experience the real America. I’ve worked in retail including the Mall of America for years, so I feel like I’ve had a giant dose of humanity and enough Americana for a lifetime. I guess my recent adventures driving cross country accomplished the same sorta thing my dad was talking about.

The whole plan sounded innocent enough. Driving with my sister from Minnesota to Arizona over the course of three days in a brand-new vehicle with lots of fancy technology. Then, she casually mentioned her 75-pound German Shepherd, Axel, would be joining us. Once we disassembled his gargantuan kennel/ luxury dog apartment to put in the bed of said truck and installed his custom condo in the backseat, I realized there was barely room for me to put my purse, let alone anything else.

My sister asked me to pack light. She suggested a toothbrush and a couple pair of underwear in a Ziploc bag. I did manage to jam an extra pair of shoes and a pair of jeans under my car seat, but basically the entire vehicle looked like the Beverly Hillbillies were headed to the desert. For those of you too young to remember Jethro Bodine and Elly May Clampett, our truck was packed tight-as-a-tick and looked like a highway disaster just waiting to happen.

For some reason, Des Moines, Iowa was just

a sea of mangled cars and jack-knifed semis in the ditch. Apparently, there had been black ice the night before. It was super creepy driving on dry roads past all the crumpled cars now facing the wrong direction or completely upside down. Once we got out of that scary scene, it was just row after row of wind turbines making that slow thump, thump, thump sound that you swear you can feel in your chest. You saw the occasional lonely farm house on the far horizon and we spent a lot of time asking each other, “What do you think people do out here?!”

We made really good use of all our driving time. We rehashed some of our favorite stories from childhood. You know the ones…that I have to hear…at EVERY holiday…for the rest of my damn life. The tales that no sibling will let die no matter how much I plead. Like the time I saved the butter pats from the restaurant in my windbreaker coat pocket. Or the time I used Ajax to get Vaseline out of my hair as well as the time I learned the difference between “baking” and “eating” chocolate. And let us not miss a chance to recount the spankings I received for watching “Dark Shadows.” Yup, all the classics were covered during our endless quality time. Thump, thump, thump … I wonder what they do out here!?

We made it to Dodge City, Kansas on the first night. The town that was once known as the “Wickedest Town in the West” should update their moniker to the “Smelliest Place on the Planet.” Between the sea of stockyards and the endless lines of semis snaking down the highways, it was one of the most depressing places I could ever envision living. Although

the guy parked next to us (at the hotel held together by duct tape and broken dreams) who left his car door open all night, was pleased no one stole the ton of ski equipment he had jammed into his SUV. And the folks talking nonstop all night in the adjoining room, apparently had a lot of catching up to do. Did I mention the walls were made of paper-mache?

The dog had never experienced an elevator before, let alone a hotel. The intense yowling and high-pitched crying noises that came out of him while he made the treacherous (one floor) journey to his temporary digs, were surely a treat for all the weary travelers. I think the pooch especially enjoyed the crisp -11-degree weather the following morning as we toured the construction site for the hotel’s abandoned remodel project. I know my sister and I loved the soft sunrise as well as the waves of diesel fuel wafting in through the broken air conditioning unit as we welcomed another day on the road.

But alas, my highway hypnosis was disrupted by our arrival in an ordinary small town. As I was driving past all the dive bars and BBQ joints, I stumbled into Hooker, Oklahoma. If you think for even a quick minute that I was gonna miss going into the Chamber of Commerce in a town called “Hooker,” you’d be wrong. It was a “rode hard and put away wet” building that contained a thrift store, a free book exchange and a teeny woman with drawn-on eyebrows who was sporting a kicky velour sweatsuit. She was kind enough to give me the scoop on the slow return of the horny toads and a special blessing for safe travels. I spent most of my visit trying to decide if I

needed the t-shirt that said, “Support Your Local Hookers” or “All My Friends Are Hookers” or “Hooker, OK … it’s a location, not a vocation.” Basically, all my Christmas shopping could be done in one stop.

You know when the highlight of your day occurs at a gas station convenience store, that you’ve been livin’ right. I discovered a chain of stores called “Loves” and my newest addiction; Love’s brand chili & lime roasted corn nuts. It probably wouldn’t surprise you to find out how many miles out of my way I went hunting for these tasty treasures that are guaranteed to crack your crowns and numb your lips. I stopped every time I saw the damn sign only to discover not all the Loves carry the same snacks. What I thought could help redeem this trip was quickly turning out to be just an empty fantasy.

It was right about the time I was licking the last of the chili powder off my fingers, desperately trying to stay awake and not have to take my turn to walk the dog on another frigid potty break, that I determined I couldn’t stop one more time. We had to drive until we hit our destination or just drive off a cliff right now. Those were our only two options. The Thelma & Louise resolution was sounding better and better the longer I was in the car! We arrived at destination after 16 hours of driving that day. No one was on speaking terms, Axel would no longer look at either of us, and my sister contemplated setting the truck on fire and buying a new one as this one was filthy.

OK, Dad, we did it. We toured. We mingled. We survived. And, we’re never doing this again. Until next time … 

SoMinn watercolor artists add splash of color to life

By EMILY KAHNKE Guest Contributor

Throughout history, women have played a pivotal, yet sometimes underrecognized, role in the evolution of art. More often portrayed as subject matter rather than the creative force behind a piece. Local women are breaking that mold and inspiring other women to create, learn, grow and achieve careers as artists.

J osie Cora and Pam Mikeworth are just two of many women in Southern Minnesota furthering and enhancing the arts scene.

Cora

For artist Josie Cora, a Northfield native, a

love for art — specifically water color — blossomed while she was in high school.

“I’ve always been exposed to art in some form,” she said. “My mom was a quilter and I remember going to quilt shows with her and loving how she made quilts that were outside traditional methods. In high school I really thrived in art and I went to college for Graphic Communications Management and a minor in Art.”

Being able to combine a business savvy mind along with creative expression in her professional life was rewarding for Cora. She still experimented with different techniques with watercolor and painting in her free time. Roughly four years ago, she began exploring the art of pyrography and combining that with her watercolor.

“It all started as an outlet to be creative and morphed into what I do now,” Cora said. “It’s been so fun to combine the two together.”

Pyrography is the art of decorating wood

or other materials with burn marks. Cora said she stumbled upon the world of wood-burning while scrolling on instagram.

“I immediately went and bought my first wood-burning tool and that was that,” she laughed. “I started with words and simple doodles and found that zoning in on the work helped me escape the stress of work.”

She began sharing her creations online and not long later, people began asking for custom signs. It was then she realized she could actually make a living creating art.

“My husband and I decided to move to Owatonna to be closer to family,” she said. “He had a good job already, but I didn’t, so we decided I would be a stay-at-home mom. That also gave me the opportunity to continue my process during nap times and in the evenings.”

As a contemporary wood-burning and watercolor artist, she began to focus her talents on combining mediums and incorporating her love of landscape and nature into her art. She

said she enjoys the healing effects of nature and spends plenty of time outdoors with her kids and appreciating the moment.

“I love landscapes,” she said. “ I love how the grain adds movement to the piece. I’m very intentional from the beginning of the process. Each panel I pick out with the final image in mind and I play how it will flow in the composition.”

Her process begins by burning the wood and mapping out the landscape and where her water color additions will come in later

“I think it’s really interesting to add in the water color on top of the burns on the wood,” she said. “You can see the burn marks and the wood grain through the paint and it’s a really fun added element that brings the whole piece together. I think they naturally compliment each other.”

One of her favorite pieces is that of the Straight River she painted last year “It’s very dear to my heart,” she said. “A

Straight River Pynography

Josie Cora Family

La Jolla

friend took a photo and I felt like it truly captured the Straight River and what that place means to me and my family. We walk that path often and there’s something so peaceful about that space and I feel like this piece embodies everything I stand for as an artist.”

Cora currently has art displayed in an exhibition in Maple Grove through March 8 and plans

to participate in the Steele County Art Exhibition at the Owatonna Arts Center later this year.

Mikeworth

For Owatonna watercolor artist Pam Mikeworth, a full immersion into art didn’t come along until her adult years.

“It all started during the Owatonna Arts in the Park,” she said. “I fell in love with the watercolor work of Dee Leonard. I ended up going to her demonstration and talk at the Owatonna Arts Center and she recommended taking a class from Karlyn Holman the following spring in 2002 and that’s what I did.”

With many different styles of watercolor out there, Mikework said still life and flowers are her passion.

“I’ve been commissioned to do many different styles, but I love cut glass and flowers and still life,” she said. “I love the colors that are in the cut glass and how the light reflects. I ask myself how do I capture that and make them look real.”

With dozens of classes, a few trips to Europe and more than 20 years of painting under her belt, Mikeworth said she continues to learn and grow and loves to teach classes and encourage amateur artists to find their niche and thrive.

She said she also really enjoys black and white because she only has to use one color and can use techniques with the amount of water to make the ink “black as black” or a pale gray and contrasting with color to make the piece more striking.

“There are so many techniques to explore and play with,” she said. “I’m not a boastful person, but I love watercolor deep in my heart and I have paintings in my studio from when I started until now and it’s beautiful to see where i’ve come from and know I have plenty left to go.”

“I’ve taught many classes at the arts center to beginners and I love it,” she said. “Whenever I teach I always tell my students ‘don’t paint like me, paint like you.’ Anyone can copy another artist and I can teach techniques like how to lighten and darken the pain, add shadows and all that, but they need to find their style and what speaks to them as an artist.”

She said the most important thing is having at least one good brush and good paper and ink, which is why she supplies those things to her students during her classes.

Now retired, Mikeworth is able to dedicate more time to painting in her basement studio.

“Sometimes when I’m painting, time just fades away,” she said. “I can forget about the troubles of the world and just be in my happy place. There have been times when I go down to paint after dinner and all of the sudden it’s 2 a.m.” 

Pam Mikeworth Painting

In the Fine Arts at the SCFF for 2016, Pam Mikeworth was winner of the Masters Champion Award with her watercolor titled “Dearest Mary”.

Female musicians raise their voices in SoMinn

By JANE TURPIN MOORE Guest Contributor

Talented women have been making their mark on the Minnesota music scene for decades—even if they’re not household names like Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson or Beyonce.

For Dallas Musselman, Melissa Schulz and Crista Bohlmann, a day without music is rare. Not surprisingly, music has been part of their respective lives from early childhood, and each anticipates her music-making will endure for years to come.

