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Chisholm High | Fargo Theatre | Hibbing High | Varsity Theater
HIBBING HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, Hibbing, MN
Backstage Memories
Yes, the Hibbing High School Auditorium is one of the finest, if not the finest in this country. And we have had some of the most famous people in the world walk across, or perform on this stage. But behind every show and performance there is a stage crew, and a stage manager.
I was a student of the '70s. One of the greatest pleasures I've ever had was working with a short non-descript man by the name of Mr. Joseph Newman. Joe was the highschool stage manager by profession. Every production on his stage was handled as though it was a Broadway show. You see, Joe was a former employee of Parmount Pictures in Hollywood. His (our) green room was wallpapered with autographed photographs of many people he had worked with and known personally. (You will have to forgive my memory—there were hundreds.) Some that I can remember: George Gobel, Mae West, Tyrone Power, Cass Ellott, Lauren Bacall, Humpery Bogart, anyone who was anything in Hollywood in the '40s and '50s Joe had known on a first name basis.
I remember each autograph was written from a friend to a friend. Sadly, Joe and his wife died childless in the '80s. And somebody stole his legacy from our Green Room after he retired. What a wonderful man and friend. Joe would give me passes to get out of study hall (to help him). I would take my books to [the] back of the auditorium, lay on the carpeted floor, and study, or daydream that this was my palace. What great memories!
Thank you for sharing our stage with the rest of this country.
—Bill Maras, Keewatin, Minnesota
Winter Frolic Memories
The Hibbing High School Auditorium was not a place I visited often while in my four years of high school (90-93); however, just as I was about to graduate, I had the opportunity to participate in the Hibbing Winter Frolic Competition. The theater holds special memories of this one time in high school where all the girls from my class, coming from all different groups (athletics, drama, etc.), came together to sort of wish farewell to our years at Hibbing High School. Many of us have left Hibbing, and I think this memory of the auditorium lives on in our memories with all the fancy dresses for the competition in this beautiful setting. Special thanks should go to all those who have been active in Winter Frolic over the years and took advantage of this beautiful treasure Hibbing holds.
—Courtnay Bot, Independence, North Dakota
Too Nice for High School
When I brought my family into the auditorium, they were all very impressed. This was put into perspective by my (then) stepson, Brandon, age 15, who commented: "Why would anybody want to put something this nice in a high school?"
—Don Nollet, Owatonna, Minnesota
Castle in the Wilderness
I am delighted to learn The Morning Show will be broadcast live from the Hibbing High School Auditorium. I hope it will inspire many listening across the region to take the time to visit what was originally referred to as the "Castle in the Wilderness." The most impressive part of the auditorium has to be the magnificent cystal chandeliers made in Czechoslovakia. I can remember sitting in the auditorium (in the '60s) waiting for the beginning of the play Bye Bye Birdie and being totally mesmerized as the lights were slowly dimmed. I spent as much time watching the lights changing from white, red, and blue, as I did the play.
Years later, if I came back to Hibbing with out-of-town friends, I would always take them to see the auditorium before going out to the cabin! One year we weren't allowed in the auditorium since the chandeliers had been lowered for cleaning.
The high school auditorium has special significance to me on a more personal level since my father performed in plays there while he was a student at Hibbing High School as well as when I was in grade school. One year my father and I both performed in the community production of The Messiah. He and his twin brother and sister grew up across the street from the high school. It is, therefore, very special to me to realize my two brothers and I walked across the same stage to receive our diplomas as did my father and my aunt and my uncle.
—Claire Totten, Tallahassee, Florida
Trying to Stay Awake
As a kid my parents and I used to drive over to Hibbing from Grand Rapids to attend the Community Concert Series. One time a classical guitarist was the performer. The man was not very animated, and did not speak much very much at all. After the second piece, Dad and I feel fast a sleep. Mom said it was a good concert and that we did not snore hardly at all.
—Mary Shideler, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
What I did last summer ...
I remember many school and community events at the Hibbing High School Auditorium—including participation in high school choir performances.
A very memorable experience was the Virgil Fox organ concert in the mid-1960s. He was a tremendous artist who really knew how to lay into the Barton organ and make it shake the chandeliers. My parents, who were active in the local Community Concert Series promotion, hosted a reception for the artist at our home following the show, and I remember Virgil as a flamboyant personality decked out in a flowing black cape.
A new experience for a kid growing up in Hibbing.
As an aside, many of us are waiting for Bob Dylan to book a series of shows at the HHS Auditorium—sort of a "bringing it all back home" opportunity.
