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THE PAUL BUNYAN PLAYHOUSE: A FORTY-YEAR
PARTNERSHIP OF COMMUNITY AND

PROFESSIONAL THEATRE

BY

Steven Ray Pauna

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Department of Theatre

1992

ABSTRACT

THE PAUL BUNYAN PLAYHOUSE: A FORTY-YEAR
PARTNERSHIP OF COMMUNITY AND
PROFESSIONAL THEATRE

BY

Steven Ray Pauna

In 1991, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse (PBP), located 229
miles northwest of Minneapolis/Saint Paul in Bemidji,
Minnesota, celebrated its fortieth anniversary. This
investigation probed the history of the PBP via articles
appearing in newspapers, books, magazines, playbills,
programs, and interviews conducted in Bemidji to determine
the elements contributing to the enormous longevity of the
PBP. It was determined that the success of this organiza-
tion, the oldest continuously running, professional summer
theatre in Minnesota, resulted from a combination of ele-
ments of community theatre, manifested by a devoted group
of residents comprising the board of directors, and pro-
fessional theatre, as evidenced. by the, high standards
introduced by professional artistic directors, actors, and
ever-improving technical facilities. These developments
either originated from or paralleled major trends in the

American theatre.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I. THE FORMING OF THE PAUL BUNYAN PLAYHOUSE . 1

II. THE FIRST YEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
III. THE COMMUNITY INFLUENCE: THE BOARD OF

DIRECTORS O O O I O O O 0 O O O O O O 0 O O 22

Successes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

IV. THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INFLUENCE:
THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . 55

V. THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INFLUENCE:
THE ACTORS O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O 6 6

VI. TECHNICAL FACILITIES AND PRODUCTION:
INCREASING QUALITY VIA GROWTH AND

BOARD ACTIVITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

VII. THE FUTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
VIII. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

iii

 

CHAPTER I

THE FORMING OF THE PAUL BUNYAN PLAYHOUSE

In 1991, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse (PBP) celebrated
its fortieth anniversary, firmly establishing it as the
oldest continuously running, professional summer theatre
in Minnesota. Throughout its history, the PBP presented
its seasons at a resort outside of a small but active
town, Bemidji, 229 miles northwest of Minneapolis-Saint
Paul.

It is the intention of this study to demonstrate that
the PBP, throughout its growth and development, has
possessed elements of both the nonprofit professional and
community theatre movements, and that this success and
growth, evidenced. by its longevity and the recent
developments of 1992 (to be discussed in the section on
the future of the PBP) are due in large part to the
interesting and dynamic intermingling of these elements.
This current investigation of four decades of success
revealed the sources of the PBP's very strong theatrical
foundation and revealed information that could benefit

practitioners and historians of theatre in this country.

 

The story of the PBP’s development; of the growth of
the board of directors; the influence of the professional
artistic directors, actors, and technicians; and the ever-
improving technical facilities reflected major trends of
modern American theatre. What follows is a brief
discussion of the major movements in this country that
spawned the forming impulses of the PBP.

Activities on Broadway contributed a great deal to
theatrical development in the United States. The number

1

of productions as well as the number of theatre weeks2

increased steadily from 1910 to around 1931. New

3 and number of theatre weeks4 both began to

productions
decline after 1931 and continued to do so up until the
creation of the PBP in 1951.

Summer theatre, however, experienced a gain in
popularity as the century progressed. Summer theatres had
been around since 1890, when Elitch Gardens started

producing plays in Denver, Colorado.5

In the 19205, the
movement began to pick up momentum. These stirrings were
the result of the practice Broadway theatres had of
closing up from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Not many
touring companies operated either.6 By the mid-19305,
summer activity had increased in popularity enormously,
and the term "straw hat" theatre was often applied to

these theatres. In regard to the 1949 summer season, 125

professional repertory companies and about the same number

of amateur groups performed in barns, tents, resort
hotels, and theatres.7 By 1950-51, the phenomenon had
taken hold, and the summer theatre movement, in
combination with Broadway commercialism, became the spark
of creation of the PBP.

The commercial/professional Broadway theatre was one
factor contributing to the forming of the PBP. Historians
have documented the growth and development of the amateur
producing spirit in the United States. Historians have
offered theories for the impetus of the movement. Several
have concurred with Brockett, who assigned 1915 as the
point of departure in the American theatre scene.8
Americans began to realize the artistic innovations
occurring in Europe, namely the free theatres like
England’s Independent Theatre, the Moscow Art Theatre, and
France’ 3 Theatre Libre. Wilson described the events in
this country as a "theatrical renaissance at the turn of

"9 Poggi took an economic stance to his

the century.
description of the rise of the amateur producing spirit in
the United States. He dated the impulse of the movement
around 1910 and characterized these theatrical occurrences
as efforts by their producers to organize themselves on
different economic patterns from the ones used to produce

on Broadway. He stated that "the art theatre or little

theatre that developed in this country usually [was]

distinguished from the commercial theatre by its reaction
against the major economic developments within the
commercial theatre."10
From December 1, 1928, through May 1, 1929, Kenneth
Macgowan traveled about 14,000 miles all across the
country surveying this movement. In his book Footlights
c 55 erica, he freely interchanged the terms
"community theatre" and "little theatre" ix: several
sections.11 Using the developing mass of literature that
classified theatre groups as noncommercial, questions
arose when comparing groups like the Provincetown Players
with other community groups that also qualified as
noncommercial ventures. Wilson postulated that, in the
"middle to late years of the century, the two often became

"12 In the most current edition of Brockett's

partners.
text, this statement occurs: "After 1920, the little
theatres began to be indistinguishable from the community
theatres."l3 At the 1992 Popular Culture Convention, Anna
Dittmar, of the University of Southern Utah, presented a
paper' entitled. "The: Small Theatre Movement in Los
Angeles." When I asked her to clarify a few terms, she
hesitated at times in her responses in delineating between
such phrases as "small theatres fighting for legitimacy"
and "community theatres in economic upheaval."14 This

issue has two applications relevant to the study of the

PBP.

 

One of the influencing factors important to the
growth of the PBP was the amateur producing spirit that
infected the country. This spirit was common to various
organizations. It represented people producing plays for
their own enjoyment, without the constant concern of
making a profit. In another respect, however, to describe
the PBP as having operated between 1951 and 1991 as a
noncommercial community theatre that regarded itself as,
and indeed was, a professional theatre would be
misleading.

The most recent development in American theatre
history contributing to the clarification of terms that
not only identify the forming influences of the PBP, but
also result in clearer references made in classifying it,
was that of the resident theatre movement. This movement
also was spawned in the reaction against commercial
Broadway. As this statement implies, the goals of these
theatres existed and still exist outside the realm of
maximizing profit for a producer. A consensus among
scholars places the formal birth of this movement, which
represented a distinction from the amateur spirit of which
it has roots, between 1947 and 1950. In 1947, Margo Jones
formed Theatre 47 in Dallas, Texas. This sparked the
movement of developing professional resident theatres in

major cities throughout the United States. Ina the same

year as Theatre 47 was formed, Nina Vance founded the
Alley Theatre of Houston. In Washington, D.C., Zelda
Fichandler started the Arena Stage three years later. The
resident theatres produced classic and popular plays in an
attempt to bring culture via the live theatre experience
to the particular cities and communities in which they
operated. With the rise of the resident theatres, the
noncommercial theatre further dichotomized and developed
into the current American theatre scene, which encompassed
the birth and development of the PBP.

In 1968, Gard, Balch, and Temkin provided more
precise distinctions between both the operations and
philosophies of the resident and community theatres. The
main point of similarity was that both the community
theatre and the resident theatre were closely involved in
and supported by the communities in which they resided.
Each served the function of bringing live theatre to the
area. The major difference, however, was and is the fact
that resident theatres, although classified as nonprofit,
employed people who usually made a living practicing one

of the various aspects of theatre.15

The community
theatres used volunteers for the execution of all
functions; therefore, they were often subject to lower
standards of production. Since both originated from

similar impulses, it stands to reason that they possess

certain elements of similarity in regard to practices,

operations, and problems. However, Langley continued this
trend of classification by labeling the resident theatres
as nonprofit professional, with the enormous community
theatre movement in this country remaining largely

amateur.16

These terms provide the operational
definitions that will be used in discussing the elements
that compose the PBP. The resident theatres, including
the Guthrie, Alley, and so on, employ paid, professional
personnel. The community theatres, sharing the same
nonprofit status, use volunteers from the area in which
they occur.

Currently in the United States, summer theatres’
distinctions include nonprofit professional and nonprofit
amateur, or community. Some members of the second
category use all amateurs, and others bring in an
occasional professional. Still others use mostly
professionals for the substantial roles and fill in what
remains with community locals. In 1992, the PBP was
listed in the Guide to Summer Theatre as nonprofit,
employing equity and nonequity personnel. Although the
majority of the actors employed by the PBP over the years
have not been members of the Actors Equity Association,
they have received remuneration for their services and
have made a significant portion of their income practicing

their craft in other professional and nonprofessional

 

theatres. The same applied to those in technical work and
stage management. The PBP, then, during the years of 1951
and 1991 that encompass this study, operated as a
nonprofit, professional summer theatre.

Despite possessing major characteristics of a
nonprofit professional organization, the PBP does not fall
completely into this category. Because it has employed
professional production staffs and its operations occur in
and are produced and managed by a community theatre board,
the PBP is a mixed-genre theatre. Each section that
follows will deal with an aspect of this combination
process and how it affects play production and community
response. The community theatre influence is manifested
by the local management/production of each season by a
group of community members who comprise the board of
directors. These individuals, described as the "heart and
soul" of the PBP, possess enormous drive, contribute great
amounts of time, and receive no financial remuneration for
their efforts. To produce the plays, however, they hire
professional staff members, which makes the theatre
resemble a resident professional theatre. Also influen-
tial as a source of much talent over the years was the
Twin Cities area, nationally recognized as a major theatre
center that developed as professional theatre spread

across the country.

 

The professional artistic director directed plays and
governed the artistic shape of each season, which was
always subject to board of director approval, with all of
the considerations of the social standards of the
community that went with it. For the most part, the
actors and technicians whom the artistic directors
selected were professionals as well. At times, amateurs
from the community were used in various production
aspects. As will be demonstrated, however, this practice
was extremely limited by the board of directors as a
predilection for high-quality professional entertainment
developed. Developments in the physical plant and the
technical aspects of production mirror this trend and
further demonstrate that the community-based board of
directors, true to the nonprofit professional ideal and
the level of quality it demands, desired their facilities
and technical effects to exist at a level consistent with
professional artistic management and acting.

This study will demonstrate that the longevity of the
PBP is due to a partnership between a devoted community
theatre structure and a quality professional theatre. The
community influence and support structure, manifested by
the board of directors, will be divided into successes and
failures of that group. The artistic director’s role in
the development of the PBP represents professional

theatre. Professional acting and the ever-improving

 

10

technical facilities also have contributed to the success
of the PBP and will be covered in separate sections. The
period of investigation covers the forty years the PBP
operated at its original site of inception. The
activities of the artistic directors and the board form
the foundation of the PBP's success. Incomplete records
make a perfect chronological account impossible. The
first season will be treated separately because it did not
conform to the pattern that emerged but reveals what the

PBP did not want to be.

11

Notes-—Chapter I

1Variety, 7 June 1967, p. 64.

2Burns Mantle, ed., es Pla s o 1 -192 , and
yearly through 1946-1947 (28 vols.) (New York: Dodd,
Mead, 1920-1948).

3Variety, p. 65.

4Mantle.

5Gerald M. Berkowitz, New Broadways: Theatre Across
America (New Jersey: Roman and Littlefield, 1982), p. 55.

6Robert E. Gard, Marston Balch, and Pauline Temkin,

Theerre ig America: Appreisal end ChalTenge (Madison:
Dembar Educational Research Services, 1968), p. 139.

7Berkowitz, p. 56.

8Oscar Brockett, History of the Theatre (Boston:
Allyn and Bacon, 1987), p. 626.

9Garff B. Wilson, ee Hu red Ye rs o e 'ca
ra d at e: om Y a d an e u b to horus
Line (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1982), p. 197.

10Jack Poggi, Theerre in Americe: The Impect er
Eeogomie Forces (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1968),
p. 99.

11Kenneth Macgowan, Footlights Across America (New
York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1929), p. vii.

12Wilson, p. 197.
13Brockett, p. 627.

14Anna Dittmar, "The Small Theatre Movement in Los
Angeles" (paper presented at the Popular Culture Associa-
tion National Convention, Louisville, Kentucky, 21 March
1992).

15Judith A. Katz, The Business of Show Business (New
York: Harper and Row, 1981), p. 13.

16Robert Gard and Gertrude Burly, Community Theatre:

Tdea and Achievement (New York: Duell, Sloan and Peane,
1959), p. 6.

