ArtZany! - Radio for the Imagination

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes guests from the Paradise Community Theatre at the Paradise Center for the Arts for the production of the Neil Simon play Jake’s Women. The story centers on Jake, a novelist who is more successful with fiction than with life.paradisecenterforthearts.orghttps://www.paradisecenterforthearts.com(use while their main website is being repaired)Jakes’s WomenPresented by Paradise Community TheatreBy Neil SimonDirected by Palmer HuffAmerica's premier comic playwright makes another hilarious foray into the world of modern relationships. Jake, a novelist who is more successful with fiction than with life, faces a marital crisis by daydreaming about the women in his life. The wildly comic and sometimes moving flashbacks played in his mind are interrupted by visitations from actual women.Performances:Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Avenue North, Faribault, MNApril 17, 18, 24, and 25 at 7:30 PMApril 19 and 26 at 2:00 PMTickets: Member: $19.50, Non-Member: $21.50, Student: $15.50 (Includes a $1.50 Processing Fee)Thank you to our Season Sponsor ~ The Bahl Foundation!“Jake's Women” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes wood sculpture artist Curtis Ingvoldstad to discuss the new documentary A Short Documentary About a Giant Pencil - a homeowner and a chainsaw sculptor shape meaning out of the twisted trunk of a fallen tree. The film features his Lake of the Isles Pencil sculpture.https://woodsculpture.net/home-1 Minneapolis Film FestivalSaturday, 18 April 2026 @ 11:10AMmspfilm.org

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes Director Julianna Skluzacek and Andy Anderson from the Northfield Arts Guild production of The Book Club Play. Loads of laughter and literature collide in this smart hit comedy about books and the people who love them. https://northfieldartsguild.org/northfield-arts-guild-66th-theater-season/COMEDY: THE BOOK CLUB PLAYWritten by Karen ZacaríasDirected by Julianna SkluzacekMARCH 20TH – 29TH, 2026FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS AT 7:30 PM, SUNDAYS AT 2:00 PMLoads of laughter and literature collide in this smart hit comedy about books and the people who love them. Ana is a Type A personality who lives in a letter-perfect world with an adoring husband, the perfect job and her greatest passion: Book Club. But when her cherished group becomes the focus of a documentary film, their intimate discussions about life and literature take a turn for the hilarious in front of the inescapable camera lens. Add a provocative new member along with some surprising new book titles, and these six friends are bound for pandemonium.PRODUCED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY (DRAMATICPUBLISHING.COM).

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes guests from the Northfield Arts Guild production of The Book Club Play. Loads of laughter and literature collide in this smart hit comedy about books and the people who love them. https://northfieldartsguild.org/northfield-arts-guild-66th-theater-season/COMEDY: THE BOOK CLUB PLAYWritten by Karen ZacaríasDirected by Julianna SkluzacekMARCH 20TH – 29TH, 2026FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS AT 7:30 PM, SUNDAYS AT 2:00 PMLoads of laughter and literature collide in this smart hit comedy about books and the people who love them. Ana is a Type A personality who lives in a letter-perfect world with an adoring husband, the perfect job and her greatest passion: Book Club. But when her cherished group becomes the focus of a documentary film, their intimate discussions about life and literature take a turn for the hilarious in front of the inescapable camera lens. Add a provocative new member along with some surprising new book titles, and these six friends are bound for pandemonium.PRODUCED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY (DRAMATICPUBLISHING.COM).

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes guests from Bows, Strings, & Contentment Orchestra to preview their Spring concert Music of Europe at the Grand Event Center.Bows, Strings & ContentmentString Orchestra, Conductor Laura GeisslerSpring Concert: Music of EuropeFeaturing favorites from Bach to The Beatlesand musical modes from Dorian to IonianSpecial Guests: Randall Ferguson, Laura O’Donnell, and Peter DodgeSunday, 8 March 2026 @ 6PMThe Grand Event Center, 316 Washington Street, NorthfieldDoors open at 5PM, Dining hours 5PM - 7PMFree Concert, Family Friendly, Contributions appreciated

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes conductor Paul Niemisto from the Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra to highlight their upcoming concert Promenade: Memories of BBC Proms.https://northfieldartsguild.org/arts/music/cvro-2/The Northfield Arts Guild PresentsCannon Valley Regional OrchestraPromenade: Memories of BBC Promswith conductor Paul Niemisto and featuring cellist David Carter.Saturday, 28 February at 3PMSt. John’s Lutheran Church, Northfield, MNSunday, 1 March at 3PMHilltop Hall, Montgomery, MNTickets $15 at the door. All kids and students attend for free!The Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra (CVRO) was founded in 1979 by conductor Paul Niemisto as a program of the Northfield Arts Guild. CVRO is a diverse group of volunteer musicians performing symphonic music, drawn together by our love of rehearsing and performing this fine repertoire. Anyone with talent, experience, and motivation is welcome to join us, from exceptional twelve-year-olds to octogenarians.