This trio of accomplished artists is a mere sampling of the many skilled women contributing to the southern Minnesota music scene. Whether heard as in-demand solo acts or essential members of popular ensembles, they share their musical gifts frequently. Their stories offer a glimpse into what drives them — and what behind-the-scenes effort it takes — to practice that craft and “effortlessly” entertain audiences.

Schulz

Melissa Schulz works the keys — and her vocal cords. Performing was a literal childhood dream for Melissa Schulz, and now, as a solo live music artist who’s mastered the pop/ country/rock genres, she’s living that dream on a daily basis.

“At one point I wanted to be a Rockette, because I was really into dance,” said Schulz.

She spent her youth in Dubuque, Iowa, before heading north

for a teaching job in southern Minnesota after earning a bachelor’s degree at Luther College in 2007 with majors in music education and vocal performance.

Said Schulz, “I’d thought about a career in opera or Broadway all through my childhood—my aspirations always involved music and the arts and sharing that with people in some way — but when I graduated I wasn’t quite brave enough to launch into a performance career.”

Times have changed. Although Schulz spends some days substitute teaching, her afternoons, evenings and weekends are all about music.

“Last year, I averaged 24 shows a month, ranging in length from 45 minutes to four hours,” said Schulz, whose home with her husband Corey is a hobby farm located between Waseca and Morristown.

When she’s not busy rehearsing, prepping music, performing, marketing her services or ensuring her gear (keyboard, microphone, speakers, cords, etc.) is ready to roll, she might be tending to the sheep, ducks, turkeys and chickens on their property. And don’t forget about pet dog Maggie and Skittles the cat.

“I’m known for my wide vocal range—like Whitney Houston,” said Schulz with a smile, rightly refusing to be categorized as either a soprano or alto.

Because Schulz began studying piano as a second grader and continued lessons throughout high school, she is a skilled keyboardist who maintains a private piano (teaching) studio and confidently accompanies herself.

In the past several years, Schulz’s speedometer has added over 169,000 miles, primarily accrued going to and from gigs at area wineries, breweries, senior living centers and weddings.

Dallas Musselman singing last fall in CASTastrophe 4 at the Northfield Arts Guild Theater. (Submitted photo)

Melissa Schulz

“I tend to cap my range at about an hour’s drive one way,” said Schulz, mentioning gigs as far north as Shakopee, Eden Prairie and Burnsville, southeast to Austin and Albert Lea, east to Rochester, west to Mankato and New Ulm and points in between (Owatonna, Waseca, Janesville, Montgomery, Faribault, Dundas, etc.).

Schulz began building her music performance business in earnest as she sought to supplement her family’s income during the summer months when teaching wasn’t an option.

She started by developing a 60-minute show appropriate for senior living centers, collected a variety of music, gradually built a positive reputation for quality and reliability, invested in a keyboard and sound system, spent a lot of time researching venues on the Internet and made dozens of phone calls.

“There are lots of challenges that go along with this, but a lot of people just see what we do for one to three hours and think it looks glamorous or easy,” said Schulz.

“Nothing could be further from the truth; this is not for the faint of heart, because you need business savvy, a relentless spirit and great organization while having a thick skin and excellent skills,” she continued.

“There’s a lot of competition out there, and there are way fewer female musicians than males. In 2024, representation matters. We [women] are wonderful musicians who want to share our gifts; we’re here and we want to work.”

As the number of gigs and length of time she performs has expanded, Schulz has become more attuned to the difficulty levels of songs she shares and where to place them in her setlists.

“I’ve also figured out ways to preserve my voice and keep it healthy,” she said. “That’s one of those things you only learn from time and experience.”

Schulz finds her success and engagements have grown due to her musical versatility and

ability to discern what a venue/hiring manager is looking for in musical entertainment. Said Schulz, “Being personable and being a good entertainer count for a lot.”

Melissaschulzmusic.com, melissaschulzmusic@gmail.com

Musselman

Faribault resident Dallas Musselman shines as a jazz chanteuse

Since marriage brought her to Faribault in 1980, Minneapolis native Dallas Musselman has been a fixture in the area arts community

Musselman retired in 2016 as the arts coordinator at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School; she continues to work part-time as a box office coordinator at Paradise Center for the Arts.

For at least 30 years, she was involved with musical productions of the Merlin Players and the Paradise—maybe you spotted her in the chorus of La Cage Aux Folles in June 2022—and she’s been a featured singer in SSM’s past “Best of Broadway” series, among other Broadway musical revues, over time.

And in September 2023, Musselman was a featured vocalist in the Northfield Arts Guild’s sold-out musical production, CASTastrophe 4: The Movie Musical Edition.

“I never was a rocker,” said Musselman in her typically dynamic, animated fashion.

“I’ve always tended more toward jazz and musical theater,” she added, mentioning Ella Fitzgerald and Barbra Streisand among her vocal role models.

Because her mother was also a singer, Musselman says vocal expression’s been part of her life from Day One.

“I’ve been doing it since I was tiny,” she said, “and a lot of my influence came from involvement with the Bloomington Civic Theatre when I was growing up.”

A former guitarist, Musselman put her strum-

ming and vocal skills to use and joined forces with a chaplain at the Faribault Regional Center to lead a Saturday morning choir for residents there during the 1980s and ‘90s.

“It was delightful, and we did it for at least 10 years,” said Musselman.

But Musselman continues to be best known as lead vocalist—and the lone female—with the well regarded Faribaultbased ensemble Jivin’ Ivan and the Kings of Swing.

“I started singing with them in 2007,” said Musselman, listing fellow bandmates Mike Hildebrandt (violin/tenor guitar/mandolin/banjo), Paul Ousley (bass), Mark Whillock (percussion), Doug Madow (keys) and the eponymous Ivan Whillock (vocals/guitar/valve trombone).

“Mike [Hildebrandt] asked me to come and jam with them one day, and I didn’t realize it was a bit of an audition,” chuckled Musselman.

“But that’s how it unfolded. We started rehearsing and playing—had a few gigs at The Tree Frog Music Festival, and things picked up from there.”

These days, they have a standing monthly date at The Signature Bar & Grill in downtown Faribault. Musselman delivers on tunes such as “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Straighten Up and Fly

“We’re

Right, “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “As Time Goes By,” “Stormy Weather” and much more.

basically a swing combo, and we per-

Dallas Musselman, front, second from left, with the band Jivin’ Ivan and the Kings of Swing.

Dallas Musselman

Melissa Schulz

form for at least three hours,” said Musselman. “The guys are such excellent musicians, so I get to exercise my vocal chops and have the biggest thrill playing with them,” she continued.

“We’ve been together so long now that it just flows, and we can give each other freedom to stretch it when desired.”

Musselman and the Jivin’ Ivan crew regularly draw audiences from New Ulm, Waseca and the greater Mankato area to their gigs, plus they perform for private engagements, community events, weddings and, during the summer months, at various outdoor venues—all usually within about an hour’s radius of Faribault.

A confident singer with terrific stage presence who’s capable of turning on the brass and sass, Musselman says she enjoys it when her “guy band” addresses her as “the girl singer.”

“That really warms my heart because I’m not a girl; I’m turning 70 at the end of February,” laughed Musselman, who shares two adult children and two grandchildren with her husband, Delon.

“I love performing, and I’ll keep doing it until I decide not to.”

Find Musselman’s upcoming gigs at jivinivanandthekingsofswing.com.

Crista Bohmann

Strings sensation Crista Bohlmann lives for music

It’s doubtful Crista Bohlmann — a classical violinist and violist who also plays a mean fiddle tune and knows her way around guitars and ukuleles to boot — ever has much downtime.

A frequent performer across southern Minnesota, co-director of the New Ulm Suzuki School of Music, graphic designer, wife to sound technician Tom Little and mother to three pre-teen children, Bohlmann didn’t have quite enough going on — so she embarked on a TESOL master’s degree at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

“It’s all happening at the same time all the time,” laughed Bohlmann, expressing gratitude for the aid of extended family in keeping her busy life rolling.

A graduate of New Ulm Cathedral High School, the 46-year-old has played music throughout the fivestate region over the past few decades, though one might commonly find her performing at “a lot of wineries and bars,” private parties, country clubs and summertime community events in towns such as Owatonna, New Ulm, St. Peter and Mankato—anywhere that’s within about an hour’s drive of her rural Waterville/Elysian home.

learning the violin via the Suzuki method at age 3.

“Improvisation comes really naturally to me. The main philosophy of the Suzuki foundation is that kids learn by ear before they can read music, so I’ve found I can listen to complicated fiddle tunes

and then play them.”

From 1996-2007, Bohlmann played fiddle with the country band Lightning Flats.

“I love to play outside,” said Bohlmann. “When the sun is shining and people are chilling while enjoying the best of Minnesota—that’s my favorite place to be.”

Bohlmann sometimes wonders if her facility with the violin, and string instruments in general, was influenced by her mother studying violin with a nun at a “little convent in St. George” while pregnant with her

“And my dad is a great singer, though he had no formal training,” said Bohlmann, who began

“I’m not a real fiddle player, but that taught me a lot about listening and finding the pocket with other musicians,” she said.

She plays guitar and electric fiddle with the Blue Ringers, a top-40 country/rock cover band that’s been together for over 25 years and is thus well established in the area.

another after so many years as an ensemble.

Bohlmann also sits in with the popular “Church of Cash” show, has participated in the Mankato Opry Jamboree since it originated, sings and plays with the female trio the Hootenanny Annies (seven years to date) and played with the Mankato Symphony Orchestra for 25 years, though her master’s degree schedule has paused her symphony participation for the time being.

when COVID-19 made it harder for some of her groups to perform.

“Usually I feel like I’ve connected with an audience after 90 minutes, so quitting at two hours feels a little premature,” she said.

Expect an eclectic variety of music from a Bohlmann solo stint.

“I try to hit all the different genres,” she said, listing folk rock and American as personal grooves.

“The Blue Ringers tend to learn songs on our own, do some rehearsing on the fly and then put it all together at a show,” said Bohlmann, explaining they’re able to trust and read one

“When you’ve been a musician locally for over 25 years, getting gigs becomes easier because people get to know you and can trust in your abilities to deliver a product audiences enjoy,” Bohlmann observed.

Bohlmann took a chance and developed a solo show—“I do three-hour shows at some places, four-hour shows at others,” she said—

Due to her seasoned experience, Bohlmann excels at reading crowds and tailoring the music she delivers to the mood she senses from her listeners.

