Entertainment Briefs - Dec. 12

■ Legacy Chorale presents
‘A Legacy Christmas’

Accompanied by a 14-piece orchestra, the Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota will present “A Legacy Christmas” at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Cascade Methodist Church of Deerwood; at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Tornstrom Auditorium in Brainerd; and 7:30 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa.

A broad selection of music ranging from the fun of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” the traditional “Deck the Halls” to the sacred “Silent Night” will be presented in celebration of the Christmas season.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Brainerd Dispatch and Lakes Printing in Brainerd; Bethany Book Store in Baxter; Crosby-Ironton Courier office in Crosby; and Cascade Methodist Church and Lutheran Church of the Cross. Tickets also will be available at the door. Tickets are $10 for ages 19 to adult and free to age 18 and younger.

There will be a special scholarship drawing for Central Lakes College students at the Tornstrom performance. Those tickets are available to the students at the college.

■ Book signing event
at Book World

BAXTER - Brainerd author Guy Kelm and illustrator Brady Bussler will be signing their award winning book, “The Apron: Stories from the Farm,” from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Book World in Baxter.

Kelm wrote this book in honor of his mother, Caroline, who passed away at age 82 in 2009. Kelm wanted to write a story about his mother, who raised 11 children on a farm in Pine Center while his father drove trucks. The book centers around Kelm’s mother’s daily jobs that included making eight loaves of bread twice a week and making dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls.

■ BHS choir concert

The Brainerd High School (BHS) choir program of ninth- through 12-graders will perform their holiday concert at 7 p.m. Monday at Tornstrom Auditorium in Brainerd.

■ Merry Tuba Christmas

The Central Lakes College (CLC) Music Department will sponsor the annual get-together of low-brass players known as Merry Tuba Christmas with a performance at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Westgate Mall.

Each year all across the country, tuba and euphonium (baritone horn) players and, in this case, trombone players assemble to share the season and the music of Christmas with other low-brass players and the public. A rehearsal will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday in the CLC-Brainerd campus music room (E471). All interested tuba, euphonium and trombone players are invited. Stands and music will be provided.

For more information, contact Steve Anderson, instrumental music instructor, at 855-8215 or sanderso@clcmn.edu .

■ Heartland Poets to meet

Heartland Poets, a local chapter of the League of Minnesota Poets, will meet Friday at the ranch of Charmaine Donovan, Brainerd poet and writer, on Tracside Drive, Brainerd.

The potluck get together will begin at 6 p.m. All poets are asked to bring a dish to share, a wrapped, white elephant gift to exchange and a favorite Christmas poem, which you will read to the group as part of the festivities.

Call 829-5402 during nighttime hours for directions, or further details.

■ Jaques work on loan

AITKIN - The original scratch board art by Francis Lee Jaques from Sigurd F. Olson’s books, “The Singing Wilderness” and “Listening Point” are on display for the first time ever in Aitkin and are on loan to the Jaques Art Center by The Listening Point Foundation, Inc. which is dedicated to preserving Listening Point and advancing Sigurd Olson’s legacy of wilderness education.

The center also will host its monthly “Kaleidoscope” event at 10 a.m. Saturday. This month children will make gingerbread houses. Register by calling 218-927-2363. Cost is $10.

The center also will host its January Juried Exhibit - Autumn Views. The deadline to enter is Saturday. Pick up an entry form at Jaques or go online at www.jaquesart.com to register.

■ Staples resident to
appear on game show

Seth Neidhardt of Staples is scheduled to appear on the “Wheel of Fortune” which will be aired on CBS affiliates, including WCCO TV at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. He originally auditioned for the program while he was living in Florida. The show was taped Nov. 7.

Neidhardt is a 1992 graduate of Staples High School.

■ Book signing in Baxter

BAXTER - Book World in Baxter has scheduled author Joe Plut for a book signing from 1-3 p.m., Dec. 20.

Nodin Press in Minneapolis has just reissued Jon Hassler’s 1979 “Simon’s Night” novel which has been out of print for many years. Included in the same volume is “My Simon’s Night Journal” (never before published) containing letters Jon sent to a close friend in New Hampshire during the writing of this novel. Jon gave this Journal to Plut in 2003 to edit and annotate. This 87-page journal, which captures Jon’s style and humor, comprises his thoughts, activities and ideas for the novel during 1977 and 1978.

■ C-I to present
Christmas concerts

CROSBY - The Crosby-Ironton Junior-Senior High School choirs, under the direction of Wayne Ellingsen and accompanied on piano by Bryan Johnson, will present their Christmas concerts Sunday in the Mayberry Auditorium.

Performing in the concert will be the seventh- and eighth-grade boys choir, seventh- and eighth-grade girl’s choir, Chamber Singers and the A Cappella Choir.

Admission is by suggested donation of $5 for adults and $3 for students.

The seventh- and eighth-grade choirs will perform at 1 p.m., plus all others whose last names start with A-L; and at 3 p.m. all ninth -12th grade choir members and all others whose last names start with M-Z will perform.

The seventh and eighth grade choirs will open the concert singing a variety of seasonal music including “Calypso Noel!” “Three Holiday Glorias,” “Jingle Bell Dash,” “Christmas ... In About Three Minutes” and traditional “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Singing solos with these choirs are Josh Meinert, Chase Laughton, Ian Anderson, Isaac Taylor, Ethan Cady, Logan Grittner, Nate Williams, Zach Spalj, Walker Mckee and Jake Kewatt.

The ninth-grade concert choir will follow with a variety of seasonal tunes including “Sing With Joy On Chrisimas Day,” “Behold, A Tiny Baby!” “Winterlight” and “Westminster Carol.” Singing duets with this choir are Isaac Kramer and Caleb Kreitter, Ivy Busby and Alyssa Hanson, Emily Davis and Mileena Doust.