CHAPTER II

THE FIRST YEAR

In 1949, more than 250 summer theatres were in
operation. For a time, many of the larger professional
summer theatres engaged in the practice of bringing in a
big-name staff to boost business. What was called the
"package show" later’ replaced. many of the single-star
touring operations. In this system, entire productions
traveled from venue to venue. The distribution of these
groups, however, was not even. One-fifth of them were in
the state of New York, and almost all the rest resided in

northeastern states.1

Robert Gaus, a New York producer,
noticed this trend and decided that he wanted to increase
summer activity in an area outside of New York. The
result of his actions created the Paul Bunyan Playhouse.
Although Mr. Gaus was producing theatre in New York at the
time, he was no stranger to Minnesota, having graduated
from the University of Minnesota. He became aware of the
fact that, during the latter years of the 19405, very

limited summer theatrical activity took place in

Minnesota.

12

 

13

At that time, he developed and executed his plan to
bring summer theatre to Minnesota. He began in 1950, with
an experimental season of summer theatre at the Pine Beach
Peninsula, located in the resort area of Brainard,
Minnesota. The trial season consisted of Born Yesterday,
The Drunkard, MHaetL Hea_rr, and concluded with A_md_
Years Ago. According to Mr. Gaus, "the response to the
season was immediate and wholeheartedly enthusiastic, and
the eight week season ended 'in the black."'2
Professional actors were used, and the season was directed
by Kendrick Wilson. This success provided all the
motivation that Mr. Gaus needed to begin to implement his
plan. The next year, in 1951, another theatre was added
to Minnesota’s summer theatre venue, the Paul Bunyan
Playhouse. The site he chose was another popular resort
area, Bemidji, located 96 miles northwest of Brainard and
229 miles from the Twin Cities in the same direction.
This season in Bemidji further set into motion Mr. Gaus’s
"dream of theatre in the north"3 and the beginnings of the
intertwining of professional theatre with the community of
Bemidji.

Mr. Gaus wanted this theatre in Minnesota to be
professional. He established this with success in
Brainard and continued it in Bemidji. The combination of
the Pine Beach Playhouse and the Paul Bunyan Playhouse,

billed as its sister theatre, was termed "the 1951 Paul

14

4 The name of the

Bunyan Summer Theatre Festival."
legendary lumberjack was used because both the communities
of Brainard and Bemidji claim close ties to it and use it
in promotion for tourists. The fact that, specifically,
the Bemidji operation was titled the Paul Bunyan
Playhouse, using the name as a great many local businesses
had, helped tie the organization in with the community.
The season program for that year expressed the mission of
the Festival:
Resident acting companies, consisting of professional
New York Equity players, will be brought to Minnesota
each season to appear in top Broadway plays of the
current, and recent season(s) . New York directors,
designers, and other administrative personnel will
also be engaged to assure Minnesota’s play-goers a
yearly entertainment season comparable to those
presen ed in the finest eastern straw-hat play-
houses.
The two theatres would eventually lead to the development
of similar theatres in other Minnesota resort communities,
including Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids, Duluth,
and Grand Rapids. Mr. Gaus’s goal was to complete the
circuit by 1954, and with it, "the national spotlight will
turn to this part of the country, and we will come into
our own as an entertainment and cultural center."6 For
this first season, following the trends of the package-
show system that eastern summer theatres engaged in, an

entire production would switch places with the Brainard

playhouse in rotating fashion throughout the summer. Mr.

15

Gaus’s selection of professional company members estab-
lished this practice for the next forty years.

With the professional component in place, the
community element next entered the organizational scheme
of the PBP of 1951. On Monday, June 4, 1951, the Bemidji
Playgoer’s .Association.‘was formed. during a :meeting of
"community leaders in the Markham Hotel."7 The
Association adopted a number of major tenets in regard to
its role with the PBP. Although professional artists were
to be employed in the actual execution of the productions,
the PBP and the Association were to be nonprofit. Unlike
the major nonprofit professional theatres that were
developing around the same time, the community element in
Bemidji took the form of a governing board of thirty or
more directors. They, not the artistic director, had
final authority. Their responsibilities included
strengthening the ties of the PBP with the community and
working "in close cooperation with the producers in
planning each series of plays."8

Mr. Gaus himself convinced one of these community
leaders, Don Ruttger, owner of the resort, to allow the
PBP to set up its operations on his property. Mr. Ruttger
was receptive to the idea of having a theatre on his
grounds and agreed to remodel a vacant building that had
been used mainly as a recreation hall and convention

center into roughly a 300-seat proscenium theatre. By

16

agreeing to pay the entire bill for the remodeling, Mr.
Ruttger not only created the home of the PBP for the next
four decades, but also continued to strengthen community
support and commitment, which would be tested severely
later that year.

The ramifications of the creation of the Association
were two-fold: the infusion of the professional theatre
in Bemidji and the injection of the community value and
support system in the professional theatre. The
Association reserved the right to police the plays that
were produced to make sure they fit into the community
value structure and demonstrated receptiveness to the idea
of high-quality, professional theatre. With Wilber Lycan
as president and Ruth Wilson as vice-president, the
Festival stood ready to commence with the first season of
the Paul Bunyan Playhouse.

The forty-year history began on Monday, June 25,
1951. That night, 250 people attended a performance of Ar
Inspector Calls.9 Filled to 83 percent of capacity, the
PBP seemingly headed for a season of success, much like
the season in Brainard. However, after only four weeks,
the young PBP ran into grave financial trouble. The
entire budget had been used up barely half way into the
season. Money was owed to several Bemidji merchants,

including Mr. Ruttger, whose remodeling expenses were to

17

be repaid through ticket sales. The debts incurred
outraged the community and motivated them into action.
Their activity during this crisis formed the strong
community element of the PBP that would continue for
decades. Some community members suspected that Mr. Gaus
had attempted to cheat Bemidji out of the money activated
for the project, and "there was talk of suing."10 These
rumors were dispelled, however, after a brief investiga-
tion revealed that Mr. Gaus had been honest in his
attempts to bring theatre to the northwoods.

The events that followed this brief investigation
firmly began the process of community involvement. This
initial activity can be greatly attributed to one
enthusiastic Bemidji resident, Mrs. Rowena DeWeese. She
valued highly the presence of live theatre in the area and
decided that she and some of her friends who felt the same
way should do something to continue it. With the help of
these friends, she "went downtown and called meetings and
got business men together and went around and called on

everybody in town."11

She requested two things from the
local business people: "Her question was whether or not
they would allow the Playhouse to finish the season if she
were to assume complete responsibility for it in the
future. She also asked for financial donations to support

the final three weeks of the season."12 With the fund-

raising drive a success, the PBP continued the season and

18

produced the last three shows. Mr. Gaus and his company
agreed to finish the season for room and board and plane
tickets home. Due to poor record keeping during this
first year, specific details of each play's run could not
be collected.

What factors contributed to the initial failure of
the 1951 season? The town newspaper attributed the
failure to "unseasonably cold weather and resulting lack
of tourist trade," as well as the "failure of the
directors to anticipate all the costs involved in

launching the new project in Bemidji."13

Perhaps the most
plausible aspect of this interpretation was the idea of
the lack of planning or even knowledge of what to expect
in Bemidji. An interview with Rowena DeWeese revealed
some of the methods used by Mr. Gaus and his company. For
example, the company business manager, who had promptly
left town when the trouble started, "had kept no books.
. . . Everything was written on pieces of scratch paper in
a box. . . . That was their only book work."14 Much of
the financial and managerial work was handled by the
company.

The community and its leaders held a relatively
passive position in regard to the actual execution of the

season. In 1991, Rowena DeWeese, one of only two original

members of the Association who was still active on the

19

board of directors, touched on another aspect of community
involvement that was not present, or had not had time to
develop--a regular group of audience members. She talked
of nights with as few as twenty-five audience members
present, a marked and steady decline from the promising
opening night. It appeared that, after the novelty wore
off, the people stopped coming. Perhaps the low tourist
trade that year came into play in that there were not any
people to fill in for the missing community members. This
theatre was a new kind of experience for the residents.
Referring to the professional New York company, Mrs.
DeWeese commented that "Bemidji was not used to legitimate
people."15 In her statement, "legitimate people" referred
to professional theatre people.

The crisis of 1951 drew the community to more active
and committed participation in the operation of the PBP.
Local business jpeople :not involved in the Association
became more aware of and interested in the PBP as they
were approached by those explaining the situation and
asking for help. The PBP became talked and read about as
local press coverage intensified, another trend in the
history of the PBP that would continue for the next
decades. The community of Bemidji, and especially Rowena
DeWeese, who had offered to take full responsibility for
the PBP in the future, had a much greater stake in the

PBP. More intense and serious planning as well as

 

20

restructuring and goal orientation was to take place after
this disastrous but significant first season, as community
members became more involved. The community members of
Bemidji wanted to keep live theatre present in the town,
and from that point on they decided to insure its success

themselves.

 

21

Notes--Chapter II

1Berkowitz, p. 56.

2Paul Bunyan Playhouse Season Program for 1951, p. 5.

3William Joseph Grivna, "The History and Development
of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse" (unpublished master's
thesis, University of Minnesota, 1968), p. 1.

4Program for 1951, p. 3.

5Program for 1951, p. 5.

6Ibid.

71bid., p. 6.

81bid.

9Grivna, p. 4.

10Ibid., p. 5.

llIbid.

121bid., p. 6.

13Bemidji Daily Pioneer, 23 July 1951, p. 1.

14Grivna.

15Rowena DeWeese, personal interview, 22 August 1991.

CHAPTER III

THE COMMUNITY INFLUENCE: THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Su cesses

The crisis and tension of the 1951 season served
several crucial functions in the future development of the
Paul Bunyan Playhouse. It revitalized the community's
involvement with the PBP. This initiated rethinking as
well as restructuring the role the community would play in
the operation of the organization. The community's
efforts to save the PBP had given it a rebirth. The
following four decades of its growth were characterized by
situations attributable to both the positive and sometimes
negative aspects of community theatre organization. Now
falling directly into the hands of the board of directors
was the task of drawing the community into the attendance
support structure and, in that way, making certain that
what happened in 1951 would not happen again.

In the case of the board of directors, each decade of
their operation contained events, activities, and
innovations, initiated largely by the board, that
contributed to a particular milieu for the given period.

The period to 1960 was characterized by much

22

23

organizational activity during the fervor of the early
years. Once firmly established, the board continued to
refine and develop the identity of the PBP as a sense of
community pride started to develop in the 1960s. During
the 19705, the PBP found its place in history and began to
use its longevity in promotion. Trends of modernization,
experimentation, and change that had started earlier
gained momentum in the final decade of the 19805. This
period, continuing into 1991, developed into a period of
charged emotions that was much like the early period of
bankruptcy and reorganization.

The community involvement and the development of
organizational structure, which had begun with the
efforts of Rowena DeWeese and the others, started to
become formal policy on June 30, 1952. It was then that
the PBP received the Articles of Incorporation it had
applied for from the state of Minnesota, officially
establishing it as a nonprofit organization. In a preface
to the Articles, the board of directors pledged itself to
this status: "We, the undersigned, for the purpose of
forming a corporation under and pursuant to the provisions
of the Minnesota-NonProfit Corporation Act, do hereby
associate ourselves as a body corporate and do hereby
adopt the following certificate of incorporation."1 The
board renamed itself to better signify the new role and

commitment of the community, changing from the Bemidji

24

Playgoer's Association to the Paul Bunyan Community
Theatre Association, Incorporated.

In the Articles, the board stated its goals, with the
central mission being "to encourage and cultivate a taste
for music, literature, and the arts." Members of the
corporation, including the board of directors, "shall not
afford pecuniary gain, incidental or otherwise, to its
members, and its plan of operation shall be by acceptance
of contributions and memberships from those who are
interested in the corporation’s purposes."2

The new corporation was to be managed by a board of
directors, which could contain a minimum of five members
and a maximum of seven. Corporation members, those
donating a minimum of five dollars, elected the board.
The board then chose the officers of the corporation,
consisting of a president, a vice-president, a secretary,
and a treasurer. Board members were to be elected to one-
year terms. The organization also put out information for
distribution among its members detailing the duties. Here
began the process of intermingling a community theatre
structure with the nonprofit professional sector of the
theatre industry.

In their circular, "Basic Concepts and Functions and
Memberships of the Board of Directors, Executive Director,

Artistic Director and Staff," the precepts of community

25

theatre production entered into the working body of
governance: "The basic working premise of the Paul Bunyan
Playhouse Board of Directors is that the Paul Bunyan
Playhouse is a total community endeavor which promotes the
performing arts normally associated with a community

"3 Although the board selected an artistic

theatre.
director to handle production management, they were to
handle and promote the off-season activities, such as fund
raisers and bookkeeping. They, not the artistic director,
would have the final say as to whether or not a play
suggested for production fit into the community value
system. With a new organizational structure in hand and
a tighter grip on operational procedures, the board
prepared for its second season in 1952.

Under the auspices of the community structure and the
commitment it entailed, the board allowed Robert Gaus to
act as producer for the season. The board exercised its
new power as it carefully monitored the decisions of Mr.
Gaus, whom they had faith in as a producer. For example,
Mr. Gaus was very enthusiastic about hiring Hal Holbrook
as artistic director. The board denied this action and
chose, under advisement, one of their own, Charles Avery.
During this year, the PBP was connected in promotion with
its sister theatre, the Pine Beach Playhouse in Brainard.

