Rotaries and their invited guests got a chance Tuesday to meet the playwright hired for Heritagefest and learn about some of his plans.

Charles Quimby of Minneapolis was in town to speak at the Rotary Club luncheon and to take part in KNUJ’s “Open Mike” program, broadcast live Tuesday morning.

The idea for Heritagefest evolved several months ago from a Rotary Club discussion on some sort of celebration to replace Polka Day in New Ulm. Discussion grew into action with the formation of a non-profit corporation, Heritagefest.

DRAWING UPON New Ulm’s rich history, Heritagefest is visualized by its incorporators as a “continuing and growing festival.”

One of the group’s first actions was the hiring of Quimby as playwright for the pageant which will bethe mainstay of the festival. A search is now on for a professional director.

Quimby told his audience Tuesday that “my part will be the easiest.” He explained how he has researched the town and its history, giving the group an idea of how he will go about his task of telling New Ulm’s story.

However, he added, “You’re the people who will put it together and make it a reality.”

People of the town, he continued, will be the actors and actresses. He gave an example of a single scene, explaining how much will be involved in a dramatic segment which might take a minute. This would include actors, costumes, props, sets, staging and directing.

“HERO OF the pageant will be the town,” said Quimby, “and the theme is whether it is going to survive-which, of course, it does.”

Dates under consideration for the production, he said, are from the end of July to about the middle of August. “Right now,” he said, “we’re thinking in terms of two to four performances for the first year.”

Although he has done considerable research already on the city’s background, Quimby plans to come to New Ulm for a week at a time, starting next month, to learn more about the city firsthand.

HERITAGEFEST corporation, launched with a $1,000 donation from Rotary Club, is presently seeking further funding from other sources to get the project off the ground.

Original incorporators of Heritagefest include Leo Berg, Dr. Howard Vogel and Lloyd Huebner. These three, along with playwright Quimby, met Tuesday preceding the Rotary meeting with a representative of the Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council (SMAHC). Representing SMAHC was its executive director, Phyllis Stibler of Marshall.

Although the council has its office at Southwest State College it has no other affiliation with the college. It lists as its purpose the encouragement of the arts and humanities in southwestern Minnesota by providing services to individuals, community groups, schools and institutions of higher learning. Part of its purpose is to initiate new arts and projects in the 19-county area and to assist in the search for funding.

Mrs. Stibler, along with invited members of the New Ulm City Council and Chamber of Commerce members, also heard Quimby’s presentation of his plans for Heritagefest at the Rotary meeting. Following the meeting she encouraged the Heritagefest committee to send in application forms for funding through SMAHC.

Preliminary plans were made for Heritagefest representatives to appear before the theater panel of SMAHC at its next meeting March 12 in Marshall.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Feb. 19, 1975