DULUTH — Whether you want to be hardy and get outdoors, dream of getting out in warmer weather or just stay cozy indoors, there’s something for you to do this week in the Twin Ports.
Contributed / Jonah Hale
Has there been anything more devastating for mystery writers than the development of the smartphone? Thrillers were just so much more fun back before you could make a TV show, identify bird species and text Timbuktu using a device carried in your pocket.
Originally a 1952 Frederick Knott play that became a 1954 Alfred Hitchcock movie, “Dial M for Murder” has become a stage favorite — most recently in an adaptation by Minnesota’s own Jeffrey Hatcher, the playwright behind the book of the “Glensheen” musical. Duluth Playhouse is opening a new production of Hatcher’s play at the NorShor Theatre on Friday, Jan. 30.
“I can’t wait to dig in with this talented cast,” said director Robert Lee in a statement, “and tighten the ropes”
Lake Superior Ice Festival
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group file photo
Blizzy, the polar bear mascot of the Lake Superior Ice Festival, has eyebrows permanently tilted into an apologetic cast, as though he’s slightly concerned you’re not having a good time. “Is there enough ice? Did you ride on the ice carousel? Have your kids tried the snowshoe obstacle course? Did you know there’s a warming tent?”
The bear won’t be to blame if you can’t find plenty of ways to embrace the winter weather on Friday, Jan. 30, and Saturday, Jan. 31. A fixture on Barker’s Island since 2017, the festival celebrates art, activity and community in the heart of the Northland’s signature season. One new addition this year: a Christmas tree bonfire to kick everything off
(lakesuperioricefestival.com).
DSSO plays Sibelius and Shostakovich
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group file photo
National pride has always been a complicated subject, and that has been poignantly expressed in music by the great composers. On Saturday, Jan. 31, at Symphony Hall, the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra has two examples.
Jean Siblelius’ “Karelia Suite” is a beloved and influential musical statement of nationalism, speaking particularly to the struggle for Finnish cultural identity in a region that has long been contested and is now split between Finland and Russia. Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 9,” initially conceived as a celebration of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, was criticized by Soviet critics for being too light and fluffy.
Can’t a composer have a little fun? Decide for yourself at a concert that also includes works by Antonín Dvořák and Franz Liszt
An infamous artifact of 2003, “The Room” has become one of the defining examples of a movie “so bad that it’s good.” Tours, books and even a 2017 film about the making of the movie have only added to the fascination of “The Room,” in which writer-director-producer-star Tommy Wiseau seems to be playing his outrageous character entirely straight.
Among cult movies, it has become the closest thing to a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” heir, but “The Room” remains so cringe, the communal experience seems less about celebration than about mutual affirmation: “Are we really seeing this? Was this movie actually made?”
You can share in that experience when “The Room” plays on Saturday, Jan. 31, in a Zeitgeist series with a perfect theme for Duluth: Midnight Movies at 7
International Fly Fishing Film Festival
Contributed / IF4
No, it doesn’t include “A River Runs Through It.” You’ve already seen that, right?
The annual International Fly Fishing Film Festival is “the ultimate celebration of fly-fishing culture, featuring a curated selection of world-class films and cinematic storytelling from independent filmmakers around the globe,” according to the festival website. Arrowhead Fly Fishing Club and Gitche Gumee Trout Unlimited are hosting the festival’s Duluth stop, planned for Sunday, Feb. 1, at Clyde Iron Works. Door prizes, raffles and exhibit tables will be part of the event
Contributed / Shervin Lainez
Duluth audiences have never cared too much about artists needing to stay between the lines. After all, this is the scene that produced Low,
and
On Sunday, Feb. 1, local concertgoers have the opportunity to encounter ArcoStrum: a duo that draws upon classical music, traditional Chinese music and progressive rock in search of “a new chamber music that is mixed-genre, multicultural, and cross-era.” That’s according to Matinee Musicale, which is presenting ArcoStrum’s concert at Pilgrim Congregational Church. A reception with the artists will follow the performance
Arts and entertainment reporter Jay Gabler joined the Duluth News Tribune in 2022. His previous experience includes eight years as a digital producer at The Current (Minnesota Public Radio), four years as theater critic at Minneapolis alt-weekly City Pages, and six years as arts editor at the Twin Cities Daily Planet. He’s a co-founder of pop culture and creative writing blog The Tangential; he’s also a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the Minnesota Film Critics Association. You can reach him at jgabler@duluthnews.com or 218-409-7529.