The season was billed as a "Festival of Favorites." The

concept was to produce revivals of Broadway successes from

26

the preceding fifteen seasons. As it turned out, their
strategy paid off, and the season ended "in the black."
Efforts to increase community participation had also
been successful. A writer from the Minneapolis Sunday
Tribune visited the PBP and wrote, "You feel there have
been plenty of local helping hands behind the

"4 The writer based this statement on more

production.
than just a feeling, as he had talked to some of the
community personnel who shared what activities they had
engaged in.

For the 1953 season, Charles Avery was again hired as
artistic director. The PBP continued to infiltrate the
community that year, mainly through its association with
Bemidji State Teachers College. The board had previously
enlisted the services of Mr. Glas, a Professor of Business
Studies at Bemidji State College, for financial advice.
Mr. Glas favored association with the college. He
believed that the association between the two would lend
legitimacy to the PBP, thus eliciting more trust from the
area residents. At the same time, college students, many
future teachers potentially engaging in theatrical
activity in schools, could gain experience in the dramatic
arts. In addition to an added and enthusiastic work

force, the PBP gained use of the college’s facilities for

rehearsal and set construction.5 Mr. Glas also worked

27

with the United States government's work-study program,
whereby apprentices could receive credit as well as salary
for their participation at the PBP.

To aid in maximizing efficiency and developing a
stronger organization, the board made the decision to
begin affiliation with another educational institution,
the University of Minnesota, located in Minneapolis. They
decided to enlist the services of the University of
Minnesota Drama Advisory Service. At the time, this
action seemed like a minor development. As the years
progressed, however, the events that followed this
initiative resulted in a great many developments that
affected how the PBP was run.

In 1953, the board handed over authority to the
Advisory Service in hopes that it could build up a
stronger foundation for the PBP. The Advisory Service
experimented and created the new position of the company
manager. "It was his responsibility to have complete
administrative charge of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse, to be
responsible for workshop coordination with the college,
and to teach the summer workshop course at the college."6
During the reign of the Advisory Service, however, the
position was discontinued "due to difficulties in pin-
pointing responsibility."7 The duties of the company
manager became fused with those of the artistic director.

Because the Advisory Service was handling much of the

28

preseason planning, the board found their role in this
function diminished. They still, however, exerted the
power to reject any play or company member they might have
opposition to, keeping in mind the sensibilities and needs
of the community. Although their role may have been
diminished during the years of involvement with the
Advisory Service, 1953 through 1956, it was the foresight
and sensitivity of the board of directors that enabled the
PBP to continue to develop.

The association with the University of Minnesota
started an infiltration of the Twin Cities theatrical and
public relations community, for the Drama Advisory Service
would hire talented directors from the Twin Cities area, a
tradition that would continue well into the 19705 and
19805. With these professional directors came their Twin
Cities networks of actors, designers, and technicians. A
current board member described this association with the
Twin Cities that would continue all throughout the PBP’s
history: "The PBP joins the Minneapolis community with

"8 If one of these former PBP

the Bemidji community.
actors obtained an outstanding role in the Twin Cities
area, people from Bemidji, usually board members, began
the practice of making the five-hour trip to view and

support him or her. The development of this relationship

between the town and actors presents another interesting

a.—

 

29

scenario and will be discussed in a following chapter.
While the Drama Advisory Service organized the artistic
functions of the PBP in Minneapolis, certain duties, such
as Ibookkeeping' and. supervision. of play selection, did
remain in Bemidji.

During the 19505, it appeared that these functions
were carried out by only a few active board members. This
handful, however, initiated a phenomenon that would insure
continued success, link the next decades together, gain
the PBP statewide attention, and increase its reputation
as a quality summer theatre. In 1961, Cammie McMahon
acted in the function of publicity director for the PBP.
That year, in honor of its tenth anniversary, she prepared
a five-page circular detailing the beginning, development,
and current status of the PBP. This set the precedent
for the celebratory type of literature that appeared from
that point on to share the heritage of the PBP.

Twin Cities newspapers, many using this and similar
circulars, at the same time promoted the PBP as a strong
and quality organization. Such an article appeared in the
Minneapolis Star, entitled "Bemidji Theatre Rallied From
Near Collapse." It stated, "Now a going concern with
loyal town support and a strong attraction for
vacationers, the Playhouse in a decade’s time has become a

model for sound management and high artistic standards in

30

the community theatre field. It also stated that the PBP
"has become one of Bemidji's proudest cultural assets."9

The Minnesota newspapers, as they chronicled the
growth and place of the PBP in the state summer theatre
scene, increased. the “reputation and. popularity' of the
organization. In 1965, the Minneapolis Star printed a
calendar of summer theatre in Minnesota. Thirteen other
groups were listed along with the PBP. Ten offered only
four or fewer productions. In that year, the PBP offered
nine full productions. Only one other theatre in the
state offered more productions throughout the summer, the
Theatre L'Homme Dieu in Alexandria, which offered ten.10
Although number of productions is no guarantee of quality,
it demonstrated a courageous undertaking in Bemidji.
Three years later, however, commentary on quality was made
in the Minneapolis Tripnne, which published in 1968 a
four-part series of articles highlighting summer theatre
in Minnesota. The first words of the article were, "The
best summer theatre I found throughout the state was way
up north in Bemidji."11 The strength, reputation, and
quality of the PBP had now come to statewide attention
largely through the efforts of the promotional program
that the board initiated.

The opening week of the 1971 season epitomized the
decade of the 19705, as it began in amazing fashion.

Confidence and attendance continued to grow, as Lilies of

31

the Field opened. That week, 300 to 400 people were
turned away. Director Terry Markovich recalled one
evening in which "the audience was so jammed in, an actor
dropped a cup and an audience member picked it up for
him."12

Local newspapers and letters highly publicized these
events. As civic and historic pride grew, board members
started including short accounts of the PBP's rise from
bankruptcy to success in programs and promotional items.
Philosophical descriptions appeared as well, describing
this history. In an article appearing in 1971 celebrating
the PBP’s twentieth anniversary, it was written that a
spectator can "go through the doors of the Pdayhouse to
that magic world where truth is sometimes brighter,
funnier, sadder, where the family of man comes together
with its heartbreak, nostalgia, laughter, compassion, and

understanding."13

By' this time, almost all articles,
letters, and program inserts declared that the PBP was the
oldest continuously running professional summer theatre in
the state of Minnesota.

Toward the end of 'the 19705, fourteen people
comprised the board of directors. Distinction was not
clear, however, as to the division of duties. According

to the Articles of Incorporation that were drawn up in

1952, the board was to consist of at least five members,'

 

32

but no more than seven. It appears that violation of this
rule had no ill effects on the operation of the PBP, as it
continued to flourish.

Several other important developments in regard to
board member sensibility and practice occurred during the
waning years of the 19705. Along with an increased
consciousness of the PBP's continued operation came a
similar promotion of the importance of community support
by those attending plays and/or donating services or
money. Acknowledgment appeared in season programs as well
as in newspaper articles, such as one account that
appeared in the same article as the poetic description of
the PBP:

Well-wishers emptied their closets for costumes,

stripped their living rooms for stage furniture.

Margaret Thornbeck wrote feature stories, Barb Powell

and Grace Teries drove around the country

distributing posters, Pery Patterson built sets,

Sarah Thoreson donated antiques. Ila Moe Talley and

Betty Sauer added artistic touches to the lobby and

theatre. [sic]

These people were not all board members, but they were
definitely recruited by the board. In this way, the
community element began to include more of the residents
of the area. The article acknowledged volunteers who had
not been listed. "Neither is history all remembered and
recorded, and many people who have given. much of

themselves to keep the Paul Bunyan Playhouse a continuing

professional theatre are not listed here."

 

33

Success motivated the board. They printed a new
message that appeared in the season program for 1977: "In
the past few years, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse strived even
harder to gain a more secure foothold."14 Efforts were
also made to refine and modernize the image of the PBP.
Programs, posters, and billboards were redesigned to look
more professional. The logo no longer appeared to look
hand-drawn but rather machine-produced. This atmosphere
led into and characterized the next decade of development,
which would again be filled with success, change, and
crisis.

"Excitement, anticipation, respect. . . . These are
just a few of the sensations the Paul Bunyan Playhouse has
generated among its visitors over the past 29 years."15
This statement began the season program for 1980. The
theme for the season was "a season of change . . . a
season of growth." As it turned out, this slogan,
substituting the word "decade" for "season," would apply
to the period of the 19805 through the 19905. Through the
efforts of the board, the PBP had solidly attained
community support, which was manifested by volunteerism,
audience attendance, and statewide attention. The factors
that contributed to the uniqueness of the 1980 season fell
into two categories, business and artistic.

During the remaining years of the 19705, the board

had increased its activities to prepare for the 19805.

34

Fulton Galagher, then acting as executive director of the
PBP, took it upon himself to try something different with
the 1980 season. While in Dallas, Texas, he attended a
play at the Dallas Theatre Center. He was so impressed
with what he saw that he approached the management and
asked whether they would consider putting a summer season
together in Bemidji. He turned artistic control over to
the company, and they agreed.

During this season, several business innovations were
incorporated to help the PBP run more efficiently. In
this year, the board perceived that the solid patron
network that had developed was in need of subscription
seating. It was "designed to provide a major convenience
for the serious theatre—goer."16 To coordinate the new
system, a professional box office person was hired from
North Dakota. The "Friends of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse"
was also established during this year to facilitate ease
in donating money. According to the system, a donation of
$1,000 qualified one for entrance into the Gold Club, and
$500 allowed one to be in the Silver Club. Patrons could
donate $50, and a Donor could give any amount less than
that.

During the 1982 and 1983 seasons, the tone would be
set for the rest of the PBP’s existence at the Ruttger’s

facility. Long-range planning sessions had been

35

initiated. These sessions, such as the one that concluded
January 15, 1983, were intended to identify "major
concerns and possible solutions" for the remainder of the
decade. In addition to maintaining a functionally sound
theatrical facility and maximizing its resources, its
commitment to the community continued to grow. The board
sought to encourage community involvement and to promote
the arts in general in the Bemidji area. This type of
dialogue represented a new way of thinking by the board of
directors in that they had begun active planning for the
future. During the rest of the 19805 and on into the
19905, this new way of thinking was interwoven among the
changing organizational patterns and often polemic
relationships with the resort management, which also took
on a new aura, as the resort was turned over from Don
Ruttger to his son Randy in a gradual process beginning
around 1980.

Supercharging and epitomizing the atmosphere of the
final decade at the Ruttger’s facility was the success of
the 1986 season. Self-praise and the sense of history
that began earlier reached a peak during this season.
Gloria Westerdahl-Goodwin, acting president of the board,
wrote in a memo to fellow members, "Fortunately, we have
the opportunity to become the ’master’ in the summer
theatre field."17 The reputation of the PBP had continued

to rise since the early 19805, as the alliance with Twin

36

Cities theatre critic Mike Steele started to grow
stronger. He even went to Bemidji one summer to direct a
show. Jack Rueler, artistic director of the Mixed Blood
Theatre in Minneapolis, stepped in for Mr. Steele to write
a review in the Minneapolis Tribune describing the
relationship of that event: "So actor-turned-director-
turned-producer Michael Brindise became the boss of
critic-turned-producer-turned-director Michael Steele and
director Mike Steele became the boss of actor Michael
Brindisi."18 For the 1986 season, the board enlisted the
services of Bemidji State University professor Dr. Kay
Robinson to compile a more detailed than usual synopsis of
the history in celebration of the thirty-fifth
anniversary. She put together a seven-page booklet
entitled "Northern Nights." Dr. Robinson continued in
promoting the PBP the next year in Montreal, Canada, where
she presented a paper based on her research at the 1987
Popular Culture Convention. The following year, an
article appeared in the magazine Hollywood Midwest,
stating, "The theatre enjoys broad community support and a

l . "19 That same

distinctive national following as wel
year, the PBP joined the Theatre Communications Group. In
1991, the Saint Paul Pioneer Press published a profile of
summer theatrical activity in Minnesota. The PBP made a

strong showing, as it had in a similar article in 1965.

37

Again, only one theatre offered more productions than the
PBP, which was described as being "the closest in spirit
to a traditional stock troupe."20 Pride and reputation
had swelled to an all-time high, and in 1986, the local
newspaper proclaimed, "With such a theatre to love, the
energy level at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse is reportedly
running very high."21

With the onset of long-range planning during the
19805 came intensified examination of the physical plant.
Toward the end of the decade, the board became convinced
that some action had to be taken to remedy the situation
of the deteriorating theatre and auditorium, now almost
seventy years old. As the process of choosing a solution
continued into the 19905, tension developed among board
members and between the board and Randy Ruttger, who was
beginning to be portrayed as a community member who was
unsympathetic to the needs of live theatre in Bemidji.
The development and nuances of these relationships will be
covered in the next section.

