Rhein River

Arts Center opens

Friday

In former

Grand Hotel

lobby

By FRITZ BUSCH

Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A cozy, multi-purpose arts space known as the Rhein River Arts Center will host an open house 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19.

The public is invited to meet a half dozen artists with work featured in the gallery, located in the Grand Hotel, 210 N. Minnesota.

Artists include Robyn Sand Anderson, Pauline Precht Hietala, Barbara McKee, Annette Hartzell, Ruth Lindemann and Dick Graves. Food, beverages and music will be available.

Artists are invited to display their work on rented wall space in the center. The facility is available for rent for private parties and musical and theater events.

Owned by Ann and John Makepeace of New Ulm, the arts center features a Rhein River mural painted in the ladies restroom wall by local artist Maggie Schwab. She painted several other murals in the building and the business' outdoor sign.

Future art center events include a Jane Austen Birthday Celebration, honoring her as a literary personality on Dec. 16-19 by the New Ulm Actors Community Theater (NUACT). Show times are 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 16, 8 p.m. on Dec. 17 and 18 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 19.

The afternoon performance will include tea, carriage rides and other surprises.

Auditions for parts played by three women and two men will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 17 at the Grand Hotel.

Future theatrical works include Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Thanks to a grant from the New Ulm Area Foundation, a new rendition of the Herman's Dream Pageant is expected to coincide with opening of the 2005 season at Hermann Heights.

Weekly youth and adult entrepreneurship classes sponsored by Putting Green and South Central Technical College and Friday night musicians and storytellers will begin in January.

The arts center is interested in hosting other musical, comedy, poetry and art events.

(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).