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Duluth's Historic Art Deco Theatre
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In the News

Live performances return to Duluth’s historic NorShor Theatre (4-30-2021)
When Duluth’s historic NorShor Theatre debuted in restored form in 2018, the musical Mamma Mia! welcomed audiences back. So it only made sense when, more than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic darkened the stage, the music of ABBA revives it.

It’s on! Indie TV fest returns to Duluth with bold plans (4-17-2021)
The Catalyst Content Festival is returning to Duluth venues this fall, this time with a global reach and local focus. “The more that we talk to artists, executives and people in the industry around the world, they’re telling us they’re looking for a new place to live, work and shoot their future projects,” said Philip Gilpin Jr., executive director of the nonprofit Catalyst Story Institute that runs the festival. “So we’re telling them that is Duluth. Come to Duluth.”

Pipe bursts, spills thousands of gallons of water into Duluth’s Greysolon building (2-16-2021)
A burst pipe has spilled thousands of gallons of water into downtown Duluth’s Greysolon Plaza Tuesday evening. Authorities responded to the building on the 200 block of East Superior Street. A sprinkler pipe broke in the skywalk connecting the 3rd Avenue West parking ramp to the plaza which caused water to rush inside.

REVIEW: ‘From Broadway, With Love’ a valentine from the Duluth Playhouse (2-13-2021)
No night out on the town on tap this Valentine’s weekend with your special sweetie? Order delivery from your favorite restaurant instead, and then snuggle up to enjoy a free virtual concert with a “bouquet” of tunes from many of your favorite area performers, in the Playhouse’s From Broadway, With Love.

City Pages: “Hey, We’re in Duluth!” (2-7-2921)
Twenty years ago today — Feb. 6, 2001 — City Pages published a cover story on Duluth’s “tiny counterculture.” The Twin Cities alternative weekly paper ceased operations last fall and its online archive is on hiatus, but Perfect Duluth Day is here with the flashback goods.

REVIEW: Share the last night of Dr. King in Playhouse’s The Mountaintop (1-17-2021)
Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on the night of April 3, 1968. On the last night of his life, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is trying to figure out what he should say in a speech to be entitled “Why America is Going to Hell.” But he is easily distracted, searching the room for listening devices, and craving coffee and a cigarette.

Virtual events keep Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s legacy alive (1-17-2021)
The legacy Dr. Martin Luther King Junior left behind is one that is long lasting. And, even amid a global pandemic, Americans are finding ways to celebrate all King did for the world.

Northland entertainment venues lay out plans to reopen (1-10-2021)
The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented shows from going on at entertainment venues across the globe. But on Monday, Northlanders will be able to enjoy shows on stages and screens once more when Governor Tim Walz’s restrictions are lifted and entertainment venues are allowed to reopen at 25% capacity.

Duluth Venues Struggle to Hang On, Hope Targeted Aid will Keep Them Afloat (1-9-2021)
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced theaters and performance venues to close their doors, many once-vibrant organizations have struggled to survive, and often the people behind the scenes have felt nearly forgotten, said Christine Gradl Seitz, executive director of the Duluth Playhouse. “It’s really frightening how little attention has been focused on the arts and cultural groups,” she said.

Music Promoters See Bright Lights and the Return of Concerts on the Horizon (12-22-2020)
The concert scene shut down in March 2020, but those in the business have found safe ways to bring music to the masses — ideas that might stick around post-pandemic.

REVIEW: Virtual show satisfies those who need a little Christmas (12-10-2020)
Every holiday season, the Playhouse traditionally presents a big, colorful blockbuster musical with sold-out audiences of folks dressed up in their best “out on the town” finery. This year, however, a virtual small concert was the safest choice for both performers and audiences.

DULUTH CITY ATTORNEY CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF WORK (9-16-2020)
On Wednesday (September 16), Robert Asleson marked 50 years as an assistant Duluth city attorney. “If you look over there you can see the top of the maurices office building, I was the city’s attorney on that for example. I was also the city’s attorney on the NorShor Theatre redevelopment project.”

THEATER, BALLET, ORCHESTRA AND MORE ADJUST TO A PANDEMIC BEYOND EXPECTATIONS (9-6-2020)
At the NorShor Theatre, the stage is still set for Spamalot — the Monty Python musical that closed before it ever opened in mid-March. Duluth Playhouse executive director Christine Seitz intended for the theater company to eventually pick up where it left off earlier this year, when performances around the country were canceled to slow the spread of COVID-19.

PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS STRUGGLE TO KEEP FINANCIALLY AFLOAT (9-2-2020)
Performing arts organizations around the world are suffering. “The entire industry of live events, performing arts, culture, and museums, everyone has really taken a financial hit,” said new NorShor Theatre Artistic Director Phillip Fazio.

SHUTDOWN ‘DEVASTATING’ FOR LOVEL THEATRES (5-25-2020)
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted more than just businesses across the Northland. Non-profit organizations have also been hit hard. Audiences can’t fill theatre seats. That means organizations like the Duluth Playhouse haven’t had their primary revenue source for the last two months.

MARIA BAMFORD GOES ONLINE WITH MIKE BIRBIGLIA, PICKS NORSHOR THEATRE FOR DONATIONS (3-24-2020)
Duluth-raised comedian Maria Bamford practiced new comedy on the Instagram Live show “Tip Your Waitstaff” with fellow performer Mike Birbiglia and asked that donations from viewers go to the NorShor Theatre.

BELL BANK RENOVATING, MOVING TO DULUTH’S TEMPLE OPERA BUILDING (3-10-2020)
Duluth’s branch of Bell Bank has plans to renovate and move into the downtown Temple Opera Building. The Fargo-based bank is in its first months of operation in Duluth, and its move will bring renovations to the historic 221 E. Superior St. building. The space will likely open by late 2020, according to a news release from the bank.

DOCUMENTARY TO BE SHOWN IN DULUTH PORTRAYS HARMONICA-PLAYING TEXAN’S BREAKTHROUGH IN CANCER RESEARCH (2-25-2020)
He has earned a Nobel Prize. He meets people who remain alive today as a result of his scientific research. He has played harmonica behind Willie Nelson. One might think that Jim Allison, at 71, would be satisfied to rest on his laurels. Instead, he toils full time in his lab at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

NORSHOR CLASSIC FILM SERIES DRAWS IN CROWDS (2-16-2020)
The historic NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth hosted it’s Classic Film Series tonight with a showing of It Happened One Night. The film series is in its second season and gives Twin Ports audiences the chance to see classic films in a classic setting.

BEST BETS: DARK FOLK, CELEBRITIES DANCING, STAR-GAZING (2-13-2020)
In 1934, a screwball comedy starring Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable won all the major Academy Awards, starting with Best Adaptation and ending with Best Picture.

CLOUD CULT TO PLAY NORSHOR IN APRIL (2-3-2020)
Cloud Cult will headline this year’s Mental Health Action Concert, an annual fundraiser for Let’s Talk MN. The art-pop-orchestral band fronted by Craig Minowa will perform at 7 p.m. April 25 at the NorShor Theatre, 211 E. Superior St. Electric folk musician Ingeborg von Agassiz will open, and Elsa Lee will perform during the pre-show in the mezzanine.

‘STEEL MAGNOLIAS’ OFFERS LAUGHTER, TEARS (1-31-2020)
As soon as I saw the cast that director Julie Ahasay had assembled for Steel Magnolias, I looked forward to the production that opened Thursday night at the NorShor Theatre. I was eager to see what those six actresses would do with these parts and I was not disappointed, because each breathes fresh life into these familiar characters.

