Another reason is the author's enjoyable writing. Frank M. Whiting obviously loved both
Minnesota and theatre his entire life. In his honor I'll include his own description:
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"The general consensus (never proven) seems to be that there is more theatrical activity
per capita in the Twin Cities are than anywhere else in the nation, New York included.
This book therefore, is a humble attempt to make reader's a bit more aware of Minnesota's
theatrical heritage. The material is arranged in four chronological divisions: Part One
takes us from the soldier shows at old Fort Snelling to 1883 when not one but two Grand
Opera Houses were constructed. Part Two ends with 1933, the date when Buzz Bainbridge gave
up his theatre to become mayor. Part Three covers the thirty year interval between the demise
of the Bainbridge Players and the opening of The Guthrie, while Part Four is concerned with
the explosion of activity that immediately preceded and followed the opening of The Gutherie."