Shell Lake Arts Center

Film Series - Hugo
2026-02-03 18:30 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
Hugo is Martin Scorsese’s delightful answer to his daughter, Francesca‘s, complaint that she could never watch any of his films. Based upon the equally delightful book, the Legend of Hugo Cabret, Hugo is a master class in special effects artistry. Set primarily in Paris‘s Montparnasse train station in the 1930s, the film tells the story of orphan Hugo Cabret, who lives within the walls of the station and maintains the station’s clocks. When he meets the goddaughter of the station’s grumpy toy shop owner, Hugo begins to discover the answers to his troubling past. An avid film buff and historian, Scorsese weaves in loving homage’s to some of the earliest films and their makers, building a compelling case for the importance of film preservation and celebrating of film culture.

Northern Lights Choir Rehearsal
2026-02-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States

Film Series - Shawshank Redemption
2026-01-27 18:30 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
The Shawshank Redemption (1994): Shawshank was written and directedby Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who (though he maintains his innocence throughout) is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, but received none. However, since its initial box office and critical reception struggles, the film has steadily risen in statureand now often appears near the top of many lists of the best films ever made. Superbly acted by Robbins, Morgan Freeman, and a multitude of excellent supporting actors, Shawshank is a powerful epic tale of perseverance in the direst of circumstances and the inspiring strength of true and genuine friendship.

Tickets available at the door – Walk-ins welcome!

Film Series - Casablanca
2026-01-20 18:30 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
Casablanca (1942): Arguably one of the greatest American films ever made,Casablanca is set in French Morocco at the height of WWII. It finds American saloon owner, Rick Blaine, playing both sides against the middle. . . both in the love triangle in which he is embroiled as well as the geopolitical conflict that he can’t avoid. The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning for Best Film, Best Director (Michael Curtiz) and BestScreenplay (Julius Epstein and Howard Koch)

“I find it never grows over-familiar. It plays like a favorite musical album; the more I know it, the more I like it.”–Roger Ebert

Tickets also available at the door. Walk-ins welcome!

Film Series - Dead Poets Society
2026-01-13 18:30 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
Dead Poets Society (1989): Set at a prestigious preparatory boarding schoolin New England during the 1950s, Dead Poets Society portrays the work of unconventional teacher, John Keating (played by Robin Williams), who tries to inspire his students to be independent, free thinkers amid the stultifying repression that surrounds them. Dead Poets received Academy Award Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Williams), Best Director (Peter Weir) and won for Best Screenplay (Tom Schulman). “Often cited by viewers as one of the most inspirational films of all time.”—The Guardian

Tickets available at the door. Walk-ins welcome!

A Pretty Good Winter Show
2026-01-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
A Community Variety Show.
More info to come!

Film Series - Places in the Heart
2026-01-06 18:30 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
Places in the Heart (1984) : Set in 1936 in Waxahachie Texas, this is arealistic film with a twist which tells the story of Edna Spaulding, a recently-widowed mother of two played by Sally Field, struggling to hold her family together and keep her family farm out of foreclosure. Field is joined by an exemplary supporting cast, including John Malkovich, Danny Glover, Amy Madigan, Lindsay Crouse, and Ed Harris.

Places received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won two: Best Actress (Field) and Best Original Screenplay for writer/director, Robert Benton.

Tickets available at the door. Walk-ins welcome!

Film Series - Full Series purchase
2026-01-06 08:00 - 17:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
THESE TICKETS ARE FOR PURCHASE OF THE ENTIRE FILM SERIES AT THE QUAM

Beat the dead-of-winter blues with seven relaxed evenings viewing anddiscussing quality films at a historic venue facilitated by retired educator, Bob Thornley.Get beyond “I liked” or “I didn’t like” the film. Learn and discuss basic filmmaking techniques and thematic/symbolic methods used by filmmakers to enhance meaning.

Films 1-4 have been chosen by the facilitator; films 5-7 will be chosen by participants from a list offered by the facilitator.

Film 1—Places in the Heart (1984) : Set in 1936 in Waxahachie Texas, this is a realistic film with a twist which tells the story of Edna Spaulding, a recently-widowed mother of two played by Sally Field, struggling to hold her family together and keep her family farm out of foreclosure. Field is joined by an exemplary supporting cast, including John Malkovich, Danny Glover, Amy Madigan, Lindsay Crouse, and Ed Harris. Places received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won two: Best Actress (Field) and Best Original Screenplay for writer/director,Robert Benton.