NEW YEAR’S EVE FESTIVITIES AND SAFE RIDES (1-1-2020)
The second annual New Year’s by the Lake event is one of many events taking place in Duluth to celebrate the new year. About 600 people are expected to attend. The event is taking place at four adjacent venues, including the Greysolon Ballroom, Moorish Room, the NorShor Theatre and the exclusive pre-opening of Black Water Lounge.

REVIEW: ‘WIZARD OF OZ’ RULES WITH LION AND MUNCHKINS AND DOG (OH MY!) (12-6-2019)
The Wizard of Oz is hardwired into our psyches. When we hear “Yellow Brick Road,” half of us are thinking, “OK, Dorothy, walk to the painted backdrop, turn, wave, and then fade to the second commercial break.” So think how high the bar was set when the stage version of The Wizard of Oz opened Thursday night (12-5-2019) at the NorShor Theatre.

THE BEST TWIN CITIES CONCERTS OF THE WEEK: JESCA HOOP, NOVALIMA, MARC COHN, PERT NEAR SANDSTONE (11-15-2019)
Jerry Douglas and Pert Near Sandstone: After recruiting Douglas to play their Blue Ox Music Festival in June, local bluegrass/folk band Pert Near Sandstone invited the 14-time-Grammy-winning resonator guitar and dobro master of Alison Krauss & Union Station fame to join them Saturday at their favorite hometown rock club plus a bonus gig Friday in Duluth.

NORSHOR THEATRE UNVEILS MURAL DEPICTING DULUTH’S PERFORMING ARTS HISTORY (11-1-2019)
A colorful mural showcasing some of Duluth’s performing arts history now hangs on the wall of the NorShor Theatre’s third-floor skywalk. Depictions of Charlie Chaplin at the Orpheum, the old NorShor Theatre’s marquee sign and an Ojibwe woman wearing a traditional dress are just some of the images found on this painting made up of 16 sets of 8×4 pieces of plywood.

‘HISTORY OF DULUTH’S PERFORMING ARTS’ MURAL UNVEILED FRIDAY (11-1-2019)
The City of Duluth and the Duluth Public Arts Commission (DPAC) unveiled the ‘History of Duluth’s Performing Arts’ mural Friday morning inside the third floor skywalk at the NorShor Theatre after the installation process began on October 16.

CATALYST CONTENT FESTIVAL BRINGS HOLLYWOOD TO YOU. AND THE ACTOR BEHIND BART SIMPSON (10-3-2019)
Evelyn is a terrible person. She works at the Fry Weenie at the Minnesota State Fair, but she wants more than the seasonal food stand. She wants to be Princess Kay of the Milky Way, the winner of the annual Dairy Princess competition. Princess Kay, famously, gets her likeness sculpted in butter — which is then exhibited at the state fair. For Evelyn, this is not an attainable goal.

THE 20 BEST DULUTH RESTAURANTS AND BREWERIES (8-7-2019)
Duluth’s eating-and-drinking landscape is definitely on the upswing. A remarkable transformation has taken place over the past few years, thanks to the combined efforts of chefs, brewers, distillers, bakers, mixologists, coffee roasters, restaurateurs and other dedicated culinary entrepreneurs. Check out these 20 critic-tested options, in Canal Park and Lincoln Park, and from downtown’s busy Superior Street to the scenic curves of North Shore Drive.

SUPERIOR TO BE INCLUDED IN CATALYST PRODUCTION GUIDE FOR $15k (8-6-2019)
Bringing new industry to the city of Superior. That’s what the City Council voted on Tuesday when they approved $15,000 towards sponsoring the Catalyst Content Festival. The festival, which is new to the Twin Ports, is for independent tv and filmmakers who want to display their creations while mingling with some of the industries top producers and professionals, something Superior officials say could bring new jobs and life to the economy.

THIS CENTURY-OLD BARN IS HOME TO A HOMEY, ECLECTIC FILM FESTIVAL (7-8-2019)
The Free Range Film Festival is the barn’s raison d’être (since the farm closed, anyway). The documentary-heavy festival screens films from around the world, with an emphasis on Minnesota filmmakers and unusual subject matter.

LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES: THIS WEEK IN RANGE HISTORY (6-28-2019)
As many Virginians fought a World War for a second time, four movie emporiums on Chestnut Street kept those at home informed and entertained. Virginia’s own radio station WHLB and the Virginia Daily Enterprise newspaper provided the majority of the news and printed entertainment.

RETAIL DECLINE HURTS REAL ESTATE (6-24-2019)
There’s good and bad news about Duluth’s commercial real estate market, depending on your perspective. The good news involves large expenditures planned by the medical and government sectors. Between Essentia Health and St. Luke’s, more than a billion dollars is set to be invested in land, buildings, and equipment during the next few years.

READER’S VIEW: MANY RIVERS A PART OF DULUTH’S DYNAMISM (6-23-2019)
With the close of the school year now behind us, the teachers, staff, parents, and students at Many Rivers Montessori have been thinking a lot about our first year in our new building in the Woodland neighborhood. I wanted to share some of those thoughts.

LOCAL SHOPS TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO HELP THEIR BUSINESSES (6-21-2019)
Grandma’s Marathon always brings a big boost to twin ports businesses. However, the stores in the East Superior Street construction zone are working extra hard to attract visitors. Phase two of the Superior Street reconstruction project is in full swing in Duluth’s Historic Arts and Theatre District.

NETWORKING EVENT INTRODUCES LOCAL TALENT TO NATIONAL PRODUCERS (6-19-2019)
Top TV executives were in the Northland on Wednesday night as part of a national event that is planned for our region in the fall. The Catalyst Content Festival that will be held in Duluth will bring independent creators together with entertainment industry executives, agents, and producers.

DULUTH-SUPERIOR FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS (5-30-2019)
The 10th Anniversary of the Duluth-Superior Film Festival began a five-day run on Wednesday, May 29. The festival opened at the NorShor Theatre with the documentary Riplist. Local filmmaker Mike Scholtz hosted a question and answer session following the film with reception across the street at Zeitgeist.

ANI DIFRANCO PLOTS NORTH AMERICAN ‘NO WALLS’ TOUR (4-10-2019)
Ani DiFranco will promote her upcoming memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, and a corresponding mixtape with a North American tour. The summer trek launches May 3rd at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and wraps August 16th at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons, Colorado.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS CONCERT INCLUDES A THREE ALTOS REUNION (4-9-2019)
When Ric Schaefer was grieving the death of his first wife, he called the rabbi. Which might not have seemed to be the natural thing to do. “We were not Jewish,” said Schaefer, who is the director of the Arrowhead Health Alliance.

DRAMA, COMEDY COLLIDE WITH SWEENEY TODD AT THE NORSHOR THEATRE (3-26-2019)
The musical thriller Sweeny Todd is coming to life at the historic NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth March 27 – April 14.

DULUTH PLAYHOUSE COMBINING DARKNESS AND COMEDY WITH SWEENEY TODD (3-19-2019)
A barber in Victorian-era England, wronged by an evil judge, is seeking revenge. This is the short synopsis of Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street, as told by Twin Cities-based actor Paul Coate.

NORSHOR THEATRE CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY (2-28-2019)
The historic NorShor Theatre has now been open for a year. It was even busier in its first 365 days than the Duluth Playhouse expected and more could be offered this year.