“It’s helpful to know a lot of music because I can adjust to the demand of what they want to hear,” Bohlmann noted.

Water and hot tea are her drinks of choice during lengthy gigs, though it’s the late-night performances (the Blue Ringers can play until 1 or 1:30 a.m., she reports) that tax her voice the most.

Bohlmann relishes the art of music-making with a bevy of area musicians; she aspires to writing music at some point when she has more “creative downtime,” a scarce commodity in her present schedule.

But despite cultivating a fellowship of musicians and other “fantastic people in our lives,” she recognizes she’s often performing while many friends are relaxing and socializing.

“That’s one of the pitfalls of this life, even when you have the good fortune to be gigging and doing what you love—it’s a big time commitment,” she added.

Yet there’s nothing quite like the sensation of performing in the summer sunshine for an enthusiastic audience.

“I’ve appreciated all of the support from local venues,” said Bohlmann. “And I love moving people to dance, party and interact with one another.”

Contact Crista Bohlmann at cristabfiddle@ gmail.com or 507-330-4472. 

Freelance writer/collaborative pianist Jane Turpin Moore grew up in the Mankato area and is now based in Northfield. She blogs at timeformoore566445504.wordpress.com and fields emails at jturpinmoore@gmail.com

Crista Bohlmann

Bohlmann

Bohlmann

dress light 9 tips to H

ey ladies! So, who else might’ve had an extra serving (or two) during the holidays and is now contemplating the winter blues with a side of post-celebration fluffiness?

Fear not, my favorite gals, because I’m here to tell you to set down that extra drink (no judgments here), and let’s kick those winter vibes together. With just two minutes of your time, I’m sharing nine tips that are like a fabulous fashion detox — they’ll have you feeling better, lighter, and ready to conquer the world, one killer outfit at a time. So, put that drink aside, grab a dose of inspiration, and let’s toast to feeling amazing.

Opt for Flattering Jeans: Consider swapping skinny jeans for boot cut or wide leg jeans. This not only adds height to your frame but also diverts attention from your tummy and thighs if you don’t want it there. A dark wash with a high waist, paired with pointy-toed heeled shoes, can maximize the effect.

Define Your Waist: Embrace clothing that defines your waist to create the look of an

hourglass figure. Choose high-waisted bottoms in structured fabrics, tuck in loose-fitting shirts, or cinch with a small belt, and consider shapewear for added definition.

Wear the Right Size: Contrary to popular belief, wearing clothes that fit correctly, rather than going a size up or down, is key. Bulky clothing can make you appear larger, and sizing down may draw attention to areas you’d rather not highlight. Always choose clothing that fits true to size.

Choose the Right Undergarments: Pay attention to undergarments; they are as important as your outfit. Properly fitted bras and panties are essential. In unforgiving fabrics, consider skipping underwear altogether. It’s your little secret.

Avoid Rounded Shoes: Opt for pointedtoed shoes over rounded ones. They elongate your legs, creating the illusion of length. While rounded shoes may look cute, they tend to make your legs appear shorter. (This rule changes with the new wide-leg trend.)

Invest in Shapewear: Shapewear isn’t just for special occasions. Make it a daily staple for extra support, hiding imperfections, and achieving an overall slimmer appearance.

Control Camisole, spandex shorts and control tights can cover all your bases. I personally use the bodysuit style that allows you to wear your bra separately. (Choose just above the knee length to prevent rolling in your denim.)

Dress in One Color: Dressing in one color (monochromatic is on trend)

creates a cohesive, lengthening look. Avoid contrasting colors or prints, as they draw attention to the waistline. A monochromatic outfit can simplify and elongate your body.

Choose V-Neck Tops: Wear V-neck tops to elongate your upper body, providing balance to your hips and thighs. This tip is especially helpful for those with a bigger bust, as it draws attention away from areas you may want to downplay.

Accessorize Wisely: Strategic use of accessories can divert attention from areas you’d like to minimize. Long necklaces shift focus from the hips, big earrings draw attention to the face, and belts help define the waist. The thickness of the belt matters. Stop in and we will help you choose.

Remember, these tips are meant to enhance your confidence and style. Feel free to embrace what works best for you and have fun experimenting with different looks. 

Through a SOMINN LENS

AUDREY KLETSCHER HELBLING

Audrey

EColor my world with flowers & greenery

ach March, well into the depths of a Minnesota winter edging toward spring, I crave color. Even the subtlest of greens to break the monotony of a charcoal landscape would lift my mood, brighten my spirits. But from now until the first tulips and crocuses poke through the cold, damp earth, I rely on visual memories and images to bloom bold hues into my days.

In my many years of photography, I’ve gathered flowers with my camera lens. Flowers in public and private gardens, in the wild of woods, among prairie grasses, in road ditches, tucked into porch pots, spilling from planters, flourishing inside greenhouses, sold at farmers’ markets, planted at cemeteries. Gardeners’ hands—some wrinkled and spotted with age, others young and supple—brush color onto the canvases of neighborhoods, parks, downtowns and elsewhere with their flower plantings. Wide strokes of vibrant red poppies. Curving tulips. Crocuses pushing through snow. An array of colorful zinnias. Sunny sunflowers

mimicking a van Gogh painting. Peonies in pastel pinks and bold burgundies, reminders of Grandma and of long ago brides. Gardeners are artists of the earth.

These are the visuals that carry me through the often bleak days of March when winter refuses to relinquish her hold on Minnesota, when the land remains devoid of color. These are the days when gardeners purchase packets of seeds, grow starter plants indoors, plot gardens, re-emerge as artists.

Late March into April and May marks a new season of creativity. Spring bulbs erupt first, followed by trees tipped in tight green buds. Soon the whole world is awash in color. In unbelievably vivid greens. In apple blossoms tinged with pink. In purple lilacs scenting the air with their heady fragrance. Soon the brilliant flowers of summer brighten yards and gardens and meadows like lush landscape paintings.

This is the art I crave as I await the arrival of spring in Minnesota. Floral art. Bright. Bold. And undeniably beautiful. 

An early spring wildflower.

Watering starter plants in a small greenhouse.

Bridge Square, Northfield.

Lily.

Tulip up close.

Coneflower.

Tulips.

Sunflowers fill a field at the Infants Remembered in Silence (IRIS) Sunflower Garden, Faribault.

Black-eyed susans among prairie grasses. Signage explains rain gardens, this one on the Rice County fairgrounds.

Gardeners, more and more, are incorporating mini fairy gardens into plantings.

Potted flowers and plants splash color into a Faribault yard.

Clematis.

Apple blossoms.

Peony bush at Aspelund Peony Gardens.

Lilies.

A farmers’ market mixed bouquet.

Trees erupt in vivid green under the bold blue skies of early spring.

Petunias spill from a popcorn planter box at the Snack Shack in Waterville.

Tree buds in spring.

LEFT: Flowers splash color outside The White Barn Boutique, rural Faribault. CENTER: Swallowtail butterfly on a zinnia. RIGHT: Farmers’ market zinnias.

LEFT: Butterfly on milkweed. CENTER: Monarch on milkweed. RIGHT: Milkweed buds.

Lilacs.

What to WATCH

EWe need more, but there are many great women-directed films

ight. In the nearly 100-year history of the Oscars, that’s how many women have been nominated for Best Director. Eight.

That means 459 of the 467 nominations for the award have gone to men. (And 447 of those nominees have been white men—an unsurprising, not-so-fun fact.)

But, here’s some good news: the Oscars are slowly evolving into a more diverse and representative telecast.

Point Break

During the past five ceremonies alone, the winners for Best Director have been Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), Bong Joon-Ho (Parasite), Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog), and Daniel Kwan/Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All At Once). Of the ten nominees for Best Picture this year, three are directed by female filmmakers.

In fact, “female-driven” films dominated the box office in 2023. Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s bombastic blockbuster starring Margot Robbie as the iconic doll (and an uproarious Ryan Gosling as “just Ken”), was the highestgrossing movie of the year, generating a gargantuan $1.4 billion in revenue (a first for a female director) and is now nominated for eight Academy Awards (though, somewhat controversially, no Best Director nomination for Gerwig). Pop superstar Taylor Swift capitalized on the record-breaking success of her stadium tour with the theatrical release of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which raked in nearly $180 million domestically (making it the highest-grossing concert film of all time) and ranks as the eleventh most successful theater-going experience of the year. And we even saw the return of the rom com with the surprise, word-of-mouth hit Anyone But You, starring up-andcoming movie stars Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney, which has showed remarkable staying power in movie houses and has (as of this writing) grossed $152 million worldwide.

Sleepless In Seattle

Lost in Translation

this charming and smartly written (Ephron was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars for both When Harry Met Sally and this film). Come for the cozy early-90s vibes, stay for the witty and heart-bursting romance.

-Stream it on Peacock or Tubi. Rent it on Apple TV or Amazon Prime

Lost In Translation (2003), Directed by Sofia Coppola — Connecting with other humans and living a truly meaningful life can be hard. Nearly all of the characters in Sofia Coppola’s quiet and emotionally-nuanced films are struggling to connect and live meaningfully, from The Virgin Suicides (her directorial debut) to Priscilla

When They See Us

Ok, enough with the soapbox and the statistics. Allow me to now recommend seven great works by some of our most influential women directors (and where you can watch them):

Point Break (1991), Directed by Kathryn Bigelow – One of only three women to win an Oscar for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow obliterates stereotypes by making primarily macho action flicks. Though she’s probably most famous for The Hurt Locker (still her most acclaimed work) and Zero Dark Thirty (the solidly-crafted, though problematic War on

(her most recent release). This film, starring legendary comedic actor Bill Murray (giving an Oscar-nominated dramatic performance) and an early-career Scarlett Johansson, captures Coppola’s perennial themes and visual style beautifully. It’s still her best work.

-Rent it on Apple TV or Amazon Prime

Nomadland

Anatomy Of A Fall

Lady Bird

Terror epic), this Keanu Reeves/ Patrick Swayze surfer dude bank robbery romp holds up as an absurd and campy thrill ride.

