Zach Curtis is ensconced in his cabana on the shores of Lake Bemidji for his fifth season at the helm of Paul Bunyan Playhouse. He's under contract for next year, and if he pushes it into 2012, Curtis will tie Lee Aday as Bunyan's longest-tenured artistic director. Is that possible?
"I will come back if they would want me back," he said. "I understand the need for change sometimes, but you also figure if it's working. ..."
And it has worked. Under Curtis' tenure, Paul Bunyan attendance is up
23 percent, and last year was the best season ever, with about 7,000 tickets sold over 44 performances.
"I've been fortunate to have a good pool of people to draw from, a consistent production staff so we don't have to reinvent the wheel every year, and I'm getting some great performers to come up," he said.
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Still a pure summer-stock operation, Paul Bunyan celebrates its 60th season this year with five shows over two months. During the production, all the actors, designers, musicians and directors bunk in a dorm at Bemidji State University and leave distractions back in the city.
"I get to do that all summer, which is pretty fantastic," said Curtis, who gets to stay in a house.
Curtis drags a good number of his Twin Cities buddies north. Ari Hoptman will perform in "Biloxi Blues" and "Picasso at the Lapin Agile." Joseph Papke will play "Dracula," with Jim Pounds as his Van Helsing. Warren Bowles will reprise a role he has done in other productions of "Boys Next Door," and "Gypsy" will feature Karen Wiese-Thompson as Mama Rose and Kristen Husby as Louise.
