July 12-14, 18-21, 24-28, 2012
8:30 pm
Imagine Amphitheater at Bluestem Center for the Arts

Bluestem Center for the Arts and Trollwood Performing Arts School are committed to making the arts accessible to all individuals:
Audio Described performance, TBA.
American Sign Language interpreted performance, TBA, Special seating required. Arrange through the TPAS Box Office.

Group Seating, 10% to 20% discounts are available on block reservations of 20 or more seats. Call Trollwood Performing Arts School for full details, (218) 477-6500.

General Sales Box Office opens Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 10:00 am, (218) 477-6502

General admission and reserved seating available.

General Admission: $13.00/Adults, $11.00/Seniors and Students, $8.00/Children 12 and Under.
Reserved Seating: $25.00, $20.00, and $17.00; available through the TPAS Box Office only

What if you could help us win $1000 just by giving 25 bucks?  On November 16, Give to the Max Day, you can!

Last year, more than 42,000 donors logged on to GiveMN.org and gave over $10 million to Minnesota charities in 24 hours during Give to the Max Day.

The Alex Stern Family Foundation has generously pledged a match of $50,000 for donations made to Bluestem Center for the Arts through GiveMN.org on Wednesday, November 16!

During GiveMN’s Give to the Max Day, you can amplify your giving in a number of ways:

• Win a Golden Ticket! $1,000 will be given to a random donor’s charity every hour.  You could be that donor!
• Put us on the Leader Board!  $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 prize grants will be awarded to the top three nonprofit organizations (colleges and universities excluded) which receive the most dollars in 24 hours during Give to the Max Day.
• Attend a fundraising lunch! To help us celebrate this day of giving, Mosaic Foods will be hosting a lunch fundraiser at Mezzaluna, located in Downtown Fargo at 309 Roberts Street North, from 11:00 to 1:00pm. Suggested donation is for $10 or more.
• Stop out and visit! Stop by during the day to see where the Trollwood magic happens! Dessert and coffee will be served Wednesday afternoon at Bluestem Center for the Arts, 801 50th Ave SW Moorhead, MN’
• Tune in! On Give to the Max Day, FM 105.1 will broadcast live from 10:00-1:00pm and Froggy 99.9 from 1:00-4:00pm!

GiveMN is easy to use, and your gift to Bluestem Center for the Arts will make a huge difference to our ongoing work to raise funds in support of Trollwood Performing Art School’s annual arts education programs.

His sermons are most often delivered on Sundays at his home church in New York City, which is a bar the other six days of the week.

Next weekend, Bakker will be bringing his unconventional yet universal messages to Fargo-Moorhead as guest speaker at the Homeless and Hungry Community Worship Service at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Bluestem Center for the Arts here.

Bakker said he will talk about the kinds of things he is known to stand for.

“I hope it’s to encourage grace and compassion, hope, love and treating each other with mutual respect. My message is always that of inclusion,” Bakker said.

Bakker, the son of former televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, started Revolution Church in 1994 with two friends.

The three felt churches were ignoring a subculture of people based on their appearance and lifestyle. They formed Revolution Church with a goal of including everybody, re­gardless of lifestyle.

“Revolution is trying to create a safe place for everybody, where people can come and have their doubts and have their questions,” Bakker said.

Bakker’s message of inclusiveness, love and empathy mixes well with the Homeless and Hungry event, which is a mix of community projects and events bringing those in need together with those who want to give.

Over the past five years, more than 3,000 people in the community have participated, raising $630,000 and collecting more 100,000 pounds of donations.

This year, event organizers hope to raise about $150,000 and collect 35,000 pounds of donations such as food and household necessities.

“We recognized that there was something big here,” organizer Erik Hatch said of the first year, which brought in $50,000.

The event will begin next Saturday as donations of food are collected door to door to be donated to local shelters.

That night, along with the community worship service, volunteers around town, including at the North Dakota State University campus and at participating churches, will be sleeping outside.