RELICS: TAKE A TOUR THROUGH DOWNTOWN’S DECORATIVE ENTRYWAYS (2-28-2019)
At the turn of the last century, ornate entryways were all the rage across the United States. Even Duluthians — normally a practical and humble bunch — created a downtown packed with buildings meant to impress. There are several outstanding examples of stone-carved doorways and tiled facades in Duluth, but for this piece, we are going to focus on the modest entryway floor.

COMEDY REVIEW: BAMFORD WINS LAUGHS WITH VIVID LIFE STORIES AT SOLD-OUT NORSHOR (2-25-2019)
Stand-up comedian Maria Bamford has a thousand twisted voices in her head, a cushion of air under her feet and a hit song about escalating family confrontations in her heart. Bamford, a Duluth native who lives and works in Los Angeles, used her amazing voice work and a surprisingly physical stage presence to tell wonderfully vivid life stories in rapid-fire succession during a sold-out performance at the NorShor Theatre on Sunday night. The hilarious 60-minute set was the first of a two-night downtown engagement.

FEBRUARY 25, 2019 PROCLAIMED ‘MARIA BAMFORD DAY’ IN DULUTH (2-25-2019)
Feb. 25, 2019, officially became Maria Bamford Day in the city of Duluth Monday. Mayor Emily Larson made the proclamation at a private lunch with the Duluth-raised comedian and her family.

COMEDIAN MARIA BAMFORD TESTED HER SET ON A DULUTHIAN — IN EXCHANGE FOR GOODS (2-21-2019)
During a December visit to Duluth, comedian Maria Bamford put a call-out on Twitter: She was looking for an audience of one to listen to her set in exchange for food and drink. After sifting through the replies, she picked Ashley Neenan — whom she would later find out has a great laugh and long history of Bamford fandom.

COMEDY REVIEW: BIG NAMES DON’T DISAPPOINT AT FIRST DULUTH COMEDY FEST (2-17-2019)
The inaugural Duluth Comedy Fest came to a close Saturday night at the NorShor Theatre with performances by two humor heavyweights — Brian Posehn and Tig Notaro. Comedians of their caliber rarely make it to the Northland, so the mere fact they were here in the flesh was impressive enough, but their sets demonstrated why they’ve both risen to the fore of their chosen fields over time.

COMEDY REVIEW: GULMAN HITS THE COMEDY MARK RELAYING EVERYMAN STRUGGLES (2-16-2019)
The Duluth Comedy Fest came together in dribs and drabs, seemingly. First, there was a Brian Posehn performance announced. Then, John Hodgman was added and almost immediately dropped. Finally, it was a proper two-day event, with Tig Notaro taking Hodgman’s place, and Gary Gulman and Alex Edelman also added. It almost seemed too good to be true, what with such incredible talent as part of the lineup, but then Friday night (2/15) rolled around, and there was Gulman onstage at the NorShor Theatre, working out his latest batch of material in front of a welcoming, three-quarters-full crowd.

BEST BETS: NORSHOR COMEDY, BARBARA TRIBUTE AND CLASSICAL MUSIC (2-14-2019)
Four nationally-known comedians walk into a revamped historic theater … stop us if you’ve heard this one.

REVIEW: PLAYHOUSE COOKS UP A WINNER WITH ‘DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER’ (2-1-2019)
In Don’t Dress for Dinner, the French farce that returned to the NorShor stage Thursday night, Katy Helbacka makes two bold decisions as the director that could have thrown the production off the rails. Fortunately, she booked a really good cook.

BEST BETS: SOUND AN ECHO, JAZZ, AND COMEDIES AT CSS AND NORSHOR (1-31-2019)
When Bernard is in a tricky spot. He has hired Suzette, a chef, to cater a dinner with his mistress, Suzanne, and his third-wheel decoy, Robert. Unbeknownst to Bernard, the third-wheel decoy is having an affair with his wife — who, turns out, isn’t going to visit her mother this weekend.

CABARET DARK: THE SOUNDTRACK TO MINNESOTA-MADE MUSICAL ‘GLENSHEEN’ OUT FRIDAY (1-17-2019)
Glensheen opens whodunnit-y and Halloween-ish. The 18-second overture is a buildup of piano and whispery percussion, and it sets the tone for the Minnesota-made musical’s soundtrack — which will be available as a CD, for streaming and download on Friday (January 18).

TIG NOTARO WILL PERFORM DURING DULUTH COMEDY FEST (1-15-2019)
Tig Notaro will headline the second night of Duluth Comedy Fest, Jade Presents announced Tuesday. The comedian replaces John Hodgman, whose cancellation was announced last week. Notaro, the deadpan comedian behind the Amazon original series One Mississippi and known for her standup, will perform Feb. 16 at the NorShor Theatre. The two-day fest also includes comedians Gary Gulman and Alex Edelman on Friday; and Brian Posehn, who will perform with Notaro on Saturday.

MUSIC REVIEW: OLD STREET BUSKER MARTIN SEXTON DISPLAYS CRAFT AT NORSHOR (1-13-2019)
A good street busker can turn a simple song and beat-up acoustic guitar into something strong enough to stop a busy working world for a short listen. Singer/songwriter Martin Sexton has taken this hardscrabble art form to its highest level in a workmanlike 25-year music career. Sexton, who started performing on Boston, Mass., sidewalks, showcased his strong voice, memorable songs and a talent for connecting with a crowd during a mostly solo 18-song, 105-minute performance at the NorShor Theatre in Duluth Saturday night (January 12).

THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FUTURE IS LOOKING BACKWARD: 2019 STARTS WITH A STRONG RETRO LEAN (1-10-2019)
Like Buddy Holly, Todd Eckart wears a white tuxedo jacket and bowtie, two-toned shoes, definitely the signature dark-framed glasses. The local crooner favors the old — whether it’s a movie, furniture, or his own setlists filled with retro rock or the Rat Pack.

BEST BETS: MARTIN SEXTON, GET ‘RUTHLESS’ AND MARLON BRANDO (COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTENDER) (1-10-2019)
Martin Sexton’s “Mixtape of the Open Road” is a 12-song collection that ranges from clean-cut, aw-shucks, and winky to straight forward and bluesy to, well, pretty. The 2015 release is the most recent for Sexton, a hard-touring singer-songwriter who has always made Duluth a regular stop. Also playing: Chris Trapper, who claims John Prine and Kris Kristofferson as early influences.

GARY GULMAN, JOHN HODGMAN TO HEADLINE DULUTH COMEDY FEST (1-7-2019)
A foursome of comedians, including Gary Gulman, a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, will perform as part of the two-day Duluth Comedy Fest, Jade Presents announced Monday (January 7).

A LOOK AT WHAT’S COMING UP IN 2019 IN THE TWIN PORTS (1-3-2019)
Duluth has done a lot right. Most recently Tom Petty, but also Bob Dylan, the White Album and, for their 20th anniversary as a band, Low.

2018’s TOP STORIES FOR THE NORTHLAND (12-29-2018)
From politics to pipelines to a fire that made news nationwide, 2018 was a big year for news in the Northland. The News Tribune newsroom staff voted on a comprehensive list of 57 stories from 2018 to select what we think are the 10 most important stories covered these past 12 months. Here’s a look back at 2018.

TODD ECKART TO RING IN 2019 AT HISTORIC NORSHOR THEATRE (12-28-2018)
Lundeen Productions & Twin Ports Entertainment, in conjunction with the Black Woods Group, are proud to present New Year’s Eve by the Lake on December 31, 2018 in downtown Duluth.

