Local Art Seen: Artist Susan Krochalk Celebrates 50th with 50-Piece Art Show at the County Seat Theater

Yesterday I snuck down to the County Seat Theater in Cloquet to see what Susan Krochalk had on display there. Naturally I wanted to see the George Harrison-inspired guitar that I wrote about recently.

Krochalk's a little like me in one respect. She paints in a variety of styles and any surface is fair game for being painted on. And for her 50th birthday she decided to put some of this on display.

The show can be seen for one week only. The reception is tonight, a belated birthday party, and you are invited. If you've not yet been to the County Seat Theater (a.k.a. Encore Performing Arts Center), you ought to go sometime. You'll find the gallery tucked into an intimate space and you'll enjoy the variety of painting tucked in there.

Kris Nelson has been curating this area of the theater where patrons of the theater hang out before the shows and during intermissions. Their current show is Sorry, Wrong Chimney, which sounds like a holiday themed comedy to me. Artists are always invited to show their work at each of the shows if they have something that ties to the theme. You are rewarded with a free ticket to the show, a nice incentive to pay attention to what is coming up.

For those who haven't been following this blog, Krochalk has been a regular contributor to the annual Duluth Dylan Fest art events we've had over the last several years. Our upcoming Dylan Fest (the week preceding May 24 next spring) will feature a student show, the seed having been sown by Susan.

Cherries On Top

* * * *

* * * *

* * * * 

* * * * 

* * * * 

* * * *

* * * *

* * * *

* * * *

Related Links
PBS Pledge Drive Inspires Sue Krochalk's George Harrison Themed Guitar
County Seat Theater website with upcoming events

The Game's Afoot at the Encore in Cloquet: Fun Holiday Fare for Theater Goers Here

If you're in the mood for a fun holiday mystery, the answer is simply elementary, Watson: go and enjoy the County Seat Theater's production of The Game's Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays. If you like light-hearted madcap suspense, the County Seat Theater Company is currently performing this Ken Ludwig play at the Encore in Cloquet.

This was my second visit to the Encore, and the experience stirred many fond memories of community theater productions from long ago. My first visit was to see the world premiere of Denise Hinton's Sweet at the end of September. This story of an old boxer was a knockout. What I got out of attending this second play was a deeper appreciation for the role this theater has played in the community, providing a cohesive creative center for a large number of families with connections to the arts.

The creator of this story is Ken Ludwig, an award-winning playwright whose 25 plays and musicals have been performed in over 30 countries around the world. In addition, as an author he's written How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare, which I was not surprised to learn, as the Shakespeare quotes and references in The Game's Afoot were plentiful. (You can read more about Ken Ludwig here, though Ken's bio makes no mention that Ludwig was my designated name in 7th grade German class.)

The set... before turning off our cell phones.

L to R: Sean Biskey, Darien Botilla, Ryan Klawitter and Keith Chapin.

On opening night director Greg J. Anderson welcomed us with enthusiasm, acknowledged sponsors and reminded us to turn off our cell phones. He also noted that they are actively raising funds to expand the facilities, and that Sue Brown Chapin was donating one of her original paintings to this end, which would be raffled off at the end of the year along with two season tickets for next year.

The lights dim, a little music sets the stage and then a whistle blows. "Stop that man!" someone shouts. A large man crosses the set, clearly on the run, then Sherlock Holmes himself, steps in through the door to confront the man now cornered, Moriarity. It's the climax of a play, and as quickly as it began it is over, the stars come forth to take their bows, we hear the applause of the New York Palace Theater crowd, and then a gunshot from somewhere. Holmes is felled and falls.

Elizabeth Klawitter as Daria. Skilled with the (verbal) knife.

So begins The Game's Afoot. The rest of the play takes place two weeks later on Christmas eve 1936 in the home of Broadway star William Gillette (portrayed by County Seat Theater newcomer Ryan Klawitter) who is admired around the globe for his leading role playing Sherlock Holmes. Having recovered somewhat from the shot that pegged him in the arm, he's invited his fellow cast members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. By the way that these guests react, you get the impression we are at the spectacular Hearst Castle. (Whether intentional or no, Ryan Klawitter looks enough like Orson Welles to bring Citizen Kane to mind.)

