He found a wife and a theater

Members of Crappie Talk

• Photos

Members of Crappie Talk

He thought Nokay Lake was as far north as one could go. Anything north of Brainerd was the end of the world for Peter Herzog.

Then he discovered theater - not just any theater, but the Pequot Lakes Community Theatre. This summer, he's Ole Swenson, proprietor of Ole's Bait Mart, Ole's Deer Petting Farm, and Ole's Lutheran Hall of Fame. All these wonderful businesses are in Whitefish Bay where "Crappie Talk" takes place.

"Everybody has to be a ham sometime," Herzog said. "I was a late bloomer. I was never in a play before."

Herzog said he saw a play in Brainerd and he realized, "I could do that." This is his fourth appearance on stage in Pequot Lakes.

Herzog now lives in Pequot Lakes. He finally made it north of Brainerd when NSP (now Xcel) extended the natural gas lines in the area. His wife had died and he worked in the area for more than a year before returning to the Twin Cities.

"I met a lady and we had dinner," Herzog said. "Five years later I came back and called her up and asked, 'Are you still single?' and Jean said, 'Who is this?'"

They've been married for five years and Jean said Peter is always busy. Besides appearing in "Crappie Talk," he's building a cover over their deck.

"I came north and found a wife and a theater," he said.

Performance datesp>

8 p.m. July 9-12, 14 and 15, with doors open at 7 p.m. for general admission seating, in the theater at Pequot Lakes High School.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $8 for youth, and can be purchased in advance from Pequot Lakes Community Education at 568-9200.

For more information, go to the Greater Lakes Area Performing Arts Web site, www.glapa.info.