Submitted Photo Nu Notes performs at an event. From left are Paula Simonson, Jeannie Sovak, Julianne Bonner, Laurel Livingston, Joy Shirek, Rochelle Feldner, Sandra Starr, Cheryl Nilsen, Alyssa Palmer, Leslie Barney and Holly Eidsness. The women’s ensemble will be singing at a Mouse River Players fundraising event May 26.

A group of educators with a shared love for music have been singing and entertaining audiences for more than 14 years. Now the women, who perform as Nu Notes, plan to use their talents to benefit another arts organization.

The Mouse River Players is holding a Nu Notes fundraising event on May 26 at 7 p.m. in the Arlene Theater at 115 1st Ave. SE in downtown Minot. The purpose of the free-will donation event is to help MRP raise funds for its lobby renovation project.

Nu Notes consists of singers drawn from the membership of Minot’s Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) – Nu Chapter. DKG is an honorary, international society that promotes professional and personal growth among women educators and excellence in education.

Sandra Starr had listened to her fellow DKG members caroling at senior facilities at Christmas time in 2007 and realized they sounded good enough to be on stage. There was interest, and Nu Notes was born.

The first singing gig was at a DKG State Convention. The ensemble sang “Sister Act” and “Irish Blessing.”

Since then, Nu Notes has performed a variety of music, much of it in the Broadway/Pop genre and often songs about and for women. The group has conducted shows at a number of conventions of DKG and other organizations around the state as well as at Minot senior facilities. The ensemble has traveled to sing in Nashville at the International DKG Convention, and in Spearfish, South Dakota, at a Regional DKG Convention.

Launched with about a dozen members, the group has seen some members come but few go, so several in the current group of 17 have been with the ensemble from the start, said Starr, who serves as director.

Reorganizing last December after a two-year COVID-19 pandemic break, Nu Notes was introduced to the idea of performing a benefit concert for MRP by Nu Notes member Holly Eidsness, who also is on the MRP board.

“We decided we can handle that. We want to do that. So we’re doing it,” Starr said.

Their rendition of Carol King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” will be the perfect music to begin the benefit concert.

Charter members who will be participating at the MRP show are choreographer Paula Simonson, accompanist Dawn Freeman, Rochelle Feldner, Cheryl Nilsen, Joy Shirek, Jeannie Sovak, Eidsness and Starr. Other members performing will be Sheree Diede, Colleen Schwan, Maria Carpenter, Alyssa Palmer, Laurel Livingston, Pam Hopkins and Brenda Demke.

Marj Bubach and Leslie Barney also are members.

Professionally, the women work in many areas of education, from teaching kindergarten to counseling students. Few actually teach music, Starr said, but they have strong backgrounds in music, including some who have performed or currently perform with other musical groups. They also are dedicated to Nu Notes and to giving a high-quality performance, she said.

“I’m proud of these gals,” Starr said. “They have a good sound. They are good singers.”

Mouse River Players invites the public to come and bring older family members who could use a night out at an enjoyable show.

“We appreciate the support of the entire community in helping us make the changes to our lobby,” MRP stated in a release.

Planned changes to the Arlene Theater include expanding and renovating the current lobby and relocating bathrooms from the auditorium to the lobby area and giving them an updated look. The redesign will make concessions available via a new lobby window. To also cover planned exterior improvements, MRP’s capital drive seeks to raise $350,000.