Stories you might have missed from around Wisconsin.
Madison: A tailgate celebration for Wisconsin’s best spellers.
When some of us were in grade school the thought of a spelling test or heaven forbid, a spelling bee filled us with dread. Some students embraced their love of spelling and flourished, and some went on to be “super spellers”. This weekend, Wisconsin’s top spellers will compete at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Mitby Theater at Madison College. The winner and runner-up of the Badger State Spelling Bee will both compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in late May. As is fitting a championship event in Wisconsin, there will be a tailgate party. Before the spelling bee, the State Journal will be cheering on the spellers with a tailgate in the parking lot off Wright Street across from the Mitby. The public is welcome to come cheer on the spellers. There will be free brats and hot dogs as long as they last, thanks to a donation from Kwik Trip. People are welcome to bring their own food too, or just come between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and cheer on the spellers as they arrive. The Wisconsin State Journal has organized the state spelling bee for 76 years. In Wisconsin, the journey to the Scripps National Spelling Bee starts each fall and winter when students in grades 3-8 participate in the classroom, school, and/or district spelling bees. The winners from these events move on to regional bees all affiliated with the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Full Story
Oshkosh: Ed Gein the Musical to debut in Oshkosh.
The public has a weird fascination with serial killers. a new play is taking that fascination to previously uncharted territory. Fifteen years after creating “Ed Gein, the Musical,” Wisconsin-born actor, writer and producer Dan Davies is set to premiere the cult-classic film as a theatrical play at the Time Community Theater in Oshkosh April 4-6. Raised in Omro, Davies said there aren’t many independently owned cinemas left, so he is excited to be able to bring his show to one of them in downtown Oshkosh. “Having a world premiere in my back yard is a dream come true to me,” Davies told the Oshkosh Northwestern. A comedic musical film, the original “Ed Gein, the Musical” was a satirical production that delved into the psyche of Gein and what could have possibly led to him becoming a murderer. “Ed Gein, the Musical” aired on PBS and the Retro TV Network before Davis decided Gein’s story would do just as well as a standalone play in two distinct areas — the sheriff’s interrogation of Gein and Gein’s imagination. Full Story