Despite these developments, the board of directors
and the community once again were successful in making and
executing a decision that would allow the PBP to continue
operations. In a meeting during October 1991, after
facing all financial possibilities, the board agreed to
put all its finances and effort into moving into and

remodeling the Chief, a vacant movie theatre in downtown

38

Bemidji. According to Chris Keenan, "What it came down to
is this: we can afford this."22 Not only had the PBP
accrued $20,000 in savings, it had no debts. The move
also was facilitated by the owner of the Chief, Bud
Woodard: "I’m 100 percent in favor of the move. It has
been my long desire since I’ve known the Chief would be
vacated as a movie theatre that the Playhouse would be

able to use it."23

He agreed to sell the building for
$60,000 with a down payment of $10,000. He had held off
more profitable bids that might have led to the conversion
of the space to office buildings.

With the decision made, the community rallied, much
like it had in 1951, to support the move. The board
adopted an enthusiastic and committed attitude to make the
move a reality. PBP treasurer Karen Moe put it in these
terms: "The 1992 season will be at the Chief or nowhere
. . . but we aren’t admitting the nowhere yet."24 The
Downtown Development Association supported the move also:
as one of its members stated, "The consensus among the
business community is one of overwhelming support. I
think it is a very positive thing for downtown."25

With this development, the somewhat negative views of
Randy Ruttger subsided. Views of him changed from a

person who did not care about live theatre to a

businessman who was doing what he thought he had to do to

39

get by, much like the PBP had. Mr. Keenan, whose views
remained relatively unchanged throughout the entire
process, described Mr. Ruttger as having taken an
"economic stance." "He was a young businessman that
inherited a huge lump of stuff that needed repair." The
president of the board summed up the views of most when
she issued the following statement along with the decision
to move: "We owe a lot of respect and gratitude to Randy
and to the Ruttger family for everything. Without their
cooperation, we wouldn't be forty years old."26 Mr.
Ruttger, in turn, has wished the PBP continued success.
Even some of the board members who were steadfast in
their desire for the PBP to remain at Ruttger's Resort
supported the move. One of the strongest proponents of
staying at Ruttger's was original board member, Philip
Saur. In a letter to the editor of the Bemidji Pioneer,
he wrote, "Despite my forty years of activity at the old
location, I became convinced we had to move. I am
therefore urging everyone to support the activities of the

Playhouse Board at the new location."27

On February 1,
1992, the contract was signed. This marked the official

end of the PBP in its original facility.

Meme
These years of development of community support and

the PBP’s reputation did not proceed without problems, as

4O

evidenced by the situations brought on by the move to
incorporate the help of the Drama Advisory Service and the
transfer of administrative power that incurred. In 1953,
a problem started to develop that would plague the board
of directors at various points throughout its history.
Current community theatre theory recognizes this
situation, which involves the role of the director of the
theatre. If one is not available and is hired from
outside the area, displaced from the community, "there may
be frequent gaps in local leadership."28

Early research revealed this effect on the board of
directors and interpreted it as "board inactivity" and

"29 The Advisory Service pointed out

"waning enthusiasm.
in recommendations to the board of directors that they
needed to spread the duties over more individuals because
the board then contained only several members who
performed them. Indications of what was going on in
Bemidji were contained in letters from administrators in
Minneapolis to various board members. :n: 1956, the
consultant to the Advisory Service experienced difficulty
in determining and contacting the chair of the board for a
period of four months. When he discovered who the chair
was, it turned out to be someone else than he thought it
to be. He replied to this development: "But that is
neither here or there, as there was no correspondence

existing anyway."3o

 

41

This situation, reflective of the community theatre
environment, continued to develop in the remaining years
of the 19505 and into the early 19605. A system of play
selection had been set up in which a play chosen by the
artistic director was to be screened by a community-based
play-reading and selection committee. Lee Adey, artistic
director of the PBP from 1957 through 1963, experienced
difficulty with the board as a member of the Drama
Advisory Service. When Mr. Adey contacted the board of
directors the winter before he was to start, "only one
member of the play reading committee had read one play,
and another had read one-half of a play, from all the
plays suggested."31 He remained in active contact with
only three members of the board and commented that a few
of the board members did not even attend the plays.

An earlier researcher termed this inactivity
"operational stability."32 Mrs. DeWeese and Mr. Adey each
offered their own theories about this situation, which
they believed to manifest itself in a less-interested and
therefore less-active board of directors. Mrs. DeWeese
attributed this perceived lack of enthusiasm to
"increasing family and social obligations," and especially
the fact that the PBP did not face the challenges and

crises it did during the years of its beginning.33 Mr.

42

Adey's theory commented on the social structure of the
community.

During Mr. Adey’s years with the PBP, he noticed the
effort of the board to spread interest among the
community. He labeled the recruitment activity as effort
to "get new blood." In his estimation, these attempts
were unsuccessful. His theory was that a "class
consciousness" existed in Bemidji between the board of
directors and the other townspeople. "It was not that
anyone was deliberately aloof, but merely that the various
social factions never mingled."34 The board had been made
up of professional people or their spouses from the
community. Although their own by-laws and articles never
specified such qualifications, the sense of an exclusive
club may have been presented by the media. Most of this
coverage, for example, made a point of mentioning that
Mrs. DeWeese was the wife of a local physician and that,
in 1951, she had enlisted the help of prominent business
men and women.

This mentioning of occupation occurred in the Twin
Cities papers as well. When the Minneapolis Sunday
Tripune reported as early as August 17, 1952, on those
people who were helping out in Bemidji, Margaret Lycan was
identified with her husband, Wilber, the owner of the
local Markam Hotel and former president of the Bemidji

Playgoer’s Association. The final paragraph of the

43

article continued in the same vein: "John Glas, of
Bemidji State Teachers College, is business manager: Dick
Bassett, owner of a weekly newspaper, plays roles. So
does Mrs. Charles Vanderlius, wife of a local physician;

Art Schomp, insurance man, and many others."35

The "many
others" included mostly people of the same professional
status within the community.

Caution should be applied to placing too much
emphasis on any one of the theories offered. Most likely,
they worked in some combination to produce the "inactive
board" effect. The board had successfully aroused the
concern and interest of the community. In the early
years, however, it appeared that it had only reached the
professional community that was to be responsible for
implementing the PBP. During the 19605, the PBP used what
seemed to be a successful formula for operation, as the
memories of the financial crash of 1951 started to fade
permanently. With the hiring of a talented director each
season, "the Playhouse had almost come to the point of
operating itself."36

Because the production aspects of the PBP operation
fell under the domain of the nonprofit professional
organizational structure, and the support system was

mainly community based, it was natural that it would

experience a few of the problems common to both, and, "as

 

44

groups evolved into institutions, and as founding artists
departed, the leadership role was sometimes up for

grabs."37

In the case of the PBP, the founding artists
did depart over the years. Evidence suggests that "board
inactivity" continued into the later 19605. During these
years, two artistic directors identified the phenomenon.
Jay Hornbacker experienced difficulty with selection of
his season. According to the reports, Mr. Hornbacker sent
many letters to Bemidji for feedback on the plays he had
selected for the season. Response from Bemidji was poor.
"However, only three weeks before the season's opening, a
board meeting was held. Mr. Hornbacker was called and
informed that two of his proposed plays were
unacceptable.”8 The board for some time had had the
plays in their possession. His involvement influenced him
to describe the board at this time as a "board of
directors in name only."39

In regard to the organization of the PBP board of
directors, two major trends developed from the mid-19805
on. It experienced an increase in sheer numbers. Twenty-
one board members were listed for the 1984 and 1985
seasons. This number would later increase to twenty-six
in 1989 and reach an all-time high of twenty-nine in 1991.

The governing officers of this ever-increasing board also

increased. More than two or three dynamic individuals ran

 

45

the board during this period. In 1984, a president, vice-
president, secretary, executive director, and associate
executive director were listed as the officers. In 1989,
an extra treasurer was added. By 1991, this number would
again decrease to three, a president, vice-president, and
treasurer. While only these three official officer
positions existed, at least four or five other board
members contributed a great deal of time to running the
PBP. Despite the large number of individuals who were
listed as board members, attendance at official board
meetings usually ran about ten to fifteen. This practice
became accepted among the board members. Roles became
defined, and people excelled in their various positions.

During the long-range planning sessions that began
the decade, concern started to mount about the
deteriorating physical plant, which was now close to
seventy years old. Discussions of how to remedy this
situation placed growing tension and controversy among
board members and between the board and the Randy Ruttger
Resort into major concern and debate. In 1986 the board
realized that action soon had to be taken. The board of
directors started to entertain serious discussion of how
to solve the problem of the deteriorating building.

All the publicity and success had identified the PBP
with its locale on the grounds of Ruttger’s Birchmont

Lodge, located five miles outside of Bemidji on the shores

46

of Lake Bemidji. Dr. Robinson had commented on this
identification in her presentation in Montreal: "Part of
what makes the playhouse special to the artists who work
there and keeps bringing them back is the locale and

'"40 Community theatre scholar Robert Gard

'ambiance.
acknowledged this powerful component of some community
theatres as well: "I know that a great deal of joy I have
felt as a worker in back-country American theatre has
sprung from my feeling for places."41

The board deepened this identification process when
it adopted a new logo and symbol change. The new logo
encompassed three green brush strokes symbolizing a pine
tree painted on a weathered structure of boards. From
this point on, the PBP was to be referred to as "Not Just
Another Theatre in the Woods." The stories, articles, and
promotions that followed, many in the aforementioned
publications, referred to this identification. Phrases
such as "in the heart of the beautiful northwoods

"42 and "summer stock lives in the north woods"43

country
appeared. The 1991 profile of summer theatre listed the
PBP as "the only one located on the grounds of a private
resort."

The second characteristic of this ever-growing board

was the infusion of new, dynamic, and young individuals.

In 1991, only two of the original board members still

47

served on the board, Rowena DeWeese and Philip Saur.
These two had stepped down from the executive positions
they once held to allow new members to take over. Some of
these new recruits, however, held the philosophies of Mrs.
DeWeese and Mr. Saur. These two groups would soon divide
the board.

The options available to the board to solve the
physical plant issue were to remodel, rebuild, relocate,
or cease operations. This process of identification with
the locale of the resort, however, now forty years old and
just recently formally adopted, tainted the decision-
making process of the board. A "stay at Ruttgers at all
costs" mentality had finally set in during the closing
years of the 19805. The only two options that were
considered by many board members were to remodel or
rebuild.

Architect’s plans for a completely new, $500,000
complex were drawn up. The whole process depended on
obtaining a long-term land lease from the Ruttgers. This,
in fact, could have occurred. In 1986, Don and Randy
Ruttger drew up the plans for a lease the board was asking
for. Father and son were involved because full control of
the resort had not yet been transferred to Randy Ruttger.
In attempting to come to agreement and execute a plan,
"the board was slow, and it took three years instead of

the three months it should have."44 At this time, the

 

48

plans for the new complex seemed highly impractical and
out of reach. By the time the board motivated itself to
finalize the long-term lease, Randy Ruttger was no longer
willing to offer a plan that the board thought protected
their best interests if they were to put a great amount of
money into remodeling.

Perhaps the delay was in part caused by the growing
schism between two groups on the board. One group, headed
by original members Rowena DeWeese and Philip Saur,
thought that leaving the resort atmosphere would prove too
costly in terms of getting people to attend and "luring"
top-quality actors from the Twin Cities to come to Bemidji
for the summer, since they had been privileged to full use
of' the :resort’s facilities. Board. technical advisor,
Chris Keenan, remembers one board meeting in which someone
stood up and said, "The worst thing I can imagine is

heading into Bemidji in the summer.”5

The remaining
board members actively encouraged considering options of
leaving the resort in search of a new facility.

According to the new long-term lease offer, presented
to the board of directors by Randy Ruttger at a meeting on
September 19, 1991, the PBP would not be allowed to
undergo major remodeling in its current site and obtain a

lease for the amount of time they requested:

Since the present theatre building and dorms are
located almost exactly in the center of the property,

49

and since we cannot anticipate what we may want to
make of this property 50 to 80 years from now, we
would not approve major remodeling or construction on
that Slte.
The site Mr. Ruttger would allow the PBP to build on was
located in another spot of the property farther away from
the lake.

What ensued could be described as a media blitz
initiated by the board, using the press to exert pressure
on Mr. Ruttger. Articles appeared in abundance in local,
Twin Cities, and nearby newspapers. Typical headlines
read, "Uncertain Future for a Playhouse in the Wbods."47
Most of these articles contained statements from the board
members to the effect that the playhouse might have to
fold because the resort management was not offering a
suitable long-term lease. The final statewide article was
to appear in the Mi nneapeiis Tribune with the dramatic
title, "Is Curtain About to Fall on Resort Theater?"48 It
featured a full-page, color layout, with text by the
premiere Twin Cities theatre critic, Peter Vaughan. He
reported that the board had decided to make a decision by
October 1991. He mentioned the split in the board of
directors and also announced that the board was
considering the new option of moving into and remodeling
the Chief in downtown Bemidji.