-Stream it on Peacock, Amazon Prime, or Tubi. Rent it on AppleTV

Sleepless In Seattle (1993), Directed by Nora Ephron — For my money, the three best romantic comedies of all time were written by Nora Ephron: When Harry Met Sally (directed by Rob Reiner), You’ve Got Mail, and this classic starring America’s dad Tom Hanks and rom com queen Meg Ryan. Because the high-quality rom com is now a fairly endangered species, it’s hard to remember a time when they were

Certain Women (2016), Directed by Kelly Reichardt – Indie auteur Kelly Reichardt is a director’s director: largely obscure to the masses, yet universally acclaimed by critics and influential to other filmmakers. Here, Reichardt captures the hardscrabble beauty of rural Montana and the rhythms of ordinary, small-town life with three interlocking stories of four lonely and complex women (played by Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and Lily Gladstone in an early role before her star-making, Oscar-nominated turn in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon). This naturalistic slow burn is not for everybody, but fans of literary short story collections or deeply meditative character studies will be richly rewarded.

-Stream it on AMC+ or Tubi. Rent it on Apple TV or Amazon Prime

Lady Bird (2017), Directed by Greta Gerwig — We’ve already talked about Barbie, the inescapable, neon pink cultural phenomenon. And while that film is fizzy fun, it’s far from Greta Gerwig’s best. Her directorial debut, Lady Bird, is still her masterpiece. A funny and wise semi-autobiographical coming-ofage story featuring a talented cast of beforethey-were-huge young stars (Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Lucas Hedges, and Beanie Feldstein), it captures that precarious period between graduating from high school and beginning college, as well as a family clinging to the jagged edge of the middle-class, better than nearly anything I’ve seen. (Worth noting: Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic, Little Women, is also a masterpiece).

-Stream it on Netflix. Rent it on AppleTV or Amazon Prime

When They See Us (2019), Directed by Ava DuVernay — This is technically a four-episode miniseries, but it’s also Ava DuVernay at her peak. The filmmaker behind the Best Picturenominated Selma and the first African-American woman to direct a film with a $100 million budget (2018’s A Wrinkle In Time), DuVernay continues to shine a harsh light on America’s dark history with racism and injustice. This piercing, 296-minute portrait of the exonerated “Central Park Five” and the institutions that failed them will leave you gutted.

-Stream it on Netflix

Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Directed by Justine Triet — French writer/director Justine Triet recently became the eighth woman nominated for Best Director for this bruising dissection of marital breakdown. It immediately joins the pantheon of great courtroom dramas.

-Rent it on AppleTV or Amazon Prime 

Kyle Hoffman is a writer, communications and marketing professional, and lifelong movie lover from Mankato. Follow him on Letterboxd: kylejhoffman.

Women-owned establishments in SoMinn

Restaurant and bar ownership in the local world of food and drink tends to be maledominated.

But there are some kick butt women running some top notch establishments in our neck of the woods, so for this Women in A&E edition of Southern Minn Scene, let’s highlight some of them.

Tin Tea Northfield, 2010 Jefferson Rd.

Suite C: Chau Trong opened up her Vietnamese food and drink shop in Northfield in 2021. She concocted her own recipes for the milk teas and fruit teas by watching online

tutorials. The food recipes for the spring rolls and chicken, pork, tofu and vegetable bahn mi — a crusty baguette sandwich smeared with pate, pickled vegetables, onion, coriander and cilantro — come from her mother. Tin Tea’s beverage menu features milk teas, fruit teas, and hot teas, both caffeinated and decaffeinated, as well as fruit flavors, like mango, kiwi, elderflower and dragonfruit. The long list also includes wintermelon, rose white milk, lavender milk and hazelnut.

Lush Cakes Waseca, 930 S. State St: Owner Jessica Freitag attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school after high school. After graduating she worked for eight years in the Twin Cities before she moved to work as a pastry chef

in Mankato. Her own business, Lush Cakes, has been so popular in Waseca, that she has now opened a second location in Mankato. She makes cakes for weddings and other special occasions, but her team also serves up a dessert menu for walk-in customers, homemade coffee, a selection of lunch items, like a chicken salad sandwich and an ultimate grilled cheese.

Janna’s Market Grill Faribault, 129 Central Ave. N.: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Faribault’s Janna Viscomi left behind Bernie’s Grill in favor of a hybrid business model combining aspects of a restaurant, convenience store and market. By offering prepackaged meals that are convenient but don’t skimp on quality, Viscomi envisioned Janna’s

Market Grill as serving especially well the needs of seniors, singles and students who live in the growing number of apartments in downtown Faribault.

The Bar & Grill Le Sueur, 130 S Main St.: Sue Milam was a part-time employee of The Bar & Grill for 25 years, before she took over, along with her husband Marty, in 2022. Sue still serves up the food that the Le Sueur community has come to expect. Meanwhile, she is actively pushing out events and reasons to bring residents down for the night, working hard to maintain and grow an audience.

CONTINUED page 30

Chau Truong designed the pink and green “living room” area of Tin Tea. (Pamela Thompson/ southernminn.com)

Lush Cakes Menu located in Waseca.

FAR LEFT: A Quesadilla from Janna’s Market Grill of Faribault.

LEFT: The Bar & Grill, Le Sueur.

THURSDAY, FEB 29

Growing Up Barbie-- 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Waseca Co. Historical Society, 315 2nd Ave NE. Featuring several local people’s collections of the famous doll. Guests can take a walk down memory lane with us and reminisce about childhood play. Also, an immersive photo op set will be available for people to come take photos of themselves with their cell phones or cameras to upload to their social media. Pose like Barbie with props like hats, sunglasses, feather boas and a matching background. Open through April 26 during regular historical society hours.

Elevate: Raising Kids in the ArtsNorthfield-- 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St. S., Northfield. The all school art show for 2024. On show through March 9 during regular gallery hours.

Dan Petrov and Linda Snouffer

-- 12-5 p.m., Waseca Art Center, 200 N. State St. Dan Petrov is an oil painter of still life and portraits. Linda Snouffer is a botanical print maker. Open during regular Art Center hours.

Tequila Tasting Night - St. Peter-- 7 p.m., Patrick’s on Third, 125 S. Third St., St. Peter. Sampling four different styles of tequila. Light meal provided. Advanced ticket sales encourages. $30.

FRIDAY, MAR 01

-- 5-7 p.m.,

321 Central Ave N, Faribault.

2024

Family Movie Night - Kenyon-- 5:30 p.m., Kenyon-Wanamingo High School, 400 Sixth St., Kenyon. A family friendly movie with concessions open for purchase beforehand.

Next Chapter Winery, 16945 320th St., New Prague. March into Montgomery this year for a wine and beer tasting experience. Locally crafted drinks. Tickets online. They include samples of all products, light snacks, and a tasting glass. Must be 21+ to sample products.

Did we miss something?

Let us know! We may still be able to get an important event on one of our weekly pages that run in the newspapers.

SATURDAY, MAR 02

a team of two. Cash prizes available.

is a celebration of the awakening of the Orchardtraditionally earlier in the year in England due to its earlier growing season - annually held at Keepsake the first weekend in March. Opens at noon with festivities, including the making of Wassail poles, food and drink from the tasting room, and a fire outside (with plenty of warm seating inside if needed). At 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. there will be Wassail marches through the Orchard with guided singing, cheers, noise and music making to scare of the ill spirits and bring in the good to ensure a health productive orchard.

Waseca

Mingled Feats - St. Peter-- 1-5 p.m., Arts Center of Saint Peter, 315 S. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter. Art from Charlie Putnam, Mark McLaughlin, and Jeffery Flagg Johnson on show through March 3 during regular Arts Center hours.

Paradise Gallery Opening ReceptionFaribault

Paradise Center for the Arts,

Featuring the

art educators of Minnesota in the Carlander Gallery, Linda Snouffer in the Vranesh Gallery, Melissa Kugler and Rhonda Norgaard in the K&M Gallery, and students from Bethlehem Academy in the Creger Gallery. The show runs until April 6.

Trainwreck Duet - St. Peter-- 6-9 p.m., Flame Bar and Grill, 225 Nassau St., St. Peter. Acoustic piano duo featuring Trent Shaw on guitar and Tim Schommer on piano.

March into Montgomery - Le Sueur County-- 7-9 p.m.,

Jake Schrodt - Blooming Prairie-- 7-10 p.m., Blooming Prairie Cue Company, 302 Main St E, Blooming Prairie. Schrodt plays all your favorite rock and country tunes.

Amateur Bean Bag TournamentWaseca-- 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mill Event Center, 310 2nd Ave SW, Waseca. Casual or competitive brackets. $50 entry fee for

Wassail - Dundas-- 12-8 p.m., Keepsake Cidery, 135th St. East, Dundas. Wassail

CONTINUED from page 21

Children’s Dream Catcher FundraiserWaseca-- 12 p.m., Starfire Event Center, 206 2nd Ave SW, Waseca. Auction, meat raffles and bingo. Under 18 can play bingo with an adult.

-

-- 4-10 p.m., Waseca American Legion, 700 S. State St. The Fermentals host the Wayne Breitbarth Memorial Bockfest. Sample wines and beers. Silent auction, food and live music. Tickets $25. Discount for

Did we miss something?

Let us know! We may still be able to get an important event on one of our weekly pages that run in the newspapers.

Religion

& Texts, 123 S. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter. Bringing the community together to keep hip hop alive in Southern Minnesota. Performances by Gilead7, Caleb Gampson, Austin Willette, 3rd Degree, Jaze, !ntell!gent Des!gn. Sounds by DJ YuWish. $10 cover charge.

The Super Bastards - St. Peter-- 6-9 p.m., Paddlefish Brewing, 108 S. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter. This duo is making its debut at the new brewery, playing “bastard-y” tunes.

Jeff ChristLe Sueur-6-9 p.m., The Bar & Grill, 130 S. Main St., Le Sueur. Acoustic guitar tunes.

No Time For Fame - Northfield-- 6-9 p.m., Imminent Brewing, 519 Division Street South Unit 2. With their feet soundly rooted in classic American rock, the Minnesota-based band No Time For Fame dishes out guitar-driven tunes with smart, contemporary lyrics laced with playful riffs and rhythmic interludes. The band was formed in 2016 by Chris Ash (vocals), Mark Hovey (guitar) and Dan Mills (drums), with the addition of Mike Meehan (guitar) and Alan Lifson (bass) in 2021.

Do you want to submit an event to this calendar?

Send details to editor@ southernminnscene.com.

Billy Johnson - Kasota-- 6-9 p.m., Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery and Distillery, 1179 E. Pearl St., Kasota. Billy Johnson is a singer/songwriter from Minneapolis. Vocalist. Guitarist. 12 albums of original material. Frontman for The Hillcats, BJ’s Roadshow, and B-TEAM. Billy has played with The Bodeans, Bob Schneider, Five For Fighting, Train, Navarro, and others.