The characters who gather for the Christmas Eve festivities here are all familiar with one another through the theater. Apparently none have been to Gillette's new house in Connecticut, as one exclaims, "This is where God would live if he could afford it."

The last to arrive, though, sends an icy vibe through the others, much like the last character in Hitchcock's Lifeboat amped the tension in that film. (The first ten minutes of the film involve picking up survivors after a ship has been sunk by a German U-Boat. The tenth man picked out of the water happens to be the captain of the German U-Boat.) This last person to arrive at the Gillette home is none other than that famous "stick in the knife and twist it" theater critic Daria Chase (Elizabeth Klawitter), who has a whole basketful of great lines, and the audience was eating them up like buttered popcorn.

Yes, the dialogue is crisp, and the wit is sharp as a tack in this script. And it wasn't long before the cast was riding a wave, having fun playing their respective roles.

Gillette's intention in inviting all these peers together on this night was to learn who it might have been who took a shot at him and why. As the play unfolds, the clues spill from all kinds of unexpected places, and as with any good whodunit everyone becomes a suspect. Even so, no one expected a murder to occur.

The second half of the play is no longer just about what happened to William Gillette. Now we have a murder to solve, and suspects are all around. We know, however, that it was not the butler or other staff because they've been given the night off. When Inspector Goring (Colleen Biskey) arrives we have something akin to a romp on our hands.

* * * *

One of the features of the Encore is a hospitality area with wine and treats, and an art gallery curated by artist and former art teacher Kris Nelson. As many as 25 local artists are represented during this show.

I learned from Kris Nelson that the County Seat Theater Company originally started at the Carlton High School when she was young, and Kris was in that first play, "The Odd Couple." The theater troupe did a reprise of the play ten years ago with three of the original players participating. This was when the performances were held at the church in Atkinson.

Today many of the people involved are children of others who were involved back in the day.

All the players deserve recognition. You can read my poison pen version of this review elsewhere. (Not.) Many claps for Keith Chapin (Felix Geisel), Crystal Jordan (Madge Geisel), Darien Botilla (Aggie Wheeler), Sean Biskey (Simon Bright), and Corey Fisher who clearly enjoyed the role of William's mother, Martha Gillette.

"Our audiences have loved the witty and fast-paced dialogue in shows such as 'Moon Over Buffalo' and 'Leading Ladies,'" said County Seat general manager Joel Soukkala. "I have no doubt if you are looking to laugh and be entertained, this show is just what you are looking for."

I would concur.

The Game's Afoot runs Friday, Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 and December 6-9.
For Tickets and information on future shows, visit: www.countyseattheater.com
Reserve your tickets early, as some performances are already sold out.

* * * *
If you live in the vicinity of Cloquet, Oldenburg House is hosting its Second Annual Holiday Arts & Crafts Sale this Friday from Noon till 8:00 p.m.  Oldenburg House has been a big supporter of the County Seat Theater... Check out this and other upcoming events OACC.US

County Seat Theater Company Presents World Premiere of Denise Hinson's Sweet

September 28 the County Seat Theater Company presented a World Premiere of Denise Hinson's Sweet, directed by Joel Soukkala. I took advantage of an opportunity to attend the third performance Sunday afternoon and was totally impressed by the caliber of the writing as well as the performances of the players in this community theater production.

More than 1200 community theaters were in competition to be selected in the NewPlayFest, a national community theater competition in which more than 280 playwrights submitted scripts. Six theatre troupes were selected, one of these being the Encore Performing Arts Center and this production, Sweet. Dignitaries from around the country were on hand for Friday evening's Premiere, along with playwright Ms. Hinson.

THE SETTING is a rural home, away from the big city, tucked away in a hidden corner of the world, a private space where an old boxer and his wife live, along with a daughter in his mid-thirties and her teenaged son. There's a living room and house interior to the left with an outdoor setting to the right. By means of crickets and birdsongs we know when scenes move from day into night.

"Sweet" is the nickname of Clemmet Carter (Michael Rosea), a former champion boxer who once had a killer left hook. From the start the oxygen tank he relies on makes us aware that he is a weakened man. His wife Addie (Ruthie Breuer), we learn, has become the family's anchor, working as a cleaning lady for wealthy people whom we will learn more about later. Their daughter Ruby and grandson Christopher also live in the home.

