North Country Opera - 40th Anniversary Revival

04/13/2026

North Country Opera, The Dunes Saloon, opening of trout season... and now one more iconic UP experience: a cap by Stormy Kromer. Stormy Kromer is once again donating a gift certificate to purchase one of its famous caps. Everyone that attends this special screening has a chance to win. North Country Opera Productions is honored to share a passion with Stormy Kromer to conserve Michigan's beautiful rivers and woods for those that seek adventure there.

04/08/2026

A Special Event for the Trout Season Opening Weekend!
No matter how many times you've seen North Country Opera, on stage or on the big screen, you've never seen it like this. The Dunes Saloon is long-rumored to be the inspiration for the Buckhorn Bar, the UP bar where North Country Opera is set. It has hosted an annual screening of the movie every year since its release. Watching the movie at the Dunes is a truly immersive experience: full of laughs, love, PBR, and the search for good fishing. All profits from this, and all screenings, are donated to organizations that promote conservation or performing arts in Michigan.

12/04/2025

North Country Opera Productions: News and Free T-Shirts

We officially received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status this year and our board of directors - Barbara Schmid, Judy Banker, Ron Miller, and Dan McCarthy - formalized and expanded our charitable mission. We'll continue to donate all profits from the recording "North County Opera: Live at The Ark" to causes Jay would have supported. In addition, we are also distributing profits from sales of Jay's other works for the same purpose.

So, in this season of giving, or any time at all, consider giving a gift of Jay's work. Your purchase will help promote performing arts and environmental conservation in Michigan, or social justice just about anywhere.

And, while supplies last, all orders will receive a free North Country Opera Tshirt, size Mens XL. We have a few other sizes as well - feel free to specify one, but no guarantee. If we have it, we'll send it. You can make a note on the order form when you order at JayStielstra.com

11/23/2025

An excellent evening at the Holler Barn on Holler Fest grounds for a North Country Opera film screening benefit to support the work of the Friends of Watkins Lake (FoWL).
NCO Director Ron Miller was in attendance as well as Producer Barbara Schmid and cast members Peter Knox, Christina McMullen and David Menefee. Chris and David performed some songs before the show along with Billy King (who ran sound) and good friend of NCO Dave Boutette. I got to join in as well and especially happy to sing backup harmony on some of Jay’s songs that were performed.
The King family’s beautiful barn was filled with a lot of wonderful people dressed in plaid and one lucky wearer won the Stormy Kromer hat raffle.
Funds were raised to support FoWL and a good time was had by all.

11/18/2025

From our friends at Stormy Kromer: "We love hearing how our caps make their way into stories like North Country Opera!"

Whether you have a Stormy Kromer cap or not, you'd probably love a gift certificate to choose one for yourself (or a holiday gift)!

As of today, there are ten more opportunities to win one! Just wear anything plaid to the special screening of North Country Opera: Live at The Ark and you will have a chance to win an iconic Stormy Kromer cap.

Importantly, you will be supporting the work of Friends of Watkins Lake State Park, who work to conserve and protect one of Michigan's newest State Parks.

Plus, you will experience a few other iconic Michigan treasures: an evening in Holler Barn, a screening of North Country Opera: Live at The Ark, and live music from some of Michigan's best:David Menefee, Chris McMullen, Judy Banker, David Roof, and Peter Knox. AND, they're joined by Dave Boutette and Billy King!

Benefit Screening of North Country Opera, the Movie
Saturday, November 22
Holler Barn, Brooklyn
Live music and food at 5:30, Movie at 7

Donation taken at the door. Suggested amounts: $25/person or $40/couple.
But donate what you can - just come!

11/13/2025

There are so many reasons to attend our Sat. Nov. 22 benefit in the beautiful new Holler Barn on the Holler Fest site!

Here are just a few:

Most important, all proceeds benefit Friends of Watkins Lake State Park.

If you wear any kind of plaid, you might win a gift certificate for a Stormy Kromer cap.

