Arts Tour Minnesota

I was able, along with Dan Chouinard and Alan Frechtman, to bring a high-quality multimedia music and history show to smaller communities across the state that would not have been able to afford the production otherwise. The goal of eleven performances was achieved. We hoped audiences would be moved as well as entertained, and through the comments gathered from audience evaluation forms, this goal was clearly achieved. We also had a show-specific website where potential attendees were encouraged to send their own stories or impressions of the time period for inclusion in the show and we received submissions from each community. All promotional materials directed people to this site to engage with us beforehand. The show was also advertised as a sing-along, and audiences were invited to sing on 25 out of 32 songs with lyrics provided on the video screens. The sing-along part of the show was clearly anticipated and enjoyed by all audiences as none required coaxing. We went to Glenwood, Luverne, Wadena, Park Rapids, Bemidji, Brainerd, Watertown, Zumbrota, Faribault, New York Mills and Minneapolis. We performed in churches, high schools, libraries and performing arts centers. Originally, nine of eleven presenters were to be libraries. The Metropolitan Library Services Agency library system intended to present us twice, once at the State Fair. The coordinator of the State Fair show backed out and libraries in Duluth and Austin felt over-extended with their programming funds but we were receiving requests from other communities who had heard about the show and these vacancies were quickly filled by non-profit arts organizations in Zumbrota, Glenwood, and Faribault.