Future Fungus News - April 2023 SPECIAL EDITION
Future Fungus News - March/April 2023
Future Fungus News - February 2023
It's almost opening night for: "Endings: An Evening of One-Act Plays!"
Tickets are now on sale for "Endings: An Evening of One-Act Plays.” Click HERE for the box office.
Performances are February 17, 18, 24, and 25 at 7 p.m. and 19 and 26 at 2 p.m. at the Dassel History Center.
FIVE shows in one evening!
HIDDEN IN THIS PICTURE by Aaron Sorkin: Production is three weeks behind and $6 million over budget! Now the sun is setting with only 11 minutes left to film, before the bigwigs shut production down. Then three cows gradually wander into the panoramic scene. Directed by Linda Metcalf.
THE END OF THE BEGINNING by Sean O'Casey: One O'Caseys very few comedies. An Irish farmer and his wife argue about which of them has the toughest job. They agree to switch duties for a day and then compare who succeeds best - with catastrophic results. Directed by Dave Metcalf.
DEATH KNOCKS by Woody Allen: Nat Ackermann is on his bed reading when a mysterious figure climbs through his window and claims to be Death. Death is a little nervous; it's his first day on the job. Nat suggests that they play gin rummy. If Nat wins, he doesn't have to go to the Happy Hunting Ground for 24 hours. Directed by Tom Nelson.
ANIMAL by Oliver Hailly: Oliver Hailly’s play showcases Claire Marie. Claire Marie’s mother is frustrated. She has people coming for a celebration and her 12 year-old daughter has climbed a tree and will not come down! Directed by David Metcalf.
CLEAR GLASS MARBLES by Jane Martin: Laurie's mother was diagnosed with cancer. But she decides to deal with it on her own terms. Laurie recounts the process. Funny, poignant and bittersweet. Directed by Jack Neveaux.
Nancy J. Lipinski portrays Laurie in "Clear Glass Marbles" by Jane Martin.
David Metcalf portrays Nat and Ron Hungerford portrays Death in "Death Knocks" by Woody Allen.
New sound system has arrived!
Thanks to a generous grant of $10,000 from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council we have been able to purchase a new sound system, complete with wireless mics, a mixer board, and four speakers. This will enable us to improve sound quality in indoor venues, and also make us more audible at outdoor performances.
So many ways to have fun with FungusAmongus!
You don't need to be on stage to have fun with FungusAmongus. For example, we're always looking for:
Stage Managing / Crew Members. Do you want to help behind the scenes with the magic that goes on during the show? Help manage the stage and with set during our productions. We especially need crew members for the night of One Act Plays.
Treat wranglers. Could you bake some yummy bars for us to serve at intermission? Could you serve those treats and coffee at our shows?
Stud sensors. Can you drive a nail, or paint a wall, or perhaps work some interior design magic? Our set-building crew is looking for you.
AV Club members - learn to run sound or light for our shows.
Get started by contacting us through our website or social media channels.
Upcoming Shows
The Secret Garden: July 21 to 23 and 28 to 30 at the Dassel-Cokato Performing Arts Center (PAC). Directed by David Metcalf. Auditions to be held in Mid-May, watch our social media channels for more info.
Future Fungus News - January 2023
Happy New Year, FungusAmongus Friends!
Thank you to all who attended "The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod the Nut and the Slaughter of the Twelve Hit Carols in a Pear Tree" in December!
We had a tremendous turnout for our Christmas show and once again we would not be able to do this without our audiences and volunteers.
Night of One Act Auditions - THIS WEEK!
Our Night of One Acts will have auditions this week: Thursday January 5th @ 6:30 PM and Saturday January 7th also at 6:30 PM at the Dassel History Center.
Below are the titles of the shows being cast for, their directors, and a brief synopsis of each show.
"Animal" By Oliver Hailly, Directed by Elvin Clark
Claire Marie’s mother is frustrated. She has people coming for a celebration and her 12 year old daughter has climbed a tree and will not come down! Animal is a dark comedy monologue that requires an actress with a comic edge
Role:
1 Actress
"Death Knocks" By Woody Allen, Directed by Tom Nelson
Nat Ackermann is on his bed reading when a mysterious figure climbs through his window and claims to be Death. Death is a little nervous; it's his first day on the job. Nat suggests that they play a game of gin rummy. If Nat wins, he doesn't have to go to the Happy Hunting Ground for twenty four hours.