Julia Bloom - Owatonna-- 6:30-8:30 p.m., Mineral Springs Brewery, 111 N Walnut Ave, Owatonna. Half of the duo Cabin of Love, Julia Bloom is performing solo on the MSB stage.

SUNDAY, MAR 03

The HELLO GirlsFaribault-2 p.m., Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. The HELLO Girls chronicles the story of America’s first women soldiers in this new musical inspired by history. These intrepid heroines served as bilingual telephone operators on the front lines, helping turn the tide of World War I. Shows 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29 and March 1 and 2, plus 2 p.m. March 3. Tickets, $14-$20, available online.

Bockfest

Waseca

first responders.

Barn Boys - Janesville-- 5:30-8:30 p.m., Indian Island Winery, 18010 631st Ave, Janesville. Live guitar and vocals. Four-person band playing old country

Hip Hop Showcase - St. Peter-- 6-10 p.m., Aesthetic

Records

RHX - Owatonna-- 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Reggie’s Brewhouse, 220 N. Cedar Ave., Owatonna. Party with music from AC/DC to Led Zeppelin.

Joe Stamm Band - Elko New Market-- 3 p.m., The Doublewide, 421 Saint Joseph St., Elko New Market. An afternoon of black dirt country rock.

Sue Leaf Author Talk - Northfield-- 7 p.m., Content Bookstore, 314 Division St. S, Northfield. Leaf’s book “Impermanence” is a journey through the South Shore’s story, from the early days of the Anishinaabe and fur traders through the heyday of commercial fishing, lumber camps, and copper mining on the Keweenaw Peninsula to the awakening of the Northland to the perils and consequences of plundering its natural splendor.

FRIDAY, MAR 08

Murder Mystery Dinner Theater - Le Sueur County-- 5:30-9 p.m., Next Chapter Winery, 16945 320th St., New Prague. Join for an evening of intrigue in a 1920’s theater performance where we are relying on you to solve a cold-blooded murder. Attire featuring the Roaring 20’s is encouraged, but not required. Includes dinner and the show. Cost $40. Tickets online.

Just Crista - St. Peter-- 6-9 p.m., Flame Bar and Grill, 225 Nassau St., St. Peter. A girl, a guitar, a fiddle, a ukulele and a song. Enjoy an evening listening to the incredibly talented Crista.

Lucky Gnome

Paint Party - Kenyon-- 6 p.m., Kenyon VFW, 601 2nd St. A., Kenyon. Whether you are a painting enthusiast or a beginner, our talented artist will guide you step by step on a sketched canvas, making this a perfect event for everyone. This is an excellent opportunity to relax, unwind, and make memories with your friends and family. Supplies included. Come early to order pizza. Tickets online.

Time

SATURDAY, MAR 09

Queen Candidate Talent Show - Le Center-- 3 p.m., Le Center American Legion. The Le Sueur County St. Patrick’s Celebration Queen candidates will share their Irish talent for the crowd. Admission at the door via purchase of 2024 event button.

Another

Around - St. Peter-- 6-9 p.m., Paddlefish Brewing, 108 S. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter. Duo playing classic rock songs.

Flannel Formal - Faribault-- 5-10 p.m., 10,000 Drops, 28 4th St NE, Faribault. Hot dish samples, live music and a free drink. Tickets online.

Jamboyz - Janesville-- 5:30-8:30 p.m., Indian Island Winery, 18010 631st Ave, Janesville. Live music, performing upbeat music acoustically.

The Zillionaires - Northfield-- 6-9 p.m., Imminent Brewing, 519 Division Street South Unit 2. From Northfield, the self-styled altvariety band The Zillionaires perform compelling original songs by Wendy Smith and covers from a diverse catalogue of Americana, country,

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to music. Deeply rooted in folk and unafraid

lost its shop and all its contents due to a fire. Silent auction, live music, food, beer specials and good fun. Contact Tom Graham at 612749-5679 or Heidi Schmidt at 612-578-5979 for additional information or to donate silent auction items.

Shakespeare’s Will - Northfield-- 2 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West. A one woman show, featuring Susan Dunhaupt. It’s Anne — defiantly graceful, unsparingly brave, proudly imperfect — whose story is on display. By the time the multiple layers of the play’s title are revealed, we are irreversibly immersed in Anne’s story: her sacrifices, her wisdom, her sexuality and — last but far from least — her ongoing efforts to remain faithful to herself. Shows at 7:30 p.m. March 8 and 2 p.m. March 10. Tickets $12-$15.

TJ Brown - Kilkenny-2-5 p.m., Toy Box Saloon, 216 Kilkenny Rd., Kilkenny.

TJ Brown provides easy listening music with some country, classic rock, and some oldies.

and more. Her vocal versatility and polished piano chops allow her to present a large variety of music.

SUNDAY, MAR 10

Cannon Valley Regional OrchestraFaribault & Northfield-- 3 p.m., Cathedral of Our Merciful Savior, 515 NW 2nd Ave., Faribault. CVRO is a diverse group of volunteer musicians performing symphonic music, drawn together by our love of rehearsing and performing this fine repertoire. Anyone with talent, experience, and motivation is welcome to join, from exceptional 12-year-olds to octogenarians. Shows 3 p.m. March 9 at Northfield United Methodist Church and then 3 p.m. March 10 at The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour.

TUESDAY, MAR 12

Nature Detectives: Maple SyrupHenderson-- 10-11:30 a.m., Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson. We will go over the history and process of making Maple Syrup, tapping trees, and cooking sap down into sugar. Dress for the weather; we will be outside for most of this class. Pre-registration required.

FRIDAY, MAR 15

Fish Fry - Le Sueur-- 4:30-7:30 p.m., St. Anne’s School, 511 N. 4th St., Le Sueur. Alaskan pollock, baked potato, coleslaw, popover, beverage. Cost is $15 for adults, $8 for children 5-11, and free for 4 and under. Tickets available from the school ahead of time or at the door.

Thinkin’ Songs and Drinkin’ SongsKasota-- 7 p.m., Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery and Distillery, 1179 E. Pearl St., Kasota. Fabulous Armadillos frontman and legendary North Shore performer and songwriter Timmy Haus will be joining Michael Shynes and DGS for a night of singalongs, laughs, and celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Food from S&B BBQ.

Improv

St. Olaf Orchestra Spring ConcertNorthfield-- 3:30-5:30 p.m., Skoglund Center, 1634 Campus Drive, Northfield. The St. Olaf Orchestra, conducted by Chung Park, presents a spring concert. Widely recognized as one of the finest undergraduate orchestras in the United States, the St. Olaf Orchestra has been featured on NPR and PBS and was the 2013 and 2019 winner of the American Prize in Orchestral Performance. All are welcome to attend the concert. Live stream available at stolaf.edu/ multimedia/streams/upcoming/concerts.

Comedy ShowFaribault-7:30 p.m., Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. Little Fish Improv is a local group of actors and comedians looking to bring improv comedy to Southern Minnesota while raising money for the PCA. They will be doing family friendly improv for people of all ages.

Did we miss something? Let us know! We may still be able to get an important event on one of our weekly pages that run in the newspapers.

Rhino - Owatonna-- 8:30 p.m., Owatonna

1791, 141 E.

Rhino is a four member, high energy Twin Cities band playing an array of modern, alternative, 80’s, and current top 40 dance tunes, with twists of country and other surprises splashed in.

SATURDAY, MAR 16

St. Patrick’s Celebration - Le Center-- 12 a.m., Le Center. The St. Patrick’s Day queen coronation takes place March 15 evening, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place midday March 16, and IV Play caps the night at the Legion from 9:15 p.m. to 12:15 a.m.

and corned beef & cabbage; Irish music and entertainment from local musicians; irish activities, crafts & treats; an Irish auction; Irish Bingo; dinner from a food truck; Miss St. Patrick & Miss Irish Rose Pageant

roots, rock, and blues. The Zillionaires entertain music lovers with their skilled musicianship and well- honed sense of fun.

Chris Bertrand - Owatonna-- 6:30-8:30 p.m., Mineral Springs Brewery, 111 N Walnut Ave, Owatonna. Chris Bertrand is a seasoned singer/songwriter from Southern Minnesota who dedicates his life

to stomp and howl, Bertrand is currently working on his first recording effort, ‘By The Pour.’

Melissa Schulz - Owatonna-- 7-9 p.m., Foremost Brewing Cooperative, 131 W. Broadway St, Owatonna. Melissa is a classically trained pianist and singer traveling around southern Minnesota with her keyboard, bringing live music to retirement homes, wineries, breweries, bars, fairs, festivals, weddings, private events

Smokescreen - Kasota-- 9 p.m., The Blue Moon Bar & Grill, 300 S. Webster St., Kasota. Playing a wide variety of rock and country music.

Parker Fire Fundraiser - Le Sueur-- 1-4 p.m., The Bar & Grill, 130 S. Main St., Le Sueur. A fundraiser for a New Prague couple that

Eagles

Rose St., Owatonna.

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration - Waseca-10 a.m.-11 p.m., The Mill Event Center, 310 2nd Ave SW, Waseca. Irish music starts at Sacred Heart Church at 10 a.m.; Irish mass at 10:30 a.m.; Parade of Clans at The Mill at noon; Irish rally at 12:30-2 p.m. with mulligan stew

at 7 p.m. Dance to cap the night.

Wedding Expo and Fashion ShowOwatonna-- 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Owatonna Eagles 1791, 141 E. Rose St., Owatonna. Vendors representing all facets of the wedding and events world will be present to assist you in

planning your upcoming event. There will also be fashion shows each hour.

Andrea Lyn - St. Peter-- 6-9 p.m., Flame Bar and Grill, 225 Nassau St., St. Peter. Award winning musician, singer and songwriter, Andrea Lyn shares captivating melodies and lyrics stemming from real life. She has shared the stage with legendary artists and performed her songs for thousands. Her passion and love for music shows in each song and every performance.

Comedy NightJanesville-- 6:30 p.m., Indian Island Winery, 18010 631st Ave, Janesville. In 2013, James Stanley started his comedy career at the age of 16 in Minnesota. Within a few years James was hired as a house emcee at the Joke Joint Comedy Club. He is now a regular feature at Acme Comedy Company. He has been mentioned as one of Minnesota’s funniest comics in contests and annual writeups. Tickets online.