THE PLAY opens with darkness on the set, but we hear the sound of breathing and the oxygen tank. As the lights rise so does the old fighter, opening with a soliloquy, reminiscing about his life in the ring. "I dream... I am a god... There is only room for one hero in this ring. I swing... and then... I wake up."

His wife Addie enters the room and shares a dream she just had. "I dreamed last night I had a baby." This is interpreted to mean something good is coming, but also serve to set up a couple humorous lines both sooner and later.

Ruby is introduced next, followed by Christopher, enabling us to get a quick glance at the central characters with a few simple brushstrokes. Equally swift is the screenwriter's skill at engaging the audience. Several lines bring chuckles and light laughter, which affirms a connection was being successfully established early on.

All great stories involve characters. Each character has to have a motivation, a quest. Their personal quest is what drives the story. In Sweet Denise Hinson quickly reveals a few motivations, but takes her time drawing out the other characters drives. For example, early on we learn that Ruby's son Christopher has a passion for illustration. He carries a sketchbook and dreams of being an artist of sorts, an illustrator of graphic novels, something his mom considers impractical in today's world. As the story unfolds we see that Ruby's dream is to escape this isolated home in a remote corner of the world. And the opportunity presents itself when a journalist from Chicago, Trevor Wallace(Greg J. Anderson), arrives with his own personal quest: to write a book about this once great boxer whom he saw fight when he was a boy. Trevor Wallace becomes the catalyst that changes everything for all involved.

As all screenwriters and playwrights know, great films and great plays involve great scenes and great lines. Sweet has both. For example, at one point Clemmet Carter drops a glass. There's a commotion, to which he responds, "I broke a glass, not a hip." It's a hilarious comeback, and the play is full of these little embellishments, light touches that the audience readily responded to.

The journalist succeeds in obtaining access to the old boxer. During their first interview we learn that Clemmet Carter gained the nickname Sweet because of his skill at nailing his opponent's sweet spot with his potent left hook.

The boxer and his wife: Michael "Beatsie" Rosen and Ruthie Breuer. 

One of the creative thematic elements is a massive 3000-piece jigsaw puzzle that the old boxer and his grandson have been working on from the beginning of the play. It's a background motif, symbolism of an incomplete picture of the family and their story, which at root is a story about secrets. At different times various characters help Sweet put a few of the pieces together. At a certain point, when Clemmet inserts the last piece, the audience understands that there will be a greater clarity coming soon in the lives of all these characters. Sweet doesn't realize it, but the audience has been forewarned, an old Hitchcockian trick that Hinson works in seamlessly here.

To say much more would be to give away too much, but as things unravel in the latter part of the play, we increasingly discover there are family secrets which Addie Carter has spent a lifetime burying in order to keep them from coming to light. The journalist, not having realized what he has unearthed, must follow his own passion while the other characters deal with the debris that is their lives.

I can't tell you more without shouting "spoiler alert," so I will wait till someone makes this into a film or you have the opportunity to see it next week. The revelations will whipsaw you like a sidewinder. Hinson's story is masterfully crafted, and the cast was very much up for the occasion.

A "sweet" display in the gallery.

If you've never been, the Encore is a wonderful space and the County Seat Theater Company is a worthwhile contribution to the community. The CSTC has been recognized by the American Association of Community Theater. A big shout out to the cast and director Joel Soukkala, for their superb interpretation of Denise Hinson's rewarding script.

There will be five more performances October 3-7. To purchase tickets, or to learn more about other upcoming shows, visit the County Seat Theater website at www.countyseattheater.com

Another feature of the Encore Theater is an art gallery, curated by artist Kris Nelson, with work by a number of familiar names in the local art scene, including a few pieces by Ms. Nelson. When you go see the play next week (recommended) take time during the intermission to enjoy the art and purchase a raffle ticket to support expansion of the theater. You'll also find wine and sweets.

Related Links
Another story about a boxer, Jack London's A Piece of Steak
Muhammed Ali's Audacity
Local Art Seen: Chairs By Kris