Roles:
Two adult men
"The End of the Beginning" By Sean O'Casey, Directed by David Metcalf
"The End of the Beginning" is one of Sean O'Casey's very few comedies. An Irish farmer and his wife argue about which of them has the toughest job. They agree to switch duties for a day and then compare who succeeds best - with catastrophic results!
Roles:
2 middle aged men
1 middle aged woman
NOTE: It is imperative that all three can demonstrate mastery of an authentic Irish accent.
"Hidden in This Picture" By Aaron Sorkin, Directed by Linda Metcalf
Production is 3 weeks behind and $6 million over budget. Now the sun is setting with only 11 minutes left to film before the bigwigs shut down production. . . .when 3 cows gradually wander into the panoramic scene.
Roles:
1. Robert -- director of film
2. Jeff -- writer of words and more words
3. Reuben -- Business/money manager trying to get a show out of this money-eating movie.
4. Craig -- well-meaning shlep/ geek assistant (comic relief)
ANY of these parts could be played by women.
"Swan Song" By Anton Chekov, Directed by Isaac Olson
"Swan Song" presents Svietlovidoff, an old actor in the twilight of his career, reminiscing about his life and journey as an actor with Ivanitch, the theatre's prompter. Their bittersweet recollections reveal the light and dark (and ups and downs) in not only the life of an actor, but also the life of a man
Roles:
The play requires two mature experienced actors.
Performances will February 17th - 19th & 24th - 26th at the Dassel History Center.
Please note: All participants 18 years and older must be vaccinated against COVID-19 and those under 18 are encouraged to be vaccinated.
So many ways to have fun with FungusAmongus!
You don't need to be on stage to have fun with FungusAmongus. For example, we're always looking for:
Treat wranglers. Could you bake some yummy bars for us to serve at intermission? Could you serve those treats and coffee at our shows?
Stud sensors. Can you drive a nail, or paint a wall, or perhaps work some interior design magic? Our set-building crew is looking for you.
AV Club members - learn to run sound or light for our shows! (New sound system coming soon!)
Stage Managing / Crew Members. Do you want to help behind the scenes with the magic that goes on during the show? Help manage the stage and with set during our productions!
Get started by contacting us through our website or social media channels.
Upcoming Shows
A Night of One Acts: February 17 to 19 and 24 to 26 at the Dassel History Center. Five different directors present various short plays including our 2023 MACTFest entry!
The Secret Garden: July 21 to 23 and 28 to 30 at the Dassel-Cokato Performing Arts Center (PAC). Directed by David Metcalf.
Auditions for a Night of One Acts
Open auditions for our February production of “a NIght of One Acts” will be held Thursday January 5th and Saturday January 7th 6:30PM at the Dassel-History Center.
We will be doing several one act plays, including the play that will be our AACTFest completion piece.
The one act plays will vary in length and number of cast members. The plays will not all be directed by the same director. This is a great opportunity to get involved with the Fungus Amongus Players without as large a commitment as a full length play. A Great opportunity to try your hand at acting. We hope to see you at auditions.
Performance dates are February 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26
Future Fungus News - December 2022
Merry Christmas, FungusAmongus Friends!
Don't wait to get your “Butterfingers!” Tickets are selling quickly…
Get your tickets now for “The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod the Nut and the Slaughter of Twelve Hit Carols in a Pear Tree.”
Show dates: December 9 to 11 and 16 to 18
Tickets here: https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=413
The story: Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus from a fresh and richly creative point of view, author William Gibson combines a series of deftly constructed short scenes, traditional Christmas music, and often antic characterizations into an ultimately moving Christmas show.
So many ways to have fun with FungusAmongus!
You don't need to be on stage to have fun with FundusAmongus. For example, we're always looking for:
Treat wranglers. Could you bake some yummy bars for us to serve at intermission? Could you serve those treats and coffee at our shows?
Stud sensors. Can you drive a nail, or paint a wall, or perhaps work some interior design magic? Our set-building crew is looking for you.
AV Club members - learn to run sound or light for our shows! (New sound system coming soon!)
Get started by contacting us through our website or social media channels.
Auditions slated:
A Night of One Act Plays: Open Auditions for 5 One Act plays, Thursday January 5th and Saturday January 7th, 6:30 PM at the Dassel-History Center.
The Secret Garden: mid-May, 2023. Watch for our newsletter and social media for dates and details.
For your 2023 calendar:
A Night of One Acts: February 24 to 26 and March 3 to 5 at the Dassel History Center. Five shows, four different directors.
The Secret Garden: July 21 to 23 and 28 to 30 at the Dassel-Cokato Performing Arts Center (PAC).