The fact. that such. a (consideration was being

entertained came during a period of heightened drama. Due

50

to the increased publicity, the state fire marshal had
become aware of the situation of the PBP and the state of
decay of the theatre. He informed the PBP that, if it
chose to stay in the old site for even one more year,
expensive work would need to be conducted to bring the
theatre up to the new fire codes that came into effect in
1991. This meant that, if the PBP decided to examine
its options while producing one more season at the old
site, it would have to invest a considerable amount in a
building that it could not modify under the conditions of
the new lease offer. At this point, the majority of
board members came into agreement, as options appeared to
narrow to one: The PBP would move into Bemidji.

The board of directors had done much to improve the
PBP. Both attendance and reputation had grown over the
years as a result of their activities, such as self-
promotion. Community pride increased as the PBP gained
statewide and national attention.

This growth, however, was accompanied by various
problems that often are associated with community theatre
organizations. The board appeared to be inactive at
times, with confusion surrounding the roles of the
leaders. Later, as the issue of the physical plant rose
into the agenda, the board became split into those who
wanted to stay at Ruttger's and those who at least

considered moving to a new location. In the final

51

analysis, however, the board once again pulled together to
solve the problem.

In forty years, it is obvious that the Paul Bunyan
Playhouse had a large and vital community theatre
component. They were the ones deciding the future, making
the decisions, and, in many cases, introducing
innovations. The community aspect, however, does not
fully explain the history and development of the PBP. One
author described summer theatres in general: "Many of
these companies are shoestring operations, with actors
doubling as scene crew, house staff, and box office
help."49 From the very beginning of the PBP, however, the
board of directors wanted to present the highest quality
entertainment 'that. couldl be called anything' but shoe-

string.

 

52
otes-- a ter I I

1"Articles of Incorporation of Paul Bunyan Community
Theatre Association, Inc.," 1951, preface.

21bid., Article III.

3"Basic Concepts and Functions and Membership of the
Board of Directors, Executive Director, and Staff," circu-
lar by and for board members, 1952.

4"Northern Notes," Minnea o is Sunda Tribune, 17
August 1952.

In“.

 

5Grivna, p. 12.

‘1'“ l'

6Ibid., p. 13.
7Ibid., p. 14.
8Robert Scriba, personal interview, 24 March 1992.

9John H. Sherman, "Bemidji Theatre Rallied From Near
Collapse," Min ea olis Star, 26 June 1961.

10"Calendar: Drama," innea olis Sunda Tr'bu e,
6 June 1965.

11Mike Steele, "Theatre Blossoms in Northland,"

Minneapoiis Tripune, 27 July 1968.

12Terry Markovich, personal interview, 17 August 1991.

13Rowena DeWeese, "Playhouse Celebrates Anniversary,"
The Pioneer Weekender, 7 August 1971.

14Paul Bun an Pla house Season Pro ram for 1977.

15Paul Bun an Pla house Season 0 ram for 1980.
16Ibid.

17Anne Louise Meyerding, "Paul Bunyan Playhouse No
Ordinary Summer Stock," The Pioneer, 1986.

18Jack Reuler, "Turnabouts Play Becomes Fair Game,"
Minneapolis Tribune, 14 August 1983.

19"Paul Bunyan Playhouse Announces Summer Fare,"

Hollyyood Midwest, 1 July 1988.

53

20Roy M. Close, "Summer Stock," §aint Paui Pioneer
Press, 4 August 1991.

21Meyerding, 1986.
22Keenan, 1992.

23Tom Robertson, "Playhouse Move Could Give Boost to
Downtown," Mewsline, 6 November 1991.

24Karen Moe, personal interview, 28 December 1991.
25Robertson, 1991.

26Donna Houser, "Paul Bunyan Playhouse Moving to
Chief Theater," Tne_Pieneer, 1 November 1991.

27Philip vonRohr Saur, letter, Tne Pioneer, 8 March
1992.

28Langley, p. 243.
29Grivna, p. 15.

30William F. McKereghan, letter to Agnes Bassett,
4 May 1956.

31Grivna, p. 19.

321bid., p. 25.

33Ibid., p. 26.

34Ibid., p. 27.

35"Northern Notes," 1952.

36Grivna, p. 31.

37Langley, p. 173.

38Grivna, p. 31.

39Ibid., p. 32.

40Kay Robinson, "The Paul Bunyan Playhouse: Just

Another Theatre in the Woods?" (paper presented at the
Popular Culture Association Convention, Montreal, 1987).

54

41Robert Gard, Grassroors Tneatre (Madison: Univer-
sity of Wisconsin Press, 1955), p. 3.

42n611yyood Midwest, 1988.

43Robert Collins, "Open-Air Stagecraft," Twin Cities
Reader, 7 June 1989.

44Chris Keenan, personal interview, 24 March 1992.
45ibid.

46Randy Ruttger, letter to Paul Bunyan Playhouse
Board of Directors, 19 September 1991.

47Kevin Bonham, "Uncertain Future for a Playhouse in
the Woods," grend Ferks Herald, 2 August 1991.

48Peter Vaughan, "Is Curtain About to Fall on Resort
Theatre?" Minneapoiis Tribune, 8 September 1991.

49Peter Arnott, The Theatre in its Time (Boston:
Little, Brown and Co., 1981), p. 507.

CHAPTER IV

THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INFLUENCE:

THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

The community influence, manifested through and
developed by the activities of the board of directors,
gained strength as the history of the PBP unfolded. The
other main element was present from the very beginning in
full strength and influence as well. The role of the
artistic director resembled the resident theatre ideal in
two respects: The PBP had nonprofit status, and, as a
major cornerstone of its success, it had the influence and
skill of professional theatre workers, under the guidance
of a professional artistic director.

From the inception of the PBP, the board of directors
desired to hire the professional artistic director. His
duties were very similar to those of artistic directors in
major resident theatres as well as other professional
theatres for and not for profit. These directors were
"theatre men" who not only delivered the high-quality
results the board of directors and community demanded, but
also offered valuable suggestions and initiated changes

that would ultimately keep the PBP alive, professional,

55

56

and on the road to forty years of success. (The term
"men" was used because, throughout the history of the PBP,
which enlisted a total of sixteen artistic directors, only
two were women.)

Although almost every artistic director initiated
some form of change in various areas, the eight that best
denote the time period in which they operated, and
produced the most significant advancements, will be
discussed. Evidence suggests that three decades of the
PBP's history contained the majority of activity initiated
by the artistic director, the position at the PBP that
held the responsibility of suggesting and then shaping and
guiding the various plays of the season, usually directing
most of them. From the early 19505 to the early 19605,
Charles Avery and Lee Adey made suggestions and submitted
proposals to the board that would structure and form the
direction of the PBP.

During the period of the early 19605 to the early
19705, relatively few changes at the hand of the artistic
director occurred, as the PBP tested the formula for its
operation that had developed. In the mid-19705, however,
Terry Markovich and Rustin Green began changes that
preceded and led into the final decade of the PBP. The
experimentation and change that they helped to spark came
into fruition in the 19805 as the PBP entertained growth,

the addition of new board members, and once again, crisis.

 

57

The tradition of the managerial influence of the
artistic director began in 1952 and 1953, when Charles
Avery held this position. During his directorship, the
PBP produced a season of ten plays, which would continue
only until 1955. At the conclusion of the 1952 season,
Mr. Avery submitted a forty-page report to the board of
directors, assessing the season and offering suggestions.1
He suggested a season of plays with small costs in order
to save money. He also helped create the promotional
identity of the PBP in 1953 when he advised the board to
adopt a logo for the PBP. These suggestions set the tone
for the artistic director who served the most years at the
PBP, Lee Adey, who ran the production end of the PBP from
1957 to 1963.

Under the guidelines of the old Playgoer's
Association, the goal of production was to produce "family
entertainment." Mr. Adey, however, wanted to bring the
Bemidji audience something more. When Mr. Adey was hired
in 1957, the board "recommended highly" that he produce

"2 In his

"family entertainment on the level of comedy.
season, however, he introduced an Agatha Christie murder-
mystery, Ten Litrle Indians. In a poll conducted to
determine which show had been the favorite of the season,

this show received the most responses. It was reported

that he used this as a "lever" to introduce more dramatic

58

3 This persuaded the board to alter

works in the future.
its policy and offer one serious or "offbeat" play each
season.

Mr. Adey also introduced the musical into the
season's offerings in 1961. Mr. Adey's contributions
crossed over from the artistic decision-making process to
acting and technical areas, but these will be covered in
following chapters. He helped strengthen the community's
involvement with the PBP. During his early years, he was
responsible for promotion and box office management. As
he gained experience at the PBP, he hired community
residents to perform these functions. It was this type of
initiative that characterized the significance of the
professional theatre practitioner. Not only were town
members involved in these tasks, which they would perform
for years to come, but it freed him and future artistic
directors to concentrate on creating a high-quality
production. He also further eased the burden of the
artistic director with another of his innovations,
employing a second director to direct some of the season,
with the artistic director always monitoring the quality
of the season.

In his final years, Mr. Adey employed Bill Phelps to
direct the last half of the season, usually four of the
nine plays. These innovations enabled the PBP to run more

smoothly and professionally--so smoothly, in fact, that in

59

the rest of the 19605 and early 19705, little change
accompanied the operation of this successful formula as
the PBP began to grow in areas of attendance and
publicity. In the mid-19705, however, the board would
again be challenged.

It was under the directorship of Terry Markovich in
1971 that the PBP experienced phenomenal success. The
board and the community grew to trust and admire Mr.
Markovich. Mr. Markovich, too, worked on community
relations, as evidenced by his actions concerning Asa
Cooper. Mr. Cooper, a free-lance photographer who
volunteered his services to the PBP, became ill and
confined to a wheelchair during one season, the season in
which Piedier en the Peof had been selected as the
musical. Mr. Markovich took the entire cast over to his
house, and they sang for Mr. Cooper every song from the
musical. Word of this act blitzed through the community,
and Mr. Markovich's popularity rose. At the peak of his
popularity in 1973, Mr. Markovich presented a rather
unusual season, breaking out of the "family entertainment"
model that had been established and only moderately
challenged years earlier. During that season, he
presented Jacgnes Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in
Larie, Dracula, All the Wa Home, and Othello. This

amounted to half of the season, which had been dropped to

6O

eight shows in 1963. Rustin Green took over his position
the following year and included Arthur Kopit’s Oh Dad,
Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So
S_e_g. He also included anee Penny Opera and Romeo and
Juliet in the season. This led to a decade of continued
growth and experimentation in the 19805.

In 1985, the article "The Changing Face of Summer
Theatre" reported that "the most enterprising and
successful summer theatres have turned to more demanding
material."4 The PBP, through the efforts of the artistic
director, appeared to lead this trend in the 19805, an
extension of what was attempted in the mid-19705. At the
start of the decade, the board was more committed than
ever to produce professional entertainment. In their
long-range planning session, they desired "to encourage
high quality and professionalism in theatrical

offerings."5

They stated this in a season program: "As
Minnesota’s oldest continuous-running, professional summer
theatre, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a reputation of
excellence to maintain."6 The board's choices of artistic
directors over the next ten years would help them achieve
their goal as well as foster many improvements.

In 1981, eight highly qualified artistic directors
were interviewed. When asked "Why do you think you should

come to the PBP?" the person chosen that year responded,

"Because I'm damn good." Michael Brindisi served from

61

that year until 1983. During that period he initiated
several important developments. He put into action a
seasonal approach that restructured planning to take into
account the entire season. He started to look at aspects
like the total number of actors needed for every show and
how casting could maximize efficiency. For example, to
facilitate more preparation for the musical, he produced
smaller shows just prior to it. He also met with the
board at the end of each season to discuss the season’s
proceedings. He was described as a man of "1000 ideas."
"Some were ignored . . . some saturated through."8

This decade of change continued with the hiring of
the first woman artistic director in 1984, Laurie
Grossman. She continued to challenge audience members and
the board. She limited the season to seven shows to allow
more time to work on shows she believed to be more
challenging. In her season she included And a Nigntingele
Eng, 2_1_A, and Revenge 2: the Space Pandas. PTA had
tremendous success in the Twin Cities. The PBP production
was sponsored by a Region 2 Arts Council grant provided by
the McKnight Foundation. This season was such a success
that it prompted the new logo and image change. Another
woman artistic director was hired in 1987, Pamela Nice.
Under her directorship, the role of the artistic director

introducing more demanding material reached its peak, as

62

this role became publicized and verbalized by the
director. Ms. Nice was described as "not afraid to
stretch her audiences' horizons." According to her, "I
see my role, as it evolved, as the pusher, prodding them
in different directions."9

She included A snayna Maidei, a play involving
Holocaust survivors. Taiking Pictures, a one-person
monologue written and performed by a Twin Cities native,
was selected to open before the musical, and Moliere’s Tne
§cnool fer Wives preceded it. She also attempted to begin
a tradition of presenting a new play by a Minnesota
playwright each season.