HOW TO NYE IN THE NORTHLAND (12-27-2018)
You could close out 2018 in a Symphony Hall-sized singalong or by HART-district hopping from Todd Eckart to Laura Velvet and the Bookhouse Boys. You could make an award-winning mask, then strut it all over Barker’s Island or finally press the flesh with one of the city’s most recognizable news anchors. New Year’s Eve, man. So much potential.

NORSHOR THEATRE HOLDS SPECIAL SCREENING OF ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ (12-23-2018)
Movie lovers in Duluth were able to view a timeless holiday classic on the big screen on Sunday.

BEST OF A&E: LOCAL MOVERS AND SHAKERS LIKE POP-UP PARR, THE NEW NORSHOR AND MORE (12-20-2018)
Some “best of the best” moments in the A&E scene this past year: a pop-up Parr show, a newly remodeled historic theater, an art exhibition worth getting lost in. The News Tribune asked local movers and shakers to talk about the memorable music, theater, visual arts and events from the past year.

EXTENDED! BAMFORD’S COMEDY TOUR NOW HAS TWO SHOWS AT NORSHOR (12-12-2018)
Duluth-raised Maria Bamford has added a second night of comedy to the NorShor Theatre this February. The sold-out show is Feb. 24, and tickets are now on sale for the second show on Feb. 25 at $44.50 per ticket.

INDEPENDENT TV FESTIVAL COMING TO DULUTH (12-10-2018)
The Independent TV Festival is moving to Duluth, bringing its five-day annual festival to the city during the peak of fall colors. At the event, TV industry talent and executives will meet each other in a relaxed setting to share their ideas, buy and sell shows, and discuss the latest industry topics.

SUPERIOR SIREN RELEASES NEW MUSIC VIDEO “FOR MOTHER” IN MEMORY OF LAURA SELLNER’S MOTHER
Grief is a complex emotion. It can be overpowering, infuriating, paralyzing. The onset of tangled emotions can consume you if you sequester them in the confines of your heart. All of us have been touched by grief in one way or another and process it in our own way. It is like an ocean: ebbing, flowing, cresting, falling. Sometimes the waters are calm, sometimes they are violent. All we can do is learn how to swim.

MINNESOTA ICON: GEORGE SHERMAN
The Twin Cities would be a different place if George Sherman had decided to stay a biochemist. A few years after his graduation from the U of M with a degree in biochemistry, Sherman realized his future was in real estate and changed careers.

POSTMODERN JUKEBOX TO PLAY NORSHOR
Postmodern Jukebox, a group that has its sights (and sounds) on 2020, is bringing its show “Welcome to the Twenties 2.0 Tour” to Duluth.

BAMFORD RETURNS FOR SHOW AT NORSHOR THEATRE
Maria Bamford, a comedian whose family, mental health and hometown are a strong part of her work, returns for to Duluth for a show this winter. Bamford, star of the semi-autobiographical Netflix series “Lady Dynamite,” will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at the NorShor Theatre.

NEW APARTMENT PROJECT REPLACING LONGSTANDING HOTEL
A major new project will be making its way to Superior Street next year, a 15 story apartment building. The housing project will be replacing a longstanding hotel in the area. The $75 million project will be replacing the Voyageur Lakewalk Inn. The project will start breaking ground in about nine months.

EXPERIENCE ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ AT THE NORSHOR THEATRE
Friends at the Duluth Playhouse invite everyone in the community to be their guest starting Thursday, November 29 at the historic NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will come alive on the stage, providing fun for the whole family.

REVIEW: TALE AS OLD AS TIME STILL ENCHANTS AT NORSHOR  
Dancing forks, showgirls as plates, a feather duster cavorting with a candlestick, a talking teacup, the obligatory plucky heroine, and a brooding hero. The Duluth Playhouse’s enchanting Beauty and the Beast had all the bells and whistles to win the hearts of the opening night audience Thursday (11/29)!

BELLE-TO-BE CONSULTED WITH HIGHEST AUTHORITY ON PLAYING DISNEY PRINCESS
Emily Ahrens keeps two photographs on her dressing room mirror in the lower level of the NorShor Theatre, a prep space away from home for her three-month stint rehearsing for and playing Belle in the Duluth Playhouse’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

10 WAYS TO GET MERRY AND BRIGHT IN THE NORTHLAND
Ready or not, the holiday season is coming for you — right down Superior Street, in fact. Regardless (probably) of rain-snow-sleet-or-hail, the local marching bands will play, batons will be tossed and floats will all float on during the annual Christmas City of the North Parade, which starts at 6:20 p.m. Friday in downtown Duluth. As long as we’re already whistling the city’s holiday anthem “Christmas City,” made popular by Merv Griffin, here are 10 arty and entertaining ways to lean into this holiday season.

‘RUMOURS’ AT THE NORSHOR
Ah, the sweet sound of “Rumours” — sans the band. Classic Albums Live is bringing Fleetwood Mac’s popular album to the NorShor Theatre at 7 p.m. Jan. 6. It’s billed as being “note for note, cut for cut” as performed by a load of musicians described as the world’s greatest. more…
October 24, 2018 – Duluth News Tribune

NEW YEAR’S BY THE LAKE EVENT TAKING PLACE IN GREYSOLON
The Bluebird Foundation, an organization that raises money for local youth in the arts, hosted a gathering in the Moorish Room at the Greysolon Plaza Wednesday to announce a major event, the New Year’s by the Lake Extravaganza. more…
September 27, 2018 – WDIO Eyewitness News

ANNUAL PROPERTIES TOUR HIGHLIGHTS DULUTH’S HISTORIC BUILDINGS
An estimated 600 people spread out throughout Duluth as part of the 38th Annual Historic Properties Tour. A behind–the–scenes look at the NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth was a highlight. more…
September 17, 2018 – FOX 21 Local News

MURDER MYSTERIES AND ART DECO TREASURES
It wasn’t the shimmer of countless stars reflecting from Lake Superior. This was a different kind of aura. The city of Duluth was aglow with the glitter of Hollywood stars, a spectacular movie premiere, and Vanity Fair-type after parties. Oscar winner Patty Duke, The Walton’s Richard Thomas, actress Rosemary Murphy, and other luminaries were in town to attend the Midwestern premiere of Universal Studio’s thriller “You’ll Like My Mother” in early November 1972.  And despite being paralyzed from a stroke, under around-the-clock care, heiress Elisabeth Congdon wasn’t going to miss it either. A driver and nurse delivered her into the cacophony of socialites converging on the art deco NorShor Theatre. Her regal visage and stately coiffed curls may have obscured her deep-seated philanthropy for Minnesota arts and children’s health causes. more…
August 14, 2018 – Minnesota Connected

TOP PROJECTS OF 2017: NORSHOR THEATRE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER
Early this February, the curtain went down — or up, depending on your perspective — on one of Duluth’s most complex renovation projects ever. The first performance of “Mamma Mia!” on the main stage of the revitalized NorShor Theatre Community Arts Center capped nearly a decade of work to transform the former strip club into a focal point for Duluth’s Historic Arts & Theater District. more…
July 27, 2018 – Finance & Commerce

ART WANTED FOR NORSHOR CORRIDOR
A Duluth board is seeking to commission a piece of art for a prime spot downtown. The art piece is to be installed in the skywalk corridor of the recently restored NorShor Theatre, the Duluth Public Arts Commission announced on Monday. more…
July 24, 2018 – Duluth News Tribune

