It’s a Blunderful Life? or Ole Gets His Wish (Ole far sin villjen)

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Jonathan Schroerlucke

Cast members of "It’s a Blunderful Life? or Ole Gets His Wish."

Cast members of "It’s a Blunderful Life? or Ole Gets His Wish," Stoughton Village Players, 2023.

media release: What if Norway never existed? Follow along with Stoughton’s alternate reality after Ole Olson makes a regrettable wish. Stoughton Village Players present their annual tribute to Stoughton’s Syttende Mai festival: It’s a Blunderful Life? or Ole Gets His Wish (Ole får villjen sin) on May 18 at 7:00pm and 8:30pm; May 19 at 7:00pm and 8:30pm; and May 20 at 2:30pm, 4:00pm, and 7:00pm. All performances will take place in the Stoughton Village Players Theater. As with every original Syttende Mai production, the show runs for one weekend only! All tickets are $16 for all shows, general admission. 

This original comedy, written by local Stoughtonites Tony Hill, Dan Prueher, Jeff Horton, Gary Smithback, and Jonathan Schroerlucke, follows the lackluster Ole and his perpetually frustrated but forgiving wife Lena as Stoughton is reimagined as if there had never been a Norway. 

Poking fun at folksy Norwegians and Stoughton’s small-city culture and politics, this year’s story borrows from Frank Capra’s classic It’s a Wonderful Life and brings some powerful new characters into the shenanigans. What will the Norse gods - Thor, Loki, Odin, Freya, and Vidarr - do when Ole makes his fateful wish? What does Stoughton look like without its Norwegian cultural heritage? Will Stoughton ever return to normal? You only get one chance to find out: Syttende Mai festival weekend, May 18-20.

Tony Hill directs this production. The large ensemble cast includes: Merlin Luschen as Ole, Arlene Minor as Lena, Jerry Lapidakis as Sven, Tim McNurlen as Lars, Tryg Haglund as Torvald, Georgian Pentel Nicholson as Rugna, Rebecca Haglund as Kari, Kimberly Jensen as Kristen, June Wood as Audny & Britni, Dan Prueher as Sedley & MC Wink, Brian Amidei as Mayor Tim, Anne Somerfeld as Hazel & Agnes, Stella Snider as Zuzu & Muffi, Gary Smithback as Clarence, Dave Conour as Thor, Chris Weis as Odin, Katie Martinson as Loki, Raven Jensen as Freya, Sydney Layton as Vidarr & Buffi, Jocelyn Simon as Buffy, Joseph Amidei as Chip and Leo Mikkelson as Biff.