DISCOVER

A FREE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE FROM IOWA INFORMATION PUBLICATIONS
D!
DISCOVER! MAGAZINE
APRIL 15, 2017
Madama
Butterfly
Royal Opera
stages Puccini
classic
— SEE PAGE 4
Golf season comes to
N’West Iowa
SUMMER 2017
GOLF
— SEE SECTION B
GUIDE
Your source for weekend fun in N’West Iowa
FunAtBoji.com

2 | APRIL 15, 2017 | DISCOVER!
ERIC HOIEN
712-320-2790
eric@hoien.com
MARILYN STRICKLAND
712-320-7070
marilyn@hoien.com
MARILYN VOS
712-320-7982
mvos@hoien.com
KARRI ANDERSON
712-336-2790
karri@hoien.com
Saturday, April 15 • 10-11
OPEN
HOUSE
Saturday, April 15 • 10-11
OPEN
HOUSE
Saturday, April 15 • 1-2
OPEN
HOUSE
Saturday, April 15 • 1-2
OPEN
HOUSE
THIS BROOKS GOLF COURSE 3 Bedroom/2 Bath Condo is the one you
have been waiting for! All the updates you could wish for have been done! 2
new tiled showers. New Kitchen, Even Extra Living Space! The sun porch has
been completely remodeled so it is part of the living room! Don't wait, Call
today to see it for yourself! 2300 Country Club Drive #6, Okoboji, IA 51355.
$239,000. MLS#17-412
Sunday, April 16 • 2-3
OPEN
HOUSE
THIS PRIVATE END UNIT had a complete face lift in 2004 including exterior
concrete board siding. This fully furnished unit is finished off with top quality
material, cabinetry, and appliances including a stack washer/dryer upstairs
and full size washer dryer downstairs. Both decks are in excellent shape, gas
fireplace up AND down, and built in wet bar in lower level. One boat hoist space
per unit and gracious shared green space and deck lake side. A tremendous
value in today’s market. 7114 Lakeshore Dr Unit #21, Spirit Lake. Call Eric for
your private showing 712-320-2790. MLS#16-453. $334,000
THIS WEST LAKE OKOBOJI YEAR ROUND 2 bedroom 2 bath home
has been meticulously cared for and is bursting with lake house charm! Imagine
sitting on your large lakeside deck enjoying the beautiful blue waters of calm
sought after Millers Bay and the lovely landscaped yard with irrigation system. Or
enjoy the expansive lake views from your kitchen, dining, and living room while
entertaining family and guests! You will appreciate the ease your low bank offers
with no stairs to your Dock and Boating fun! Call Marilyn Vos for your private
showing 712-320-7982. 1520 Lakeside Avenue, Wahpeton. MLS#17-325
YES! YES!! YES!!! BIG SPIRIT LAKE HOME…$378,900!! Very
comfortable 2002 home for all seasons! Great view…nice easy approach
to lake…50’ lakeshore!!! Quiet & good location. Open design…complete
with walkout lower level from family room…main level master bedroom…
total of 3 bedrooms/ 2 baths. Well designed kitchen…yes, open to dining
and living room! Attached double garage plus additional garage…room for
everything !! You will appreciate this home and location. Call/text Marilyn S.:
320-7070 MLS#16-1110
COME AND ENJOY THIS REMODELED HOME with all new electric,
plumbing, and heating in 2009. Heated floors in the beautiful kitchen with
hickory cabinets. The bathroom is handicapped accessible with heated floors and
walk in heated seat shower. Tons of room for outside fun on the wrap around
wood deck or your 179’ x 196’ yard. There is an extra 1,476 sq. ft. heated
garage /shop with a large poured concrete driveway for extra parking. 1204
15th Street, Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360. $229,000.00. MLS#17-205
WONDERFULLY UPDATED 2 BEDROOM COTTAGE on quiet Martha
Yarnes Beach on the NE corner of Big Spirit Lake. An easy approach to the
water, the view of the ''Quiet Lake'' with the full wall of windows is just
sublime. This cottage was nicely renovated and is ready for you to enjoy
''your place at the lakes'' owning your own lot and cottage has seldom been
this affordable. 10751 Crowley Avenue, Spirit Lake, IA 51360. $275,000.
MLS#17-369
WONDERFUL SETTING ON BIG SPIRIT’S SOUTHWEST SHORE,
this two and a half level home sits on a 50’ x 330’ deep lot. Full deck lakeside
and patio too. Extra deep double car garage too. A great family home, you will
love watching the sunrises over the placid waters. 13440 240th Ave, Orleans,
IA 51360. Call Eric for your private showing 712-320-2790. MLS#17-328
TOP TIER CRAFTSMANSHIP, unbeatable sand beach location, this
beautiful 3 level home could not be more fun. Looking south over the expanse
of Big Spirit and North to Minnesota, this premier location is tough to beat. Top
of the line finishes and kitchen appliances combine to make this home easy
to love. Fantastic views from all levels, especially the top floor; you'll think
you are flying in for a landing! An in house elevator makes it easy to take the
groceries up, suitcases, whatever. All this on' almost' end of the road privacy.
There is a reason why Crandall's Beach properties seldom come available;
nobody ever wants to leave! 23991 Flemming Drive, Spirit Lake, IA 51360.