A RESTORED NORSHOR THEATER BECKONS FROM DOWNTOWN DULUTH TO VISITORS
If the walls of the NorShor theater could talk, they wouldn’t know where to begin. In the past 100 years, the old building on Superior Street in downtown Duluth has served many purposes: a live theater, a movie theater, a strip club. But for almost a decade it sat dormant, the marquee announcing one show: “Restore the NorShor.” more…
July 7, 2018 – Twin Cities Pioneer Press

ART HOUNDS: A MUSICAL INSPIRED BY VONNEGUT
Playwright, director and theater critic Janet Preus is consistently impressed by Duluth’s Lyric Opera of the North (or LOON). She’s looking forward to a lush production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” directed by Twin Cities talent Christina Baldwin. more…
June 21, 2018 – Art Hounds: MPR News

OPERA’S ‘DON GIOVANNI’ TAKES A PAGE FROM OLD HOLLYWOOD
Lyric Opera of the North’s upcoming take on Mozart includes silent film-style title cards, a bit of lederhosen, and an anti-hero with the sort of character flaws known to infect mega film stars. Consider this: “Don Giovanni” meets 1930s Hollywood. more…
June 21, 2018 – Duluth News Tribune

KARA COMES HOME! GOUCHER GEARING UP FOR GARRY BJORKLUND HALF MARATHON
Kara Goucher grew up in Duluth, Minnesota and was a prep running standout at Duluth East and won state championships. After heading to college at the University of Colorado, she won national championships. After college, she’s competed in the Summer Olympics twice. So, when Goucher returns home, it is a big deal. more…
June 13, 2018 – WDIO News

REVIEW: OUTLAW COUNTRY POET STEVE EARLE REPLAYS CLASSIC ALBUM
Outlaw country poet and political pundit Steve Earle received a standing ovation just 10 songs into his sold-out performance at the NorShor Theatre in Duluth on Thursday night. And those 10 songs were the reason many had come to see the show. more…
June 8, 2018 – Duluth News Tribune

READER’S VIEW: DULUTH’S SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS NEEDS SAVING
Over the past month or so many articles in the News Tribune have shared subtle yet common themes: remembrance, renewal, and reconciliation. more…
June 8, 2018 – Duluth News Tribune

ART HOUNDS: KIDS, POWER TOOLS AND FRANCONIA SCULPTURE PARK
This week, on Art Hounds: Kids and power tools come together at Franconia Sculpture Park. Plus: Art Hounds recommend Our Town in Duluth and a miniature art exhibition on display in a porch window. more…
May 30, 2018 – MPR News: Art Hounds

REVIEW: OUR TOWN A TREASURE TROVE OF AMERICAN MOMENTS
The Playhouse last staged Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in 2010. Thursday night, a new production of the classic American play opened at the NorShor Theatre, and I think American society must have advanced at least a quarter-century in those eight years. more…
May 18, 2018 – Finance & Commerce

FINANCE & COMMERCE ANNOUNCES TOP PROJECTS OF 2017
Minnesota was bustling with construction activity in 2017, with significant projects completed from Duluth to Rochester and across the Twin Cities metro area. An independent panel selected 33 honorees for Finance & Commerce’s annual Top Projects. more…
May 25, 2018 – Duluth News Tribune

DULUTH PRESERVATION EFFORTS RECOGNIZED
The NorShor Theatre, brought back from the brink of death, is one of 13 Duluth Preservation Alliance honorees this year. The Alliance will honor 11 homes and two businesses Monday that have been preserved or restored in a historically accurate way at its annual Preservation Awards and Centennial Home recognition event. more…
May 12, 2018 – Duluth News Tribune

PHOTO TOUR: NORSHOR THEATRE, DULUTH’S FRESHLY INNOVATED DOWNTOWN LANDMARK
After 18 years and $31 million, plans to revive downtown Duluth’s NorShor Theatre was fully realized when the venue was reintroduced in February. The 118-year-old art deco structure had fallen into severe disrepair, but, as you’ll see on this photo tour, its past luster has been restored. more…
May 8, 2018 – City Pages

REVIEW: STARFIRE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF HOMEGROWN MEMORIES
In the year 2073, the Duluth Homegrown Music Festival has taken over the universe with thousands of bands playing every night almost year round. And the Homegrown Chicken will be a candidate for the Minnesota state bird. Dressed in bathrobes and using walkers, Homegrown founder Scott “Starfire” Lunt and early conspirators Bryan “Lefty” Johnson and Rick Boo took to the NorShor Theatre stage Saturday night acting out a loosely drawn flash-forward skit. The three “old men” poked fun at the annual music festival’s amazing run which all started during Lunt’s 30th birthday party in 1998.  more…
May 6, 2018 –  Duluth News Tribune

IT’S MORE GROWN UP’: HOMEGROWN MUSIC FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 20TH YEAR OF LOCAL MUSIC
Every good festival has 20 good years in it, Scott “Starfire” Lunt thinks a younger version of himself might have thought. You make it 20 years, and it’s sold out and over. more…
April 26, 2018 –  Duluth News Tribune

SUCH MAGNIFICENT GHOSTS
Back in January, Don Ness emailed me something like, “Hey, Anna. I’m hosting a party at the NorShor Theatre on March 3 and I’d like you to tell some stories. Would you do a reading?”

Ness, as you probably know, is the former mayor of Duluth and, as you might not know, a positive master of understatement. I figured he was inviting me to perform at a little reading party. You know, 50 people or so in the NorShor’s mezzanine. And then a friend of mine messaged me a poster for a Low concert in the NorShor’s 632-seat theater. I zoomed in to see the date, to see if I could go, and saw MY NAME ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POSTER — and I, embarrassed and panic-stricken that my name had somehow gotten on the bottom of this poster, looked at the date, and was like, “And I can’t even do it then, because I’m gonna be at Don Ness’s party!” Took me like ten seconds to figure out this was the thing Don had invited me to. Lord. more…
April 14, 2018 –  Perfect Duluth Day

IN STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, LARSON CALLES FOR DULUTH TO INNOVATE, LEAD
Duluth Mayor Emily Larson chose the newly renovated NorShor Theatre as the venue for her third State of the City address Thursday night, saying: “Just a few years ago, this grand theater had fallen into complete disrepair. more…
March 15, 2018 –  Duluth News Tribune

NORSHOR THEATRE OPENS ITS DOORS FOR FIRST CONCERT
If you were able to score tickets to the Don Ness Shows Off the Norshor Theatre concert, you were in luck for the sold-out show. Several local bands that got their start at the Norshor are coming back to perform in the newly remodeled Theatre. more…
March 3,  2018 –  Fox 21 News

REVIVAL BRINGS CROWDS BACK TO DULUTH’S NORSHOR THEATRE
The music reverberating again inside the historic NorShor Theatre on Duluth’s Superior Street was extra sweet for many in the audience last week. It took 7 ½ years and $30 million to restore the theater, which opened in 1910 and had taken turns as a movie house, music venue and, lastly, a strip club considered a stain at the heart of the Lake Superior city’s old downtown.  more…
February 3, 2018 –  Minneapolis Star Tribune

PDD QUIZ: HISTORY OF THE NORSHOR THEATRE
In anticipation of the NorShor Theatre re-opening in February, this month’s PDD Quiz looks back at the colorful history of this Duluth landmark.  more…
January 14, 2018 –  Perfect Duluth Day