As the 1991 season began, the crisis of whether to
move or not was in full force. In cooperation with the
board of directors, artistic director Michael Kissin
assembled a season consisting of three hits from the PBP’s
past and three recent Broadway successes. Mr. Kissin
served the function of executing this season amid the
stress and tension. His professionalism and reserved
approach produced a calming effect, as the PBP experienced
another successful season, what would be its last on its
original site. He also commented on why he felt the
position of artistic director had been so appealing over
the years to various artists: "The job of artistic
director doesn’t come along all that often. It's really a

lot of fun to put a season together."10

63

The two previous artistic directors had also made
similar comments, but they went on to say that they
perceived the PBP operation to be unique. Ms. Grossman
had described it as "not just regular summer stock-~it's
more exciting."11 Ms. Nice believed the PBP was "where
theatre is created in a style all its own. . . .
Spontaneous combustion is what I’d call it."12

Interesting conclusions can be drawn by examining the
artistic directors of the PBP over the years.
Documentation of each individual artistic director has not
been complete. However, some basic information provides
insight into the nature of the professional experience
imported to Bemidji. Due to the affiliation with the
drama advisory board, artistic directors associated with
the University of Minnesota in the capacity of teacher,
student, or guest artist worked at the PBP continuously
from 1954 to 1972. More recently, from 1981 to 1991,
artistic directors were selected almost exclusively from
the Twin Cities area. Judging from testimony of board
members and townspeople, it is certain that other artistic
directors from the Twin Cities worked at the PBP as well.

This involvement with Minneapolis/Saint Paul artistic
directors has several ramifications. It reflects the
nature of directing that occurs in the professional

theatre in the Twin Cities. These artists directed and

64

often acted at the most prestigious theatres in the area,
including the Guthrie and Penumbra Theatres. Many of the
artistic directors who have worked in Bemidji, especially
the ones profiled in this section, seem to have common
traits. They have viewed the PBP experience as enjoyable
and special, often returning for additional seasons. They
have been interested, concerned, and very proud of the
development of the PBP. While some gave more than others,
almost every artistic director in the history of the PBP
has offered suggestions or introduced innovations to
enable the PBP to run more efficiently and professionally.
This professional commitment and skill played a role as
crucial in the longevity of the PBP as the devoted
community and board of directors.

During the final years at Ruttger’s, audience members
filled the house to almost 90 percent of capacity for each
performance. As Ms. Nice put it, "Their standards are so
high up there. They expect a professional-quality product

on five days' rehearsal."13

The community had developed a
taste and a pride for professional theatre. To produce
such high-quality productions required the services of

professional actors as well.

65
otes-- a e IV

1Grivna, p. 10.
2Ibid., p. 13.
3Ibid.

4Jeremy Gerald, "The Changing Face of Summer
Theatre," New York Times, 16 June 1985.

5Curt Lambrect, letter to the Paul Bunyan Playhouse
Board of Directors, 15 June 1983.

6Program for 1980.

7Scriba, 1992.

81bid.

9Collins, "Open-Air Stagecraft."
10Close, "Summer Stock."

11Meyerding, "Paul Bunyan Playhouse No Ordinary
Summerstock."

12Nice, Program for 1990.

13Collins, p. 30.

CHAPTER V

THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE INFLUENCE:

THEIKflDRS

The tradition and influence of the professional
artistic director were of crucial importance to the
development of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse. The artistic
director, alone, however, did not represent the sole
influence of professional artists in Bemidji. An
important and interesting relationship developed between
the community and the professional actors. From the very
beginning, the board of the PBP proudly announced that it
made use of professional talent. Their first road sign
featured the words "professional cast." The same message
appeared on playbills well into the 19705, accompanying
photographs of the actors. This fact was publicized in
articles, as well. Mike Steel, in his article in 1968
proclaiming the PBP to be the best summer theatre in the
state, put it bluntly: "The actors are paid and they are
professional."1

To deliver the quality of theatre the community
demanded, professional actors had to be used. Local

actors always have appeared in minor roles, however. This

66

67

illustrates an interesting blend of the community acting
influence with the professional. More often than not,
however, the principal roles have been played by the
professionals. This relationship between the actors and
the community manifested itself in how the community
reacted to them on and off the stage.

While the community of Bemidji has developed a predi-
lection for professional acting, the actors themselves
have developed a special liking for performing at the PBP
and being able to enjoy its surroundings. The directors
over the years have realized this as well. Dr. Robinson
commented that "the theatre professionals thoroughly enjoy
the easy availability of swimming pools, tennis courts,
the quaint rustic main lodge, and the lake, with all its

"2 This was another

boating, fishing, and water-skiing.
reason many on the board of directors were in opposition
to moving away from the resort. Michael Kissin, artistic
director in 1991, felt that moving "might cost it the
services of Twin Cities actors willing to work for low pay
in exchange for a couple of weeks at a lakeside resort."3
This issue received much discussion in and out of board
meetings. Many members agreed with Mr. Kissin and feared
that the PBP would no longer attract Twin Cities actors.
The. community' of Bemidji developed. an interesting

relationship with company members. For a time, the

townspeople reacted with much surprise to the "less than

68

conservative behavior of professional actors from urban

"4 Early on, the actors were housed in the main

areas.
lodge. "Noise was inevitable, and it raised havoc with
the paying guests."5 Sometime later, Don Ruttger called a
board member to inform the board that "guests were getting
upset because two of the actors, of opposite sexes and
unmarried, were showering together in the hotel floor
bathroom."6
Various events of this nature occurred throughout
the history of the PBP. A more recent event was conducted
by actors from the 1990 season. Calling the event "ugly
day," the company members donned the most bizarre clothing
they could find in the costume shop or from their own
collection and headed out to a local bar/restaurant.
According to the reports, the group was not well received
by’ other' patrons, especially the Bemidji State hockey
team, which happened to be having a dinner at the same
establishment. These incidents, however, never appeared
too serious. Through the combination of board social
events and the close working environment, friendships
developed between community members and the actors.
Another aspect involves the community members
performing in roles. The community approved using locals

for small roles because it saved money and encouraged

involvement. As board member and Bemidji State theatre

69

instructor Robert Scriba pointed out, however, the
community did not want to see these locals in the lead

roles. "They want professionals all the time."'7

During
the mid-19805, a few board members questioned this
practice, worrying that the community would lose touch if
the locals were allowed to play only these smaller roles.

Toward the end of the decade, this philosophical
issue was resolved in a number of ways. A community
theatre group separate from the PBP, but containing some
of its board members, had developed. Also, a stepping-
stone effect was occurring with a handful of local actors,
who received increasingly more substantial roles as the
years progressed. These elements appeared to satisfy the
community's desire to see locals performing in the shows.
The professional influence would continue and remained
closely tied with the artistic director, as he or she was
responsible for hiring the actors. Depending on the
director, actors usually came from Minnesota or other
areas, especially New York.

During the first half of the PBP’s forty years, the
principals came from outside of Minnesota, beginning in
1951 with "professional New York Equity players."8 This
tradition continued under Charles Avery in 1952 and 1953.
During this time, a rigid system of hiring three men and
three women to act in the lead roles of the season was

followed. Apprentices were also used during these years.

70

They performed in small roles and carried out some
technical duties, but they received no salary. They
earned their room and board by working part time at the
lodge. Lee Adey, from 1957 to 1963, did not limit his
choice of actors to New York, but hired them from all over
the country. He used people from colleges and redefined
the role of the apprentice. Also, the practice of hiring
three men and three women was discontinued. From this
point on, actors were hired according to the demands of
the particular season. The work load of the apprentices
at the lodge was decreased during this time. In this way,
the apprentices could better serve the needs of the PBP.
In 1964 and 1965, Jay Hornbacker made unique actor
selections, representing the only time when students
performed in most of the major roles, possibly
representing a decline in the professional quality that
year. In 1964 he hired four graduate students from the
University of California-Berkeley. Several of the actors
were older than he was, and he thought they resented this
fact. Later in the season, an actor hired from New York
had to be fired because of his attitude and behavior. The
experiences of this season prompted Jay Hornbacker to
assemble another unique company in 1965. That year, he
hired an entire company of undergraduate students in hopes

that these younger company members would be "willing to

71

work harder"9 for him. The following year, six of these
company members returned, and four the year after that.

In the early years of the 19705, Terry Markovich
continued to hire the majority of his principals from New
York. He also held auditions at the University of Ohio
and the University of Minnesota. A few years earlier, the
actors began to be housed in cabins outside of the lodge.
He recalled an unusually cold season and remembered snow
in July. During his production of The Prime 0: Miss Jean
Pregy, many of the actors were sick with bronchitis and
pneumonia. The board of directors promptly followed his
suggestion of installing heaters in the cabins.

Later in the 19705, artistic director Gerald Koch
began a tradition that would continue to grow through the
19805. From 1984 on, Twin Cities actors were hired almost
exclusively. This practice was initiated by artistic
directors who were based and worked intensely in the
Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. Michael Brindisi formally
began the process, as he "knew Minnesota theatre upside

n."10 Laurie Grossman, from 1984 to 1986, continued

dow
this practice. By the late 19805, the casting of Twin
Cities actors had developed into a strong tradition.
Pamela Nice, serving from 1987 to 1990, praised the

quantity and quality of these actors: "The talent pool

here is tremendous. I could have cast each role several

 

72

ways. It is wonderful for a director to have that
choice."11

In the words of Kay Robinson, this actor/community
relationship was an intense one: "When a theatre survives
35 years, it takes a proprietary interest in the many
artists who work in the theatre, and in their careers when
they leave the PBP."12 As actors returned as many as four
seasons in a row, they often came to be recognized in the
town. The newspapers facilitated this effect by printing
articles like "McCormick Returns to Playhouse," which gave
detailed information about the actors’ lives and careers,
as well as affirming and celebrating the town’s own
affection for them.

As with the case of the Twin-Cities-based artistic
director, the performing company members of the PBP have
reflected the talent pool of the Minneapolis/Saint Paul
area. The positions at the PBP have been highly sought
after over the years. Some years, almost 100 actors
auditioned. However, the professional actor has developed
a relationship with the community, especially the board of
directors, that is different from that of the artistic
director. The board worked more closely with the artistic
director, as such issues as censorship had to be dealt
with. Tempers flared often. The actors, however, seemed
to have had a less substantial relationship with the board

and townspeople. Subsequently, quaint little notes,

73

newspaper stories, and fond memories of some board members
make up the bulk of historical information.

Technical personnel, although following similar
patterns of selection, will not be discussed for several
reasons. Because these artists, with the exception of the
scene designers, did not appear in the public eye as
frequently as the actors, their history is much less
documented. They developed a somewhat different
relationship with the community, one of respect
unintentionally' garnished. with anonymity. Various
articles have appeared throughout the PBP’s history that
have demonstrated the community's pride in hiring
professionals in technical areas, such as "Professional to

Design Summer Theatre Scenery"13

and "Creating Settings
for Plays an Art in Which Playhouse Technical Chief
Excels."14

In technical production and facilities, as well as in
the acting, the board of directors desired the highest
possible level of professionalism. This desire was

mirrored by the ever-improving scenery and facilities

throughout the PBP’s history.

 

74

N -- t V
1Steele, "Theatre Blossoms in Northland."

2Robinson, "The Paul Bunyan Playhouse: Just Another
Theatre in the Woods?" p. 6.

3Close, "Summer Stock."
4Robinson, p. 4.

5Grivna, p. 23.

6DeWeese, "Playhouse Celebrates Anniversary."
7Scriba, 1992.

8Program for 1951.

9Grivna, p. 29.

1°Scriba, 1992.

11Collins, "Open-Air Stagecraft."
11Collins, "Open-Air Stagecraft."
12Robinson, p. 4.

13"Professional to Design Summer Theatre Scenery, "

Bemidii_neilr_fligneer 1 June 1955.

14"Creating Settings for Plays an Art in Which Play-

house Technical Chief Excels," Pemidji Deiiy Pioneer, 29
July 1955.

CHAPTER VI

TECHNICAL FACILITIES AND PRODUCTION: INCREASING

QUALITY VIA GROWTH AND BOARD ACTIVITY

The entire forty-year history of the Paul Bunyan
Playhouse transpired in the original site at Ruttger's
Birchmont Resort. Often with limited finances, the board
of the PBP did what it could to maximize the quality of
its theatre building and scenery-construction capabili-
ties. As the years have progressed, the board of
directors and various artistic directors have concentrated
on obtaining a level of professionalism in these areas
that was similar to the high-quality acting. During the
19505, this basically took the form of work on the theatre
building to make it more comfortable for the theatre-goer.
In the 19605, as a successful formula for operation began
to develop, efforts were made to make the building look
more like a theatre. During the 19705, with the
organizational aspect of the PBP firmly established,
improvements were made in regard to facilities for scenery
construction. With the onset of the tumultuous 19805,
finishing touches were made on the establishment to allow

the PBP to run more smoothly and professionally.

75

76

The history of the PBP’s technical undertakings falls
into two basic categories, those involving the scene shop
and quality of scenery and those pertaining to the
building that housed the stage, auditorium, and lobby
area. As in acting and stage direction, the board
demanded professional standards.

In 1951 and 1952, scenery was constructed immediately
behind the theatre in the open air. The scenery was very
basic during the early years of the PBP. Often three or
four walls would be erected to form some variety of a box
set. Affiliation with Bemidji State teachers college in
1953 allowed the PBP to use the college’s facilities for
set construction. This function returned to the grounds
of the resort later. It is estimated that sometime during
the 19605, set construction was carried out in a twenty-
foot by twenty-four-foot horse barn located on the grounds
about one-half mile from the theatre building. As the
budget increased during these years, so did the quality of
the scenery.