The Chamber Singers will next sing a wide variety of a cappella music including “Ding Dong! Merrily On High,” “Ave Maria,” “Deck The Hall,” “Carol Of The Bells,” “Fum Fum Fantasy” and “Perfect Christmas Night.”

The A Cappella Choir will conclude the concert with a large variety of Christmas music. This will include some contemporary, sacred, secular and traditional literature. Songs include “Noel, Sing Noel,” the Disney arrangement of “Joy To The World,” “Breath Of Heaven (Mary’s Song),” “O Holy Night/Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring,” “The Christmas Song” and the traditional “Silent Night.” Singing solos with the choir are Meredith Silgen and Dean Groat.

At 2:35 p.m. or between the two concerts, the A Cappella and Concert Choirs will host a reception in the commons. In addition, yearbook and choir pictures will be taken immediately following the first concert.

■ ‘Jolly Times’ festive
night scheduled

LITTLE FALLS - “Jolly Times: A Holiday Party with Jason Schommer and Harper’s Chord” to be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Great River Arts Center in historic downtown Little Falls.

For one night only Harper’s Chord, a Central Minnesota trio, and Jason Schommer join forces in a festive night consisting of music, theatre and an ugly holiday sweater contest. The event kicks off with holiday music by Harper’s Chord at 7 p.m., with Schommer taking the stage at 8 p.m. in a new, original holiday show “12 Confessions of Christmas.”

Prudence from Bowlus will judge the “Ugly Holiday Sweater” contest. All those attending the event are encouraged to dig out their most ugly holiday sweater and wear it.

Tickets are $20 and includes appetizers. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 320-632-0960, at the Great River Arts office during business hours, at the door or online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/531110 .

Harper’s Chord will perform classic holiday standards and original songs. The music of Harper’s Chord’s has a grass-roots, back porch, organic feel to it. Drawing from their love of folk, blues, roots, Americana and country music, Harper’s Chord captivates audiences with two and three-part harmonies and easy-listening acoustic songs. Popular groups found in a similar genre as Harper’s Chord would include The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Dixie Chicks and Alison Krauss.

Lead vocalist Jill Moore and musicians Paul Drinkwine and Roger Fink bring their harmonies and country/folk sound to stage.

Moore spent about 11 years traveling around much of the world as a professional singer and dancer. Most recently appearing in musical stage productions in St. Cloud and Little Falls, Moore has often provided back-up vocals for other Rock House Studio recording artists. Drinkwine, a St Cloud native, was raised in a musical family and has been a staple of the St. Cloud area music scene for more than 30 years. Drinkwine plays almost anything with strings but focuses mainly on the guitar, mandolin, cello and viola. His “finger-picking” style of playing adds incredible interest and depth to the trio’s musicality. Fink’s style of guitar playing is more rhythmic, giving their songs a strong backbone with a slight edginess and a bluesy feel. Fink also grew up in a musical family and been performing live music for 40 years.

Harper’s Chord has recently released its first full-length CD, “Natural Bridge.”

“The 12 Confessions of Christmas” is a hilarious look at the holiday season and all of its madness. In 12 hysterical monologues, from such holiday icons as Frosty the Snowman, a Christmas Tree, a string of Christmas lights and a bouquet of Mistletoe, audience spectators will see Christmas and the holiday season through the eyes and witty voices of the season’s most beloved characters and symbols. Joining Schommer in this debut theatre production are the Church Basement Carolers consisting of Robyn Gray, Vicki Spofford, Laurie Koll and Susy Prosapio.

Schommer, recently named “What’s Hot For 2013” by Campus Activities Magazine, is a standup comedian who has spent the past two years as the opening act for Louie Anderson in Las Vegas. Laugh-until-you-cry stories combine with playful one-liners covering a wide array of topics ranging from the daily struggles of life to his loveable, yet kooky, Minnesotan family. Schommer’s comedy style ranges from observational humor based on his life, the world around us and hilarious commentary of pop culture recounting hysterical true encounters with celebrities such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Dolly Parton. Schommer has directed shows locally as “Grease,” “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Evita.”

■ Pillager resident in Crookston play

CROOKSTON - Casey Hagg of Pillager will perform in the musical production “Church Basement Ladies” Friday through Sunday in Kiehle Auditorium at the University of Minnesota Crookston.

Hagg is a freshman at the college, who is majoring in health sciences.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 10 and under with a $15 maximum for families.  

■ Brainerd library receives
funding for public art installation

The Brainerd Public Library has announced that Brainerd artist, Greg Rosenberg’s proposal was selected to receive Art Aware funding to create public art for the library.

Rosenberg’s proposal includes six agate pendant lights and three stained glass windows. The six agate pendant will include Minnesota agates and sliced Brazilian agates with copper sculpture. The pendant lights will hang around the library’s front desk. The three stain glass windows will work in harmony with the lights and will frame the library’s main entrance.

Rosenberg is currently working on the pendant lights and he is finding the lights have taken on a life of their own.

“Each pendant is unique and seems to have their own personalities,” said Rosenberg, who has been working on stained glass and copper sculptures for over 30 years.

Rosenberg’s craftsmanship and precision to detail will make this art installation a true legacy to the Brainerd Public Library and the community.

Art Aware is funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008 which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota’s art and cultural heritage. Through the Art Aware Funding the Kitchigami Regional Library board acting, as a committee of the whole, awarded the Brainerd Public Library and Park Rapids Public Library each $10,000 to create public art installations. The library hopes to have the new pieces installed by late spring.