$788,000. MLS#17349)
EXTREMELY SOLID CONSTRUCTION, built and remodeled both by
Glenn Gjerde Construction. Tremendous lake view from most everywhere in the
house, especially from the 342 square foot, fully glassed lakeside sunroom.
Beautiful hardwood floors in a large portion of the home, beautiful master
suite, and second bedroom with an attached bathroom. Remodeled kitchen,
counter tops, and flooring in 2012. Highly sought after south shore location.
Huge 12 x 451/2' tandem garage is excellent for third vehicle along with
water toy storage .Four mile view to Minnesota, this south shore location has
some of the best skiing and wake boarding water to be found. 24650 140th
Street, Orleans, IA 51360. $850,000. MSL#17-329
FINE CUSTOMED-DESIGNED FOR ARTHUR HEIGHTS LAKE RELATED
LOCATION! Open Living Room with vaulted ceiling-Spacious Dining & kitchen,
4 Season Room, Loft Den. Lake access with Arthur Heights Association. Buyers
to satisfy themselves regarding availability of boat slip space with association.
25751 169TH , Spirit Lake, IOWA 51360. Price: $319,000. MLS#16-338
GOOD ONE…HEART OF OKOBOJI!!! YES…walking distance to Lake,
Trails, Restaurants, Entertainment, Theaters! Lovely updated and well-maintained Unit
with New Kitchen complete with cabinetry, Flooring, countertops…nice dining arena.
Open floor plan complete with Master Bedroom and Bath plus Additional Bedroom
and Full Bath! Nice Living Room area. All Appliances plus Washer/Dryer included.
Designed for All-Seasons…with covered Deck that offers great views of 4th of July
Fireworks & overlooks your 2 Detached Garages. Just a good, good set-up! (Dues
of $100/month covers outside lighting, maintenance of grounds & snow removal.)
What a way to Experience and Invest in Okoboji!! $126,500! CALL/TEXT MARILYN
S. TO SEE: 320-7070! 1652 Exchange St #4, Okoboji. MLS#17-233
Whether you are looking for a SUMMER GETAWAY or a year round home
without all the worries of lawn care and snow removal, this beautiful, clean,
updated 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo at Chalstrom Beach is just your ticket! Your
dock will be steps away on a lovely low sandy approach to East lake Okoboji!
Watch the fireworks from your deck or just set back and enjoy the unobstructed
view of the lake. A private club house for entertaining guests and family plus a
beautiful pool, hot tub, tennis and basketball court. Close to walking and biking
trails. This unit also has the luxury of two garages. 1611 Chalstrom Beach Unit
B202, Okoboji. Call Marilyn Vos to see 712-320-7982. MLS#16-1018
EQUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY
MLS
REALTOR ®
E-Mail: info@hoien.com • www.hoien.com • 1723 Hill Avenue, Spirit Lake, IA 51360
CORNER OF HILL AVENUE, HIGHWAY 9 & 71, SPIRIT LAKE, IA
MONDAY-FRIDAY 8:30-5, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BY APPOINTMENT
For direct
mobile access to
www.hoien.com
please scan this qr code

ON THE COVER
5
Event:
6
Playbill:
7
Playbill:
9
Event:
10
11
12
Fun and games support a
great cause at the CARES Carnival.
Comedy of Tenors to take
the stage in Primghar April 21-23.
The Royal Opera stages
Madama Butterfly, a Puccini classic.
Art and nature center combine
efforts to celebrate Earth Day.
Playbill: Off, Off Broadway presents
“Barefoot in the Park.”
Screen: New releases for the big
screen and good new rentals.
SECTION B
7
Shorts: Check out what else is happening
around northwest Iowa.
SUMMER 2017
GOLF
Madama Butterfly will be showcased at the Pearson Lakes Art Center on Thursday, April 20.
GUIDE
B3
B7
DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017
Contents | 3
Golf Feature: Life is a ball for
Chef Chito and friends.
Golf Course Listings: Take a
look at some of the places to play.
Side Trips
Last Saturday, I got off to a pretty good
start as a parent, but I didn’t finish
strong.
Our daughter was up bright and early to
take the ACT test, and I was up equally early
to bake homemade
cinnamon muffins for
her breakfast.
Then my husband
and I were off to coordinate
a work day
for the upcoming high
school prom. Not
knowing how many
kids would show up,
we had lots of projects
planned and tools and
equipment organized.
Our son, a senior,
MYRNA
WAGNER
didn’t have to help, except that his dad
needed another body, and there were power
tools involved, so Sam didn’t mind.
The day went long, and as I cleaned up
paint brushes, the dreaded question arose:
“What were you thinking for supper?”
Truth is, I wasn’t. But I was too tired to go
out to eat. All I wanted was a shower and
my UGG slippers. I rummaged through the
deep freeze and found hamburger patties
and a package of buns. Perfect. Jeff went out
to start the grill as I headed to the shower.
But the grill decided to act up that night,
and wouldn’t heat past 300 degrees.
After multiple attempts, Jeff got frustrated
and gave up. During all of this, Sam left for
a pickup game of basketball.
Now, we were down to carry out, and I
called in the order.