IN NEW FEATURE CURRENTS, OUTDOORISTS TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE READING, FOLLOWING, WATCHING
This is a new feature on outdoors people and their interests. Today: Richard Hoeg of Duluth, a photographer, birder, blogger (365daysofbirds.com), and a volunteer naturalist at Sax-Zim Bog.  more…
January 12, 2018 –  Minneapolis Star Tribune

BE AN USHER AT THE NORSHOR THEATRE
I grew up in Duluth and one of the iconic places in the area is the Norshor Theatre, I remember walking in and thinking it was so big, and we were downtown. All the lights and everything had me captivated. You could be part of history, volunteer to be an Usher at the NorShor Theatre. more…
January 10, 2018 –  KOOL 101.7

A VIEW ON TOURISM: TOURISM HAS TO HAVE FASTER START IN 2018
As the calendar flips to 2018, Visit Duluth is rolling out a high-profile Twin Cities campaign touting Duluth as the ultra winter outdoor destination. An entire train on the light-rail Blue Line will be wrapped with dynamic exterior images of Spirit Mountain and ice climbing at Quarry Park, highlighting the tagline, “Find it in Duluth.” Interior photos will feature Duluth in all its winter glory, including craft brews, the Aerial Lift Bridge and snow-covered trails. more…
December 31, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR’S VIEW: ‘SOLIDLY OPTIMISTIC’ ABOUT ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR DULUTH
“I am solidly optimistic about Duluth’s economic growth in 2018. The trend data pertaining to our regional GDP and industry sectors, combined with input gleaned from the city’s business leaders and real estate developers, are informative indicators. And these indicators lean toward optimism.” more…
December 28, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

INNOVATIVE DULUTH
There’s a slogan Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood uses to brand its revitalized commercial district: “Crafting Something Great.” And in a sense, it’s a phrase that could describe ambitious efforts happening throughout the city. Located just west of downtown, Lincoln Park was a solid working-class neighborhood during Duluth’s industrial heyday, but as the heavy industry began to disappear in the 1970s, the neighborhood fell into economic decline. more…
December 20, 2017 – Twin Cities Business

NORSHOR THEATER RENOVATIONS COMING ALONG
It’s been 18 months since the major renovations began at the historic Norshor Theatre in downtown Duluth. About 50 people got an update and went on a tour to see how the project is coming along. The restored venue underwent a top to bottom makeover. more…
December 7, 2017 – FOX 21 News

NORSHOR THEATER RESTORATION NEARS COMPLETION
After months of anticipation, the NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth is getting close to being fully restored. The restoration project started in June and officials with the theatre says they’re within their 30.5 million dollar budget. more…
November 6, 2017 – Kat Country 989

NORSHOR THEATRE DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING
The pressure is on and the excitement is bursting from the supporters, backers, and arts community ready for the Norshor Theatre’s comeback. Developer and big financial backer George Sherman was at today’s press event among city leaders and the Duluth Playhouse. The transformation and restoration of the historic Norshor Theatre on E Superior St. are looking the clearest it’s looked in well over a decade. more…
November 2, 2017 – FOX 21 Local News

NORSHOR THEATRE HOSTS TOUR, UNVEILS NEW CAMPAIGN
Members of the public were invited Wednesday to get a sneak peek tour of what the NorShor Theatre that is currently under construction is going to look like when it’s finished.  more…
November 2, 2017 – WDIO Eyewitness News

NORSHOR THEATER RESTORATION NEARS COMPLETION
You can show your support for efforts to renovate Duluth’s iconic NorShor Theatre as part of the “Take a Seat” campaign launched by the Duluth Playhouse Wednesday. Contribute $1,000, and have a metal plate engraved to your specifications attached to a seat of your choice inside the theater. In all, 630 seats are available and will be assigned on a first-come, first served basis to supporters. more…
November 2, 2017 – KDAL 610 News

‘TAKE A SEAT’ AT THE NORSHOR THEATRE
You can show your support for efforts to renovate Duluth’s iconic NorShor Theatre as part of the “Take a Seat” campaign launched by the Duluth Playhouse Wednesday. Contribute $1,000, and have a metal plate engraved to your specifications attached to a seat of your choice inside the theater. In all, 630 seats are available and will be assigned on a first-come, first served basis to supporters. more…
November 1, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

LOCAL GHOST STORIES RANGE FROM HAUNTED SHIPS TO A GHOST DONKEY
Back when JP Rennquist was the general manager at the NorShor Theatre in 2004-05, closing time meant checking the nooks and crannies for stragglers bent on ghost-hunting through the night.”We’d have to do a sweep,” he said. “They’d heard stories and wanted to spend the night at the NorShor.” more…
October 30, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

NORSHOR NEARS FINISH LINE: FINAL PUSH TO RESTORE HISTORIC THEATER BY DECEMBER DEADLINE
After years of planning and 16 months of construction, the renovation of Duluth’s historic NorShor Theatre is finally nearing completion. It has been a challenging project by all accounts. “There was an extraordinary amount of reconstruction work that was unforeseen, and we definitely hit Duluth rock, so we had to manage that,” said Rich Kiemen, senior vice president of construction for Sherman Associates, which redeveloped the building and now owns it. more…
October 29, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

BE A PART OF THE NEW LIFE. NEW LEGACY. SEASON
Become a part of the Playhouse family and the NorShor Theatre’s new life and new legacy by becoming a FULL SEASON or FLEX PASS SUBSCRIBER in 2017-2018! more…
September 6, 2017 – NorShor Theatre blog

DULUTH PREPARES TO EXPAND SKYWALK
A key new link now under consideration could unify and expand Duluth’s skywalk system. A resolution headed to the Duluth Economic Development Authority Wednesday would authorize the conceptual design of a new segment of skywalk stretching eastward from the Technology Village building, through the 100 block of East Superior Street — including Fond-Du-Luth Casino — and then across Second Avenue East to the Temple Opera building and the adjoining NorShor Theatre. more…
August 23, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

PART 1:  DOWNTOWN DULUTH — WHAT’S NEXT?
Major changes are beginning to unfold in downtown Duluth as investors and city leaders work to keep the area progressive. In Part 1 of a special report, FOX 21’s Dan Hanger takes a look at the changing retail industry downtown as the buying habits of consumers continue to shift online. more…
June 8, 2017 – Fox 21 News

CONSPIRACY THEORIES BEHIND MYSTERY MURAL FOUND AT NORSHOR THEATRE
The Historic NorShor Theatre in Downtown Duluth is currently being restored and is almost complete. However, there was a mystery mural hidden at the theatre and the community is wondering what the meaning of the painting really is. Here’s my take. more…
June 2, 2017 – Mix 108

PUBLIC’S HELP SOUGHT TO IDENTIFY HIDDEN MURAL DISCOVERED DURING NORSHOR THEATRE CONSTRUCTION; FIRST PERFORMANCE IN NEW FACILITY JUST 245 DAYS AWAY
The many tradespeople working on downtown Duluth’s NorShor Theatre have recognized numerous signs of the past since they began restoring the 107-year-old facility in June 2016. They haven’t, however, identified a dusty, 8 x 10-foot mural they recently found that had been hidden since at least 1941. more…
June 2, 2017 – Business North

HISTORIC DULUTH THEATER REHAB OVER HALF DONE AND UNCOVERING SECRETS
The restoration of the historic NorShor Theatre in Duluth, a project intended to anchor a revitalized downtown arts district, is now over half finished. Officials announced Wednesday the $30.5 million project is 60 percent complete and is on pace to wrap up construction by the end of the year, with a grand opening planned for Feb. 1, 2018. more…
May 31, 2017 – Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) News

