Frequently Asked Questions & Help

FAQ about CBTL:

Q: Why the name "Colder by the Lake"?

A: The weather forecast in Duluth, at least during the warmer half of the year, is "colder by the lake." Lake Superior, the largest (by area) of fresh water on Earth, moderates temperatures near its shores. Since Duluth is built on a hillside, the weather near the lake may be up to 20 degrees different than away from the lake at any given time. Since we appropriated the weather forecast to use as our name, local TV weather people have curiously changed the phrase to "cooler near the lake."

Q. Does Colder have a theater? Where are you located?

A. Colder by the Lake is a hermit crab. Crabs. Whatever. We choose different venues according to the needs of our productions. You can always contact us via our website at info@colderbythelake.com, or write to us at PO Box 3473, Duluth MN 55803, or leave a message at 218-728-1999.

Q. Can I bring my kids to your shows?

A. Yes. Colder by the Lake's productions are appropriate for all ages. Audience members as young as 2 and 3 years old have enjoyed our recent productions. Even fetuses chuckle.

Q. I have out of town guests. Will they "get" your jokes?

A. Maybe. If they want to be sure to get the jokes, we recommend that they move to Duluth.

Q. Is Renegade Comedy Theatre the same as Colder by the Lake?

A. No.

Q. Are you sure?

A. Yes. Renegade and Colder are two completely separate organizations, and have been since 1991. However, many people in the Duluth-Superior theatre community have done fine work with both companies.

Q. Was Les Uncomfortables a parody of Les Miserables?

A. No indeed. A lot of people make that mistake. It was about life of Daniel Greysolon Sieur duLhut, a real person. Les Mis was about something else. The only thing we lifted from Les Mis was the title.

Q. Can I make a charitable contribution to Colder by the Lake?

A. Absolutely! Colder is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization registered with the state of Minnesota. Your contribution may be tax-deductible.

Q. But don't you guys get all the money you need from government grants?

A. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. No.

Q. Can I get involved with Colder somehow?

A. Sure. We always need volunteers. And it's piles of fun to work with us (no joke, it is). Just contact us at info@colderbythelake.com.

Q. How do you come up with all that funny stuff?

A. Yes.

Q. Why don't you do more shows?

A. Colder chooses projects carefully. Many of our shows are complex, requiring the creation of original scripts and multi-level collaborations. For example, our comic opera Les Uncomfortables took over 3 years to create. That, and we all work day jobs.

Q. Why did Howard Bell move to LaCrosse, WI?

A. Being in Colder by the Lake requires an ethnic, difficult to pronounce last name, such as Bacigalupo, Ofsthun, or Sramek. We asked Howard nicely to change his name to Beljanofsczixowitz, but he flatly refused.

Q. Who was the best Duluth mayor, in terms of comedy?

A. Hands down: John Fedo.

Q. What do you have planned for the future?

A. A reprise of Phantom of the NorShor in April 2005. Torrid rumors also include: an adaptation of a Shakespeare comedy; another opera besides the one just mentioned; a collaboration with Minnesota Access Theatre; and collaborations with other community groups and individuals.

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  For information please e-mail us at info@colderbythelake.com.