MARINETTE — Sometimes “doing your research” means watching Saturday morning cartoons.
That’s what Keith Kolstad, co-director and writer of this year’s “Mystery on the Menominee River: Can Scoobs Save the Day?” show, did.
As the bats fly across a haunted mansion, the theme song sets in — “Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you?”
Groovy.
He said he watched hours of the show to prep for this year’s gig, put on by the Marinette Kiwanis Kapers.
Relive those weekend days of childhood by attending the show on April 5, 6 and 7 at the Marinette High School’s W.J. Jones Auditorium, 2135 Pierce Ave., Marinette. Shows on Friday and Saturday will start at 7 p.m., with a 3 p.m. showing on Sunday.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from any Marinette Kiwanis member or at Ironworks, 1333 Main St., Farmers & Merchants Bank & Trust, 1644 Ludington St., Associated Bank, 2201 Roosevelt Road and Stephenson National Bank & Trust, 1820 Hall Ave.
Brenda Greenwald, pastor of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Stephenson and Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Wallace, co-directed the performance. Kolstad is a part-time chaplain at Northland Lutheran Retirement Community and the retired pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Marinette.
He said the Marinette Kiwanis has put on a performance every other year, a tradition since 1953. At first, the group focused on hosting a more Carol Burnett-type variety show, but it morphed into what it is today — a musical show revolving around a common theme.
Oh, and they poke fun at local topics. During U.S. 41 construction, one year, they dominated the subject material with jokes about how you couldn’t get around town with the roads torn up.
This year, the new marijuana shops in Menominee have created some ripe material for the Kapers to have fun with.
“We pick on that kind of stuff,” Kolstad said. “We have a history of that.”
It’s always a mixed bag of what their sold-out audiences laugh at, he said.
“There are things we think aren’t all that funny, and the crowd is just roaring laughing,” Kolstad said.
An easy crowd isn’t such a bad thing, though. None of the performers have any professional acting chops. Kolstad did go to school for music, though. Looking back, he said he had no idea how he memorized sheet music for his college performances. Getting these spoofs together to the tune of some popular ’50s, ’70s and ’80s songs will take some blood, sweat and tears.
“That’s a lot of work to get it memorized as you get older,” he said.
The Kiwanis group, which has 27 members, has put in a lot of effort to put on the show.
“It’s more work to put on this production because we’ve got fewer people to pull from,” Kolstad said.
They’re always looking for more local leaders, business members and chipper volunteers to join Kiwanis.
“Service organizations are a dying breed,” Kolstad said.
He said they serve an important function, helping raise money for children’s programming, area sports, the arts, and other local events.
“Our focus is kids, and that’s what we spend that on,” Kolstad said.
All proceeds from this show will benefit children’s programs, with the group’s goal set at $20,000. They recently invested $50,000 in the Marinette REC Center when it was built.
“We’re trying to make a difference in the community,” he said.
And a difference they will make — especially when their “Kiwanis Kuties” take the stage in a surprise performance during the show. It’s something they fit into the script every year as a fun hijinks — the small group has been rehearsing separately at the First Street Academy of Dance in Menominee.
“The courage these folks have in this group — it’s all for the sake of kids in the community and to give people an opportunity to laugh,” Kolstad said.
He said it’s a big ask to get the group on stage, noting that performing in front of crowds can be a common fear. Even the co-director — on stage as “Shaggy”- gets the jitters every now and then. Is he nervous?
“Oh heavens to Murgatroyd, yes I am.”
Ruh roh!
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