Film 2—Dead Poets Society (1989): Set at a prestigious preparatory boarding school in New England during the 1950s, Dead Poets Society portrays the work of unconventional teacher, John Keating (played by Robin Williams), who tries to inspire his students to be independent, free thinkers amid the stultifying repression that surrounds them. Dead Poets received Academy Award Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Williams), Best Director (Peter Weir) and won for Best Screenplay (TomSchulman). “Often cited by viewers as one of the most inspirational films of all time.”—The Guardian

Film 3—Casablanca (1942): Arguably one of the greatest American films ever made, Casablanca is set in French Morocco at the height of WWII. It finds American saloon owner, Rick Blaine, playing both sides against the middle . . . both in the love triangle in which he is embroiled as well as the geopolitical conflict that he can’t avoid. The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning for Best Film, Best Director (Michael Curtiz) and Best Screenplay (Julius Epstein and Howard Koch) “I find it never grows over-familiar. It plays like a favorite musical album; the more I know it, the more I like it.”–Roger Ebert

Film 4—The Shawshank Redemption (1994): Shawshank was written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who (though he maintains his innocence throughout) is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, but received none. However, since its initial box office and critical reception struggles, the film has steadily risen in statureand now often appears near the top of many lists of the best films ever made. Superbly acted by Robbins, Morgan Freeman, and a multitude of excellent supporting actors, Shawshank is a powerful epic tale of perseverance in the direst of circumstances and the inspiring strength of true and genuine friendship.

Tickets available at the door – Walk-ins welcome!

Offices Closed
2025-12-31 08:00 - 2026-01-02 17:00, 2025-12-24 08:00 - 2025-12-26 17:00 | WI

Sing-a-long Messiah
2025-12-17 09:30 - 13:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
All community members, students and educators are welcome to join to sing parts of Handel’s The Messiah!

Sing-A-Long Messiah
2025-12-17 00:00 - 23:59 | Shell Lake Arts Center, 802 First Street, Shell Lake, WI, 54740, United States
Starts at 9am and is an all day event!

Northern Lights Choir Concert
2025-12-06 16:30 - 18:30 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
SOLD OUT

Due to an overwhelming response, we will need to stop taking reservations for the Northern Lights Choir concert on Saturday.

We are overjoyed beyond words with the response and support of the community.

If you have a reservation but feel you may not make it, please contact Beth via email to take your name off the list. The Quam is currently at capacity and we want to be sure we have enough space for everyone that wants to attend.

Thank you again for your support.

The Northern Lights Memory Choir invites you to join us for our Inaugural Session Concert at 4:30 PM on Sat, Dec 6, 2025. The concert will be held at the SLAC Erika Quam Memorial Theater, 604 1st Street in Shell Lake.

Please help us know how many people to expect by using RSVP NOW.The Northern Lights Memory Choir is an inclusive community choir who welcomes people with memory changes, their caregivers, and any area friends with a passion for singing. Musical selections include Sweet Caroline, Edelweiss, You’ve Got a Friend, Hello, Dolly, Let It Be, and Little Drummer Boy with Peace on Earth. Refreshments will be available immediately following the concert. There is no charge for the concert and free-will tax-deductible donations are accepted to support future sessions. Sign up for our Spring 2026 Session at the concert or contact us at nlcinfo@shelllakeartscenter.org.

Krismas Kookies
2025-12-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
Comical, sometimes sentimental, but always entertaining, the Krismas Kookies feature original music.
Some politicians are offering recipes with a donation. With a ticket to the Krismas Kookies you too will get a recipe for egg nog sung to you by Pat with a little help from the rest of us. Remember “Don’t Beat the Nog!”

Northern Lights Choir - Rehearsal
2025-12-02 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-25 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-18 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-11 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-04 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States

Greetings - A Play
2025-11-23 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-22 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-11-21 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-11-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
“Greetings” by Tom Dudzick and directed by Roger Sweeney will be at the Quam!