Juliet and The Montagues - Faribault-7-10 p.m., 10,000 Drops, 28 4th St NE,

Faribault. Juliet and the Montagues is a new band bridging genres into what fans call “a smooth, funky, witty, charming-as-hell jazz machine.” Fronted by singer-songwriter Juliet Catherine, the band brings tunes about falling hard, queer heartache, and female empowerment to life with hints of jazz, R&B, country, funk, and, of course, an occasional nod to the Minneapolis sound.

Leslie Vincent - Northfield-- 7-9 p.m., Grand Event Center, 316 Washington St., Northfield. Brimming with joy, this show celebrates the resilience of the human heart and the universal truths Amy Winehouse and Carole King’s music share. Featuring the extraordinary vocals of Leslie Vincent, Ted Godbout on keys, Matt McIntyre on bass, Ben Ehrlich on drums, and Mitch Van Laar on trumpet.

Mark Cameron Band - Owatonna-- 7 p.m., Foremost Brewing Cooperative, 131

W. Broadway St, Owatonna. Known as a charismatic front man and soulful guitarist, Mark engages his audience directly in live performances and delivers his original compositions with a mix of sincerity, honesty and often a touch of humor.

Tim Harmston

Comedy ShowSt. Peter-- 7 p.m., Blue Moon Comedy and Magic, 303 S. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter. In 2003, Tim won Acme Comedy Company’s Funniest Person in the Twin Cities competition, something he will be sure to tell people when he’s an old man in a bar. Tim has worked in some of the best clubs and theaters from Los Angeles to New York City which is pretty astounding because he enjoys living in the woods of Northern Wisconsin, his home state. Shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The Biscuits - Northfield-- 7-10 p.m., Flaherty’s Northfield Lanes, 1700 Highway 3 S. Kick butt cover band that’s got something for everyone.

The String Showdown - Faribault-- 7:30 p.m., Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. Get ready for a fun & fastpaced performance full of sweet licks and hilarious riffs. Multi-instrumentalists Mike Lauer (George Maurer, Bobby Vee) and Greg Byers (Kat Perkins, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) collide in The String Showdown.

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Branded - Owatonna-- 8:30 p.m., Reggie’s Brewhouse, 220 N. Cedar Ave., Owatonna. Minnesota’s hottest country act brings highenergy fun to all the hottest current hits.

SUNDAY, MAR 17

Souper Bowl - St. Peter-- 3-6 p.m., The Capitol Room, 419 S. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter. Buy one (or many) artisan bowls hand-thrown by local potters, starting at $20. Specialty pottery will also be available for purchase (prices vary). Bowl purchase includes a serving of soup. Everything is first come, first serve.

Grimm & Cruz - Northfield-- 7 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West. Nationally acclaimed and charismatic vocalist Jennifer Grimm and versatile multistringed instrumentalist Joe Cruz are Grimm & Cruz, a dynamic duo with the tenderness

of Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass and the rhythmic excitement of Tuck & Patti. Tickets $25.

7:30-9:30 p.m., Skoglund Center, 1634 Campus Drive, Northfield. The St. Olaf Philharmonia, conducted by Chung Park, and the Norseman Band, conducted by Michael Buck, present a joint spring concert. Free.

MONDAY, MAR 18

Writing Workshop with Alex French - St. Peter-- 6-8 p.m., Arts Center of Saint Peter, 315 S. Minnesota Ave., St. Peter. Teaching artist Alex S. French will foster discussion and craft writing lessons based around published works (and participants’ interests), while also offering a space for participants’ own writing through positive and constructive peer-workshopping. Writers of any genre and experience level welcome. Register online.

TUESDAY, MAR 19

Vick Quezada - St. Peter-- 4:30-6:30 p.m., Schaefer Art Gallery, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter. Vick Quezada (they/them) is an Mestizx interdisciplinary artist, explores hybrid forms in Indigenous-Latinx history and the function of these histories in contested lands, primarily in the U.S.-Mexico Border.

THURSDAY, MAR 21

Gangsters of Minnesota - Faribault-- 6 p.m., Buckham Memorial Library, 11 Division St. E, Faribault. Chad Lewis, historical events and paranormal researcher, will present another fabulous program at the library in March. This program presents information and stories about Minnesota’s famous and unusual gangster past. The program is free and geared towards adults and teens.

History Uncorked - Owatonna-- 6 p.m., Steele County Historical Society, 1700 Austin Rd., Owatonna. This year, participants will decide the fate of Leigh Hough. In 1897, Hough was accused of brutally murdering J.M. Clark at the City Hotel in Owatonna. Public opinion was divided as Hough’s youthful appearance cast doubt that he could carry out such a heinous crime. Tickets $10-$15. Includes free beverage.

Did we miss something?

Let us know! We may still be able to get an important event on one of our weekly pages that run in the newspapers.

Cat Calls: A Feminist CabaretOwatonna-- 7-9 p.m., Owatonna Arts Center, 435 Garden View Ln, Owatonna. Cat Calls is a hilarious take on music written by men for women to sing throughout the past 100 years. Heidi intertwines songs with readings from her favorite feminist authors as well as stories from her life. She wrote Cat Calls with friend and Baltimore-based pianist, Joshua Espinoza. Join them for an evening of laughter and great music. Tickets online.

Do you want to submit an event to this calendar?

Send details to editor@ southernminnscene.com.

Songwriters in the Round - Northfield-7-9 p.m., Grand Event Center, 316 Washington St., Northfield. Come enjoy a variety of local artists showcasing their original work, and sharing stories of how those songs came to be. Free; all ages; full bar and kitchen.

TJ Brown - St. Peter-- 6-9 p.m., Flame Bar and Grill, 225 Nassau St., St. Peter. TJ Brown provides easy listening music with some country, classic rock, and some oldies.

SATURDAY, MAR 23

Spring Craft Show - Waseca-- 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Starfire Event Center, 206 2nd Ave SW, Waseca. Stop in to enjoy a variety of vendors showcasing their products and bringing you some awesome local, handmade and unique items.

Adult Easter Egg Hunt - Kilkenny-- 12-3 p.m., Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard, 8950 Dodd Rd., Kilkenny. Costumes and bunny ears encouraged. Eggs have prizes, like a glass, flight or bottle of wine. Tickets $25. Purchase online.

Generation Gap - Janesville-- 5:30-8:30 p.m., Indian Island Winery, 18010 631st Ave, Janesville. Enjoy all the classics from this young and old duo.

Tyler Herwig - Owatonna-- 6-9 p.m., Foremost Brewing Cooperative, 131 W. Broadway St, Owatonna. Across the Midwest, Tyler Herwig is known as the preferred acoustic artist. With over two decades of passion that all started with a Breedlove in the trunk of his car, Tyler has developed a reputation for high-energy performances with deep emotional musical interpretations that captivate all audiences.

100 Years of Pickin - Le Sueur-- 2-4 p.m., The Bar & Grill, 130 S. Main St., Le Sueur. Guitar pickin and playin.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade - St. Peter-- 3 p.m., St. Peter. Parade starts at 3 p.m. with all kinds of fun to follow.

St. Olaf Philharmonia and Norseman Band Concert - Northfield--

from

live for over 30 years and is a veteran of several bands. He is now a solo acoustic performer and has released two EPs that were produced by Scotty Rohr at Zension Studio in Austin.

Buffalo Alice - Kasota-- 8 p.m.-12 a.m., The Blue Moon Bar & Grill, 300 S. Webster St., Kasota. A unique blend of classic rock and country.

Book Exchange - Le Sueur County-1 p.m., Next Chapter Winery, 16945 320th St., New Prague. Bring one book or a whole box. For however many books you bring, that’s how many you get to take home.

Gary West - Kilkenny-- 2-5 p.m., Toy Box Saloon, 216 Kilkenny Rd., Kilkenny. Gary West is an American singer/songwriter who produces his own original music. He is an accomplished musician who was the drummer for multiple legendary country music icons.

8 new books to read

The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation

by Raquel Willis c.2023, St. Martin’s Press $29.00 384 pages

The catalogs should start arriving soon.

If you’re a gardener, that’s a siren song for you. What will you put in your pots and plots this spring? What colors will you have, what crops will you harvest? It never gets old: put a seed no bigger than a breadcrumb into some dirt and it becomes dinner in just weeks. All it needs, as in the new memoir “The Risk It Takes to Bloom” by Raquel Willis, is a little time to grow.

The last time Raquel Willis remembers being completely safe and loved without strings attached was at age five, at a talent show. Shortly afterwards, some elders began telling Willis to speak with “a particular brand of clear,” to move differently, to act differently. Willis was a Black boy then, and that was how her father worked against his son’s “softness.”

Willis didn’t know the truth about herself then, but other boys did. So, eventually, did the girls, as a grade school Willis “gravitated... toward” them. Young Willis prayed for God to “just make me a girl” but the bullying that had already begun only got worse.

She changed schools and things were no better; meanwhile, her father tried “even harder to correct who I was becoming.” Friends and online friends were encouraging and supportive, offering her courage to come out to her mother, who thought it was “a phase.” Her father was angry, then accepting. Other family members took Willis’ news in stride.

It was going to be okay. More than okay, in fact, because Willis was introduced to drag, and she started to feel more comfortable in women’s clothing than in men’s attire. To Willis, the drag troupe had begun feeling like family. She settled into life as a gay drag performer, because that was the “language” she had.

And then one day, while talking on the phone with an on-again off-again boyfriend, something important hit Willis, hard.

“I think I’m a woman,” she told him. “I’m a woman.... I am.”

Sometimes, it takes awhile to understand the person you really are. Half a book, in this case, because “The Risk It Takes to Bloom” is quite wordy: author Raquel Willis tells her story in excruciating detail, and it can get rather long.

And yet, the length allows for clues that readers can follow, to truly see the woman, the activist and writer, who penned this book. But is that enough to attract readers? What sets this book apart from other, similar books by star-powered Black trans women?

The answer lies in the approachability of its author Willis tells her tale with a more anchoring feel, more down-to-earth, like she could have lived up the street from you or sat in the last row of your high school Algebra class. You could’ve known her. You could know someone like her. Or Willis could be you.

Indeed, this book might hold plainspoken inspiration for anyone who needs it. If that’s you, get “The Risk It Takes to Bloom,” find a chair, and plant yourself.

Rental Person Who Does Nothing

by Shoji Morimoto

c.2024, Hanover Square Press $21.99 192 pages

You need a hand there? A little help?

