Community Theatre Opportunity!

15th Annual Kalevala Puppet Pageant in New York Mills

NEW YORK MILLS, MN, July 22, 2024—The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center invites the public to join its 15th annual Kalevala Puppet Pageant community theater opportunity, beginning August 5 in New York Mills and ending with culminating performances on August 16 and 17.

The Puppet Pageant is a large-scale street-theater-style performance. Community members from adults to youth ages 5 & up are invited to be part of the fun. Each year, an original play is written by Creative Director Anne Sawyer based on characters and tales from the Kalevala, the Finnish book of legends. Community members take on the roles of mythical Finnish creatures in the final narrated play.

Daily workshops, build sessions, and rehearsals run for two weeks, August 5-16, with two culminating performances on Friday, August 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the New York Mills VFW Post 3289 and Saturday, August 17 at 12:00 p.m. at Finn Creek Open Air Museum.

There are many ways to get involved: attend daily morning workshops and be part of the show, learn to walk on stilts at Tuesday/Thursday afternoon workshops, attend evening prop-building workshops to contribute behind the scenes, volunteer at any of the workshops or performances to lend a hand, be a sponsor, donate materials, or contribute financially to make it possible for others to participate through a scholarship. It takes a village to bring the Puppet Pageant to life and ALL are invited to join this creative community experience!

Participants connect with others and gain a variety of creative skills, including large-scale puppet and prop creation, as well as dance, music, acting, costume design, performance skills, and stilt walking (age 8+).

Workshops are led by Creative Director Anne Sawyer, Artist and Puppeteer from Minneapolis and ArtStart Executive Director, who has worked with In the Heart of the Beast, Artstart, Chicks on Sticks, and Lifeworks, along with Assistant Director Lisa Winter of Wadena, and Tara Fahey, member of Chicks on Sticks and former Heart of the Beast May Day staff artist. Musical Directors are Curtis & Loretta, an award-winning duo from Minneapolis. Many local volunteers play important roles as well, including Adam Tervola Hultberg, who has long been the local Finnish expert, singer, and co-narrator.

Workshops begin Monday, August 5th at 9:00 a.m. at The Barn at the NYM Sculpture Park. Please pre-register to help with planning: sign up online at kulcher.org/2024-kalevala-puppet-pageant/, call the Cultural Center at 218-385-3339, email [email protected], stop by the Center, or just show up at the Barn on August 5th!

The cost to participate in these two weeks of art workshops and two performances is $50/child, with a $100 family max. Scholarships are available (no one is turned away based on an inability to pay). Older teens who help with younger children and adults participate for free! Open to ages 5+ (children under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult or older sibling).

Audience members have two opportunities to see the Pageant this year: first in New York Mills (following the NYM Civic & Commerce Corn Feed) at the NYM VFW Post 3289 on Friday, August 16 at 7:00 p.m., and the second at Finn Creek Museum (during Finn Creek Summer Festival) on Saturday, August 17 at 12:00 p.m. Both performances are free to see, family-friendly, and open to all. There is a gate donation of $5/adult to get into Finn Creek Festival on Saturday.

Call the Cultural Center at 218-385-3339 with questions, to volunteer, or to donate. All contributions are appreciated and necessary to bring this vibrant community project to life!

This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Culture Heritage fund.

About the Cultural Center The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center is a rural hub for creativity, community vitality, and lifelong learning in the arts. The Center offers visitors intimate opportunities to encounter art and artists in its 80-seat concert listening room, visual art gallery in a historic building, gift store featuring local artists, artist residency program, sculpture park, and a variety of opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Since its incorporation in 1990, the Cultural Center has been passionate about connecting people to artists and rich cultural experiences in rural Minnesota, celebrating the local and being a window to the world. For more information, call 218-385-3339, or visit www.kulcher.org.