Art Dube - 2003 Fliehr Award Recipient

Art Dube

has been an active member of Morris Park Players for 45 of its 50 years of existence in South Minneapolis. “Grandpa,” as Art is called, has often been seen onstage in leading, supporting and chorus roles. He has has apparently often stolen the show — as in “Anything Goes” a few years ago. He was in the cast of “Annie Get Your Gun” on May 9th when the Morris Park Players board of directors threw a reception for presentation of his Fliehr award. To make sure that the show goes on, Art has been around wherever help is needed — behind the scenes helping to build and paint sets, climbing ladders to hang lights, canvassing local businesses to advertise in the programs, selling hundreds of tickets to friends and neighbors, expanding the audience base, and much much more — including the Board of Directors. It’s in no small part due to Art’s fund-raising and ticket-selling efforts that the theatre has been able to continue to offer affordable ticket prices. Art first became involved when his daughter signed him up to help on a set for a spring show of the Morris Park Mother Singers. He caught the bug and became more active in sets and productions as the group turned into the Morris Park Singers in 1968 and then became the Morris Park Players in 1981. Art’s four children have made theatre a part of their lives, too; and last year two of Art’s grandkids performed in “The Wizard of Oz.” A graduate of Faribault High School, Art served in World War II, spent 20 years in the Navy, and retired from the Veterans Medical Center in 1990.