Twenty minutes later, Jeff went to pick up
the food. Thirty minutes later, Sam walked
in the door.
“Where’s mine?” he asked.
I had forgotten my own child.
Like I said, not a great finish in the parenting
category.
B3
DISCOVER! is your guide to all the special events and activities in the greater
northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, southeast South Dakota and northeast
Nebraska areas. It is distributed free throughout these areas.
Copyright, 2017. Nothing may be reprinted, photocopied or in any way
reproduced without the permission of the publisher.
Advertising and Editorial Offices:
P.O. Box 160 , Sheldon, IA 51201
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e-mail: discover@iowainformation.com
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Iowa Information
PUBLISHERS AND PRINTERS
Iowa Information
PUBLISHERS AND PRINTERS

4 | APRIL 15, 2017 | DISCOVER!
O’Brien County Professional Page
Snider’s Auto Care Center
110 3rd Street NE
Hartley, IA
712.728.2865
Kevin Snider, Owner
Your hometown Auto Care Center
For all your
Agronomy
Needs
Nicholson & Edwards Grain
712-957-2415 • 375 3rd Street, Primghar, IA
FEATURED BUSINESS
Gnade
Auto Sales
WWW.GNADEAUTOSALES.COM
Gnade Auto Sales was established in
April 2002 by Joel Gnade. While always
being located in Paullina, Iowa, Joel
started in a shop downtown
that he rented from his dad.
His office was a camper, until he built at
his current location on Highway 10.
Mon - Sat: 7am - 9pm
6570 420th St.
Sutherland, IA
Brian Rohlfsen
712-446-2063
or 712-348-0511
Bootsma Dog Grooming
Over 20 Years of Experience
We Do Dog & Cat Grooming
Call for an Appointment!
Carol Bootsma, Owner
3191 Sorrel Avenue, Sanborn, IA • 712-729-5341
Our business is to serve you with three generations
and to understand your complete
insurance & real estate needs
Affiliated with Northwest Consultants
313 Main St. • Sanborn, IA 51248
Phone 712.729.3691 • Fax 712.729.5648
www.elgersmaagency.com
Auto Body Repair
FREE ESTIMATES
Denise R. Steffen
Agent
712.957.2535 | 712.757.2545 fax
712.260.6282 cell | 800.823.4809 toll-free
Denise.Steffen@fbfs.com
http://denisesteffen.fbfs.com
340 2nd St. SE, P.O. Box 350
Primghar, IA 51245
WE OFFER GLASS
REPLACEMENT & CHIP REPAIR
Brian and Cindy Koldenhoven
506 East 1st Street, Sanborn, IA
PHONE: 712.729.3455
If you can’t find the exact vehicle you are
looking for, come to Gnade Auto Sales
and Joel will do his best work
finding the vehicle you want!
Call Joel at 712.949.3500
Gnade Auto Sales
5623 460th Street, Paullina, IA
Call Joel at 712.949.3500
VOTED #1 DEALER IN PAULLINA
Energy Wise Outdoor Furnaces
We didn’t invent fire,
just better ways to use it.
Phone 712-949-2386
Paullina, Iowa
Creative Living Center
Seeking Wholeness in a Broken World
Individual, Marriage, Family,
Adolescent Counseling and Play Therapy
1905 10th St., Rock Valley • 712-476-5245 • 888-587-2537
with offices located in Hawarden,
Sioux Center, Orange City and Sheldon
www.creativelivingcenterpc.com
Vintage
Items
FROM 1890 -1930
Old house parts, from floor
to ceiling and all woodwork
and hardware in between!
T
ND MillWerk
Salvage and Sales
Phone 712.949.9375
5617 460th Street,
Highway 10, Paullina, IA
Call for hours or appointments
sales@oldwoodwork.com
www.oldwoodwork.com
Rerick Abstract Company
THE TITLE RESOURCE NETWORK
110 South Hayes
PO Box 548
Primghar, IA 51245-0548
Voice 712.957.4615 Fax 712.757.4615
primghar@thetitleresourcecenter.com
www.TheTitleResourceNetwork.com
Dry Run Drainage, Ltd.
Paullina, IA
Keith Rohwer 712.261.5786
Bruce Rohwer 712.261.3277
For your field tiling and drainage needs, contact us today!

DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017
Event | 5
RYLAN HOWE | STAFF WRITER
Organizations
CARES
Carnival
Fun and games support a great cause
At a Glance:
WHAT: CARES Carnival
WHERE: Dickinson County Expo Center,
1600 15th St., Spirit Lake, IA
WHEN: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 22
COST: Free admission. Game tickets 50
cents apiece.
CONTACT: 712-336-0479
ONLINE: Find the event page on Facebook
Come one, come all. Enjoy an afternoon
full of fun at the CARES
Carnival.
There will be inflatables and carnival
games like ring toss and much
more. A petting zoo and dunk tank,
as well as a magician and clowns to
keep the fun going 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at
the Dickinson County Expo Center in
Spirit Lake.
Sheila Ove, owner of Grand Occasions
in Spirit Lake, is helping
organize the event, which is hosted
by Dickinson County CARES (Community
Advocates Ready to Empower
Survivors).
