![]() The good-natured Frandsen calls Inge "ducky" and she doesn't quite understand, which has been turned into a fun light-hearted song. The creators of the musical have stayed true to the plot of the movie, with many of my favorite moments and lines represented or even turned into song. They are accepted and allowed to live their life together as man and wife and an important part of the community. Despite the fact that Olaf sleeps in the barn, this arrangement is frowned upon and the couple is shunned by the community, until their hard work, perseverance, and generosity slowly win everyone over. It doesn't take long for Inge to get fed up with this crowded living arrangement and long for a space of her own, so she makes her way across the field to Olaf's farm and take up residence there, helping him with the farm. The pastor refuses to marry the couple, and Inge is forced to stay at the neighbors farm with Frandsen, his wife Brownie, and their many children. When Inge arrives, Olaf is surprised to find out that she is actually German, which is not well accepted by the community so soon after WWI - Germans are the enemy and she could could be a spy. In this particular story, Norwegian immigrant Olaf Torvik needs a wife, so his family in Norway send him one. If you've never seen the 2005 movie Sweet Land, you should go directly to Netflix or Blockbuster or however you get your movies and watch it! Filmed near Montevideo, MN and including cameos by local actors (including the Stephens D'Ambrose, Pelinski, and Yoakam), it's the quintessential Minnesota story of Norwegian and German immigrants forging a life on the farm, with all the difficulties and rewards that entails. More than any other new work I've seen this year, I hope to see Sweet Land in a full production sometime soon. It was presented last Sunday by a cast of talented local actor/singer/musicians as it continues in the development process. Creators of the musical Perrin Post (book), Laurie Flanigan Hegge (book and lyrics), and Dina Maccabee (music) have done a wonderful job retaining what was so special about the film while adding music that feels organic to the story. It's a simple but beautiful story about early 20th Century immigrants making a life on Minnesota farmland, full of humor, heart, and nostalgia for a time gone by. They've all been so creative and interesting and diverse, but I think my favorite is Sweet Land, a new musical based on the lovely little Minnesota-made movie. I've seen several readings of new work this year, including The History Theatre's Raw Stages festival and Theater Latte Da's NEXT: New Musicals in the Making.
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