The biggest advancement in the technical area took
place in 1973. With the help of a local contractor and
the "cement class" of Bemidji College, $5,712.66 was spent
on an addition to the stable, measuring thirty feet by
forty feet. It consisted of a concrete slab, cement
walls, and a tin roof. The facility also was equipped

with a paint sink and a sliding garage door to load

77

scenery out. The vast improvement of the on-site
facility, along with growing attention to technical areas,
helped increase the quality of the scenery, which was
built at the shop and transported by truck. Technical
directors, such as Joel Janke, started to produce

"fantastic, detailed sets."1

The only other improvement
to the scene shop occurred in 1986. During this year, a
concrete slab measuring sixteen feet by thirty feet was
added to the front of the scene shop. This greatly
extended the work area of the shop to the outside area and
worked especially well for laying painted scenery out to
dry. This took advantage of the many hot summer days in
Bemidji. Previously, construction efforts outside of the
shop had to be conducted in the dirt.

Technical directors in the decade of the 19805 began
incorporating advancements in set construction to the
scenery at the PBP. Twin Cities scene designer Thomas
Barrett, who served in this capacity from 1989 to 1991,
played a large role in this, as he introduced construction
practices that had not previously been used at the PBP.
In the construction of his musicals, for example, he liked
to use "hardcover" or "Hollywood" flats for most of the
scenery. These units were covered with wood as opposed to

the muslin that was traditionally used in "soft cover"

flats. Mr. Barrett created one of the most talked-about

78

designs in PBP history when he used tobacco cloth, a form
of heavy gauze, to construct the walls for The School for
Miyee. This enabled him to create lighting effects from
the back. In his design for West Side Story, he used
steel in the construction of some units.

Lighting instruments and boards had been borrowed
from Bemidji College over the years. As funds accrued,
the PBP began to purchase its own equipment, including a
twenty-four-channel dimmer board. Growth in the quality
and quantity of shop tools also occurred, peaking in 1988.
Before this time, not much money was devoted to building
up a stock of tools. Under the guidance and motivation of
Chris Keenan, a local contractor, the board started to add
to and upgrade its shop equipment. In 1988, the PBP
purchased its new radial-arm, table, and band saws. It is
not clear what was used before the arrival of such tools,
but estimations exist to the effect that cheaper and older
versions of the same were in use.

While it appeared that large gaps in periods of
development occurred in regard to the advancements of
these areas, work on the theatre itself was ongoing. The
building had been a recreation and convention hall. To
prepare it for the first season, several modifications
were made. A stage measuring forty-five feet from wall to
wall, and thirty feet deep, was created. The proscenium

opening was twenty-four feet wide and ten feet high. At

79

this point, no dressing rooms were included, and the
actors used temporary facilities located at the rear of
the stage.

Decoration of the auditorium and lobby was
accomplished by Fred Wuntch, a leading interior decorator
from New York City. To improve sight lines, a graduated
series of tiers was constructed for the patrons to sit on.
The lobby was described as "large and airy," decorated
"along a stylized summer garden theme."2 Other
improvements were added during the later years of the
first decade. The inside of the theatre was painted for
the first time in 1957. It was reported that, up until
this time, the shuffle-board markings had been visible on
the floor.3 During this time, a large mural, painted by
local artists, occupied one wall of the lobby. It
depicted Paul Bunyan working puppets. In 1958, the wooden
benches that had been used for seating were replaced with
folding chairs obtained from the college.

Many improvements were initiated in 1959. That year,
with the support of Don Ruttger, air conditioning was
installed. This would prove to be very valuable in the
years that followed because of the often severe humidity
the area experiences. The lobby floor was redone with
tile, and the light booth was moved from the back of the

stage to the back of the house.

80

In the 19605, the PBP continued with such
developments to produce a more theatrically sound
environment. An actual box office was built in 1965 in
the lobby. A pay phone was also added to the lobby that
year. Don Ruttger again lent money to the PBP, this time
for paint. Around 1967, the lobby was repainted in
"bright new colors," covering up the mural of Paul Bunyan.
For the first time the backstage area was painted black.
The auditorium, stage, and side proscenium also were
painted. Not much development took place in the 19705.
An important one, however, occurred in 1977 when actual
folding theatre-style seating was installed.

The 19805 saw an increased concern with the building,
now close to 70 years old and in major decay. Randy
Ruttger was in full control of the resort at this time.
He was aware of the state of the building and told Peter
Vaughan, "The roof looks like an old horse. I don’t think
it’s going to fall down and kill anyone. It's going to
fall down in winter. There will be a big blizzard and

"4 For reasons mentioned

there won' t be any playhouse.
earlier, he did not approve of major remodeling.
Estimations never coming to fruition included an entirely
new complex ($500,000) and a rehearsal hall ($55,000).

Pam Nice declared one year that she would not return the

following year unless the plans for the rehearsal hall

81

were carried out. She did return the following year,
although the plans were never activated.

In the final year of occupancy at the resort in 1991,
during the climax of the issue of whether to move or stay,
Michael Kissen instituted two important innovations. He
began the practice of importing one or two complete sets
from one of his various connections in the Twin Cities.
These high-quality sets received much praise, and at the
same time allowed more time and money to be spent on
scenery built on site at the PBP. He also imported the
designer of the sets to be the technical director for that
particular show. This relieved stress on the other
technical director, and his carpentry skills could be used
more in the construction of scenery he designed.

Over the process of forty years, the technical
aspects of production at the PBP steadily improved. As
the PBP developed, talk around the town usually consisted
of the shows and specific performances. One such example
is a performance that has attained legendary status and
"is recalled with gusto by all who saw it."5 In this
performance, Wendy Lehr, who performed four seasons at the
PBP, ate a banana while swinging out over the audience
upside down on a trapeze. Talk of this nature referring
to scenery began in the 19805. As one person put it, "the

"6

sets put up out there are just wild. Over the years,

technical production at the PBP had grown to mirror the

82

high standard of acting and positive reputation that such
quality elicits. In this case, the board’s desire for
professionalism, in combination with technical directors
and designers possessing drive and ever-improving
technology hired by the artistic directors, worked

together to increase quality.

83

Motes--Chapter VI

1Markovich, 1991.
2Program for 1951.
3Grivna, p. 23.

4Peter Vaughan, "Is Curtain About to Fall on Resort
Theatre?" Minneapoiis Tribune, 8 September 1991.

5Robinson, "Northern Notes."

6Keenan, 1992.

CHAPTER VII

THE FUTURE

Summer theatre in the United States remains popular

despite the current state of economic affairs. In the

Summer Theerre Pirecrog for 1992, 386 theatre companies

1 This is only a drop of one from 1991. In

are listed.
1992, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse will begin a new era, as
it moves into its new facility in downtown Bemidji. This
was a brave undertaking by the board of directors, as the
goal of fundraising was set at $300,000. The sweeping
results of the activity that resulted from the decision
support the portion of the hypothesis that describes the
PBP as having an extremely strong community support
structure, and the developments are exciting.

Similar to the reaction in 1951, when the PBP faced
the crisis of bankruptcy, the community and board of
directors of today have been motivated to creative and
successful activity. The board of directors has become
fully operational. All of the members listed in 1991 were
divided and have worked on ten separate committees to

participate in fundraising, promotion, artistic programs,

building and the transition to the Chief Theater, and

84

85

public relations. The response from the community,
according to treasurer Karen Moe, has been "absolutely
astonishing. I can’t believe the amount of individuals
and businesses that have contributed to the Founders
Wall." The Founders Wall is one of the fundraising
techniques that allows an individual or couple to have
their name put on a plaque in the new space if they donate
$500. Businesses can also be included. As of May 14,
1992, the total number of donors in this program has
reached 180. Banks in Bemidji alone have donated a total
of $19,000. The PBP also has received grants from the
Neilson Foundation for $25,000, and $10,000 from the
Region 2 Arts Council to hire a part-time administrator to
coordinate this third beginning in the history of the PBP.
The now-thriving community theatre in Bemidji, which is
composed of many but not all board members, is in full
support of the move, as they have performed benefit plays
and even look forward to using the facilities. This has
the potential to increase the quantity and quality of the
community theatre productions. Also, Bemidji State
University theatre students will have another venue. In
the past, the community theatre has been able to use the
BSU facilities only on quarter breaks. Now they can
produce whenever they like, except in summer, and
especially when most of the BSU students are still in town

and now away on term break.

86

While the Bemidji community theatre has the potential
to expand its horizons, the PBP has an equal opportunity
to prosper as a nonprofit professional summer theatre with
a very strong community support network. Michael Kissin,
artistic director of 1991 and one of the many concerned
about the ability of the new facility to lure quality
actors to Bemidji, was easily able to cast a professional
company consisting of some actors from previous seasons as
well as new ones to perform in the season of six shows.

Remodeling of the facility will easily be completed
by the goal of May 25, 1992, with the first show of the
new era, Tne Poreigner, to open June 16. The new theatre
will seat 320, an increase of 100 from the old space. New
seats from a theatre that failed to open also were
purchased. The PBP now has a unique thrust stage
measuring thirty-eight feet wide by twenty-five feet deep.
It is not a true thrust, however, as no seating is located
on the sides of the stage. This will encourage new
developments in scene design, breaking out of the old
popular and functional practice of using box sets. On
July 7, due to the increase in size, specifically
vertically, the PBP will debut its first-ever full two-
story-house design for Broadway Bound. The future looks
promising and exciting for the PBP, as professional

theatre in Bemidji will continue.

87

Notes--Chapter VII

1Jill Charles, ed., Summer Theatre Directory (North
Adams, Mass.: Lamb Printing, 1992), p. i.

2Moe, 1992.

CHAPTER VI I I

CONCLUSION

A fascinating piece of theatre history has transpired
in Bemidji, Minnesota, over the past forty years. A
summer theatre faced crisis and controversy, and yet
survived and is going strong into the 19905. Without a
doubt, the interplay of two factors has contributed to
this success.

"I am convinced that it is the involvement with--and
the commitment to--the community which made this
professional theatre a special one."1 The community,
through a dedicated board of directors and a myriad of
volunteers, has fostered and cherished the growth of this
summer theatre. Rowena DeWeese, a board member since
1951, gets frustrated sometimes when names are mentioned
in conjunction with the volunteer service performed, as
many names are inevitably left out. "So many people have
worked so hard," she exclaimed. In regard to the success
of the PBP, Mrs. DeWeese holds the same sense of
astonishment as many community members: "It’s incredible
to me."2 Theatre instructor Robert Scriba shares her

enthusiasm for this success: "Every season is a miracle.

88

89

I’m truly amazed with it, and I’m not amazed by too many

"3 In an interview in 1961, Mrs. DeWeese

theatres.
referred to the PBP as a hobby. In 1991, she responded to
this comment with a smile, saying, "It’s much more than
that now." The people of Bemidji have been "caught up in

"4 Chris Keenen commented on

theatre in the northwoods.
this issue of the appeal and quality of theatre,
explaining the nature of theatre and its effects:
"Nothing else would get this group of people together than
something as bizarre as theatre."5

This thought process of the community members,
steeped in tradition and pride, may indeed qualify the PBP
as special. As Stephen Langley pointed out, "There is a
big difference between the dedicated amateur and the
dabbling dilettante." He went on to say that "theatre-
going is a habit and, generally speaking, the more that
theatre is available to the public, the more theatre-going
will take place."7 This theatre had been going on for
more than forty years, and it appeared that a habit had
formed. In 1968, attendance averaged around 75 percent.
In the final years of the 19805, this number rose to
around 90 percent.

The habit that the community had developed was
watching high-quality, professional entertainment. The

artistic directors and actors have at times consciously

Challenged the audience of Bemidji by producing "risky"

90

shows and practicing such techniques as reverse gender
casting.

It is accepted that many summer theatres are engaging
in the practices mentioned above. Usually, unlike the
professional resident theatres that have more artistic
freedom because they are located in large urban areas,
summer theatres must offer fare with wide popular appeal.
Many, like the PBP, still practice this in the majority of
their play selections. Like the PBP, whose existence is
largely supported through box office receipts, it is
simply a matter of survival. What appears to be happening
to the PBP is a slow infusion of more demanding material
into seasons based largely on plays with popular appeal.
In this way, the PBP continues to reflect national trends.
"More and more, in other words, the summer theatre scene
is Ibeginning ‘to :resemble the theatre scene everywhere
else."8 But if summer theatres are behaving more and more
like other theatres these days, they continue to have
qualities distinctly their own. The PBP’s distinct
quality has been this coalescence of community and
professional theatre.