Admission is free, and tickets will
be sold for the several Midway-style
games set up throughout the expo
center. The game tickets will be 50
cents apiece with a discount for buying
in bulk. There will also be spots
throughout the facility for freewill
donations. The proceeds will benefit
the Family Crisis Centers and Centers
Against Abuse and Sexual Assault.
“We recently got involved with
CARES and helped do an educational
event in October and now this carnival
in April,” Ove said. “We had done
a carnival fundraiser for something
else several years ago and it was successful,
so we thought why not do it
again? It’s a good way to raise awareness,
and this one will be bigger, better
and even more fun.”
Fun will also come with food. Typical
carnival fare like cotton candy and
popcorn will be joined by a unique
menu prepared by the Fare You Well
food truck.
One of the three inflatables will be
a 58-by-30-foot obstacle course. There
will also be karaoke and a silent auction
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Ove said they continue to look for
sponsors for parts of the carnival and
different events. Items for the silent
auction can be donated up until the
day before the event.
“There are so many aspects to this
carnival, it’s really going to a be a fun
day,” Ove said. “We’ll have free activities
like face painting and the games
that people buy tickets for. I hope
people enjoy the whole day. We’re
excited to provide a family-fun atmosphere
and a fun, safe environment
for the whole family to spend the day
together.”
Wrapped up in all the fun will be
the benefit of raising funds for organizations
helping victims of domestic
abuse and sexual assault. Ove said
they also hope to have firemen on
hand for the dunk tank as well as a
police officer and McGruff the crime
dog.
“We care about our community and
want to raise awareness for these great
causes,” Ove said. “We also want to
get children so they’re comfortable
around authority figures like police
officers and firefighters. They need to
know they’re there to help.”
It will also take around 100 volunteers
to pull off this carnival, which
Ove mentioned as another way to
help better the community they care
about.
“I think with the youth in our community
it’s important getting them
comfortable with being involved and
bettering their own community,” Ove
said. “When we can all support and
make our own community better that
can snowball to other communities,
and that’s how we can make the world
a better place.”
It can all start at the CARES Carnival.
Having plenty of fun, supporting
great organizations and bettering the
communities of the Iowa Great Lakes.
F
Family Crisis Centers, formerly
the Domestic Violence Aid Center,
was established by a group
of volunteers in 1982.
The development came after a
group of concerned citizens recognized
a need for services to assist
victims of domestic violence. The
agency started by serving four
counties, which eventually expanded
to cover eight counties.
Now, Family Crisis Centers provides
services to adults and children
victimized in domestic violence
and human trafficking in 17 Iowa
counties.
Services expanded to include
WISH Unit, a program dedicated
to serving survivors of homicide,
which covers 29 Iowa counties. The
most recent addition is Iowa Domestic
Violence Helpline, a 24-hour
statewide call center serving victims
and survivors of domestic violence.
— www.familycrisiscenters.org
CAASA provides free and
confidential services to those
impacted by sexual abuse.
The mission of the Centers
Against Abuse and Sexual Assault
is to eliminate personal, institutional
and societal violence against individuals
by empowering victims/
survivors and providing supportive
programs and services.
These services include a 24-hour
hotline, crisis counseling and advocacy,
ongoing counseling and support
groups, shelter, medical and
legal advocacy, school outreach
and violence prevention programs,
community education and information
programs and professional
education.
— www.caasaonline.org
Spirit Lake | Iowa

DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017
6| Playbill
MARK MAHONEY | STAFF WRITER
‘A Comedy
of
Tenors’
Community playhouse to
present comedy April 21-23
Prepare for an uproarious ride full
of mistaken identities, blissful romance
and madcap delight.
The Primghar Community Playhouse
will present “A Comedy of
Tenors” Friday-Sunday, April 21-23, at
the Primghar Community Building.
A 2015 play by award-winning
American playwright Ken Ludwig,
the production is a sequel to his Tony
Award-winning comedy called “Lend
Me A Tenor,” which was performed
in 2004 on the Primghar stage.
The three Primghar performances
of “A Comedy of Tenors” will be directed
by Brian Kleve of Sanborn.
“It was a fairly new play,” Kleve
said. “We generally like to do comedies.
We’ve had very good luck with
Samuel French plays. Samuel French
is the distributor of the play.
“I saw little snippets of it,” he
said. “It’s very funny.”
One hotel suite, four tenors, three
women and a soccer stadium filled
with screaming fans — what could
possibly go wrong in “A Comedy of
Tenors”?
The setting is Paris in the mid-
1930s and the stage is set for the concert
of the century — as long as producer
Henry Saunders can keep amorous
Italian superstar Tito Merelli and
his hot-blooded wife of 25 years, Maria,
from causing runaway chaos.
Play practices in Primghar began
March 5, but full-cast rehearsals did
not actually take place until March
26.
“Initially, we had a casting issue,”
Kleve said. “We only had four actors
committed, and we needed seven for
this play. We had a hard time getting
the other three actors.
“We had people commit and then
they had to back out for various reasons,”
he said. “A lot of the people
that typically do it for whatever reasons
couldn’t do it this year. It was all
somewhat of a perfect storm.”
