Due to prepartions for the show this page has not been updated, the show is ready for production!

History of the Show....

March 14, 15, and 16 - Sound and light show promoted at Chamber of Commerce Home Show at the Marshall Town Center. Two large displays, trifold handouts and business cards were available to the community. Mick and Liz worked the Sesquicentennial booth on Saturday from 12:00 - 2:00.

March 11, 2003 - Sesquicentennial Board Meeting. Discussed the possibility of needing security. Different groups mentioned as possible assistance with security including service organizations etc. Discussed need for heavy forklift. Need to find out weight capacity needed and let Debi Estabrook know. Also discussed the need for motel rooms for tech crew vatious times during week. Mick informed committee that Oktemberfest interested in "Milestones" parade theme and committee approved. Will have display at upcoming Chamber of Commerce Home show at the mall. Mick and Dorothy announced that the script is done and work will begin to prepare to record characters on tape. Mick going to Cedar Rapids to visit Sound Concepts in Cedar Rapids to inspect equipment that will likely be rented.

February 25, 2003 - Sesquicentennial Board Meeting. Alliant can turn off the street lights 15 minutes before the show. Need to contact them 2 weeks prior to the event. Roger Vajgrt (Home Rental) was going to check on white plastic for the courthouse windows. Need 64" wide (approx 280') Scripts going well. Committee urged to get information about the show in church bulletins, etc. - Ask Dick Sipe how to do this.

February 11, 2003 - Sesquicentennial Board Meeting. Promotional materials will be presented to the board for approval. Master copies of the materials will be given to the board for the board's use. EE will provide 10-12 wireless headsets for communications for show. Looking for paper/sheets to cover Courthouse windows - Skip was contacted for measurements of windows.

February 3, 2003 - Oktemberfest Board meeting. Promotional materials will be presented to the board for approval. Master copies of the materials will be given to the board for the board's use.

February 2, 2003 - Major updates and polishing of promotional materials posted on this web site. Both a poster for the production and a trifold brochure are now available for public use. There are also 3 versions of text about the show available on this site so that church bulletins and other organizations may copy and paste directly from this web site.

February 1, 2003 - Mick and Liz are uptown in the dark testing out equipment to light the facade of the building in unique ways. No one from the public seemed to notice.

February 1, 2003 - Dorothy Apgar presented Mick with the entirety of the script. Mick will continue to adapt the script for a presentation of this type.

January 29, 2003 - Mick places links from the world wide web at the bottom of our sound and light show web page for other sound and light shows around the world. It is obvious that our program is rare and unique.

January 28, 2003 - Inclimate Weather canceled the Sesquicentennial Board meeting. The next meeting will be February 11, 2003.

January 28, 2003 - County board of supervisors office presented and introcduction letter to be given to courthouse employees about the show. For security purposes, photos of Mick and Liz were on the photograph so employees can recognise us.

January 14, 2003 - Mick met with Sesquicentennial Board. Memebrs of the committee offered to help loca te paper large enough to cover the windows of the courthouse and help find a two-way radio set for production week. There was discussion about. Information was shared about the wonderful help the Oktemberfest Board had given and support shown at the January 6 meeting.

January 6, 2003 - Mick met with Oktemberfest board at 7:00 p.m. An updated grounds setup diagram was presented and discussed as well as a report of show considerations. We discussed how that a Thursday program instead of the Friday program would be next to impossible considering the technical aspects of perfecting the programming and installation of all the technical systems for the show. Discussion around the annual car show led to the acceptable option of beginning the Friday show at 8:30 instead of 7:30. The Saturday show would remain at 7:30. The bleachers would be situated on the North side of Main Street facing South for the show times. The Saturday entertainment stage could be located to the West side (or another direction) of the courthouse grounds instead of directly in front of the Courthouse. The carnival would be asked to turn off music during the show but not shut down. The street lights would be turned off in time for the show. Steve Simons wants to meet with Liz and I, as well as other other key people to see the time for shut off and other considerations. The food vendors will be located along the West Courthouse sidewalk for the 2003 Oktemberfest. They should have record sales due to the increased crowd for the shows. Permission was given for a link to the Oktemberfest web site and vice-versa. Permission was given to show the Oktemberfest logo on any posters for this event only. The posters will be shown to the Oktemberfest Board for approval before they are made public. An offer to have constant communications between the show and the board was made - Dawn said she would let Liz and I know about that.

January 2-3, 2003 - Liz has met with John Cahill, Wayne Hartwig, John Phillips, Chief Walker, Captain Templeton, and Debi Estabrook keeping them informed of production progress and details that each will need to know before the production. John Cahill and I talked about the promotion of the show. I discussed power needs, closing of street, and turning off street lights with Wayne Hartwig and John Phillips. Chief Walker and Captain Templeton were informed of the production and the equipment that will be placed on Courthouse grounds the week of September 22-27, 2003. Debi Estabrook and I met to discuss the status of requested items needed for the production.

December 27, 2002 - Mick and Liz met with Travis Swenson, technical director to review lighting, sound, video, and power requirements for the presentation. We will soon have a cost for equipment needed for the program from the company we are renting from.

December 30, 2002 - Liz contacted KDAO, KFJB, Dwayne Garber, and Fire Chief Larry Squires. In speaking with the radio stations, I was inquiring about simulcasting the event in English and Spanish and promotion spots. Dwayne Garber has allowed us to place some lighting equipment on the roof of the City Center Building. I have not yet directly spoken with Chief Squires. I will be inquiring if a few firemen would be interested in re-inacting a fire scene.

December 30-31, 2002 - Liz and Mick worked on trying to remotely light rooms in the Courthouse. We are having success and will be ordering more equipment. We are affectionately referred to as the ghostbusters among courthouse staff because of all the gadgets we are connecting and testing.

December 14, 2002 - Script work continues with Dorothy Apgar and Mick Jurgensen.

December 6, 2002 - Mick takes a personal leave from school to work on script.

November 9, 2002 - Script work continues with Dorothy Apgar and Mick Jurgensen. The script is developing nicely and promises to be a quality production in historical integrity, audience interest and entertainment, and humor.

November 8, 2002 - Mick and Liz tour courthouse and begin work to identify electrical system requirements for remote system.

September 2002 - Permission was granted by the supervisors to use courthouse and grounds.

August 16, 2002 - Mick met with Marshall County Board of Supervisors to gain approval to use the Courthouse and grounds for the show. Here is the copy of the request.

July 2002 - Mick and Liz met with Travis Swenson in Denver, Colorado to discuss his availability for the production dates and technical needs for the show. Travis commits at this point to be co-director for the show.

March 4, 2002 - Presentation to the Oktemberfest Committee results in support for the show. Here is the presentation handout.

December 1, 2001 - Mick, Liz and Dorothy Apgar begin work on the script

November 15, 2001 - Presentation to the Sesquicentennial Committee results in support for the presentation.

October 16, 2001 - Discussion of the show concept at Sesquicentennial Committee meeting stirred interest in concept and comittee asked for more information at November meeting.

August 21, 2001 - Mick contacts Dorothy Apgar to discuss the possibilities of a sound and light show for the Sesquicentennial celebration. Dorothy supports the concept and plans are made to present the concept to the Sesquicentennial committee in October.