You know where to find it: your contacts list is full of people who’ll lend a hand, make repairs, offer assistance, lift, and oomph. You know people who’ll run to your side when you need them and you know others, as in the new book “Rental Person Who Does Nothing” by Shoji Morimoto, who’ll just stand around and watch.

In a way, Shoji Morimoto wasn’t meant to work for someone else.

For many years, he was a freelance writer in Japan, penning ads, textbooks, and material that he found dull and repetitive. He was “stressed” by it, and by every financial aspect of merely having to work and so, looking for something totally different, he launched a service he called DoNothing Rental, announcing its basic lay-out on what was then Twitter.

You needed a fourth for a card game, he’d be that guy. Want someone to hold you accountable? He’d do it, but only if it didn’t require him to make decisions. Need somebody to hold your spot in line? He was your man, but not twice. Want a lunch buddy? Tweet him and he’d meet you there. A good listener? He was on it. He’d show up when nobody else would. And yet – “Rental Person” was discerning and didn’t take just any old task, it had to be legal and interesting.

The cost? Morimoto didn’t charge for his efforts.

He was comped for transportation and usually for any meals and tickets required. Appreciative clients sent him gift certificates and freewill offers of cash but Morimoto mostly tended to his family’s needs through financial trading and by using his savings. Still, he’s adamant that Rental Person wasn’t a volunteer gig, that it was a job but not exactly a business.

And even that all depended on what the client wanted...

“Rental Person Who Does Nothing” is one of those books that makes you tilt your head, squint one eye, and wonder what the heck you just read.

It’s quirky, to be sure. Appealing, to a point, but also somewhat half-finished and not completely applicable – and so probably not easily do-able. It’s also confounding: in keeping with his do-nothing aim, author Shoji Morimoto admits up-front that he didn’t even write this book, thus underscoring its title and reveling in the ultimate laziness – all the while ignoring an obvious (and well-exampled) need for occasional bursts of pure hustle.

For the right reader, this will sound like fun in its unpredictability and its by-the-seat-of-one’s-pantsness. Alas, it’ll make most business people intrigued but slightly horrified, if nothing but for the financial aspects and concerns laid out here. Those, along with repetition, ultimately competing statements, and impulsivity, and the book becomes a bit of a challenge.

Still, for people-watchers and well-moneyed free spirits who’re ready to shuck the rat race, “Rental Person Who Does Nothing” may be a tiny catalyst for that one foot out the door. If you like the status quo, paycheck and all, though, it’s safe to say hands-off.

Accidental: Rebuilding a Life After Taking One

by David W. Peters c.2023, Broadleaf Books $26.99

182 pages

You’ll remember it for as long as you live.

The screech of tires. The hollow kunk of vehicle-on-vehicle, then vertigo. Or maybe it was a bang and a gasp that still haunts you at night. In the end, though you didn’t mean it, someone has died and you were the indirect cause. You’ll remember that as long as you live, and in the new book “Accidental” by David W. Peters, you’ll learn to live with yourself again.

He was just nineteen.

Recently home from boot camp and beginning his freshman year at Bible college, David Peters was driving a friend to Sunday night services when tragedy struck. The sun was glaring, and Peters tried to switch lanes. It happened so fast: he swerved, hit concrete, and when it was over, a young woman lay dead on the side of the road.

To a young man who was injured, “I said I was sorry,” Peters writes. “I must have said it a thousand times...”

Peters says he felt like he was the only person who’d done something like this, but he wasn’t. There are 40,000 vehicular fatalities in the U.S. annually, plus accidental firearm deaths, wars, and work accidents. Even famous people can call themselves “CADIs,” which stands for “Causing Accidental Death or Injury.”

CADI, Peters says, is softer, more acceptable than “killer,” because an accident is an accident.

As a “professional Christian,” Peters has leaned on God since his accident, reading the Biblical tale about “cities of refuge” for CADIs. He explores the ways that, for instance, a drunk driver might deal with tragedy versus what an accidental shooter might feel. One’s own profession might lead to guilt and grief. He writes about mercy, and about “moral injury” for witnesses of tragedy.

“All of us will have different memories... based on what kind of accident we experienced,” he says, so don’t use this book as a one-size-fits-all.

“Your journey is your journey, but you are not alone on it. We are all with you.”

Whether you need this book or you hope you never will, “Accidental” is absolutely one squirmy read. That, surprisingly, may be an accident in itself.

Author David W. Peters, who is an Episcopal Church vicar, writes with a tone that’s soothing and calming, but he doesn’t preach and he doesn’t push. Even if you’re a nonbeliever, he has mercy for you and there’s no judgment here; he’s been in your shoes, and his father showed him what true forgiveness looks like. Reading this book, then, is like meeting with someone trained to help untangled the complicated feelings of being on the blame-end of a tragedy. The squirm comes in the honesty that readers will see is absolutely necessary, but difficult nonetheless. You won’t want to go there, need to or not – but with Peters’ comforting words, you know you’ll be okay doing so.

For CADIs and those who love them, for victims, and for counselors and pastors, here’s what you want on your shelf. “Accidental” is a book you can truly live with.

What Really Happens in Vegas: True Stories of the Peope Who Make Vegas, Vegas

by James Patterson and Mark Seal

c.2023, Little, Brown $30.00 358 pages

Hit that “spin” button.

Hit it again, one more time, move onto the next “one-armed bandit,” take in a show, watch water dance, gawk all you want. A lot of people work hard to make your Las Vegas experience one you’ll never forget. As you’ll see in the new book “What Really Happens in Vegas” by James Patterson and Mark Seal, it takes a village to keep a city going.

It’s 5:30 in the morning, Las Vegas time, and people are up and moving. Some have been awake since the night before, sitting in front of a slot machine or at a card table with a pile of chips. Others, like the elite crew of divers who keep the Fountains of Bellagio running, are ready to go to work.

Vegas, as Patterson and Seal show, is not just glitz and glamour and lights and sounds. Las Vegas is also where some 52 million people arrive at the local airport to start their vacation – and, in some cases, they jump-start their bank accounts at the airport’s slot machines.

Speaking of money – if you have it, you can get almost anything you want, as long as it’s legal, just by asking. Want a private flight in? Your own limo? Big shopping? Before you drop the expected Big Bucks in a casino, want to relax in a secret suite that few are allowed to see? Or maybe you want to hear stories of “Sin City” legends, mostly men, but for one fierce woman who revolutionized the Strip.

You can see a circus in Vegas, one that was originally Canadian. Visit a downtown museum that tells the tale of this desert city. If you win big, meet the people whose job it is to get your money to you at all costs. See how fine dining came to Las Vegas and who keeps it there. And find out how a famous slogan for this dazzling city came to be...

Pick up “What Really Happens in Vegas,” read two pages, and you’ll know one thing for sure: You’ve hit the jackpot.

In every city, there are stories and behind-thescenes characters who keep the place lubricated but in Las Vegas, even those folks assume a certain (and deserved) mantle of glitter. Authors James Patterson and Mark Seal let readers in on secrets and into secret places, sharing out-loud stories of everyday folks, just doing their jobs.

Then there are the tales that feel like they should be told in whispers.

Sure, there are comments from comfort-makers who talk about the wealthy, and anecdotes of singers, stars, and mobsters in this book, just as you’d expect. But readers also become privy to the things nobody back home wants to talk about, the jobs that don’t make your alumni profile, and the parties that... well, that stay in Vegas.

And that’s what you’ll want to do, once you start this fascinating behind-the-scenes peek.

“What Really Happens in Vegas” is a book with a thousand stories and for fans, it’ll be a hit.

Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family

by Mark Daley

c.2024, Atria Books $28.99 304 pages

The closet is full of miniature hangers. The mattress bumpers match the drapes and the rug beneath the tiny bed. There’s a rocker for latenight fusses, a tall giraffe in the corner, and wind-up elephants march in a circle over the crib. Now you just need someone to occupy that space and in the new book, “Safe” by Mark Daley, there’s more than one way to accomplish that dream.

Jason was a natural-born father

Mark Daley knew that when they were dating, when he watched Jason with his nephew, with infants, and the look on Jason’s face when he had one in his arms. As a gay man, Daley never thought much having a family but he knew Jason did – and so, shortly after their wedding, they began exploring surrogacy and foster-to-adopt.

Daley knew how important it was to get the latter right: his mother had a less-than-optimal childhood, and she protected her own children fiercely for it. When Daley came out to her, and to his father, he was instantly supported and that’s what he wanted to give: support and loving comfort to a child in a hard situation.

Or children, as it happened. Just weeks after competing foster parenting classes and after telling the social worker they’d take siblings if there was a need, the prospective dads were offered two small brothers to foster It was love at first sight but euphoria was somewhat tempered by courts, laws, and rules. Their social worker warned several times that reunification of the boys with their parents was “Plan A,” but Daley couldn’t imagine it. The parents seemed unreliable; they rarely kept appointments, and they didn’t seem to want to learn better parenting skills. The mother all but ignored the baby, and the child noticed.

So did Daley, but the courts held all the power, and predicting an outcome was impossible.

“All we had was the present,” he said. “If I didn’t stay in it, I was going to lose everything I had.”

So was there a Happily-Ever-After?

Ah, you won’t find an answer to that question here. You’ll need to read “Safe” and wear your heart outside your chest for an hour or so, to find out. Bring tissues.

Bring a sense of humor, too, because author and founder of One Iowa Mark Daley takes readers along on his journey to being someone’s Daddy, and he does it with the sweetest open-minded open-heartedness. He’s also Mama Bear here, too, which is just what you want to see, although there can sometimes be a lot of tiresome overdrama and over-fretting in that.

And yet, this isn’t just a sweet, but angstriddled, tale of family. If you’re looking to foster, here’s one man’s truth about the frustrations, the stratospheric-highs, and the deep lows. Will your foster experiences be similar? Maybe, but reading this book about it is its own reward.

“Safe” soars and it dives. It plays with your emotions and it wallows in anxiety. If you’re a parent, though, you’ll hang on to every word.

Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making?

Letters of Love and Lust from the White House

by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

c.2024, Simon & Schuster $28.99 293 pages

Four bills, a political flier, a request for a charity, and a magazine.

That’s what came in the mail yesterday, which is about average. If you get a letter, man, that’s unusual because almost nobody does that anymore. Imagine spending all that time writing, then waiting ten days to hear back from friends and family.

Imagine, as in the new book, “Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making? by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, romance in an envelope.

Your phone is never too far away.