The Primghar Community Playhouse
spent a couple of weeks trying
to get a full cast, which is made
up of Clint Badberg of Sheldon, Rashad
Bettis of Ashton, Roger Brinkert
of Primghar, Sara Dolphin of Sanborn,
Mariah Oliver of Paullina, Dave
Steuck of Sanborn and Jennifer Ten
Kley of Primghar.
Kleve previously directed the
Primghar Community Playhouse
production of “The Butler Did It” in
2009. He also acted in that play, and
has in many others.
At a Glance:
WHAT: Ken Ludwig’s “A Comedy of Tenors,” presented in special arrangement
with Samuel French Inc.
WHO: Primghar Community Playhouse
WHEN: 6:15 p.m. punch bowl, 6:30 p.m. dinner, 7:30 p.m. show Friday-
Saturday, April 21-22; 2 p.m. show Sunday, April 23
WHERE: Primghar Community Building, 215 First St. S.E.
ADMISSION: $22 per adult and $20 per student for dinner and play; $11
per adult and $9 per student for play only; Wednesday, April 19, last day to
buy tickets for dinner and play, with tickets available at Design Variations in
Primghar, 712-957-2010; play-only tickets to be available at door as well.
DINNER: Chicken breast, garlic mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad, rolls and
refreshments catered by Red’s Cafe and Catering of Hartley; dessert of cake
made by Angela Johannsen.
However, Kleve is only directing
“A Comedy of Tenors,” which will see
four cast members — Badberg, Bettis,
Steuck and Ten Kley — acting in
a Primghar production for the first
time.
“I was asked, and I gladly said
yes,” Kleve said of directing. “I’m enjoying
the new cast members. We
have four new cast members to PCP
in this play. It’s kind of neat seeing
new faces getting involved in the
cast.”
“A Comedy of Tenors” is rated
PG-13, meaning it is appropriate for
people ages 14 and older.
“There is suggestive content,”
Kleve said. “There’s nothing R-rated
about it, but there is suggestive dialogue.”
Each performance of the play will
last for nearly two hours and include
an intermission of 15-20 minutes.
“Everything’s coming together,”
Kleve said. “We’re putting the finishing
touches on the set. We’ve got
our production ideas figured out. We
have our costumes together for the
most part.
“It’s just a matter of fine-tuning it
this last week,” he said. “We’re looking
forward to doing it next weekend.
It’s a very funny play. It’s going to be
well worth the money.”F
Primghar | Iowa

DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017
LINDSAY KRUSE | STAFF WRITER
Playbill | 7
At a Glance:
WHAT: The Royal Opera: Madama
Butterfly
WHERE: Pearson Lakes Art Center’s
Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre,
2201 Highway 71, Okoboji
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20
COST: $15
CONTACT: 712-332-7013
ONLINE: www.lakesart.org
PHOTOS BY BILL COOPER
MADAMA
BUTTERFLY
Royal Opera stages
Puccini classic
Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly
is one of opera’s timeless
perennials.
The Pearson Lakes Arts Center will
present the tale of love, betrayal and
clash of cultures as part of its Performing
Arts Series 6:30 p.m. Thursday,
April 20, at the Okoboji-based facility’s
Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre.
Puccini’s about three-hour Royal
Opera show tells the heartbreaking
story of a loving geisha, who is deserted
by her callous American husband,
Pinkerton.
The geisha, Cio-Cio-San, lives in
hope that her husband will return,
and three years later, she finally sees
his ship in the harbor.
Puccini, an Italian opera composer,
developed Madama Butterfly after
seeing the play “Madame Butterfly” in
London in 1900.
Although the premiere was poorly
received, it was restaged and became
a popular opera with audiences and
performers. It remains one of Puccini’s
most performed works.
Amanda Schindler, performing arts
director at the Pearson Lakes Art Center,
first saw the opera at the Fisher
Theatre in Detroit.
“It was very good,” she said. “At
first, I was a little bit confused, because
I thought it was an operatic take
on the play, ‘M. Butterfly,’ which is a
completely different story, so once I
figured that out, I thoroughly enjoyed
the opera itself.”
Schindler said viewers will enjoy
not only the story of Madama Butterfly,
but the exotic imagery created for
both the setting and backdrop.
“It also has a lot of music in it from
Puccini, who is very famous and wellknown
in the music world,” she said.
“They’ll get to see a fabulous production
that they normally wouldn’t get
to see around here.”
The performance is something different
for the Iowa Great Lakes region,
and it’s also inexpensive at just $15
per ticket.
“Tickets usually would be well over
$100, especially for a production of
this caliber, so it’s a great way to experience
something new that most people
wouldn’t have gotten the chance
to experience anyway,” Schindler said.
“It’s going to be a great night.” F
Tickets:
Tickets for The Royal Opera’s
Madama Butterfly can be purchased
by calling the Pearson
Lakes Art Center’s box office at
712-332-7013 or online by visiting
www.lakesart.org.
Next up:
Next up in the Pearson Lakes
Art Center’s Performing Arts
Series is Jewels, a performance
by The Royal Ballet.
The performance will be held
6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18.
Jewels is a masterclass in the
many luminous facets of classical
ballet and The Royal Ballet itself:
The virtuoso choreography of
George Balanchine, the intensity
of the soloists and the percussion
of the entire company.
Balanchine’s timeless evocation
of the brilliance and sparkle
of emeralds, rubies and diamonds
is portrayed in the performance.
