DULUTH — We've now entered the dog days of winter. Normally that would mean the running of Beargrease, but that was pushed back while we wait for more snow. Here are six things to do this week as you watch the skies.
The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong
You might think there's less that can go wrong in "The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong," as opposed to its lengthier progenitor "The Play That Goes Wrong," but just wait and see how much havoc Duluth Playhouse can wreak in the same amount of time it takes to watch a "Game of Thrones" episode.
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The play (that goes right, hopefully) about a play (that goes wrong, most assuredly) runs on the same energy as "Noises Off" and has been making audiences laugh since the full-length version opened in London in 2012. The one-act Playhouse production, which opens Friday, Jan. 31, at the NorShor, boasts a sterling cast including Alyson Enderle, Agatha Rae Pokrzywinski and WDIO personality Kenny Johnson (duluthplayhouse.org).
Romy and Michele's Duluth Reunion
"Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" (1997) is pretty much the definition of a sleeper hit. Pairing Oscar winner Mira Sorvino with "Friends" star Lisa Kudrow, the spin-off from Robin Schiff's play "Ladies Room" turned a modest profit at the box office, but gained new life on home video — and as of last year, a sequel was moving "full force ahead" according to Sorvino.
On Wednesday, Jan. 29, Zeitgeist is hosting a screening with $5 tickets. Bottles of wine are also discounted 25%. This is a "High School Reunion," after all — not senior prom (zeitgeistarts.com).
Type-In
You occasionally see a manual typewriter in the wild, but rarely an entire flock of them. On Friday, Jan. 31, at Studio Cafe, the organization Lake Superior Writers is hosting a "Type In": a safe space for writers to set up their typewriters and tap away, "working on a poem or describing a scene for your story or essay." If you're typewriter-curious but don't have a machine of your own, you can try your hands on one among a selection that will be provided (lakesuperiorwriters.org).
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Cider North
Duluth may be "the Craft Beer Capital of Minnesota," but the Northland is also cider country. On Saturday, Feb. 1, the DECC is hosting its third annual Cider North festival, spotlighting hard ciders including local (Duluth Cider, Wild State Cider) and statewide (Loon Juice, Minneapolis Cider) products. One of the participants is Canosia Grove, a Duluth farm cidery you might not have tried yet since they don't have a taproom.
The event's vibe is warmth in the wintertime, but more hula than hygge. Lawn furniture and yard games will be spread out at the City Side Convention Center (decc.org).
Laskiainen
Northland winter conditions may be less predictable than they once were, but you can be sure that come this weekend, sledding conditions in Palo will be prime. "We start working on that sledding hill the second week of January," Laskiainen organizer Sharon Niemi told the News Tribune earlier this month. "We're fortunate enough to have people who are very dedicated to making that hill great."
The annual Finnish winter festival, with a sled run down to the frozen Loon Lake as its centerpiece, kicks off Thursday, Jan. 30, with the coronation of a Laskiainen Queen and runs through Sunday, Feb. 2 (facebook.com/finnishtraditions).
'Cash for Gold' streaming
Filmed in Chisholm in 2022, "Cash for Gold" is a tender drama about an unlikely friendship between a single mom and an Iranian-American jewelry store owner. It's set during the holiday season, and the snow you see onscreen is very authentic. "I couldn't believe how cold it was," producer Ahmos Hassan told the News Tribune last year. "I'm from Michigan, but I had never seen anything like it."
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The movie was recognized as Best Narrative Feature at the 2024 Duluth Superior Film Festival. As of Tuesday, Feb. 4, you'll be able to watch it at home when the movie begins streaming via Apple TV and Amazon (cashforgoldthefilm.com).
The Trust Project