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes Pauline Jennings, the Performing Arts Manager at the Northfield Arts Guild and singer Erin Schwab to visit about the upcoming 411 Concert Series. 2025 – 2026 is the fourteenth 411 Concert Series season. (411 is the address of the theater!) This series features regional and nationally-recognized artists in the intimate venue of the Northfield Arts Guild Theater and offers a truly unique listening and viewing experience. Toward the Guild’s goal of lifting up the young and aspiring, every show includes a talented local young musician(s).https://northfieldartsguild.org/arts/music/411-series/411 Concert Series – The Singer’s Voice: Erin Schwab with Dan ChouinardSunday, 22 February 2026Erin Schwab with Dan Chouinard @ 7pmNorthfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West, Northfieldhttps://northfieldartsguild.org/arts/music/411-series/Erin Schwab knows how to work a song--and an audience. She’s built that up over a career in musical theater with the likes of Tina ‘n’ Tony’s Wedding and the national tour of School House Rock Live! That experience allows her to tackle just about anything under the sun, from covers of tunes by the Police to a selection from Avenue Q to originals based on her years as a working performer.Her warm approach and ability to work a crowd can be heard at local gigs at places like Crooners Lounge & Supper Club, Honey Mpls, or on her album, Martini’s & Cleavage. Most recently, Erin was seen as King Herod in The Ordway's Jesus Christ Superstar. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with her husband, Director and Theatrical Producer Michael Todaro, and daughter.For nearly four decades Dan Chouinard has been pianist and accordionist of choice for a who’s who of Twin Cities performers, an enabler of community sing-alongs, and writer and host of hit shows for radio, concert hall and theatrical stage.2.22.26 OPENER: Quinn Flannery - Quinn is multi-instrumentalist, singer and a junior at Northfield High School. Currently, she sings in the HS choir and Northfield Youth Choir with which she has been singing since she was 5 years old. Quinn’s main instrument is the guitar and has been taking stringed instrument lessons from Helen Forsythe since she was 8. THE SINGER’S VOICEDAN CHOUINARD IS BACK WITH 4 MORE SUPERSTAR GUESTSFOR OUR 2026 411 CONCERT SERIES!From 1994 to 2000, Sunday evenings at the legendary Dakota Jazz Club belonged to a live KBEM radio show called The Singer’s Voice. Created by and hosted by Dan Chouinard at the piano, it was a song-laced conversation with a different singer each week about their life and music. The show was acclaimed by critics and embraced by the music community for its freshness and spontaneity, intimate format, and its power of story and song…ONCE AGAIN, THE WORLD-CLASS FEATURED VOCALISTS WILL SHARE, VIA SONG AND STORIES, PARTS OF THEIR RICH MUSICAL HISTORY.MANY THANKS TO OUR 411 SPONSORS CHARLIE KYTE AND JIM BASSETT!

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes guests from the Paradise Community Theatre to highlight the upcoming production of Kill Me, Deadly with Zeke Brooks and Kandi Lingle. A play with romance, intrigue, and murder, this detective noir is a smart parody that will keep you guessing until the end!https://www.paradisecenterforthearts.org/theaterKill Me, DeadlyPresented by Paradise Community TheatreBy Bill RobensDirected by Patrick BraucherCharlie Nickels has a hard life as a gumshoe in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, and things are only made harder by the murder of a client and the theft of her 300-carat diamond. With the help of his wisecracking secretary, Ida, Charlie seeks out the many suspects. Packed with romance, intrigue, and murder, this detective noir is a smart parody that will keep you guessing until the end!Performances:February 20*, 21, 27, and 28 at 7:30 PMFebruary 22 & March 1 at 2:00 PM*ASL Interpreted PerformanceTickets: Member: $19.50, Non-Member: $21.50, Student: $15.50 (Includes a $1.50 Processing Fee)

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes guests from the Paradise Center for the Arts: Julie Fakler, Executive Director and Will McIntyre, Performing Arts & Education Director. We’ll preview upcoming events and discuss the Arts & Nature membership option.https://www.paradisecenterforthearts.org

Today in the ArtZany Radio studio Paula Granquist welcomes director Susan Dunhaupt and actors from the Northfield Arts Guild production of Little Wars. In this drama Agatha Christie, Gertrude Stein, Dorothy Parker, Alice B. Toklas, Lillian Hellman and more are together for the dinner party of your dreams.https://northfieldartsguild.org/northfield-arts-guild-66th-theater-season/LITTLE WARS*Written by Steven Carl McCaslandDirected by Susan Dunhaupt*THIS PLAY CONTAINS MATURE MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES.JANUARY 30TH – FEBRUARY 8TH, 2026;FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS AT 7:30 PM, SUNDAYS** AT 2:00 PMNorthfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West, Northfield, MNFrance, 1940. Tensions are high. The booze is flowing. War is coming. The coolest women on earth are having the what-if dinner party you always imagined. Together they’ll drink, scoff and face their demons. Someone has a secret. All of them have confessions. Join Agatha Christie, Gertrude Stein, Dorothy Parker, Alice B. Toklas, Lillian Hellman and more for the dinner party of your dreams. Called “brilliant”, “mesmerizing” and “astonishing” by New York critics.**THERE WILL BE A POST-SHOW ‘TALK BACK’ AFTER THE FIRST SUNDAY MATINEE ON FEBRUARY 1STTHIS AMATEUR PRODUCTION IS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH NICK HERN BOOKS.