North Shore Hwy 61

Pirate George Merry (Katrina Axtell), right, fights with Captain Smollet (Cy Fortunato) in a scene from “Treasure Island.” The play opened April 22 and runs through May 4 and then again from June 24-July 4.

Doctor Livesay (Kevin Kager) confronts Pirate Billy Bones (Michaela Peterson).

The Grand Marais Playhouse kicks off its 40th season with a swashbuckling story of intrigue, revenge and piracy— “Treasure Island.” Based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, “Treasure Island” features such characters as 14-year-old Jim Hawkins (Sean MacDonell), Long John Silver (Jackson Nickolay) , Billy Bones (Micheala Peterson), Israel Hands (Sarah Warren), Anne Bonney (Sarah O’Phelan) and Blind Pew (Maria Nickolay).

The production, directed by Sue Hennessy, features a cast of 21, costumes by Emma Bradley and scenery developed by Hennessy and Jan Attridge as well as a host of community volunteers. The play opened April 22 and runs through May 2 with performances at 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. If you can’t make those dates, don’t worry. The play will be staged again from June 24 through July 4.

Also this weekend, (April 30-May 2) Bicycle Army and special guests will be playing at the GunFlint Tavern on Friday and Saturday night, and Bump Blomberg plays the Sunday slot from 6:30 - 9 p.m.

With the arrival of spring, the arts community begins to get really active. There are a lot of courses being offered at North House Folk School (www.northhousefolkschool.org) and the Grand Marais Art Colony (www.grandmaraisartcolony.org) this month. North House is featuring a lot of food classes next month, including baking a variety of different breads. Chez Jude is doing a fish and seafood cooking class as well as a sausage-making class. Call 387-9762 for more info.

---

On May 22, this Montana singer/songwriter will be in concert at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts through the North Shore Music Association. Scanlan played with the Reeltime Travelers. The group recorded a cut for the soundrack to “Cold Mountain.” Scanlan, who is working solo these days, has won multiple songwriting contests. For tickets, visit www.tix.com.

Duluth potter Dave Lynas will teach two weekend classes at the Art Colony in May, and Howard Sivertson will teach a workshop on traditional water color painting. Other classes include a slumped glass class, a workshop on torch-working with borosilicate glass and a mixed media class with Jeanne Larson. Call 387-2737 for more information.

Nathan Baker, program director of the NSMA, will be leaving the position in June and the organization is looking for a new director. Other “arts” jobs include two positions at North House Folk School. NHFS program director Scott Pollock will be leaving, too, to pursue a graduate degree.

Also, the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is looking for a board member from Cook County. Call (800) 569-8134 to learn more.

In other art news, the Cook County Events Bureau is raising the bar for Memorial Day celebrations this year. There will be lots of arts events, including live music at Sivertson Gallery, Last Chance Gallery and Betsy Bowen’s Studio. An Art Tour on Sunday will feature galleries around the county with special exhibits and events.

The Grand Marais Art Colony will hold an open house/art event from noon to 3 p.m. with a raku firing (purchase a bowl, glaze it and see it fired in a wood-fired kiln) and card-making in the print studio. Other events include a photography walk with Bryan Hansel on Saturday morning, and the Cook County Farmer’s Market will be open all weekend. Stay tuned for more.

Also in the arts, the Chik-Wauk Museum will open July 4, but will have a sneak peak preview during Gunflint Greenup on Friday, May 7 at 2 p.m. The Sivertones play for the dinner on Saturday, May 8 and Trail’s End Band plays for the dance that evening. Rod ‘N’ Real is in the final stages of recording and putting together the band’s first CD. Stay tuned for this one.

And Kah Nee Tah Gallery in Lutsen has small original watercolors by Tom Soucek of Litchfield. The 1910 Rock Shop has new stained glass and agate pieces created by Katharine Peterson, stacked rock candle holders, rock candy, beach stone puzzles, and a new selection of Jim Miller paintings. Sivertson Gallery has just received beautiful Butterfly Wing jewelry as well as new images by Rick Allen and necklaces, pendants and earrings by Monica Hansmeyer of Bemidji. She has new reversible designs crafted from sterling silver and semiprecious stones.