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ELY— The Historic State Theater Board has added a fourth performance of The Quiltmaker’s Gift to its January schedule, due to high demand for tickets to the debut event at the just-restored theater on Ely’s Sheridan Street. 
In addition to performances scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25-26, a fourth show was added for Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m.
“Our ticket chair said the combination of a best-seller book by a local illustrator, a newly opened and restored local landmark theater, low ticket prices, and community interest and participation, seems a winning formula for ticket sales as the first three original show dates are nearly sold out,” Co-Chair Muffin Nelson said on Tuesday. 
Tickets are available online and in Ely at the Front Porch Coffee and Tea Co. Prices are $10 for adults, $5 for pre-school and K-12 students.
Nelson and Karen McManus, organizers of the production and related Ely events, said they expect to need even more volunteers for all aspects of this unusual production. “If you’re able to assist, please contact Pat Bieber, Volunteer Coordinator, at Bieber.pat91@yahoo.com,” McManus added.

Quilt show at EFS
In collaboration with the run of The Quiltmaker’s Gift at the Historic Ely State Theater, the Ely Folk School, located just across Sheridan Street, will host a quilt show by the Ely Heart of The Woods Quilters from Thursday, Jan. 23 thru Sunday, Jan. 26 from 12-4 p.m. each day.
The Heart Of The Woods Guild began in Ely in 1979 when quilter Corine Buechner moved to town and placed an ad in the paper searching for other quilters.
Today they have approximately 50 members ranging in age from 30 to mid-80s. They meet monthly at Ledge Rock Community Church on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. to share ideas, instruction and friendship.
Their work will also be displayed in the Ely Art Walk during the upcoming Winter Festival. “They regularly donate their time, talent and supplies to make and donate quilts to many charitable causes,” Nelson said.
“Also on display will be the national prize-winning quilt of Cook resident Linda Bergerson, fashioned from a line of Benartex fabrics, based on illustrations in The Quiltmaker’s Gift,” Nelson said.
Local quiltmaker and guild member Dorothy Sand donated two quilts for a drawing to assist in funding the production. Dorothy has also helped to complete the King’s Quilt used in the play, according to Nelson.
A special quilting class at the Ely Folk School is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with a break for lunch. “The play’s organizers and the book’s illustrator can’t imagine this production without quilts nearby,” Nelson said. 
Sue Covey, owner of the Quilted Cabin shop in Cook, will be the instructor.  She will introduce basic quilting skills and do a demonstration before having students work on a simple project, according to Nelson.  “Beginners are welcome as are quilters with some experience who want to deepen their skills,” she said. 
Space is limited and early registration is encouraged. The fee is $40 per student. A Fabric Wall Hanging Class is also scheduled Thursday, Jan. 23 from 1:30-4 p.m., taught by Cecilia Rolando for a $25 fee. Registration information and details are available at ElyFolkSchool.org.

Ely school events
Ely Community Resource will also be sending costumed “reading pals” into Washington Elementary classrooms this week and through Monday, Jan. 13, and they will make quilting fabric bookmarks with students, Muffin said.
“EFS will also host a fun morning for elementary students on Monday Jan. 20, an ISD 696 Teacher Workday,” she said. Three classes will be offered: Watercolor Notecards with Sandy Brandley and Claire Taylor; a simple beaded bracelet with Kay Vandervort; and quilting techniques using other media with Cecilia Rolando.
Several classes from Washington Elementary will attend a dress rehearsal of The Quiltmaker’s Gift on Thursday, Jan. 23
Each Washington Elementary School classroom will be given a copy of the book donated by the Ely Kiwanis Club. 
“Ely Memorial High School art students will get a taste of the important mathematical component of quilts by creating quilt squares relevant to life in Ely to be fashioned into a quilt for display,” Nelson said.

Free tickets at Ely Library
The Ely Public Library has a limited number of children’s tickets to matinee performances of The Quiltmaker’s Gift on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25-26.
Tickets will be given out on a first come/first served basis with the following conditions:
Tickets are only good for children ages 10 and younger;
Children will need to be accompanied to the performance by a paying adult;
Only two tickets per family;
Please specify which performance you will be attending when you get the tickets;
The library can not save tickets to pick up later. Tickets will be giving out in the order that you physically come to the library to pick them up.