Andy has a sweet Catholic mother, a sour Catholic father and a severely impaired younger brother names Mickey. When he brings his Jewish atheist fiancee to meet the folks on Christmas Eve, his worst fears about family blow-ups are realized. But Mickey, whose entire vocabulary is “Oh boy” and “Wow”, suddenly says, “Greetings!”

“A comic jewel…Stunning and touching…A joyful holiday lift.”
-The New York Newsday

“A loving holiday wonder.”
-The New York Post

“Glows with warmhearted emotion.”
-The Associated Press

“A winner.”
-The Albany Times Union

Smokin’ Loons
2025-11-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
https://www.facebook.com/smokinloons

Middle School Band Festival
2025-11-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Shell Lake Arts Center, 802 First Street, Shell Lake, WI, 54740, United States

Freud’s Last Session - A Play
2025-10-26 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-10-25 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
FREUD’S LAST SESSION, by Mark St. Germain, is based on the book “The Question of God” by Armond Nicholi, which contrasts the worldviews of C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud. The play centers on an imagined meeting between legendary psychoanalyst Dr. Sigmund Freud and the young, rising Oxford professor, C.S. Lewis. On the day England enters World War Two, Freud and Lewis clash about love, sex, the existence of God, and the meaning of life, just weeks before Freud took his own life.
Historians have not found clear evidence that Freud ever met with Lewis. However, that doesn’t mean it did not happen. Freud spent most of his life in Vienna, Austria, but left in June 1938 to escape Nazi persecution. He lived in London until his death on September 23, 1939, three weeks after World War II started. It is known that he met with an Oxford professor during the weeks leading up to his death, although it’s unknown who he met with. He could well have met with Lewis. The play’s strength is considering how Freud and Lewis would have interacted if they met since they had opposing ideas about religion. Freud held that religious faith is essentially an irrational response connected to compensating for childhood trauma. Lewis had been interested in Freud’s views when he was an atheist but rejected Freud’s secularism by 1931 when he became a Christian.
Atheists need not fear that they will be converted to faith by the warm blandishments of Lewis; and believers will not be tempted to apostasy by the hardheaded arguments of Freud. But everyone, from the God-fearing to the agnostic to the strictly scientific, can be entertained by this well-written clash of wits and egos.
“Freud’s Last Session” is a deeply touching play filled with humor and exploring the minds, hearts and souls of two brilliant men addressing the greatest questions of all time.
Phil Warner as Sigmund Freud and Ben Heer as C. S. Lewis.

Freud’s Last Session - A Play
2025-10-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Erika Quam Memorial Theatre, 605 1st St., Shell Lake, WI, 54871, United States
FREUD’S LAST SESSION, by Mark St. Germain, is based on the book “The Quesiton of God” by Armond Nicholi, which contrasts the worldviews of C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud. The play centers on an imagined meeting between legendary psychoanalyst Dr. Sigmund Freud and the young, rising Oxford professor, C.S. Lewis. On the day England enters World War Two, Freud and Lewis clash about love, sex, the existence of God, and the meaning of life, just weeks before Freud took his own life.
Historians have not found clear evidence that Freud ever met with Lewis. However, that doesn’t mean it did not happen. Freud spent most of his life in Vienna, Austria, but left in June 1938 to escape Nazi persecution. He lived in London until his death on September 23, 1939, three weeks after World War II started. It is known that he met with an Oxford professor during the weeks leading up to his death, although it’s unknown who he met with. He could well have met with Lewis. The play’s strength is considering how Freud and Lewis would have interacted if they met since they had opposing ideas about religion. Freud held that religious faith is essentially an irrational response connected to compensating for childhood trauma. Lewis had been interested in Freud’s views when he was an atheist but rejected Freud’s secularism by 1931 when he became a Christian.
Atheists need not fear that they will be converted to faith by the warm blandishments of Lewis; and believers will not be tempted to apostasy by the hardheaded arguments of Freud. But everyone, from the God-fearing to the agnostic to the strictly scientific, can be entertained by this well-written clash of wits and egos.
“Freud’s Last Session” is a deeply touching play filled with humor and exploring the minds, hearts and souls of two brilliant men addressing the greatest questions of all time.
Phil Warner as Sigmund Freud and Ben Heer as C. S. Lewis.