Future Fungus News - November 2022
Hello, FungusAmongus Friends:
FIrst, we want to thank everyone who helped with or attended Nunsense II. The laughter during the performances raised the roof, and we are glad you all enjoyed it. We appreciate you. Now, here is some additional news you can use:
The Butterfingers Angel - tickets are now on sale!
Get your tickets now for this fun and heartfelt Christmas show.
Show dates: December 9 to 11 and 16 to 18
Tickets here: https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=413
The story: Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus from a fresh and richly creative point of view, author William Gibson combines a series of deftly constructed short scenes, traditional Christmas music, and often antic characterizations into a wholly original theater piece. Directed by David Metcalf.
See some pictures above from a recent rehearsal!
Now hear this!
We are excited to announce that FungusAmongus has received a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council in the amount of $10,000 for a new sound system!
The sound system will be used for both indoor and outdoor productions, making them more accessible to all.
The grant covers all but $2,000 of the sound system’s cost.
Tremendous gratitude and thanks to board members Jon Benson and Carolyn Holje for their dedicated research and copious time spent on this project.
Give to the Max Day is Friday, November 17
You can now donate to FungusAmongus on Give to the Max Day!
The statewide day of giving helps raise funds for many worthy non-profits, and we hope you’ll consider making a tax deductible gift to FungusAmongus this year.
Your financial support ensures we can keep creating quality productions right here in our neighborhood.
Donate here: https://www.givemn.org/giving-events/gtmd22
Upcoming shows
Mark your calendars now for our upcoming shows!
A Night of One Acts: February 17 - 19 and 24 - 26 at the Dassel History Center. Four different directors present various short plays including our 2023 MACTFest entry!
The Secret Garden: July 21 to 23 and 28 to 30 at the Dassel-Cokato Performing Arts Center (PAC). Directed by David Metcalf.
Future Fungus News - October 2022
Thank you to our patrons who visited the Little Sisters of Hoboken during their opening weekend! Four performances remain to see “Nunsense II - the Second Coming.” Reviews are stellar for this hilarious continuation, and tickets are selling quickly. We are praying you get yours in time for next Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or a matinee on Sunday. Tickets HERE.
Ho, ho ho, let’s talk about our Christmas show! (Take a big breath.) It is called “The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod the Nut, and the Slaughter of Twelve Hit Carols in a Pear Tree.” Auditions take place Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Dassel History Center. The plan is to read through the entire play to get to know and enjoy it - and share a few laughs and maybe tears. Adults as well as a few teens and children will be needed for this show. The performances will take place December 9 to 11 and 16 to 18 at the Dassel History Center.
Finally, we are thrilled to announce our summer 2023 show is “The Secret Garden, the Musical” which will take place at the Performing Arts Center on the Dassel-Cokato High School campus. Performances will be the last two weekends in July 2023.
Watch for more news about upcoming auditions and productions (Winter 2023 Night of One Acts) on our social media sites or in additional emails and blog posts. And mark your calendars, too.
See you at auditions and the shows.
We remain grateful for your support.
Prayers have been answered! Tickets for Nunsense II are now available!
That’s right! The FungusAmongus Players are coming back to the stage with “Nunsense II: The Second Coming.” We urge you to visit www.fungusamongusplayers.org/currentshow, and purchase tickets soon - our first Nunsense show was a complete sell out, and you don't want to miss this one. You can also order tickets by phone - just call the Dassel History Center at 320-275-3077, and the friendly staff will assist you. Performance dates are: September 30, and October 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
You also might want to put the dates for auditions and other upcoming shows on your calendar now, too. Here is what is in the works:
“The Butterfingers Angel, Mary & Joseph, Herod the Nut, & the Slaughter of 12 Hit Carols in a Pear Tree” is our holiday show. Auditions will take place Wednesday, October 12 at the Dassel History Center, beginning at 6 p.m. There are roles for adults, as well as for five teens, and two children. We welcome everyone to auditions - no experience necessary. Come have fun with FungusAmongus Players! Directed by David Metcalf, this piece portrays the story of the nativity from a fresh and richly creative point of view, using deftly constructed short scenes, traditional Christmas music, and often antic characterizations. Performance dates are: December 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18.
Join us in February 2023 for a "Night of One Acts." Four directors will each present one short play. Each show is completely different from the others, but a common theme runs among them. Can you guess what it might be?
And, for Summer 2023, we plan to present a musical. Stay tuned for more details.
In other FungusAmongus news:
* Watch our website and social media (Facebook and Instagram) for audition info and other items of theatrical importance.
