SKYWORDS Spring 2024
Northern Sky Theater News
Staking a Claim THIS FARM IS MY FARM!
Belgians in Heaven by Frederick Heide, Lee Becker, and James Kaplan
JEFFREY HERBST Artistic Director
We enter another year with an ambitious season line-up, including four world premieres—two in the park and two in the Gould. Those titles are: The Fisherman’s Daughters, Hell’s Belgians, Girls On Sand, and Reality Trip. Along with those brand new offerings, we will be bringing back one of our most beloved shows ever, Belgians in Heaven, and our quadrennial favorite, And If Elected. All of these shows ask a fundamental question—How does where I am define who I am? In the case of our 2024 season’s offerings, those defining places include a farmstead, Peninsula State Park, a beach, virtual reality, and these United States. Geographically (and cosmically) speaking, looks like we got it covered! Here’s what’s in store...
Since its premiere in 1994, Belgians in Heaven has been one of the most popular shows in Northern Sky history. This hilarious musical has earned eleven productions and a passionate return audience. And we know many people are truly excited for its 30th anniversary showing. The show explores how two bickering Belgian-American brothers from a Southern Door County farm learn to love each other with a little help from above. The delightfully quirky cast of characters also includes a talking chicken, Mildred, a bumbling, earnest angel, Angelique, a simple savant, Henry, a sweet, booyah-making neighbor, Josephine, and enough alter personalities to also fill up heaven. Four of the original cast members will reprise
their roles this summer: Doc Heide, Lee Becker, Karen Mal, and yours truly. Doug Mancheski will return and Kelly Doherty will make her Belgians debut. Our resident scenic designer, Lisa Schlenker, will create all new designs this season and will recreate and augment Neen Rock’s original sets and props for this show and And If Elected; Jason Fassl will light both Belgians shows; and Karen Brown-Larimore will be on hand for costume design for the park season. Shawn Galligan, our Equity stage manager, returns with a new crew: Erin Swank (SM), Anna Brooks (ASM), and four interns, Madeline Miner, Haley Engen, Karina Short, and Wes Yaroch.