Some traditions stick around because they matter.
This spring, Ely marks a remarkable milestone as the Northern Lakes Arts Association presents Annie, the 70th annual community spring musical in Ely.
For 70 years, local performers have gathered each spring to build a musical from the ground up. Sets get painted. Costumes appear from closets and costume racks. Students rehearse alongside longtime community actors. By opening night, a full company has come together to tell a story.
This year’s production features a 46-member cast made up of high school students, college students, and community members from across the Ely area.
That mix has always been part of the magic. For some performers it’s their first time on stage. For others, the spring musical is a tradition that goes back decades.
The show itself is one audiences know well.
Set in New York City during the Great Depression, Annie follows a young orphan whose stubborn optimism changes the lives of everyone around her. The musical features some of Broadway’s most recognizable songs, including “Tomorrow,” “Maybe” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life.”
The story may take place nearly a century ago, but its message still lands today.
“Right now the world can feel pretty heavy,” said Ian Francis Lah, Executive Artistic Director of Northern Lakes Arts Association. “Sometimes what people need most is a room full of neighbors and a story that reminds us tomorrow might be brighter than today.”
Lah describes the show with a bit of humor.
“If we’re being honest, it’s a little propaganda of joy,” he said. “But that’s not a bad thing.”
The production also connects to NLAA’s larger Broadway in the Boundary Waters theater season, which brings professional musical theater artists to Ely each summer while continuing to create opportunities for local performers.
Even with that broader season, the spring musical remains something special.
It’s the one show each year that belongs entirely to the community.
Students share the stage with adults. Families watch neighbors perform. Firsttime actors discover they love being under the lights.
Seventy years in, the tradition is still doing what it always has: bringing people together to tell a story.
And this year, that story happens to be about hope.
Performance dates: Week 1 • Friday, March 20: 7 p.m. • Saturday, March 21: 2 p.m. (Pay What You Can performance, sponsored by the Vermilion Campus Foundation) • Saturday, March 21: 7 p.m.
Week 2 • Friday, March 27: 7 p.m. • Saturday, March 28: 2 p.m. • Saturday, March 28: 7 p.m.
Tickets are available online at www.northernlakesarts. org Tickets may also be available at the door beginning one hour before each performance.