* Watch for us in Dassel's Red Rooster Days parade on Saturday, September 3. Former cast and crew members please join us!
* Funds donated during coffee time at show intermissions will be used to help us purchase a new sound system. We welcome any and all donations at any time, and thank you in advance. FungusAmongus is a 501c3 organization.
* Like to sew? We would love to have you assist us with costumes. Contact any board member if you're interested, or message us via our website or Facebook Messenger.
* Are you a proud tech nerd? We need you! Come help out with lights or sound for our plays and let your skills shine. Contact any board member if you're interested, or message us via our website or Facebook Messenger.
From the FungusAmongus Board of Directors, June 20th 2022
Hello to FungusAmongus Players supporters, fans, actors, crews, and other interested parties:
We have a bit of sad news to get out of the way, but stick with us - there's good news, too.
First: Auditions for a summer Shakespearean play pulled in some top-notch performers. Unfortunately, when we reviewed how many parts remained open after auditions, scheduling conflicts among the actors, and the threat of having to cancel shows due to COVID-19 exposure as we did last summer, it became obvious a summer show just wasn't viable this summer. We will try again next summer.
The good news:
Shows are being put on the calendar as we send this. We know “Nunsense 2 - the Second Coming” will be our fall production with our same cast returning from the first "Nunsense".
We also have chosen our holiday show. Ready? It's “The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod the Nut, and the Slaughter of Twelve Hit Carols in a Pear Tree.” We will need several teens, adults, and even one or two roles for children. Watch for audition info on Facebook and our website!
If you are looking for theatre opportunity this summer former student of Dave Metcalf and current head of the University of Minnesota Theatre department, Luverne Seifert is looking for performers to do Pop-Up performances at the McLeod County fair in August. Auditions are coming up this week June 22nd and June 23rd. For more information click HERE.
Another evening of one-act shows is coming in early 2023. We have at least three directors ready to tackle the job.
We are in the process of revising our website to be more user-friendly. As always you can find the latest FA news on our Facebook page. Plus, you'll see us more often on Instagram.
We covet your ideas. Tell us about shows you would like to see or if you would like to be involved in crews or learning tech for our shows!
Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more details about our upcoming shows. We miss you, and can't wait to see you at our performances.
Sincerely,
The FungusAmongus Board of Directors
"Voice of the Prairie" in Action at AACTFest 2017
Although the AACTFest is a couple months in the past, AACT (American Association of Community Theatres) just posted several action shots from the various productions. Below, are the pictures from FungusAmongus Players' performance of "Voice of the Prairie" - click here to see pics from all the productions!
Great memories and a fantastic run for "Voice of the Prairie". Thank you, again, for your support of this production and the coming season for the FungusAmongus Players of Dassel-Cokato!
A little love from a friend from Stillwater
Think of this post as a bit like a digital newspaper clipping you'd hang on your fridge at home! We like to keep things real and quaint-like.
Many thanks to FungusAmongus' friend, Jon Skaalen, from Stillwater's community theatre, Ole Olson Onstage. We're blessed to have such a great community like Dassel-Cokato to support us in our efforts, and the lovely friends in the community theatre world, like John and so many others!
(from Dassel-Cokato Enterprise Dispatch. July 14, 2017)
AACTFest 2017 in Review
You've seen the posts on Facebook - the 2017 National AACTFest was a wonderful experience, full of activity! The collage below gives you an idea of the fullness of the event: shows, workshops, networking, camaraderie, food and drinks, and other fun activities. Here's the rundown...
The National AACTFest (American Association of Community Theatres) took place in Rochester, MN. Twelve shows from across the country (and one from a US Army base in Belgium) performed. Each show had a load-in time, rehearsal time, two performances, a loud-out time, and an adjudication. Our production schedule looked like this:
- Load-in: Monday 9:00pm
- Rehearsal: Tuesday 8:30am (includes a tech meeting)
- Performances: Wednesday afternoon and evening (evening performance is adjudicated)
- Load-out: Wednesday 11:00pm
- Adjudication: Thursday 12:00pm
Additional activities by FungusAmongus members:
- Jim Veith's magnificent radio was entered in a Design Contest. While it didn't place, it never failed to draw an "ooh" from the passers-by.
- Kurt Schulz entered the Monologue competition with his opening piece from "Voice of the Prairie". He didn't place, but he did receive recognition for his stage performance - more on that later.
