A busy weekend at the Holmes Theatre

Super heroes, sword play, Golden Gloves boxing... all these and more are on tap at Detroit Lakes' Community & Cultural Center this weekend.

Starting with a free children's play on Friday morning, and ending with another stage production on Sunday evening, the DLCCC Fieldhouse and Historic Holmes Theatre are going to be seeing plenty of action.

Theatreworks USA will be bringing its children's production, "Walk Two Moons," to the Historic Holmes Theatre for two free shows at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

This show, based on the based on the Newbery award-winning novel of the same name by Sharon Creech, is "a wonderful story about a Native American girl learning to see life from another perspective -- to 'walk a mile in another's moccasins,' so to speak," said Amy Stoller Stearns, administrator of the Historic Holmes Theatre.

A total of 1,600 area children are expected to attend the two shows, free of charge. "It's free because of a grant from Lake Region Arts Council and the underwriting of State Bank & Trust," Stearns added.

Saturday morning, it will be the DLCCC Fieldhouse's turn to host a free event. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., the fieldhouse will open its doors to parents and children for a full slate of activities.

"It's an opportunity for kids (and adults) to meet their local super heroes -- and we will have some surprise super hero guests as well," said aquatics program director Kim Bettcher, who helped organize the event.

The "local super heroes" will include representatives from the DL police and fire departments, Becker County Sheriff's Department as well as emergency ambulance personnel from St. Mary's and DLCCC lifeguard/swimming instructors.

All these "super heroes" will be bringing their emergency vehicles inside the fieldhouse for kids to take a peek, and will also be doing presentations on topics including crime and fire prevention, water and life jacket safety, first aid and more.

Bettcher also said to expect a few special "super hero guests" to liven up the festivities. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to sign up for CPR and first aid classes being offered at the DLCCC next month, and a variety of door prizes will be awarded. The "giant slide" will also be brought inside the fieldhouse for free rides throughout the event.

"We're also encouraging kids to dress up as their favorite super heroes," Bettcher said, but added that costumes are not required to take part in the festivities.

Brett Wolf, DLCCC health and fitness program director, said that on Saturday night, the fieldhouse would also be hosting the first Golden Gloves boxing card to be offered in more than 15 years.

"The first bout will be at 7 p.m.," he said. "There will be a total of 13, three-round bouts -- all amateur."

Wolf noted that at least one of the featured matches would be between female boxers.

"There will be boxers from 11 different clubs there," he added. "They're coming from Perham, St. Cloud, Grand Forks, Anoka..."

And of course, from Detroit Lakes' own Lakes Area Boxing Club.

Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-17; children age 4 and under will be admitted free of charge.

"There will be concessions available," Wolf said. "All seating is general admission, so it's first come, first served."

See today's sports pages for more details on the boxing event.

But that's not all. On Sunday afternoon, actors from The Acting Company in New York City will be offering a Stage Combat Class at 4 p.m., as a prelude to their 7 p.m. staging of the swashbuckling Alexander Dumas classic, "The Three Musketeers."

The stage combat class is being offered as part of The Acting Company's educational outreach programming.

According to Chad Hoeppner, who plays D'Artagnan in "The Three Musketeers," the 90-minute class offers participants an opportunity to learn "the basics of how to create the illusion of very violent action on stage -- safely.

"I think teaching acting is a thrilling thing to do," he added. " Whatever level people are at -- if they want to be professional actor, or they just do it for fun, acting helps you in a myriad of ways. It's good for the voice, the body, for communicating, for getting in touch with your feelings and impulses. It's an invaluable skill and I think anyone can benefit from it."

The cost of the workshop is $10. Less than two hours after the conclusion of this class, The Acting Company actors will take to the stage once again for a 7 p.m. showing of "The Three Musketeers."

This new stage adaptation of the classic Alexander Dumas tale tells the story of the coming of age of the young hero, D'Artagnan, and his transformation from farm boy into dashing musketeer -- under the guidance of a trio of experienced mentors, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, aka "The Three Musketeers."

Hoeppner, who just completed his master's degree in fine arts at New York University last spring, said he relishes the opportunities he has been given as a first-year member of touring cast of The Acting Company

"There are some things that are tough about it (life on the road)," he admitted. "There are some days when we travel seven hours in a bus, arrive (at the venue) and immediately have to put on a three-hour show. That's difficult. But the good parts about it are pretty amazing -- we get to see all different parts of the country.

"Every day is different and unpredictable -- for me, I find that quite exciting."

Hoeppner is also looking forward to his first visit to Detroit Lakes.

"I'm a big fan of the outdoors," he said. "I love the parts of this country where you have beautiful landscapes, like the north woods, the Boundary Waters..."

Yes, Hoeppner has been to Minnesota before.

"Two summers ago I did a program called the Guthrie Experience," he said. "I was in Minneapolis for eight weeks. We were a small company of actors who just got to know the Guthrie and Minneapolis. I really enjoyed Minneapolis as a town, and I would love to come back and work at The Guthrie again."

His ties to Minnesota don't stop there, either. "I used to date a girl from Elk River," he said.

Tickets for "The Three Musketeers" are $18 for adults and $9 for students. For information about "Walk Two Moons," the stage combat class or "The Three Musketeers," contact the Historic Holmes Theatre Box Office at 218-844-SHOW (7469). For information about the Golden Gloves boxing card or Super Hero Saturday, call the DLCCC's main offices at 218-844-4221.