MUSIC!! North Country Opera is a folk musical by songwriting legend Jay Stielstra, featuring wonderful songs performed by Michigan talent with regional and national reputations (check out their bios!) Some of them will be there to perform live before the show, including David Menefee, Chris McMullen, Judy Banker, David Roof, and Peter Knox. AND, they’re joined by special guests Dave Boutette and Billy King!

Live music and food at 5:30, Movie at 7 (BYOB)

Donation taken at the door. Suggested amounts: $25/person or $40/couple.

But donate what you can - just come!

11/05/2025

The review of North Country Opera over the last 40+ years say it all. Go see for yourself - at the beautiful, newly renovated Holler Barn on Nov 22. All proceeds go to Friends of Watkins Lake State Park, a non-profit formed to conserve a beautiful state park in the Irish Hills:friendsofwatkinslake.my.canva.site. Donations taken at the door. Music and food starting at 5:30, movie at 7pm.

10/25/2025

Here's a great event where you can eat, drink, hear live music, watch a movie that brings laughter and warmth, AND do good. A special screening of North Country Opera: Live at the Ark, at the beautiful Holler Barn. Nov 22.
https://youtu.be/m2qdJVF8Jjw
To reserve your seats: To reserve a spot or two:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdpolClH.../viewform

This special screening is a fundraiser for the Friends of Watkins Lake State Park: Nov 22, live music and food at 5:30pm, movie at 7.

10/16/2025

SAVE THE DATE: A new chance to enjoy North Country Opera – The Movie, with friends, food, and music — all supporting Watkins Lake in the newly renovated Holler Barn! Friday, Nov 22.

If you've been to HollerFest, you know the wonderful Holler Farm experience. If you haven't, try this one: a special benefit screening, hosted at the beautiful Holler Barn, just four miles from Watkins Lake. There will be food - and live music from members of the North Country Opera cast and band - all in support of the newly formed Friends of Watkins Lake, dedicated to stewardship, education, and advocacy of Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve to help sustain its natural and historical treasures for generations to come.

November 22, doors at 5:30, movie at 7. Donations are voluntary, but all proceeds benefit this worthy cause.

To reserve a spot or two:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpolClH-sq9kSIGRVFqtKcl5zD3QPOx5EKtjRL8twbnVK1WQ/viewform

07/10/2025

Don't miss the performances of the stellar 2022 cast of North Country Opera: The Movie - a special benefit for and ! This is a filmed recording of the sell-out 2022 tour of North Country Opera, the ever-popular folk musical about life and love in a UP bar. Wednesday, July 16 6pm. AND if you show up in plaid, you might win a Stormy Kromer cap. It's funny, the talent is awesome, and you'll leave smiling.

04/26/2025

What a warm, wonderful, sobering, loving and generous gathering it was last night at The State Theatre in downtown Ann Arbor. Thank you to all who came out to support the event and/or contributed in some way including Pilar’s Tamales, White Lotus Farms, Jerusalem Garden, and Cardamom Restaurant. The food was sublime, the music was wonderful and the film seemed better than ever! Commentaries by Barbara Schmid, Ben Sayler, Sylvia Nolasco-Rivers, Senator Sue Shink were sobering, heartwarming, and inspiring, framing the whole reason we were gathering last night and the vital importance of our community in this time of dangerous divisiveness.

So many thanks to go around but I want to send out a special thank you to Scott McWhinney, sound engineer for the State and Michigan Theaters and to the whole team at the State Theatre who were so incredibly generous with their help to ensure we had a great event.

And many thanks to North Country Opera - 40th Anniversary Revival cast and crew for showing up last night and contributing to the live music including stage manager Barry LaRue and musicians Chris Buhalis, Christina McMullen, Brad Phillips, David Menefee, David Keeney, Charlie Reischl, Kristi Davis, Dave Boutette and Rochelle Clark, and thank you to the team at Pilar’s Foundation for all you do to be there for our community locally and around the world.

And congratulations to the winner of our “wear plaid” Stormy Kromer hat raffle! And to NCO producer Dan McCarthy for doing the raffle honors.

And warm thanks and hugs to Sylvia and family Summer Damra and the whole Pilar’s team for partnering on this event. It was an honor!

If you have photos from last night please share them in the comments.

Thank you!!