The French Romantic music
of Gabriel Fauré provides the
impetus for the subtlety and
lyricism of “Emeralds,” while the
fire of “Rubies” comes from Igor
Stravinsky and the jazz-age energy
of New York. Grandeur and
elegance complete the ballet with
the splendor of Imperial Russia
and the peerless music of Pyotr
Ilyich Tchaikovsky in “Diamonds.”
For more information, visit
www.lakesart.org.
Okoboji | Iowa

8 | APRIL 15, 2017 | DISCOVER!
We may be 30, but we’re looking better than ever!
1988
For 30 years, OKOBOJI Magazine has been
bringing you stories of the people, homes,
organizations and history of the Iowa Great
Lakes.
This premier publication has become a tradition
for many seasonal and year-round residents,
who consider each edition a keepsake.
We’d love to have you become
one of our OKOBOJI friends.
RUTH ANN BURKE, LINNEA LAMBERT, DELORES MASER,
JODY VAN KLEY, JULIE ROTH, DEBORAH CLARK
Seasonal
‘WOMEN WE ADMIRE’ HAVE
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SWIMMING PROGRAM
MAKES BIG SPLASH
APRIL 2017
VOLUME 30 | NO. 2 | $4.95
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2017
OKOBOJI Magazine
Box 160, 227 9th Street
Sheldon, IA 51201

DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017
Event | 9
Mr. Audubon
Art and nature center combine efforts to
celebrate Earth Day
John James Audubon is visiting the
Iowa Great Lakes. Well, not exactly.
Audubon was an ornithologist,
naturalist and artist in the early 1800s
who sought to complete drawings of
every bird in America.
Brian “Fox” Ellis, is an author and
storyteller who will embody the
persona of Audubon during two
presentations on Friday, April 21, the
Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji.
The first presentation will be earlier
in the day for area fifth-graders from
the Spirit Lake, Okoboji, Harris-Lake
Park and Graettinger-Terril school districts.
The second one is open to the
public for all ages at 6 p.m.
Ellis has been storytelling for more
than 30 years and inhabits the characters
of many historical figures. He has
been performing the role of Audubon
for 15 years.
“He comes highly recommended
from naturalists,” said Kiley Roth,
RYLAN HOWE | STAFF WRITER
Meet
community relations coordinator for
the Dickinson County Nature Center.
“Ellis has given Audubon presentations
to everyone from elementary
students to Ph.D. ornithologists and
gets a great response from them all.”
The two presentations will differ in
some aspects, but one thing is constant.
“They get to meet John James
Audubon. He’s the great-grandfather
of environmentalism and naturalists.
John Muir and many others pointed
to him as their inspiration,” Ellis said.
“With the fifth-graders, it’s a bit more
interactive with a focus on science and
Audubon, the field ecologist. With
adults, it’s more about the art and
his adventures in the wilderness of
America.”
The art aspect is something that
should broaden the appeal of the
Earth Day Celebration to a wider audience.
“We’ve wanted to expand our audience
and partnerships, and doing
this kind of event, we think we draw
from a different audience,” Roth said.
“Audubon is the perfect person to
bridge that group using the art he created
to talk about conservation.”
That art came in the form of precise
drawings of the birds he encountered
during his travels throughout
America, including adventures along
the Missouri River in Iowa. He studied
migratory patterns and other habits
of several species, even identifying 25
new species. His book “The Birds of
America” is considered by many as
one of the finest works of ornithology
in history.
“I just love his passion for birds,”
Ellis said. “I like to give the audience
some homework to go outside and
study the birds. There is a lot we can
learn by just being outside and letting
the birds be our teachers.”
Ellis hopes his audience comes
away with a newfound, renewed or
re-enforced love for the birds. He says
bird watching is a great gateway to
spending more time outdoors.
Perhaps it starts with just watching
birds on a feeder in the backyard.
Then maybe it advances to landscaping
a yard to specifically attract more
birds. Before one knows it, they’re
grabbing a set of binoculars and going
on birding hikes.
Celebrate Earth Day with a visit
from one of nature’s greatest advocates,
John James Audubon, and share
in his love for the birds. F
At a Glance:
WHAT: Earth Day Celebration
WHERE: Pearson Lakes Art Center,
2201 Hwy 71, Okoboji
WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday, April 21
COST: Free
CONTACT: 712-336-6352
ONLINE: www.dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com
Birdwatchers
If attending the Earth Day Celebration
inspires a desire to get
outside and see some birds,
then the first great opportunity
to do exactly that will come the
following day.
The Birdwatchers Anonymous
group will be embarking on their
monthly birding trip Saturday, April
22. To join in the fun, meet at the
Dickinson County Nature Center at
9 a.m. before caravaning to various
locations. Be sure to dress for the
weather and bring binoculars.
Primghar Community Playhouse
A Comedy of Tenors
by Ken Ludwig • Primghar Community Building
Fri - Sun, April 21 - 23
Dinner/Play (April 21 & 22) - $22 adults; $20 Students
Play Only - $11 Adults; $9 Students
Fri & Sat, April 21 & 22 - 6:15 p.m. Punch Bowl, 6:30 p.m.