UPDATE ON NOSHOR THEATRE AND THE MYSTERY MURAL
The NorShor Theatre is undergoing a magnificent transformation. And during the construction, crews found a mural that is likely from when the original theatre opened in 1910. The work didn’t slow down one beat on Wednesday, even though the press were invited to hear an update about the construction. Standing inside the NorShor, you can tell that they are making progress. more…
May 31, 2017 – WDIO Eyewitness News

NORSHOR ON TRACK, ON BUDGET; MYSTERY MURAL DISCOVERED
After nearly a year of work, the renovation of downtown Duluth’s NorShor Theatre is about 60 percent complete, and the project remains on track to be finished by December. more…
May 31, 2017 – Duluth News Tribune

PROGRESS MN: SHERMAN ASSOCIATES
Bringing a vacant Minneapolis car dealership back to life with new, community-focused roles and renovating Duluth’s empty, historic NorShor Theatre are two examples of Sherman Associates’ commitment to improving and giving back to the communities it works in. more…
April 7, 2017 – Finance & Commerce

DULUTH COFFEE COMPANY EXPANSION UNDERWAY
Duluth Coffee Company is expanding its footprint on the 100 block of East Superior Street with plans for a major upgrade to its roasting operations and more space for events and education. more…
March 23, 2017 – Perfect Duluth Day

VIEWS ON DOWNTOWN TOURISM: NORSHOR TO SPUR HOUSING, TOURISM IN DOWNTOWN DULUTH
The long-anticipated $30.5 million renovation of the NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth began in June and is expected to be completed by December 2017. The new NorShor will be an anchor in Duluth’s newly designated Historic Arts and Theater District, or HART District.  more…
December 30, 2016 – Duluth News Tribune

NORSHOR FUNDRAISING BEGINS WITH A SPLASH
The community portion of fundraising to complete the NorShor Theatre kicked off Thursday evening, with 200 people attending a pool party hosted by the Duluth Playhouse at Northland Country Club. more…
August 5, 2016 – Business North

DULUTH PLAYHOUSE HOSTS POOLSIDE PARTY
The Duluth Playhouse soaked up the summer sun and brought in lots of donations, while people enjoyed the nice weather. The Playhouse hosted a poolside party at Northland Country Club to mark the beginning of their capital campaign. The Playhouse is raising money to help restore the NorShor Theater. more…
August 4, 2016 – FOX 21 News

PUBLIC INVITED TO POOLSIDE PARTY TO KICK OFF NORSHOR FUNDRAISING
People curious about how the NorShor Theatre will look when it’s completed, or interested in attaching their name (or that of a loved one) to the theater, are invited to a casual poolside party at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, August 4, at Northland Country Club. “It’s the middle of summer and the weather’s nice, so we’re inviting everyone outside on August 4 to learn more about how the NorShor Theatre will look outside and inside once it’s completed late next year,” said Christine Seitz, executive director of the Duluth Playhouse. more…
July 27, 2016 – Business North

MINNEAPOLIS DEVELOPER BEGINS LONG-DELAYED REVAMP OF DULUTH THEATER
Developer Sherman Associates has acquired Duluth’s NorShor Theatre, setting the stage for a long-delayed $30 million renovation of the vacant property. Finance & Commerce reports on the rehab plans, which officially get underway this week after Minneapolis-based Sherman bought the building from the Duluth Economic Development Authority for $2.3 million. The company plans to restore seats, expand the stage and add an orchestra pit in a project that will bring live theater back to the venue, built in 1912 as a vaudeville house. more…
July 1, 2016 – Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal

MN SNAPSHOT: SHERMAN BEGINS DULUTH THEATER REHAB
Sherman Associates started work this month on the renovation of the landmark NorShor Theatre. more…
June 30, 2016 – Finance & Commerce

NORSHOR THEATRE RESTORATION BEGINS
The deal to restore Duluth’s historic Norshor Theatre has finally come together, and renovation work is underway. Last week, WDSE-TV‘s Almanac North hosts Dennis Anderson and Julie Zenner discussed the project with Duluth Mayor Emily Larson and Duluth Playhouse Executive and Artistic Director Christine Gradl Seitz. more…
June 29, 2016 – Perfect Duluth Day

NORSHOR THEATRE HISTORY
Zenith City on Tap will offer a presentation on “The NorShor: Duluth’s Marquee Movie House” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Glensheen. Duluth historian Tony Dierckins will present the history of the 1941 Art Deco movie house… more…
June 25, 2016 – Duluth News Tribune

AFTER LONG WAIT, NORSHOR RENOVATION BEGINS
After years of preparation, efforts to restore Duluth’s historic NorShor Theatre began in earnest this week as Sherman Associates received the keys to the building. Initial steps will involve cleaning out the downtown building and removing potentially hazardous materials, such as asbestos and lead-based paint, said Richard Kiemen, the firm’s vice president of construction. That work commenced on Monday and the project kickoff was marked Tuesday afternoon by a parade of speakers, all extolling the NorShor’s restoration. more…
June 21, 2016 – Duluth News Tribune

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON NORSHOR REHAB
“It’s finally happening,” Duluth Mayor Emily Larson exclaimed Tuesday at an event to commemorate rehabilitation work at the historic NorShor Theater. “More and more, we are known for our renaissance, our rebirth, and our growth. There’s no better story to reaffirm that than the beautiful NorShor Theater,” she said. more…
June 21, 2016 – Business North

RENOVATION WORK BEGINS AT NORSHOR THEATRE
Next to the hum of downtown traffic, a crowd gathered to mark the rebirth of the historic NorShor Theatre on Tuesday. It’s been a long road to get to this point. After Sherman Associates bought the building in 2010, it took a great deal of work to bring the partners together. The partners include City of Duluth, DEDA, Sherman Associates, and the Duluth Playhouse. more…
June 21, 2016 – WDIO.com

AN OLD DULUTH THEATER IS FINALLY GETTING A $30M MAKEOVER
It’s been a long time coming, but next week marks the start of the highly-anticipated restoration of Duluth’s NorShor Theatre. The Duluth City Council announced Friday that the $30.5 million project restoring the 100-plus-year-old arts venue will get underway. The art-deco venue – which over its illustrious history has showcased artists including Charlie Chaplin and Duluth’s own “Trampled By Turtles” – will be revamped to “improve visitor experiences, accessibility, expand programs and sustain the theatre into its next century.” more…
June 17, 2016 – bringmethenews.com

NORSHOR THEATRE & TEMPLE OPERA BLOCK
Duluth’s adjoining antiques, the NorShor/Orpheum Theatre and Temple Opera Block stand at intersections more important than Second Avenue West and Superior Street. They stand between the memorial for those who were killed in the infamous 1920 Duluth lynching and the old City Hall and Police Station. They stand between the Union Gospel Mission and the most expensive cocktail bars north of Minneapolis. Where lumberjacks, attorneys, shipbuilders, and police used to rub shoulders with their masonic overseers, now the hipsters and homeless cross paths near the arsoned Pastoret Terrace and 1920 lynching memorial. True Duluthians know that this is the real center of the city—Canal Park be damned. more…
April 25, 2016 – Substreet: history under ground