There will be a free community shopping event from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Fargo North High School. Participants will also have a chance to have a discussion with Bakker and join a panel discussion.

“It’s our chance to have the participants connect with the people who are living in poverty,” Hatch said. “We feel like that’s when that connecting point really happens.”

If you go

• What: Community Worship Service

• When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15

• Where: Bluestem Center for the Arts

• Info: Jay Bakker, son of former evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, will be the featured speaker. The worship service is part of this year’s Homeless and Hungry event Oct. 15 and 16.

• Online: www.homelessandhungry.areavoices.com

Trollwood Performing Arts School announced—at an earlier date than in any other year of the organization’s history—our 2012 summer Mainstage Musical show selection via their facebook page September 16, 2011.

Trollwood’s summer musical for 2012 is the Regional Premiere of “LEGALLY BLONDE The Musical.”

Show dates for “LEGALLY BLONDE The Musical” are set for July 12-14, 18-21, and 24-28, 2012 at Bluestem Center for the Arts, home of Trollwood Performing Arts School, on the Chepulis-Marks Stage at Imagine Amphitheater, 801 50^th Ave SW, Moorhead.

Group tickets will go on sale in March, 2012 and the regular box office will open in June. Cast and orchestra auditions, which are open to all high school students currently in grades 8 through 12 will occur after the first of the year.

Music Theatre International of New York released the amateur production rights for this popular movie-turned-musical only yesterday (September 15), and Trollwood is excited to make this announcement less than 24 hours later.

The Broadway musical based on the movie opened at the Palace Theater on April 29, 2007 and ran for 595 performances, closing on October 19, 2008. The musical was written by Laurence O’Keefe, with Laura Bell Bundy starring as Elle Woods. Laura Bell Bundy was nominated for the 2007 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

TPAS alumna and former Moorhead resident Becky Gulsvig has starred in the show’s title role of “Elle Woods” for the National Tour and in a special appearance on this year’s televised Tony Awards Show, and was in the original Broadway cast of “LEGALLY BLONDE The Musical.”

In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre is returning to Bluestem Center for the Arts this October! This year’s collaboration is a Day of the Dead residency that includes 4 days of student workshops and closes with a performance of the bilingual Skeletons in the Closet puppet show.

Puppet Theatre Class
Students will work with Minneapolis-based artists from In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre, and Moorhead Senior High Theater students combining artistry and Latino culture to create a story that celebrates love and the cycle of life.

Our story will be created through collaborative sharing of ideas, histories and personal experiences.  Students create lively masks, large-scale puppets and learn the art of movement and performance for puppet and mask theater.  Music, singing, and dancing will all be integrated into a lively presentation each day for parents.

Youth Workshops are open to grades 3-6, and no prior art-making or theater experience is required.  Students can participate in one or both days of class. Classes are held Wednesday October, 19 and Thursday, October 20th from 1:00-5:00pm at Bluestem Center for the Arts. Registration is $40/class. Click here to download a registration form. Registration closes October 10th, 2011.

Skeletons in the Closet Puppet Theatre Performance
Jill and Gustavo Boada present this bilingual (Spanish and English) puppet show is the tender story of children who are remembering their grandparents who have passed away.  As the children follow their curiosity, they discover the meaning of the Day of the Dead and that the connection they have with their grandparents continues beyond death.  The story is a celebration of love and the cycle of life.

Skeletons in the Closet – Friday, October 21st, 2011 2:00pm at Bluestem Center for the Arts
Tickets – $5 each and available at the door the day of the performance.

On June 30th, 2011 Bluestem Center for the Arts, home of Trollwood Performing Arts School broke ground on the new Yellow Brick Road!

The Alex Stern Family Foundation generously pledged $1,000,000 to develop The Trollwood Dream.

You can join us in building our magical and enchanting yellow brick road. By making a donation of $120 you can have your name etched into a 4 inch by 8 inch brick or an 8 inch brick with a $240 donation.

Help us to make the Yellow Brick Road a reality!  This is a great way to honor family members or a special occasion in your family’s life.

