Central Lakes College Theatre Department will present “Ole and Lena and The Great Big Walleye” as part of the Minnesota Fringe Festival Aug. 4-14.
The Minnesota Fringe Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the United States and one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the Midwest. This year, 168 shows will be presented at 18 venues throughout Minneapolis-St. Paul. This is Minnesota Fringe’s 18th year and the first time the college has been invited to participate.
Presented in the spirit of British pantomime and based on Minnesota-Norwegian folklore, “Ole and Lena and The Great Big Walleye” is a comedy for all ages. Julenissen, a Norwegian cousin to Santa Claus, tells the story of what happens on Christmas Day when the Nissen, the good-luck elf who lives in Ole’s barn, doesn’t get his yearly bowl of rice pudding.
Bad luck strikes the village and Ole needs to think. He and Dog do their best thinking while fishin’. That’s when Ole catches the Big Walleye, a magical wishin’ fish, and the village is never the same.
Will the Nissen return? Is Lena distended to remain a bear? Will Ole make a pretty bride? Can Thor stop the cows from eating his skirt of grass? Is Helga going to be an old maid?
David Wilson plays Lena, Nick Brutscher is Ole and Jessica Huppler is Miss Wishy, the great big walleye. All three are from Brainerd.
The rest of the cast includes Tom Vasecka, Dwana Paplow, Justin Jordan, Kevin Yeager, Ron Oden, all from Brainerd and Ralph Knowlton, Crosby.
The production played on the Brained campus in 2007 to over 3,000 children, according to Dennis Lamberson, writer/director.
The comedy for all ages plays at The Mixed Blood Theatre at 1501 S. Fourth St., Minneapolis. Dates and times are at 10 p.m. Friday; 4 p.m. Sunday; 7 p.m. Wednesday; 5:30 p.m. Aug 12 ; and 2:30 p.m. Aug 14.
For information visit the Minnesota Fringe’s website, fringefestival.org.