Dinner, 7:30 p.m. Showtime
Dinner by Red's Cafe
Sunday Matinee: April 23 - 2:00 p.m. Showtime
Tickets on sale March 29 - April 19
at Design Variations in Primghar - 712-957-2010
Hours: Monday - Friday 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m Rated
Wed, April19- Last day to purchase Dinner/Play tickets. PG 13
One of Iowa’s Best Salad Bars
Now proudly
serving all
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cut
ANGUS BEEF
DINING ROOM HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
SERVING 8
DRAFT BEERS
1205 S. GRAND AVE, SPENCER, IA
phone 712.262.4625
www.primeribspencer.com
IN THIS LOCATION FOR 25 YEARS!
Okoboji | Iowa
NEW MENU
Iowa State
University Official
“Game Watch Center”
Parties hosted during
all away games by
The ISU Alumni Association
TheClubhouse
Behind Perkins and Boji Junction
New hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday
Wednesday and Thursday 4 pm - 9 pm;
Friday 4 pm - 9 pm (Open late for Okoboji Pioneer Football Games)
Saturday 11 am - 10 pm; Sunday 11 am to 7 pm
NEW SPECIALS
Wednesday..........Wing Night
Thursday ............. Taco Night
Friday..........Fish Fry, Prime Rib
Saturday .............. Prime Rib
New Feature every week
Sunday ............Burger Night
Specials start at 5 pm nightly

DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017
10 | Playbill
At a Glance:
WHAT: Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in
the Park”
WHERE: American Legion Community
Center, 323 Third St., Ashton
WHEN: 5:30 p.m. dinner, 8 p.m.
show, Thursday-Sunday, April 20-
23
COST: Tickets are $26
CONTACT: 712-754-3540 for reservations
ONLINE: www.offoffbroadwayinc.
com
Meal:
The meal selection for the “Barefoot
in the Park” dinner theatre includes
prime rib, raspberry chicken
breast or lemon pepper swai.
To reserve tickets, call the 1015
Steakhouse in Sibley at 712-754-
3540 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Tuesday-
Saturday.
Cast:
n Corie Bratter: Alexondrea
Thong Vanh
n Paul Bratter: Wayne Burnette
n Ethel Banks: Lori (Latner) Anderson
n Victor Velasco: Jacob Fox
n Harry Pepper: Daryl Tutje
n Delivery Man: Troy Soat
Past shows:
Off, Off Broadway’s past shows
include:
n “Always Patsy Cline”
n “Fox on the Fairway”
n “Boeing, Boeing”
n “Lend Me a Tenor”
n “Escanaba in the Moonlight”
n “Death by Golf”
LINDSAY KRUSE | STAFF WRITER
‘Barefoot in the Park’
Off, Off Broadway to present dinner theatre
Corie and Paul Bratter are newlyweds.
For their first home, they
live in a shabby apartment on the top
floor of a brownstone in a questionable
neighborhood in New York City.
Add a loopy mother-in-law and
a strange man that lives in the attic
above them.
Will their new life be the romantic
life they hoped for or a complete disaster?
Such is the synopsis of Neil Simon’s
“Barefoot in the Park,” which Off,
Off Broadway will present as a dinner
theatre Thursday-Sunday, April 20-23,
at the American Legion Community
Center in Ashton.
B.J. Schuller, who is the speech,
theatre and language arts instructor
at Sibley-Ocheyedan High School in
Sibley and a member of the Off, Off
Broadway Board of Directors, is acting
as the play’s director.
“Barefoot in the Park” marks his
sixth time directing an Off, Off Broadway
production.
“I chose this show, because I wanted
to do a classic romantic comedy,”
Schuller said. “Neil Simon is one of
the best at creating such a familyfriendly
comedy.”
He began casting the play shortly
after he finished the Sibley-Ocheyedan
High School fall production of
“Cinderella,” and the cast of six began
rehearsals toward the end of February.
Since then, “Barefoot in the Park”
cast members have been showing up
an average of three nights per week.
“Whenever dealing with volunteer
community theatre productions, the
rehearsal schedules are ever-changing
based on the participants’ schedules,”
Schuller said. “With community theatre,
a director must never forget that
these individuals have lives — jobs,
families, etc. For example, our female
lead is a graduate student at the University
of South Dakota in Vermillion,
and commutes from there for practices.”
He’s enjoyed working with the cast,
which he says he may have never met
had it not been for the production.
“I get a kick out of bringing the wide
variety of live theatre to audiences that
may not otherwise have the opportunity
to experience it,” Schuller said.
He said the play has an overall message.
“Regardless of adversity, things that
are worth having are worth working
for,” Schuller said. “True love will triumph.”
He noted that the play is good,
wholesome entertainment.
“Audiences will not have to worry
about rude, offensive language or situations,”
Schuller said. “It’s a fun night
out with great food, good friends and
live, comedic entertainment.” F
Ashton | Iowa

DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017
new at the
box office
Limited release movies are not included in “What’s New.” Only films that receive an average “C” or better
rating by movie critics on both coasts and the Midwest are included in “Good Stuff.”
Spark: A Space Tail PG
Spark, a teenage monkey, and his friends, Chunk and
Vix, are on a mission to regain Planet Bana – a kingdom
overtaken by the evil overlord Zhong.