—Nelson French, Richfield, Minnesota
What I did last summer ...
I have many memories about Hibbing High School as a scrawny little 7th and 8th grader in the early 1960s. My most vivid memory is an onstage performance in the auditorium as part of a speech class presentation.
I was in 8th grade and thrilled to be chosen by my speech teacher to give my humorous anecdote about summer church camp before the entire student body. As I recall, there were a number of us that day, some of us lounging on a couch on stage before a sea of faces. When it was my turn, I began nervously. However when the laughter began, I became bolder. I became hooked as the audience responded. I threw all the excitement and energy I had into the flashlight-down-the-outhouse bit, the Spam food fights—and when it came time to talk about the camp fire sing-alongs I suddenly decided to change the tune. I knew exactly what would play to that house. In my very loudest voice, I exclaimed, "... and we all sat around the campfire singing hymns like ... 'Does everybody here like Fitger's Beer?'!"
It brought the house down. I had no idea what I had done, except make people laugh. It was the greatest feeling in the world to a very naïve and shy little 8th grade girl who knew nothing at all about beer. I basked in the glory of it all until I looked over and saw the horror in my speech teacher's face. I never did find out what the principal said to her afterwards ...
—Cathy Overland, Duluth, Minnesota
1964 High School Graduation
I was on the high school ushering staff during my junior year in high school along with my best friend, Linda Goldfine. This "club" would usher for events, including high school graduations. One of the students in the class of '64 was David Zimmerman, Bob Dylan's brother. Dylan was coming to the event, but did not want to attract attention, etc.
Linda (Bob and David' first cousin) and I were assigned the job of "guarding" the area where Bob and his family would sit. We were assigned the back area of the second aisle. A little bit before the graduation ceremony was to begin, we were to close the very large velvet draperies, telling last-minute arrivals to use another aisle. Bob Dylan came in after everyone was seated. Linda and I swept open the curtains for Bob to sneak through, then shut them, not letting late arrivals enter. At the end of the ceremony our job was to make sure Bob was out of the auditorium and on his way before others knew he was there.
Linda and I felt we had very important jobs to do that evening. All went off without a hitch. After the graduation ceremony, we went to the Zimmermans' home, where Bob talked with us and signed our high school yearbooks.
I have many wonderful memories of Hibbing High School and the auditorium. I played in many band concerts from that stage, sat through many plays, concerts, and other events as a student, acting from the stage in speech class, etc. I consider myself very lucky to have been able to go the school at Hibbing High School and be part of the graduating class of 1965.
—Elaine Elnes, St. Paul, Minnesota
Performing with Mr. Zimmerman
I performed on stage with Bob Z. in 1957 in the high school talent contest. He pounded three chords on the piano and hollered, essentially, and the crowd laughed and jeered.
I also performed for band and chorus concerts, operettas, and musicals. My uncle helped to install the chandeliers.
—Roger Paschke, Melrose, Minnesota
Igniting an interest in theater
Although we have a lovely historic high school auditorium in Chisholm, there were times during my school years that we were bused to Hibbing's high school auditorium for special events. The one that I recall most vividly is a touring production of the Guthrie's Of Mice and Men. It was one of many required (and enjoyed) arts events that we were exposed to as children on the Range. Those events taught us to be a polite audience, if not appreciative! In many of us, it went beyond that, and ignited an interest in theatre, music, and the arts that has enriched our lives immeasurably.
—Jayne Niemi, St. Paul, Minnesota
I beat Bob Dylan in a talent contest.
It was the 1959 Hibbing Winter Frolic talent show. I provided piano accompaniment for my friend Sharon Nelson, who sang "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." We shared a $25 first prize. Bob and his rock & roll band didn't make it past the try-outs.
(I also remember the first time I heard Bob perform, which was also in the Hibbing High auditorium. He and his band performed at a high school assembly. A couple of our older teachers really hated the music, and they covered their ears. For that reason alone, a lot of us decided that we liked it!)
—Nancy Peterson, St. Paul, Minnesota
Absolutely Magical
My first experience in the Hibbing High School Auditorium was when my father was to begin his tenure as superintendent of schools there. We attended a production of Growing Pains, written by Hibbingite Don Peterson. It was the musical story of the Iron Range—Hibbing, in particular—and it was absolutely magical for a young teenager used to seeing "theater" on the stage of the high school gymnasium in southern Minnesota to see it in this magnificent theater. While my father was superintendent, he had all the ceilings of the auditorium repainted and the seats reupholstered. It remains that way until today. What a treasure!
