NEW LONDON – From a massage gone wrong to an embarrassing lateness to a music performance to the story of a childhood love, everyone in the small town of New London has at least one or two stories worth telling.
John Szczur and Nick Shadowick would love to hear them and possibly play them live on stage.
Every Wednesday night throughout the summer, the couple met with people to hear unique stories from community members. From those stories, scenes were developed for a 90-minute show performed on three Saturday nights in August, called “Little Stories at Little Theatre.”
John Szczur (left) asks for a favor to throw his urine bottles in the recycling bin, and Nick Shadowick reacts with disgust as the two perform the scene “Below Deck” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
The show prides itself on bringing short scenes to life and telling powerful and often humorous stories in a few minutes. The show is great for people with short attention spans, but is probably best suited to an adult audience.
If you missed the first two performances of the Crow River Players’ production of “Little Stories at Little Theatre,” you have one last chance to see the show next Saturday night at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $5-$10 (pay what you like).
And if you have a story to tell and would like to share it for a future show, you can join Szczur and Shadowick on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Little Theater Auditorium.
Bethany Lacktorin grunts loudly while massaging Nick Shadowick as they perform the scene “Cruisin’ For a Masseussin'” during the production of “Little Stories at Little Theatre” on August 24, 2024 in New London. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
John Szczur drinks and carries a cup of milk while performing in “Under the Deck” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London, Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Jais Lacktorin (left) and Nick Shadowick perform a fight scene in “The Confrontation” during “Little Stories at Little Theatre” in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Audiences watch a live performance of “Little Stories at Little Theatre” on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Nick Shadowick, left, talks with the late John Lennon, played by Randall Simonson, in the scene “A Monday Night in December 1980” performed as part of “Little Stories at Little Theatre” in New London, Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Randall Simonson conducts the orchestra in “The Confrontation” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Nick Scharafanow (from left), Ben Foede, Nick Shadowick and Rachel Scharafanow perform a scene from “The Confrontation” during the production of “Little Stories at Little Theatre” in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Nick Shadowick (from left) and Matt Hegdahl perform a scene in “Ease His Pain” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Deb Mortenson, performing under the name DJ Tozer, plays music before the production of “Little Stories at Little Theatre” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Bethany Lacktorin, left, listens to communion instructions from John Szczur during the scene “All Crossed Up” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Nick Shadowick is pushed to the ground by police officer Nick Scharafanow in the scene “For Finishing It” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Nick Shadowick (left) attempts to take the bread as the body of Christ from priest Randall Simonson in the scene “All Crossed Up” during the production of “Little Stories at Little Theatre” in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
John Szczur introduces a scene during the production of “Little Stories at Little Theatre” in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Ben Foede performs a scene from “Ease His Pain” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
John Szczur, left, mixes the perfect milk mixture as Nick Shadowick laughs during the scene “Under the Deck” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Randall Simonson performs in the scene “All Crossed Up” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
John Szczur performs in the scene “Under the Deck” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Bethany Lacktorin (left) surprises Nick Shadowick by declaring they are now married after an intimate massage in “Cruisin’ For a Masseussin'” during a “Little Stories at Little Theatre” production in New London on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
John Szczur (left) and Bethany Lacktorin perform a scene titled “Hoarding and Hiding” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Jais Lacktorin stars in “For Finishing It” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Christopher DeLong delivers a monologue following the telling of his story “For Finishing It” at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Nick Shadowick (left) and John Szczur talk about the creation process at the start of the show “Little Stories at Little Theatre” on Saturday, August 24, 2024. The new production takes true stories from community members and turns them into live theatre scenes. The final performance will be on August 31 at the Little Theatre Auditorium in New London. Macy Moore/West Central Tribune
Macy Moore is an award-winning photojournalist at the West Central Tribune in Willmar, Minnesota. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 320.214.4338.