Entertainment Briefs- March 5

'- noun -' exhibition opens Friday

The New Bohemian Gallery in the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd will host an exhibition titled "- noun -" with an opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Friday. The exhibition will run through March 28.

The exhibition, "- noun -," is simple in its overall theme, but expands with the diversity within each piece that has been selected. Originating from the definition of the word "- noun - : a word used to identify any of a class of people, places or things," all artwork in the exhibition is essentially either a person, place or thing. Whether it be the artwork of Joshua Newth, whose drawings and paintings depict simple objects just as they are, but with great detail and interest, or the artwork of Erin Smego, which consists of acrylic and styrofoam forms on canvas, which are very abstract and geometrical, each of the pieces on display has its own identity as one of these three classes of a noun. In the exhibition, people will find a selection of artwork consisting of photography, acrylic and oil paintings, pencil/charcoal drawings, mixed media and woodworking. This exhibition includes the artwork of 12 artists from all over the country.

The gallery is open from 12-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday or by appointment by calling 839-5807 or emailing thenewbohemiangallery@gmail.com .

'Lost And Found' exhibition opens Friday

The Franklin Arts Center Resident Artists Gallery will host "Lost And Found: An Assemblage And Found Objects Exhibition" with an opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Friday. The exhibition will run through March 28.

"Lost And Found" features a selection of artwork by 11 different artists from all over the country. With the use of discarded, forgotten and unwanted objects, the artists have brought these select items back to life in a whole new way through repurposed works of art. A sampling of the artwork in the exhibition, includes large sculptures created from found scraps of steel, to pieces made up of odd, but interesting combinations of some of the most random items around and personal collections that explore what can be found and gathered from

surroundings on a daily basis. There will be more than 30 pieces of artwork

The gallery is open from 12-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday or by appointment by calling 839-5807 or emailing residentartistsgallery@gmail.com .

Donna Salli wins Poetry on the Wall

The Crossing Arts Alliance "Poetry on the Wall 2015" event was celebrated with a reception, poetry reading and announcement of the winners Feb. 21 at the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd. The event featured an exhibit of 52 poems with regional poets reading their selected work.

Donna Salli, Brainerd, was awarded first place for her poem "Flames." Laura Hansen, Little Falls, took second place for "Munitions" and third place poem titled, "Come Weep With Me," was awarded to Kathleen Krueger of Brainerd. The People's Choice award went to Susan Smith-Grier, Emily, for her poem "Don't Touch My Hair."

Seven additional poets were recognized as finalists, including David Anderson, Charmaine Donovan, Cheryl Koll, John Erickson, Patricia Nelson, Sue Ready and Doris Stengel.

The poems remain on exhibit at The Crossing Arts Alliance Gallery through Friday.

Poetry judge was Norita Dittberner-Jax. The project, under the artistic direction of Krista Rolfzen Soukup of Blue Cottage Agency and Lisa Jordan, Executive Director of The Crossing Arts Alliance, was made possible through a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council.

Stage North announces Odd Couple auditions

The Stage North Theatre Company will host open auditions for its spring production of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" to be held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. March 21 in the auditorium of the Franklin Arts Center.

The production will be performed May 14-16 at the Franklin Arts Center. Originally written in 1965, the concept was so popular that it was turned into two feature films and a long-running television series with another one on the way. Centering on two best of friends who suddenly find themselves single, one a sloppy sportswriter, the other a fastidious news man, who move in together. It doesn't take long for them to drive each other crazy and realize they are repeating the same mistakes they made in their marriages.

The company has roles for six men and two women. People who audition should plan to read from scripts that will be provided.

Directed by Gary Hirsch, this will be the second production of the newly formed Stage North Theatre Company.

Community Theater announces cast

PEQUOT LAKES - Ken Ludwig's "The Game's Afoot" or "Holmes for the Holidays," a farcical murder-mystery, will be the next production for the Pequot Lakes Community Theater. Performances of the show will be March 20-22 and March 27-29 on the stage of the Pequot Lakes High School Theater. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday shows are 2 p.m. matinees. The show is presented through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

It is December of 1936 and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his performance as Sherlock Holmes, has invited fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mysteries quickly turn dangerous. Then it's up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. The danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.

Appearing in the cast are the following:

William Gillette is being played by Isaak Anderson, Pine River; Martha Gillette, Sharon Hartley, Baxter; Aggie Wheeler, Rachael Kline, Backus; Simon Bright, Jack Friday, Crosslake;

Felix Geisel, Ben Gordon, Pine River; Madge Geisel, Mary Schmidt, Pine River; Daria Chase, Shaina Walker, Pine River; and Inspector Goring, Jennifer Anderson, Pine River.

The production team includes director Michael Sander, Pine River; assistant director/stage manager Craig Friday, Crosslake; technical director, Mark Oehrlein, Brainerd; set designer Tim Leagjeld, Pine River; costume designer, Susan Mathison Young, Lake Shore; properties manager, Debra Binda, Crosslake; production carpenter, Allan Olson, Pequot Lakes; technical crew, Dwayne Walker, Pine River; Morena Hammer, Pequot Lakes; Sheridan Wilson, Pequot Lakes; and Jared Foss, Brainerd.

"The Game's Afoot" is the 2012 winner of the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allen Poe award for Best Play. Tickets by calling the Pequot Lakes Community Education office at 218- 568-9200. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors age 60 and over and $8 for youth age 18 and under.

This production is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Festival of the Arts local artists sought

PEQUOT LAKES - The Pequot Lakes Festival of the Arts has been a community wide celebration of artistic talents for more than 30 years. Students from elementary, middle level and the high school will have items of their artwork on display during the festival. Local community artists are encouraged to set up a display.

Visual artists who would like to have a table at the Festival of the Arts on April 9 should call Dave Guenther at 218-568-9252.

Performing artists and local community performing groups are invited to perform on the stage of the Pequot Lakes Theater during the festival. Those interested should call Pequot Lakes Community Education at 218-568-9200.

Battlelegs to perform on St. Patrick's Day Celebration

LITTLE FALLS - Great River Arts (GRA) will host the Battlelegs for an early St. Patrick's Day Celebration at 7:30 p.m. March 13 in Little Falls. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with music and dancing from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $10 at GRA, online at www.greatart.org/live or by calling 320-632-0960.

Kasey DeVine, Andrew Barnes and Lance Radziej bring their celtic/face-melt rock band Battlelegs to Great River Arts for the second year in a row. The band is described as, "A perfected blend of comedy, energy, memorable stories, shredding accordion licks, spoon solos and mug-swinging sarcasm." Battlelegs sings everything from pub classics to originals.