—Mary Kay Jacobson, Deer River, Minnesota
CHISHOLM HIGH SCHOOL, Chisholm, N.D.
Handmade
I went [to] Chisholm and Hibbing High schools. Chisholm's auditorium is very nice like Hibbing's. It also has the same handmade crafsmanship.
—Eric Rudstrom, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
FARGO THEATRE, Fargo, N.D.
"Boogie" Man
While attending North Dakota State University in Fargo, several college buddies and I attended a screening of Boogie Nights in the beautiful Fargo Theater. It turned out that nearly all of people in the theater were college students, and it had a festive, raucous atmosphere.
In the last scene of the movie—and those who have seen the movie will certainly remember—there was a hushed silence throughout the audience. Then, when Mr. Wahlberg gives the audience a big surprise, some student exclaimed, "I love Play-Doh!"
I couldn't have said it better.
—Damien Riehl, St. Paul
"The Time of My Life"
I had many good life experiences at the FT. To start with, I went from working in the beet fields to the Fargo Theater, where my two sisters worked. I wonder if they ever regreted getting me a job there. I was 15, making $0.75 an hour, and challenged the system. Working as an usher, I knew the ropes—or should I say the exit doors. One night I let my boyfriend and his friends in the exit door. Oops!—I got caught. My manager John said, "You're fired," and walked away. I didn't leave, just kept working. I needed this job, and he needed me. Ended up working there till graduation! Worked with Bobby Vee's girlfriend. On our breaks we played music in the dressing rooms downstairs. It was the time of my life in the '60s. Thank you, Fargo Theater!
—Kirstin Juul, Minneapolis
Theater of Choice
I moved to Fargo in 1975. I was 5 years old. The Fargo was always the theater of choice. My friend Lois and I used to go to double features all the time. When you are 11, Arsenic and Old Lace with Carey Grant is really spooky. The popcorn was always good, and I lived to see the organ rise up out of the floor. He could have played the entire time.
Every time I went to the Fargo, I felt like I was a part of history. Many thanks to the Fargo for providing a wonderful backdrop for some great memories.
—Kirstin Juul, Minneapolis
Big-City Elegance
I remember going to the Fargo Theatre with my high school English class sometime in the mid '60s to see the movie Othello—yes, the one by Mr. Shakespeare. We didn't have a lot of live theatre to attend in those days, so seeing a Shakespeare play on the silver screen seemed like a pretty big deal to me. The Fargo Theatre knew how to play up to us: I won't ever forget the theatre ushers—the women in long evening gowns and the men in tuxedos—just to show us where to sit! It felt like a big-city experience to small-school students like myself—the Fargo Theatre still has that kind of elegance for me.
—Vern Goodin, Moorhead
First Date at the Fargo
My first date was at the Fargo Theater, although calling it a date is a stretch. I was 10, and the neighbor boy was 11. His allowance was $0.55 a week, and with that he bought both our tickets for $0.25 each and had a nickel left over to buy a box of candy. Our younger brothers and sisters were sitting as nearby as they could get to us, which took the pressure off. Instead of having to figure out how to act on a date, we could just act annoyed at our younger siblings.
The movie was a very sad one, All Mine to Give. A pioneer family has six children, then both parents die and the oldest child has to find homes for the others. Tears and laughter and then it was over.
—Mary Wroblewski, Eden Prairie
A Ton of Memories
I grew up in Moorhead, which is across the river from Fargo, and I have a ton of memories of the Fargo Theater! Where do I start? I remember my mom and dad bringing me to the theater to Silent Movie Night, and Lance Johnson would play the "Mighty Wurlitzer" pipe organ. The theater would be packed, and we would sit in the balcony. This organ is great, it plays all instruments wrapped up in one instrument.
I also remember when I was 10 yrs old my older brother brought me to the premier of Star Wars, the theater was awesome with its stereo sound and huge seating area.
I am very proud of the Fargo/Moorhead area in their dedication to keeping the wonderful historic theater around for more generations!
—Kelli Traaseth, Bemidji
VARSITY THEATER, Minneapolis
A Wonderful Life
In the fall of 1980 I impressed my date with a trip to the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown to see It's a Wonderful Life. The real treat was the guest appearance after the movie by its director Frank Capra. The theater was packed, the audience responsive, and the popcorn hot—and with the celebrity status of Mr. Capra, how could I miss? My date of that night and I have now been married for 18 years.
—Bill Finnerty, Minneapolis
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