The Fate of the Furious PG-13
When a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world
of terrorism and a betrayal of those closest to him, the
crew faces trials that will test them as never before.
good stuff still playing
Smurfs: The Lost
Village
Going in Style
The Case for Christ
PG
89 min.
★★★★★
PG-13
96 min.
★★★★★
what you can rent
Monster Trucks
Walking with the
Enemy
Lion
Believe
Screen | 11
★★★★★
A mysterious map sets Smurfette and her friends on an
exciting race through the Forbidden Forest, leading to the
discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history.
Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved
ones, three lifelong pals risk it all by embarking on a daring bid
to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money.
PG An investigative journalist and self-proclaimed atheist sets
112 min. out to disprove the existence of God after his wife becomes
★★★★★ a Christian.
Colossal R
110 min.
A woman discovers that severe catastrophic events are
PG In a small town, an oil company is drilling for oil. The geologist,
105 min. Dowd, informs his boss, Tenneson, that they detected what
★★★★★ could be an ecosystem which could affect their drilling rights.
PG-13
124 min.
★★★★★
PG-13
118 min.
★★★★★
somehow connected to the mental breakdown from which
she’s suffering.
A young man, separated from his family in World War II, disguises
himself as a Nazi SS Officer and uncovers more than
just his family whereabouts.
A 5-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta.
He eventually is adopted by a couple in Australia. Twentyfive
years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
PG A small-town business owner tries to save the local
119 min. Christmas pageant against all odds.
★★★★★
War on Everyone R
98 min.
Two corrupt cops set out to blackmail and frame every
criminal unfortunate enough to cross their path. Events,
★★★★★ however, are complicated by the arrival of someone who
appears to be even more dangerous than they are.
Great Movies At A Fair Price!
MAX
Theatres
SIBLEY, IOWA • (712) 754-2672
www.maxtheatres.com
Presented in Digital Projection & Sound
NOW PLAYING APRIL 14 - 20
1
THE FATE OF THE FU-
PG-13
RIOUS
NIGHTLY AT 7:00PM
SUNDAY MATINEE 2:15
2
SMURFS: THE LOST
PG
VILLAGE
NIGHTLY AT 7:00PM
SUNDAY MATINEE 2:15
Admission Adults - $6.50,
Children - $5.50,
Matinee Admission - $5.50
3D Movies Require
a $2.50 Surcharge
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12 | Other Happenings
DISCOVER!
| APRIL 15, 2017
2 Across
Two strangers, a man and a woman, board a San Francisco
BART train at 4:30 a.m. They’re alone in the car, each is
married, both are doing the New York Times crossword.
She’s an organized, sensible, psychologist. He’s a free-spirited,
unemployed ad exec. She is a crossword pro, he always quits.
When he tosses his puzzle away, she snaps, “Crosswords are a
metaphor for life; those who finish, succeed, those who don’t,
fail.” Now, he vows to finish. Why? He’s a competitor, and she
happens to be lovely.
This starts an 80-minute ride described by critics as “hilarious,”
“witty,” “romantic,” “poignant,” “wonderfully entertaining.”
Two opposites in an enclosed space, attacking each
other’s values, but also being swayed and intrigued by them.
They each have serious life problems that the other helps
them solve. Their trip is filled with unpredictable but believable
surprises, even a passionate kissing embrace or two. As
the train ride ends it’s obvious each of them has been changed
for the better.
WHERE: LeMars Community Theatre, 105 First St. N.E., Le
Mars
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 21-22; 2 p.m. Sunday,
April 23; 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 27-29; 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 30
COST: $15
CONTACT: 712-546-5788
ONLINE: www.lemarscommtheatre.org
Dueling Guitars
featuring SongBlast
This fundraiser is to benefit the National Audubon Society,
an organization that strives to conserve and restore natural
ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their
habitats for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological
diversity.
What’s better than two dueling pianos? The answer: Two
dueling guitars delivering a fast-paced, audience-interactive experience
with a non-stop stream of great sing-along songs and
big comedy.
Pat Balder and Glen Everhart always bring their consummate
stage professionalism and high-energy show in order to blast
your event out of the park. If your event is a fundraiser, Song-
Blast will generate substantial donations from your audience
who will be laughing so hard, they won’t even notice.
:WHERE: Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, 1415 Grand Falls
Blvd., Larchwood
WHEN: Doors open at 7 p.m.; show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 21
COST: $50
CONTACT: 877-511-4FUN
ONLINE: www.grandfallscasinoresort.com
Nobles County Area Art Show
The Area Art Show is an annual exhibit that is juried. This
year’s judge will be Holly DeGrote-Thiner. Cash prizes
will be awarded for Best in Painting “Gene Schar Award,”
Best of Show and Honorable Mention. Merit Awards will be
given in each category. This show will close May 22.
WHERE: Nobles County Art Center, 407 12th St. Suite 3,
Worthington, MN
WHEN: Now through May 22
COST: Free
CONTACT: 507-372-8245
ONLINE: Find them on Facebook

DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017 | 13

14 | APRIL 15, 2017 | DISCOVER!
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DISCOVER! | APRIL 15, 2017 | 15
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16 | APRIL 15, 2017 | DISCOVER!
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