Thank you!

Download your Yellow Brick Road order forms here!

We would also like to extend our thanks to Hoglund Landscaping for the installation and Memorials and Custom Stone Creations for inscribing the bricks.

MSUM says shutdown not a factor
MOORHEAD – Minnesota State University Moorhead is moving the starting line for its Fourth of July races to the Bluestem Center for the Arts in south Moorhead.

By: Forum staff reports, INFORUM

MOORHEAD – Minnesota State University Moorhead is moving the starting line for its Fourth of July races to the Bluestem Center for the Arts in south Moorhead.

“MSUM has wanted to expand participation for our community’s largest July Fourth celebration,” said President Edna Szymanski. “This is a great way to move it forward.”

The evening activities and annual fireworks extravaganza will go on as scheduled at MSUM’s Nemzek Field, the university said Friday.

Earlier this week, there were concerns that a potential government shutdown would affect MSUM’s annual event.

The races include 5k and 10k competitions as well as the Firecracker Trot for kids. Moving the races to Bluestem does not relate to the shutdown, said MSUM spokesman Doug Hamilton.

“There had been interest in finding a better venue,” said Hamilton, adding that closing the streets around MSUM had always been complicated. “Plus, it’s a prettier place to run.”

The first race starts at 8 a.m. Event sponsors are Bennigan’s, Fargo Running Co., Sunmart Foods and Great Harvest Bread Co.

Bluestem Executive Director Sue Wiger said she is pleased to welcome the runners to Moorhead’s new premier outdoor venue.

“We are thrilled to host these events, and we hope a large crowd turns out to cheer on the runners,” Wiger said.

For more information about the July Fourth races, including the registration form and a course map, visit http://goo.gl/8V0Ww.

All Trollwood Performing Arts School alumni, students, parents, staff, donors, supporters and volunteers are invited to join us as we celebrate Vicki and John!

You’ve played a special part in their lives as Trollwood Performing Arts School was built, so let’s celebrate their legacy!

Vicki Chepulis and John Marks Legacy Celebration
Saturday, July 23, 2011

Enjoy dinner and social time with other TPAS alumni and friends, a tribute to Vicki and John, and special seating to this summer’s TPAS musical, The Music Man.

Please help us to spread the word—share this invitation with your family and friends!

Can’t attend, but still want to participate? Scroll to the section below for instructions on how to submit photos or a video greeting to Vicki and John that will be used during the event!

You might also consider making a donation in honor of Vicki, John, or both! (Donate ONLINE, or scroll to the next section for form.)

Make a donation to Trollwood Performing Arts School.

Support a TPAS program near to your heart, provide a scholarship for a deserving student, or make a donation in honor of Vicki, John or someone else who is special to you!

Click HERE for donation form.

And, if you REALLY want to leave your own legacy at Trollwood Performing Arts School, purchase a yellow brick or sponsor one of the amphitheater seats. Personalized engraving offered on these items.

Click HERE for order form.

Legacy Celebration Schedule & Registration

Download the Legacy Celebration Registration Form HERE

• Registration deadline is July 8, 2011.
• Receive a 15% discount on musical performance tickets for registration by June 15, 2011.
• FINAL registration is July 20, 2011, but all registrations processed after July 8 will be assessed a $25.00 Late Fee.

We’ve got a special evening of celebration planned:
5:30 – 6:30 PM Registration/check in
6:00 – 7:00 PM Picnic Dinner, with a Photo & Video Tribute to Vicki and John playing during the dinner hour.
7:00 – 7:50 PM Legacy Program — You may attend the program only; there is no charge for this portion of the event!
7:50 – 8:00 PM Group Processional to Amphitheatre
8:20 – 8:30 PM Onstage Tribute to Vicki and John — Attendance for this portion of the program requires a ticket to the musical.
8:30 – 10:45 PM Musical Performance of The Music Man

Picnic Dinner Menu

There are two Legacy Celebration adult dinner options to select from:

• Smoked BBQ Pork on a Bun
• Vegetarian Lasagna

And the child’s meal is:

• Grilled Hamburger on a Bun

All meals include:

• Bottled Water or Lemonade
• Honey Baked Beans
• Corn on the Cob with Butter
• Caesar Salad with Croutons
• Corn Bread Muffins with Butter and Honey
• Dessert: Peach and Rhubarb Cobbler

Dinner prices listed on Registration Form.