Local View: Duluth in for a treat with restored NorShor
Like many Duluthians, I have had reservations about the NorShor deal: the cost, the complexity, the time delays, the changes in design and facility layout, and more. My concerns were well-founded. I was chairman of the Duluth Playhouse board when the project first was conceived as a shared undertaking between the city of Duluth, Sherman Associates and the Duluth Playhouse. more…
April 17, 2016 – Duluth News Tribune

Council approves NorShor project; vacation rental debate continues
The Duluth City Council tackled what was likely its most weighty agenda of the year Monday, approving a complicated $30.5 million deal to renovate the NorShor Theatre and continuing its efforts to shape a new ordinance to govern vacation rental properties. By an 8-1 vote, with 5th District City Councilor Jay Fosle dissenting, the council voted to approve a plan to restore the historic NorShor Theatre. more…
April 12, 2016 – Duluth News Tribune

Council Approves NorShor Restoration
A few Duluth city councilors said the NorShor building restoration project has been long and complicated, but one that has finally come to a conclusion. In an eight to one vote, the council decided to approve the 30.5 million dollar NorShor Theater restoration. more…
April 11, 2016 – FOX21 KQDS

NorShor Restoration Moves Forward with City Council Approval
The $30 million restoration project of the NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth is moving forward after the City Council approved the plan Monday night. The council voted 8-1 on the comprehensive package of agreements, which paves the way for construction to get underway soon. more…
April 11, 2016 – WDIO

Historic Duluth theater on the brink of renovation
The historic NorShor Theatre in downtown Duluth is one City Council approval away from beginning restoration — a project that will mean a long-awaited fix for an eyesore in a revitalized part of town. The Duluth Economic Development Authority voted unanimously last week to approve a development agreement to refurbish the 1910 theater on Superior Street. Now the Duluth City Council is expected take up the issue Monday night, although some council members have talked about tabling it for a week for further study. more…
April 9, 2016 – Minneapolis Star Tribune

NorShor project moves to DEDA
After seven years of preparation, a plan to refurbish the NorShor Theater and Temple Opera Block is scheduled for consideration today by the Duluth Economic Development Authority (DEDA). At a 5:15 meeting in Room 303 at Duluth City Hall, DEDA commissioners will consider a long list of agreements related to the complicated project. In short, all are related to restoring the structures, enabling the NorShor to become a venue for the performing arts and the Temple Opera Building to provide office and other space for the Duluth Playhouse. more…
April 6, 2016 – Business North

Despite delays, NorShor Theatre deal nears
After numerous delays, a development agreement for the NorShor Theatre restoration project appears to be close at hand. At a recent meeting, 4th District Duluth City Councilor Howie Hanson said that he continues to receive a lot of questions from constituents and asked city administration for an update on the project. more…
March 25, 2016 – Duluth News Tribune

NorShor Theatre plan remains work in progress
Initial plans had called for the Duluth Economic Development Authority to consider approval of a development agreement for the long-awaited NorShor Theatre restoration this week, but details of the complicated, multifaceted $29.6 million project apparently will require more time to iron out. David Montgomery, Duluth’s chief administrative officer, says he now expects to bring the agreement forward in October, requesting that it be approved by both DEDA and then the Duluth City Council. But he remains confident the deal remains on track to close in mid-November. more…
September 20, 2015 – Duluth News Tribune

Duluth ready to raise curtain on restoration of historic NorShor Theatre
If the anticipation of the NorShor Theatre’s reopening had included a drumroll, there’d be some mighty tired wrists by now. But backers of the project to revive the historic theater in downtown Duluth say that after five years of lining up funding, all the pieces of the $29.6 million financial puzzle are finally in place, Northland’s NewsCenter reports. more…
September 2, 2015 – Rick Kupchella’s BringMeTheNews

City: Final NorShor Funding is in place
Duluth city officials said Monday that the last piece of funding is in place for the long-awaited restoration of downtown’s NorShor Theatre to start by the end of the year. more…
August 31, 2015 – Duluth News Tribune

City: Construction Bids Are Out For NorShor Theatre
The city of Duluth is just days away from a big presentation on the NorShor Theatre’s progress. Chief Administrative Officer David Montgomery told FOX 21 Thursday that councilors will see their final project presentation at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting before all the deals are signed in September to move forward with construction. more…
August 28, 2015 – Fox 21 news

NorShor Skywalk Approved, Most Project Money Secured
It may not look like it from the outside, but a lot of work is being done to restore Duluth’s NorShor Theatre. more…
September 24, 2014 – WDIO TV

Our View: NorShor numbers seem to be working
Time and again the city takes grief for buying it, usually when public tax money is falling short for other things like plugging potholes. more…
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August 14, 2013 – Duluth News Tribune

Historic theaters prepare for their next act
Redevelopers see these grand old buildings as economic engines for neighborhoods.
For more than a century, palatial theaters throughout the Twin Cities beckoned moviegoers with the whiff of buttered popcorn, velvet recline and blessed escape. more…
July 19, 2014 – StarTribune

Our View: There’s no stopping the NorShor now
Don’t doubt the power of the $6.95 million the city of Duluth landed in the state bonding bill this legislative session for the renovation of the historic NorShor Theatre. more...
June 8, 2014 – Duluth News Tribune

State bond to fund Spirit Mountain and NorShor projects
Gov. Mark Dayton lent his support to about $1 billion in proposed bond financing today, including two of three projects under consideration in Duluth.  more...
January 15, 2014 – Duluth News Tribune

Dayton Proposes $75M Funding for Northland Projects
Gov. Mark Dayton is proposing more than $75 million for projects in the Northland as part of his bonding package.  more…
January 15, 2014 – WDIO

NorShor Theatre: Coming (back) to Duluth in 2015
Duluth Mayor Don Ness can still remember the marquee lights of the NorShor Theater shining bright on East Superior Street in the 1990s. more…
November 20, 2013 – The Current

Duluth mayor flips switch on NorShor fundraising
Duluth Mayor Don Ness relit the marquee of the NorShor Theatre on Tuesday night and attempted to launch a local fundraising campaign to save one of the city’s most iconic venues. more…
October 30, 2013 – Duluth News Tribune

Bulbs Go Bright for the Night at NorShor Theatre
The new bulbs are finally twisted in place and the marquee can light up Superior Street as the City of Duluth and Sherman and Associate developers take the next step toward restoring the NorShor Theater. more…
October 29, 2013 – Fox 21

NorShor Theatre Marquee shines bright once again
It has been three years since the NorShor Theater marquee in Duluth was lit up for its 100 year anniversary. more…
October 29, 2013 – Northland’s News Center

NorShor Theatre Shines for the Night
Downtown Duluth was a little brighter Tuesday evening as the NorShor Theatre marquee lit up for the first time in years. more…
October 29, 2013 – WDIO

Local View: Why restore the NorShor?
The NorShor Theatre is not only at the center of our city; for many of us, it is the heart of our community. As with any centenarian, it has led a complex life, some of it prosperous and parts of it tumultuous. But by all accounts, it has been a legendary journey. more…
April 14, 2013 – Duluth News Tribune

Developer: NorShor Theatre’s tower marquee will rise again
The six-story tower that once fronted Duluth’s NorShor Theatre is coming back.
It will be rebuilt as part of the restoration of the 1910s-era theater planned by George Sherman and his company, Sherman Associates.more…
March 13, 2013 – Duluth News Tribune

Duluth LISC contributes more than $2 million for community projects in 2012
More than $2 million was invested in neighborhood programs and projects by Duluth LISC last year, the nonprofit announced last week. more…
February 25, 2013 – Duluth Budgeteer News – Budgeteer

 

 
 
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