Pioneer Previews: Listen to music in the park today

Spend a relaxing afternoon at Bemidji State Park listening to an a capella quartet, the Pinecones, at 2 p.m. today in the amphitheater. The singers: Whitney Berry, Jim Gurney, Shar Paquette and Charlie Parson, bring delightfully fun interpretations to standards - from Johnny Cash to Peggy Lee. They will bring a mix of quartet music from madrigals, to doo wop and barbershop to the audience. A park permit is required to enter Lake Bemidji State Park, which are $5 per day or $25 for a full year. In case of rain, the family friendly concert will be moved inside.

Spend an afternoon laughing at the frivolity of "Spamalot" at the 2 p.m. matinee today at the Historic Chief Theater in downtown Bemidji. The final production by the Paul Bunyan Playhouse professional summer session features local talent, and the outgoing artistic director, Zach Curtis. This fully staged and musically supported show is fine for family entertainment.

"West Side Story" as performed by the Northern Lights Opera Company at the Armory Square in downtown Park Rapids will be on stage at 3 p.m. today. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students. For more information call (218) 237-0400 or email info@northernlighopera.org .

Wednesday

The Bemidji Area Church Musician's 28th annual summer recital series continues at noon at the Evangelical Free Church, 118 Carr Lake Road SW. The concert will feature the 2014 scholarship recipients: Hannah Allen, soprano, and Kayla Hewitt, euphonium.

Allen's accompanist will be Allison Laughlin. Allen has completed one year at Concordia College in Moorhead. She sings in the Concordia Choir and has performed with the Fargo-Moorhead Opera.

Hewitt is enrolled at Bethel University, in St. Paul, where she plays euphonium in the Bethel Band and trumpet in the Jazz Ensemble and Brass Quintet. Her program will include Romance by V. Ewald and Sonata in F by G. Telemann. KaySue Eriksson will accompany her on the piano. A luncheon will follow the concert and a free-will offering will be received at the door which is used for scholarships for college music students from the Bemidji area.

● "How to Talk Minnesotan" is a 3 p.m. matinee at Long Lake Theater in Hubbard. For tickets, call (218) 732-0099. Cost is $18 adults, $9 children 12 and under.

● Paul Bunyan Playhouse Professional Summer Session, "Spamalot," evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Chief Theater in downtown Bemidji today through Saturday. Tickets are $25 for adults and $17 for students. Reservations are strongly recommended. This is the final week of the show and rated PG and suitable family entertainment. Box office number is (218) 751-7270 or buy online at paulbunyanplayhouse.com.

Thursday

● Paul Bunyan Playhouse final musical of the season, "Spamalot," at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Chief Theater.

● "How to Talk Minnesotan" at 7:30 p.m. in Long Lake Theater, Hubbard.

● "West Side Story" as performed by the Northern Lights Opera Company at the Armory Square in downtown Park Rapids will be on stage at 7 p.m.

Friday

● "West Side Story" as performed by the Northern Lights Opera Company at the Armory Square in downtown Park Rapids will be on stage at 7 p.m.

● Paul Bunyan Playhouse final musical of the season, "Spamalot," at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Chief Theater.

● "How to Talk Minnesotan" at 7:30 p.m. in Long Lake Theater, Hubbard.

First Friday Events will start at Gallery North with Showcase Artists Art and Austin Klinske and their specialized wood turnings. Beth Solheim, author and watercolor artist will be Gallery North's Featured Artist for August. She creates animal paintings with an abstract flair; her simplistic style helps portray the emotions and mischievous thoughts behind the mugs. Solheim's two humorous mysteries, "Witt's End" and "Outwitted" are for sale at Gallery North. Meet the artists during the 2-5 p.m. reception at 502 3rd St. Free and open to the public.

While downtown, stop by the Wild Hare Bistro and Coffeehouse for a look at "Casa Hogar" (children's home) deep in the Mexican tropics with photographer Brittany Fairbanks for the month of August. Visit with the artist during the 3-5 p.m. reception at 523 Minnesota Ave.

Walk over to The Least of These Social Change Boutique and Art Studio to their installation Patricia Kness, and her watercolor and still life originals. Meet the artist during the 5-7 p.m. reception at 310 4th St. in downtown Bemidji.

This is a new venue for First Friday events. Don't miss out on Sue Doeden's signing of her newest book, "Homemade with Honey," the sixth book in the Minnesota Historical Society Press's Northern Plate Series. Doeden will provide samples of some of the recipes featured in the cookbook. Meet the chef during the 3-7 p.m. at KD Floral and Gardens, 325 Minnesota Ave.

Bemidji Sculpture Walk is presenting a series of "Meet the Sculptor Talks," as part of the First Friday Art Walk. This week's sculptor is Simon Zones, a Native American artist who uses regional rock and wood to create powerful images expressive of his Anishinaabeg heritage. Much of his work has been donated to friends and family, the Bemidji Sculpture Walk, the Minneapolis American Indian Center and in private sculpture gardens. Zornes will talk about his art processes and show some of his artwork during the 6-8 p.m. reception in the Lake Bemidji Room, Northwest MN Foundation, 201 3rd St. NW downtown Bemidji.

Watermark Art Center will host the Artists of Studio 10 and their installation of "Transitions;" stages of life, seasons, colors, movement and societal changes will be explored through a variety of mediums. Meet the artists during to 5-7 p.m. reception at 426 Bemidji Ave. N. The exhibit will run through September. The Watermark Art Center is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

Northwoods Folk Collective will feature a Spoken Word in honor of the late Susan Carol Hauser. It will be an open stage event that will begin at 8 p.m. at Rail River Folk School, 303 Railroad St. SW.

Saturday

● "West Side Story" as performed by the Northern Lights Opera Company at the Armory

● Square in downtown Park Rapids will be on stage at 3 p.m. today.

● Paul Bunyan Playhouse final musical of the season, "Spamalot," at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Chief Theater.

● "How to Talk Minnesotan" at 7:30 p.m. in Long Lake Theater, Hubbard.

Installations

To see a complete listing of art installations for August, visit watermarkartcenter.org and pull down First Friday Events. Watermark Art Center's "gallery 505," a temporary retail gallery located in the future home of the center, across the street from the current location on Fifth Street in the Carnegie Library Building. The new gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays or by appointment.

Upcoming

Kathy Gustafson, painter and sculptor, will be exhibiting her new metal art from 4-6 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Headwaters School of Music and the Arts. Gustafson received a Region 2 Arts Council McKnight Career Development Fellowship Award and this event is to celebrate and share what she has learned. Free and open to the public.In keeping with its mission statement to provide the opportunity for people to pursue their interests in theater, Bemidji Community Theater found the Studio Works system to support upcoming artists in all fields. To that end, former Bemidji author and actor, Jeremiah Liend wrote and will appear in his play "21st Century Play." The play features Dr. Leroy Jenkins who teaches theater history in the dusk of the 21st century, an unexpected separation pits man versus machine in a battle for the future. The show is rated for mature audiences only based on language and content. The production will be on stage at 8 p.m. on Aug. 14, 15, 21 and 22 in the BSU's Black Box Theater. Tickets are $15 and available now at Shannon's Art and Soul, Ken K. Thompson Jewelry and Iverson Corner Drug.

Auditions for BCT's fall musical "Hello Dolly" will be held from 5-7 p.m. on the main stage of Bangsberg Complex on the campus of BSU. Directed by Mary Knox Johnson with musical direction by Karen Bradley, auditioners should be prepared to sing 16 measures of music and recite a prepared monologue of one minute. Actors of all ages are needed including a few children age eight or older. Performance dates are Nov. 13-15, 20-22.