Pequot Lakes play is 'a heckuva deal'
PEQUOT LAKES The Pequot Lakes Community Theatre production of the comedy The Best of How to Talk Minnesotan: The Musical promises to be a heckuva deal as it lampoons and celebrates Minnesota culture, traditions and quirks. The show will be staged 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and Tuesday-July 14 in the Pequot Lakes High School auditorium.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $8 for children. They are available from Pequot Lakes Community Education at (218) 568-9200 or the Pequot Lakes Chamber of Commerce at (218) 568-8911.
The production is based on an award-winning book by Howard Mohr and taps into the best bits from Minnesota's longest-running homegrown musical popularized by the Plymouth Playhouse and Troupe America, Inc.
The setting is the Lost Walleye Lodge, where you can forget the world for a couple of hours. Songs include "Hotdish Hallelujah," "Northwoods Woman," "Brothers In Ice," "Salad Serenade" and "Snow Angel."
Andrea Lipovetz of Brainerd will make her Pequot stage debut showcasing her experience as a band vocalist. She plays Darlene, the daughter of the lodge owners Ed and Lucy and the girlfriend of fishing fanatic Russ Renner.
Pine River's Ann Marie Lubovich, a director of Pine River-Backus High School productions, will walk on the wild side as the peppy Lucy, who joins husband Ed (Aitkin's Scott Ruffing) as the instructors for the lessons aimed at guests from out-of-state. Ruffing is a veteran performer and music instructor at Crosby-Ironton.
As Russ, Baxter's Chad Nelson puts to use his vocal expertise gained during his days with the Brainerd High School select choir and at Concordia (Moorhead) College, where he earned his music degree.
While new to the Pequot stage, Aitkin's Ron Wendorff has performed in many musical venues. As Miller Johnson, he joins Pequot Lakes stage veteran Todd Trees (as Donny Elmstad) to lead the audience through the use of Minnesota negatives such as "Not too bad," "Can't complain" and "It could be worse."