Be part of the Photo & Video Tribute to Vicki and John!

Can’t attend the event? Have a favorite memory of Vicki or John to share? Got THE photo of Vicki or John that “says” it all? Please share them with us!

We’d like to assemble a photo and video tribute to Vicki and John to play throughout the dinner hour on the night of the Legacy Celebration, and could use your help to make it happen!

If you have a scanned, digital picture(s) of Vicki or John (3MG or less, at 300 dpi or higher) or would like to record a video greeting for our special guests (30 seconds maximum, in MP3 file format) to be included in the tribute, please:

e-mail TPAS at trollwood@fargo.k12.nd.us and we’ll respond with a Drop Box e-link for uploading your submissions.

Submission deadline is June 10, 2011.

Thanks for checking in, and we’ll see YOU at the Vicki and John Legacy Celebration on July 23rd!

Concert Review By: John Lamb, INFORUM

MOORHEAD – The Moody Blues didn’t let Wednesday’s unseasonal weather get them down. The nearly 50-year-old band gave a record crowd of 2,354 at the Bluestem Center for the Arts plenty of opportunities to shake off the cold.

The rock group brought the full-house crowd in south Moorhead to its feet a number of times during its two-hour set.

Still, the weather did play some havoc with the show. Because of strong winds, the group had to shelve a screen that would’ve shown a montage of photos throughout the years and serve as the backdrop for a light show. The heavy breezes even negated the fog machines in the first set.

Fans didn’t mind the focus on the music, even if the group performed in front of the set for Trollwood’s upcoming performance of “The Music Man.”

Opening with their 1981 hit “The Voice,” the sun even broke through the clouds to shine on frontmen singer/guitarist Justin Hayward and singer/bassist John Lodge.

Now in their mid-60s, the singers had some problems hitting and holding notes, but the crowd didn’t mind much, standing and dancing for popular songs like “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere” and an energetic rip through “The Story in Your Eyes,” which closed the first set.

Dwayne Heinrich and his brother David drove up from Colorado after seeing the group in famous outdoor venues like the Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside Denver. The road trip was worth it for the superfans.

“This place is awesome. This is the closest I’ve seen them, and the sound is awesome,” said Dwayne, of Westminster, Colo.

The group returned for a second set, opening with the poppy “In Your Wildest Dreams,” allowing founding drummer Graeme Edge and secondary stickman Gordon Marshall to engage in some drumstick-tossing antics.

With the sun set, some of the staged theatrics were salvaged with the light show playing on the background set nicely to Edge’s spacey spoken-word intro to the haunting “Nights in White Satin,” where Hayward’s voice was in great, anguished form. The lights also wove in nicely with the stage fog, most effectively in the floating “Isn’t Life Strange,” featuring flautist Norda Mullen.

Mullen and keyboardist Alan Hewitt helped fill out the group’s symphonic sound on tunes like “Lean on Me (Tonight)” and “Tuesday Afternoon” from the group’s concept album, 1967’s “Days of Future Passed.”

Lodge dedicated “Peak Hour” to those who survived the ’60s. The 70-year-old Edge nearly stole the show with a short stand-up comedy bit, noting that his age meant he lived through the 60s twice, before kicking into a super-charged “Higher and Higher.”

The energy carried through the positive vibes of “The Question” and the rolling “Ride My See Saw,” (with more stage fog) as the band finished just after 10:30.

The show ended on a high note and proved Bluestem a great option for midsize rock shows.

Now if they could only figure out traffic congestion into and out of the space.