‘Hermannstraum’ opener: drizzle, jitters, and fun
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The mud, sporadic drizzle and threatening clouds were just something to shrug off backstage at the premiere of "Hermannstraum" Thursday.
By 8 o'clock the sky had cleared to the northwest and the rain had stopped. Straw lay on pathways and stage area to soak up the mud.
As 9 p.m. and the opening scene of the pageant drew near, actresses scrambled from their dressing room up a short slippery hill to mill around behind the massive scenery. The men used a large tent right behind the stage.
PLAYGOERS STARTED to straggle in.
"There'll be more than just our families out there," one actor said with raised eyebrows. "To see us make fools of ourselves," another added.
"My wife won't be here, she's too embarrassed," one young fellow contributed.
But excitement was in the air.
They'd spent the past three nights rehearsing, plus four nights last week, two nights per week before that–more than they had been told or planned on.
And it was almost time to reap the rewards.
"Didn't you know you signed a three-year contract?"' one man cracked to another.
THE YOUNG girls swirled by in their long pioneer dresses, read-justing unaccustomed sunbonnets, clutching colorful shawls.
Some of the older women sat in the rows of folding chairs set up behind the scenery, chatting calmly.
A man with a horse suddenly appeared in the midst of the little clots of thespians, the animal skittering around as noiseless lightning flickers across the southern sky.
As curtain time drew near Director Ed Sostek appeared to deliver a very brief pep talk he said he had been told was traditional.
Clouds still looked ominous and one actor asked a passerby, "Think we'll make it?"
A woman called out, "Anybody have any bug spray?"
FINALLY IT was time and Hermann started his narration out in front of the scenery, spotlight cutting away the darkness from his noble figure.
Bugs flying through the spotlights enjoyed brief careers as fireflies. Crickets chirping and silent sheets of lightning provided outdoor background to the pageant's unfolding color.
The thrill of hearing familiar names and places -- Pfaender, Fritsche, Nicollet, Swan Lake -- kept the attention of the audience.
Drawing coats and sweaters (or daddy's arms) around them,munching popcorn, sipping pop onlookers absorbed the painless history. Fingers went in ears for three cannon shots by the New Ulm Battery.
The play ended with the reunion of the spirit of Hermann and his love at a masked ball in New Ulm, and playgoers drifted out to the next order of business, brats, beer and some dance music of their own.
New Ulm Daily Journal
Aug. 22, 1975