It’s literally your line to your loved ones, a place to catch up, pick up, or follow up on what’s happening, whether by call or text. For most of our country’s history, though, the only means of communication was through written letter – and that includes private, unofficial Presidential notes written to actual or potential First Ladies.

“This,” say the authors, “is a book of love stories...”

While John Adams was away from Abigail Smith, they obsessively wrote letters to one another, some eleven hundred of them, expressing their longing. Not to be outdone, James Garfield and Lucretia together wrote more than twelve hundred letters.

Martha Washington tried to burn everything George ever sent her. Thomas Jefferson did the same with his letters.

Grover Cleveland fretted about life after the White House, praising his wife, Frances’s idea of raising chickens for income. Teddy Roosevelt worried about not making his fiance, Alice, happy enough. Woodrow Wilson seduced his first wife through the mail. Louisa and John Quincy Adams argued through letters, and Lyndon Johnson ordered his Lady Bird to tell him she loved him with “a continuous flow of letters.”

Abraham Lincoln missed his sons through the mail.

Without Elizabeth Johnson’s tutoring, Andrew Johnson wouldn’t have been able to send her letters at all: she taught him to read and write. Franklin Roosevelt kept Eleanor apprised of his many health matters. And the most poignant love letter Thomas Jefferson ever wrote still exists on his wife, Martha’s, tombstone...

Admit it: it’s almost impossible not to read notes and letters you find in random places. They’re permissibly voyeuristic, also magnetic, and some are delightful. Others are weird, pragmatic, or really kind of boring. You’ll get a taste of this and more inside “Are You Prepared for the Storm of Lovemaking?”

Acting as guides dropping little breadcrumbs of trivia along the journey, authors Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler frame dozens of Presidential letters with historical references before they share them, which gives readers a sense of why each President was thinking what he was thinking. These men presented a public front, but your suspicions will be confirmed on both the awkward and the amorous, as Hoobler and Hoobler reveal a few surprises. Woodrow Wilson, Richard Nixon, you’ll never think of them the same. Lincoln, Obama, LBJ? Yep, them, too.

For the romance reader who also likes history, or the history lover who wants a hint of spice, here’s your book. Read “Are You Prepared For the Storm of Love Making?” You’ll love ever letter of it.

The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without

by John Oakes

c.2024, Avid Reader Press $30.00 320 pages

You haven’t done dishes in days.

The sink is full of dish, in fact. Dish, one cup, singular, because you haven’t cooked in days, either. You’re fasting and it was your choice. You have your reasons for denying your body food and in “The Fast” by John Oakes, you’ll see the history behind it.

Politically, globally, personally, any day may bring turmoil to your life. It did to John Oakes one spring and it made him grow contemplative. He’d fasted before, a few days, give or take, and he knew it “involves doing less, but... in a radical way.” He wanted to slow down and try fasting again, this time for a week.

He “proposed the fast to my spouse” who agreed to join him. They decided to consume only water, tea, coffee, and vegetable broth, and the fast began.

On Day One, hunger pains were tolerable but time stretched thin. Oakes decided to add silence to his fast, remembering a trip to Minneapolis, to the quietest place on Earth.

Day Two brought him more inside himself, as he thought about the many throughout history who’ve fasted for preparation, sacrifice, and spirituality. He was hungry, not uncomfortably so, but his sense of smell was elevated.

On Day Three, he missed eating as he thought about our bodies as “marvelous machines,” and what fasting does to us. By Day Four, “The cleansing process [was] well underway” with Ascetics, holy men and Biblical figures as his guides. He was steadfast on Day Five, as he thought about fasting as protest. Day Six brought a wish for his fast to end, and he examined how fraud has tainted fasting.

At midnight on Day Seven, the fast was over but it lingered in Oakes’ mind. There are people who take fasting to the extreme, he says, but we shouldn’t let a disease “keep us from exploring the gifts that fasting has to offer...”

Even without a pair of eyes there, your stomach always seems to know what time it is. It reminds you about lunch, sometimes loudly, but “The Fast” may surprise you with a desire to ignore the borborygmus, even for a day.

Before you skip a meal in favor of the book, though, just know that this isn’t a fluffy-as-apancake look at doing without. Author John Oakes goes deep in his examination of the practice of fasting, deep into religion and ancient history, deep into modern politics. Most of this book will remind you of meditating because it’s distinctly interesting, full of conviction, and it’s deliberate. You’ll almost want to take it to your yoga mat to read, or find a chair in a quiet room that allows for pausing and pondering.

This book fairly demands that you do so, in fact – which also means that it’s not for everyone. It’s not Reading Lite; treat it as such and you may get lost. But if you want something that’s going to make you slow down and think, “The Fast” might just be your cup of tea.

How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected

Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Night

by Dr. Chris Balakrishnan & Matt Wasowski, illustrations by Kristen Orr

c.2024, St. Martin’s Press $30.00 320 pages

How do you do?

Howdy. Hey, there. Hello. Hi, how are you? It’s polite to greet people when you meet them for the first time, and respectful, too. Furthermore, it’s human nature to want to be liked, to find common ground and get along. Read the new book “How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi,” edited by Dr. Chris Balakrishnam & Matt Wasowski, illustrations by Kristen Orr, and you can happily be a bit of a know-itall, too.

Twenty-one years ago, a group of nerds got together to offer one another short “presentations” on esoteric topics and eventually, “Nerd Night” grew and spread around the world. Seriously, how could a nerdy knowledge gathering like that get any better?

Well, some of the presentations went up on YouTube. Others made it into this book.

If you’ve ever served in the deserts of Kuwait, for instance, you know that mythology about camel spiders is mostly an exaggeration. The creatures are big, but not all that big. They can’t jump super-long distances. They aren’t really even spiders. Oh, but they’ll chase you – though not for the reasons you’ve heard.

Or take, for instance, a glass of moo-juice. You’ve been taught all your life that only mammals give milk, but that’s not exactly a fact. By definition, birds, sharks, insects, even worms nourish their young with a form of “milk.”

Trap-jaw ants and stomatopods can bring a world of hurt to your body. People who have misophonia can’t tolerate the sound of your breathing; people with synesthesia might be able to taste it. There’s a reason why some letters get lost in words we pronounce correctly. NASA is working on ways to recycle astronauts’ solid waste for fuel, but you don’t have control of your bladder. A real grizzly bear inspired the California state flag. Chances are, “you will probably not survive the next mass extinction [but] spiders and gophers will.”

And when that end finally happens to you, embalming won’t preserve you forever...

When was the last time you had pure, lighthearted, smart-aleck, gee-whiz, smack-yourforehead, geeky goodness from a book? If it’s been awhile, you’ll want to find “How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi” now.

You won’t be sorry you did, once you dip into the facts you didn’t know you needed to know, offered to you informally here, and with a slice of sarcasm. Authors Dr. Chris Balakrishnan and Matt Wasowski break their book down into eleven basic categories, but the knowledge inside it runs from arthropods to World War Z and lots of other subjects in between. Each brief chapter comes from an expert on the topic at hand – or, at the very least, someone who had reason, for instance, to wander down a rabbit-hole of maggots, meteorites, romance-by-spreadsheet, and zombies in your laundry room.

“How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi” is perfect for fun guys and gals ages fifteen to adult. Expect to learn, expect to laugh, and expect to have your eyes opened. Get it, and say “hello” to a good read.

CONTINUED from page 20

Diamond Dust St. Peter, 320 Sunrise

Dr.: Cheri Brown owns and operates Diamond Dust Bakery, which offers made from scratch bakery items, lunch specials, and delicious coffees. Situated at the top of the hill in St. Peter,

the bakery is not only popular for its desserts and coffee, but also its lunch menu, which includes pasta salads, soups and sandwiches.

Costas Candies Owatonna, 112 N

Cedar Ave.: Julie Schultz owns and operates one of the region’s most unique establishments with her husband Grant Schultz. Founded in 1919,

Costas has long indulged their customers with a range of products from old-fashioned sweets to new favorites. Each piece of chocolate and candy is hand-dipped, rolled, and wrapped individually.

Chapel Brewing Dundas, 15 Hester

St.: Tracie Vranich is the co-owner of Chapel Brewing in Dundas, a small-sized brewery that

offers up some big flavors and big events. Vranich was the committee chair for the first ever Oktoberfest in Dundas in 2023, and she continues to operate as the face of the business, ensuring customers have reason to continue visiting. 

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Diamond Dust of St. Peter.

Tracie Vranich of Chaple Brewing in Dundas.

Costas Candies of Owatonna.

Galleries

ExhibitiondatesFeb.26-April6,2024. OpeningreceptionMarch15pm-7pm. Carlandergallery – ArtEducatorsofMN, secondopeningreception March211am-2pm.

Vraneshgallery–LindaSnouffer. K&Mgallery – MelissaKugler, RhondaNorgaard. Cregergallery – BethlehemAcademy.

ImprovComedyShow withTheLittleFish

ImprovGroup-Abenefit fortheParadise

Friday,March15th7:30PM. Member$10/Non-Member$15

Students$8

LittleFishImprovisperformingan improvcomedyfundraiserforthe ParadiseCenterfortheArts.Little FishImprovisalocalgroupofactors &comedianslookingtobringimprov comedytoSouthernMinnesotawhile raisingmoneyforthePCA.

TheHelloGirls:ANew AmericanMusical PresentedbytheParadise CommunityTheatre MusicandLyricsbyPeterMills, BookbyPeterMills&CaraReichel March1,2at7:30PM,March3at2PM Member:$18|Non-Member:$20 Student:$14|VeteranMember:$16

VeteranNon-Member:$18

*AllVeteransgeta$2.00discountontheirticket toTheHelloGirls!*

THEHELLOGIRLSchroniclesthestoryof America’sfirstwomensoldiersinthisnew musicalinspiredbyhistory.

AreaStudent ArtShow

SecondFloorGallery Exhibitiondates

March8-April13,2024. OpeningReception March8th5pm-7pm.

TheString Showdown

Saturday,March16 at7:30pm

Member:$20

Non-Member:$25 Student:$15

Moreinteractivethanaband, moreexcitingthanaDJ,more uniquethanduelingpianos... TheStringShowdownisabout tobeyournewfavoriteact!

MakingInksAQuickStudy.

Saturday,March30th9:00AM-12:00PM.

Tuition:Member$30, Non-Member$36.

Wearesurroundedbycolorandwith somecoaxingwecanmakepaints, inks,dyesandmorefromplants, foodscraps,trees,andflowers fromthegarden.Supplyfee-$15 Instructor:JudySaye-Willis.