Here are articles from the Wednesday, February 18, 2004, edition:
Cross Community Players stages 32nd production
Maple Grove Marine serves in Okinawa
Snow crowns
Maple Grove swimmers get record win and championship
Osseo swimmers and divers defeat PC
Osseo Elementary: Small but with deep connections

Cross Community Players stages 32nd production

by Kathy Hara

About 25 years ago, people at Advent Lutheran Church in Maple Grove thought if they put on a show, they could raise money for Christians Reaching Out in Social Service (CROSS).

Cross Community Players (CCP) was formed, and its first musical was "Fiddler on the Roof" in 1981, which played at Osseo High School.

Thirty-two productions and 24 years later, CCP is still going strong and about to present the stage musical "Meet Me in St. Louis." The story follows the Smith family as St. Louis anticipates the opening of the World's Fair in 1904.

"My vision was just to have an homage to the old movie musicals," said Tony Johnson, who returns to direct for the second time at CCP. "I've always loved those old movies from the 40s and 50s."

Johnson is a professional actor in the Twin Cities area who also directs, but admits that this is his first attempt at directing a musical. He is happy to be working with his wife, Laura Johnson, who is choreographing the production.

The script for the stage musical was actually written from the movie, said Tony Johnson, which came out in 1944 and starred Judy Garland. The writers kept what was good about the movie and added a lot more humor, he said. Johnson likes the idea that this production deals with 1904 envisioned by 1944 and now re-envisioned by 2004.

The movie came out when World War II was beginning to wind down, said Johnson. It presented an idyllic, simpler time, nothing deep or meaningful. "As a nation, we're kind of at the same point," he said. "So come in and watch when life was simpler. Laugh your worries away."

Greg Janssen got involved with CCP in 1995. It happened at church, he said, when he asked when the next show would be. The next thing he knew, he was making props. In 1997 he joined the board of directors, and he was the organization's president from 1998 to 2003. One of the first things he presided over was the corporate separation of CCP from CROSS.

"We had started applying for grants through the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council," said Janssen, "but they said legally you are a food shelf." Incorporating separately allowed CCP to apply for these types of grants.

Even legally separated from CROSS, CCP remains a charitable community theater, the only one of its kind in Minnesota. It has been able to donate $3,000 to $4,000 annually to CROSS and other such charities. Also, because audience members are requested to bring a nonperishable food item for each ticket purchased, it has provided tens of thousands of pounds of food to the food shelves.

Janssen hopes CCP will be able to continue donating money at the same levels as in the past. After 20 years of being able to practice and perform at Osseo schools at no charge, they must now pay rental. The district has been phasing in the fees over the last several years, but by the last production, "West Side Story," they were paying the full charge. To keep the charges as low as possible, they have been trying to lessen the hours at the schools by practicing at different churches in the area.

CCP is run by a board of directors comprised of seven people from Maple Grove and surrounding communities, including Corcoran, Loretto, Hanover and Wyoming. The current president is Renee LaPlume. There are also about five people, not on the board, who serve on committees. CCP is always looking for people to serve on the board or committees, said Janssen. The board meets every fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Maple Grove Community Center and visitors are welcome.

"Meet Me at St. Louis" will be in performance at Osseo High School at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, Thursday, Feb. 26, Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28. There will also be matinee performances at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, and Sunday, Feb. 29. Tickets may be purchased at the door or seats may be reserved by calling 391-2787 or visiting www.crossplayers.org on the Internet.