Possibilities also exist for further areas of study.
It would be interesting to examine more closely the
backgrounds of the various artists who worked at the PBP

in order to make interpretations not covered in this

91

investigation, especially regarding the type of training
engaged in before the PBP, for example. It might also be
interesting to conduct a survey determining where the
artists have worked after the PBP and how they felt about
their experience in Bemidji. Since the PBP in essence is
starting over again, the opportunity exists to remedy the
problem of insufficient records of activity in the new
facility if careful attention is paid from the very first
season. As the PBP forges on into the 19905, this
relationship is likely to continue. The PBP stands as a
solid model of the combination of professional and
community-involved theatre. The success of this
relationship has the potential to inspire and educate all
those involved in theatrical organizations. Michael
Kissin, 1991 and 1992 artistic director, summed up the
condition of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse and exemplified the
tone that the community and professional sects of theatre
in Bemidji and the Twin Cities have adopted as the
challenges and growth await:
Nothing has stopped the Playhouse: recessions, wars,
droughts, floods, tick and mosquito plagues have had
no effect. Generations of audiences and actors have
passed through, supported as always by an active
involved Board of Directors and the large community

of Bemidji, and on the PBP chugs full-steam into the
90’s.

92

Notes-~Chapter VIII

1Robinson, "The Paul Bunyan Playhouse: Just Another
Theatre in the Woods?"

2DeWeese, 1992.
3Scriba, 1992.
4DeWeese, 1992.
5Keenan, 1992.
6Langley, p. 248.
7Ibid., p. 251.

8Close, "Summer Stock."

9Peui Bunyan Playhouse Program for 1991.

APPENDIX

93

PLAYS PRODUCED AND SEASON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

i95i

Clutterbuck

Light Up the Sky
Blithe Spirit

The Heiress

She Loves Me Not
An Inspector Calls
The Corn Is Green
Candida

1953

See How They Run
Claudia

Harvey

Outward Bound

Born Yesterday

Two Blind Mice

Years Ago

Clarence

Angel Street

Ladies in Retirement

1953

Happiest Days of Your Life
Morning's at Seven

Laura

The Old Maid

The Male Animal

Pygmalion

Second Threshold

Bell, Book, and Candle

The Man

There’s Always Juliet

i954

Papa Is All

Late Love

The Happy Time
Charley’s Aunt

The Two Mrs. Carrolls
The Four Poster

Come Back Little Sheba
Hay Fever

The Hasty Heart

Buy Me Blue Ribbons

Bill Butler

Charles Avery

Charles Avery

Philip Smith

94

i955

Hobson's Choice

Time Out for Ginger

My Three Angles

Papa Is All

Dial M for Murder

Stalag 17

The House of Bernarda Alba
Sabrina Fair

King of Hearts

Lo and Behold

1956

Great Big Door Step
The Curious Savage
Night Must Fall

Love Rides the Rails
The Tender Trap

The Caine Mutiny
Festival

Rainmaker

i957

Arsenic and Old Lace
Solid Gold Cadillac
Janis

Ten Little Indians
Mr . Roberts

A Roomful of Roses
Born Yesterday

Bus Stop

The Happy Time

Minnesota Morning

Kind Sir

The Matchmaker

Teahouse of the August Moon
Harvey

Loud Red Patrick

Witness for the Prosecution
Bernadine

Visit to a Small Planet

Philip Smith

Philip Smith

Lee Adey

Lee Adey

95

1959

The Reluctant Debutante
Toward Zero

See How They Run

Our Town

The Great Sebastian

The Moon Is Blue

Three Men on a Horse
The Mousetrap

January Thaw

i969

White Sheep of the Family
An Inspector Calls

The Torchbearers

Diary of Anne Frank

Mad Woman of Challot

The Four Poster

Under the Gaslight

Arms and the Man

The Gazebo

i961

The Pleasure of His Company
The Flowering Peach

Of Mice and Men

The Boyfriend

Private Lives

The Rain Maker

Three for Dreams

The Drunkard

Personal Appearance

i962

No Time for Sergeants

Fool's Paradise

Glass Menagerie

Taming of the Shrew

Guys and Dolls

Send Me No Flowers

Streets of New York

The Spider

The Importance of Being Earnest

Lee Adey

Lee Adey

Lee Adey

Lee Adey

96

Good Night Ladies

The Miracle Worker

Everybody Loves Opal

The Music Man

Come Blow Your Horn

Blood, Sweat, and Stanley Poole
Angel Street

Room Service

1964

The Loud Red Patrick
Misalliance

Gigi

Death of a Salesman
A Thousand Clowns
Our Town

Let’s Get a Divorce
Sherlock Holmes

My Three Angels
Pygmalion

Haunting of Hill House
Fantastics

Summer and Smoke

Under the Gaslight
Take Her, She's Mine

Thieves' Carnival

I Am a Camera

Poor Richard

Hay Fever

Billy the Kid

Diary of Anne Frank
Oklahoma

Charley's Aunt

Lee Adey

Jay Hornbacker

Jay Hornbacker

Don Ruble

97

1967
Period of Adjustment
Barefoot in the Park
Come Blow Your Horn
Private Ear and Public Eye
Babes in Arms
Waltz of the Toreadors
Private Lives
i968
Two for the Seesaw
Blithe Spirit
Star Spangled Girl
Generation
Spoon River Anthology
Peg 0' My Heart
The Boy Friend
The Miracle Worker
i969
Rape of the Belt
The Absence of a Cello
The Subject Was Roses
The Odd Couple
Monique
Glass Menagerie
Damn Yankees
Luv
i970

Philadelphia, Here I Come

You Know I Can't Hear You When the
Water's Running

The Impossible Years

Passion, Poison and Petrification

Antigone

A Thousand Clowns

Guys and Dolls

Black Comedy

Don Ruble

Don Ruble

Carl Pistelli

Terry Markovich

98

T97;

Lilies of the Field

Plaza Suite

Arsenic and Old Lace

Cactus Flower

Three Men on a Horse

The Prime of Miss Jean Brody
The Music Man

The Price

Butterflies Are Free
Never Too Late

Wait Until Dark

The Lion in Winter

Mary, Mary

Last of the Red Hot Lovers
Fiddler on the Roof

The Rose Tattoo

Othello

Man From La Mancha

The Matchmaker

Private Lives

Four Poster

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well
and Living in Paris

All the Way Home

Dracula

i974

Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama’s Hung You in
the Closet and I Feel So Bad

The Subject Was Roses

Luv

The Tavern

Night Watch

Star-Spangled Girl

Threepenny Opera

Romeo and Juliet

Terry Markovich

Terry Markovich

Terry Markovich

Rustin Greene

99

i275
Barefoot in the Park
Angel Street
The Only Game in Town
The Owl and the Pussycat
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Hay Fever
Ten Little Indians
My Fair Lady
1276

Solid Gold Cadillac
Stop the World
Harvey

The Mousetrap

Spoon River Anthology
The Odd Couple

Love Rides the Rails . . . or Will

the Mail Train Run Tonight?
Kiss Me, Kate

i277

Never Too Late

The Boyfriend

Diary of Anne Frank
Mary, Mary

Shot in the Dark
Oh, Coward

Bus Stop

Sunshine Boys

The Calder Company

Life With Father
Charley’s Aunt

In Old Kentucky
Dial M for Murder
Plaza Suite

A Doll’s House
The Good Doctor
Oklahoma

Rustin Green

Gerald Koch

Gerald Koch

Gerald Koch

100

1279
Pippin
A Thousand Clowns
Vanities
Sleuth
That Championship Season
Visit to a Small Planet
JOB.
How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying
i980

I Remember Mama
Wait Until Dark

The Death and Life of Sneaky Fitch

The Amorous Flea

Death of a Salesman

The Importance of Being Earnest
Same Time Next Year

Something's Afoot

lfifil

No Sex Please, We're British
Chapter Two

Pygmalion

On Golden Pond

Side by Side by Sondheim

Two for the Seesaw

Lion in Winter

She Loves Me

i982

Once in a Lifetime

The Glass Menagerie

I Ought to Be in Pictures

The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Four Poster

110 in the Shade

i983

The Matchmaker

Luv

I Never Sang for My Father
Death Trap

Blithe Spirit

Talley’s Folly

Carnival

Greg Lee

Zak Herring

Michael Brindisi

Michael Brindisi

Michael Brindisi

101

1985

Harvey

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well
and Living in Paris

Reynard the Fox

How the Other Half Loves

The Little Foxes

The Dining Room

Sea Marks

Pirates of Penzance

1985
You Can’t Take It With You
Crimes of the Heart
The Red Shoes
13 Rue de L’Amour
The Diviners
The Innocents
Educating Rita
Guys and Dolls
1286

Arsenic and Old Lace
Revenge of the Space Pandas
Isn’t It Romantic

The Foreigner

And a Nightingale Sang

21A

Grease

The Man Who Came to Dinner
Wiley and the Hairy Man
Stage Struck

Brighton Beach Memoirs

The Miss Firecracker Contest
Exile From Main Street

Man of La Mancha

i988

Enter Laughing
Pinocchio

Angel Street
The Nerd

The Middle Ages
Eleemosynary
Camelot

Laurie Grossman

Laurie Grossman

Laurie Grossman

Pam Nice

Pam Nice

102

Ah! Wilderness

Mother Hicks

A Shayna Maidel

Daddy's Dyin' (Who's Got the Will)
The School for Wives

Talking Pictures

Kiss Me, kate

i990

The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940
The Boys Next Door

Greater Tuna

Arms and the Man

Steel Magnolias

West Side Story

i99i

0n Golden Pond

How to Improve Your Golf Game
Wait Until Dark

The Mystery of Irma Vep
Driving Miss Daisy

She Loves Me

Pam Nice

Pam Nice

Michael Kissin

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Boeke

Arnott, Peter. The Theatre in Its Time. Boston: Little,
Brown, 1981.

Berkowitz, Gerald M. w oa w 5: ea e 055
Aneriee. New Jersey: Roman and Littlefield, 1987.

Brockett, Oscar. 'sto t . Boston: Allyn
and Bacon, 1987.
Charles, Jill. ed. W- North

Adams, Mass.: Lamb Printing, 1992.

Gard, Robert E.: Balch, Marston; and Temkin, Pauline.

Tneatre in America: Appreiseie and Cnalienges.
Madison, Wis.: Dembar Educational Research Service,
1968.

Katz, Judith. Tne Business or snow Pusiness. New York:
Harper and Row, 1981.

Langley, Stephen. e t 0 na e e t '
Aneriee. New York: Drama Book Publishers, 1990.

Macgowan, Kenneth. Eootiights Aeross America. New York:

Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1929.

Mantle, Burns, ed. The Best Plays of 1912-1920, and
yearly through 1946-1947. New York: Dodd, Mead,

1920-1948.

Poggi, Jack. Tneatre in America: The impact er Economie
Forces. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press,
1968.

Wilson, Garff B. h ee undred e rs e t n a

in America: From Ye Bare and Ye gupp to Onorns Line.
Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1982.

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104

ews a e lo ' s

Renidji Qeily Pioneer. July 23, 1951.
. 30 June 30 1953.

 

. 7 July 7 1953.

 

. 7 August 1959.

 

. 7 August 1971.

 

. June 1986.

greng PerRs Reralg. 2 August 1991.
Reiiyyoog Midyesr. 1 July 1988.

Minn2522115_§tar. 17 August 1952-
. 26 July 1961.

 

 

. 6 June 1965.

 

. 27 July 1982.

 

. 14 August 1983.

 

. 8 September 1991.

 

e s ' e. 6 November 1991.

The New York Times. 16 June 1985.
Seint Pepi Pioneer Press. 4 August 1991.

Tyin Ciries Render. 7 June 1989.
Veriety. 7 June 1965.

interviews

DeWeese, Rowena. Personal interview, 22 August 1991.
Keenan, Chris. Personal interview, 24 March 1992.
Markovich, Terry. Personal interview, 17 August 1991.

Moe, Karen. Personal interview, 28 December 1991.

105

Saur, Philip vonRohr. Personal interview, 11 September
1991.

Scriba, Robert. Personal interview, 24 March 1992.

Other Sonrees

Articles of Incorporation of Paul Bunyan Community Theatre
Association, Inc., 1952.

Basic Concepts and Functions of the Board of Directors,
Executive Director, Artistic Director, and Staff,
1952.

[Board meeting minutes were sufficiently incomplete as not
to be an available or a reliable source.]

Dittmar, Anna. "The Small Theatre Movement in Los
Angeles." Paper presented at the Popular Culture
Association National Convention, Louisville,
Kentucky, 21 March 1992.

Grivna, William Joseph. "The History and Development of
the Paul Bunyan Playhouse." Unpublished master’s
thesis, University of Minnesota, 1968.

Lambrect, Curt. Letter to the Paul Bunyan Playhouse Board
of Directors, 15 June 1983.

McKereghan, William F. Letter to Agnes Bassett, 4 May
1956.

Paul Bunyan Playhouse Program for 1951.

 

 

. 1977.
. 1980.
. 1991.

 

Robinson, Kay. "Northern Notes." Pamphlet prepared for
the Paul Bunyan Playhouse, 18 June 1986.

. "The Paul Bunyan Playhouse: Just Another
Theatre in the Woods?" Paper presented at the
Popular Culture Association National Convention,
Montreal, Canada, 1987.

 

106

Ruttger, Randy. Letter to the Paul Bunyan Playhouse Board
of Directors, 19 September 1991.

Saur, Philip vonRohr. Letter. The Pioneer, 8 March 1992.