- Dave Metcalf facilitated a "Swashbuckling" workshop, assisted by Tom Langemo. Participants were introduced to basic techniques for SAFE sword fighting, falling, and "dirty tricks" on stage. They then paired off, sword in hand, to learn a set of moves demonstrated by the two Fun-guys :)
In between activities, the FungusAmongus Players met new people from other companies and the AACT organization, hung out with friends from the MACT (Minnesota Association of Community Theatres) and Region V AACT group. We also ate incredible food - really, Rochester has some wonderful estashments.
At the end of it all, there is a gala where all the awards are given - kind of like the Tony Awards, but for community theatre! As you've seen on Facebook, we received the following nominations (no wins):
- Costume - Linda Metcalf
- Sound - Chris Halstead
- Direction - Dave Metcalf
- Featured Actor/Actress - Shara Marquez and Kurt Schulz
"Addams Family" from Tacoma Musical Playhouse pretty much took home most of the hardware - it was a delightful show. The guy who played Lurch was a kind soul that some of us got to know. He was hilarious on stage. Anyway, we're thrilled for them! If you're interested in who got what, you can find a full list here: https://www.aact.org/aactfest-2017-festival-awards.
The adjudications were fantastic - thoughtful, direct, intelligent adjudicators who gave us new ways to think about...everything!
Ultimately, we do theatre to tell a story of who we are as human beings - the good, bad, and ugly of it all. Sometimes it's raw. Sometimes hilarious. Sometimes breath-taking. Sometimes frightening. But our focus, regardless of whether we "win", must be on telling the story in a way that moves others. Every show is a dialogue with our audience, and we think we had a profound conversation with them in Rochester!
Which brings this whole journey to you, our audience, fans, friends, and family. It seems cliche, but it's true - we would NOT have made it this far without you. You've been there emotionally, physically, financially - propping us up when we're tired, cheering us on, giving of yourself so that we can give more of ourselves. It's invaluable. Thank you so much!
Clockwise from left: 1) the Holjes came to visit us in Rochester! 2) a front shot of the theatre in which we performed, 3) a group shot of some Fungi out for dinner..."will perform for food", 4) Peter Dinius by the Disney Theatrical Group workshop, 5) our fearless leader, David Metcalf, holding court, 6) a group shot of the Youth Theatre Festival that took place at the same time/location - first year for it - wonderful to see all these young people getting involved, 7) Dave Metcalf and Tom Langemo demonstrating a thrust and parry at the Swashbuckling workshop, 8) an old friend, Straforel, was found...many pictures, jokes, jabs...and we never got to take it with us! and 9) Tim Gosswiller...because we love him
FungusAmongus Board of Directors Announced
The FungusAmongus Players of Dassel-Cokato now has a full board of directors to help ensure the visions and mission come to life in all activities of the organization. This group of ten passionate individuals will provide leadership, representation for the Dassel-Cokato and surrounding communities, and commit their time, talents, and treasure to move each season forward with the quality our audience, cast, and crew expect.
We are grateful for these individuals for taking the leap with us into our inaugural year!
For more information on our very first board of directors, click here.
FungusAmongus 2017-2018 Season Announced!
We are thrilled to announce our first ever FULL SEASON of shows - a musical, a radio show, a play, and...Shakespeare in the Park! This is going to be a fun year and we can't wait to share it with you. Click here to see the full season.
FungusAmongus Players 2017-2018 Season to be Announced on June 25!
Ever since the Village Players formed a few decades ago, community theatre has been a vibrant element of the Dassel-Cokato culture. Whether enjoying the nostalgic feel of an elementary school stage, the unique, intimate spaces of the Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum, or the more roomy expanse of the Performing Arts Center - thousands of people have been drawn into new...and sometimes familiar...worlds to explore.
Several years later, a new chapter begins as the FungusAmongus Players of Dassel-Cokato (FA) announce its first ever full season! In years past, the company has focused on one winter show which, every two years, was used in the American Association of Community Theatres (AACT) festival cycle. We want to give area talent more opportunities to participate, and offer our delightful audience more shows to enjoy.
We've been reading scripts, talking, debating, reading...reading...talking. You get the idea. And now we're ready to lay it all out on the table!
Want to know what shows will be in the FungusAmongus Players 2017-2018 Season? The announcement will take place at the June 25 at the 2:00pm final performance and fundraising event for "The Voice of the Prairie" at the Performance Arts Center. Come send your theatre company off to the National AACTFest and be among the first to get the scoop on our inaugural full season - and start thinking about how you might want to get involved (audition, help with set, volunteer support, etc.)!
See you there!