Past Programs

By Curt Tofteland, Founder, Shakespeare Behind Bars Program

The Mission of Shakespeare Behind Bars is to offer theatrical encounters with personal and social issues to incarcerated, post-incarcerated, marginalized, and at-risk communities, allowing them to develop and expand life skills that will support their reintegration into society. Founded in 1995, Shakespeare Behind Bars is the oldest, continuously operating program of its kind in North America. Each year Shakespeare Behind Bars serves 200+ incarcerated adults and juveniles in thirteen SBB programs in Kentucky, Michigan, and Illinois.

Curt L. Tofteland, as the Founder of the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Behind Bars program, produced and directed fourteen all-male Shakespeare plays. SBB is the subject of the multiple award-winning documentaries by Philomath Films. During his twenty-year tenure as the Producing Artistic Director of Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Curt produced fifty Shakespeare productions, directed twenty-five, and acted in eight. As a professional director and an Equity actor, he has 200+ professional productions to his credit. Additionally, he has presented 400+ performances of his one man show Shakespeare’s Clownes: A Foole’s Guide to Shakespeare.

The South Haven Scott Club is pleased to host the Community Soup Luncheon on Saturday, November 22nd from 11 am to 2 pm at their Michigan Historic Site at 652 Phoenix Street. All are welcome at this fun event that serves as a kickoff to the holiday season in concert with other local events. There will be something for everyone with a range of options including vegan and vegetarian; come early to choose your favorite. A beverage and dessert are also included, and a to-go option will be available. Come out and support the Scott Club and warm up with some hot soup and festive company.
The suggested donation is $10.

Reservations required. Free and open to all.

Seating will be available at 10:00 and 11:00. NO ZOOM

You can reserve your seating time by emailing info@scottclub.org or by phone, 269-449-0290.

Come to the Historic Scott Club to have brunch and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus. Families will have time to enjoy brunch and then head upstairs to spend time with Santa and take pictures to capture this fun experience. Children will receive a book, a gift bag and can make a craft to take home. Brunch made fresh by Phoenix Street on Broadway restaurant. Books are provided by the Van Buren Great Start Collaborative through a grant from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential.

12:00 pm at Scott Club, 652 Phoenix Street
RSVP Required. Email to info@scottclub.org
$15 per person NO ZOOM

This year’s holiday luncheon will be at Scott Club in the lower level. After lunch we will go upstairs to enjoy music by the amazing students of the South Haven High School Chamber Orchestra, directed by Jessica Fiedorowicz.

Lunch will start at noon with a Croissant Bar offering egg, tuna, or chicken salad, along with various side salads and fruit catered by Phoenix Street on Broadway restaurant.

RSVP is required to attend. Members will receive a notification.

By Steve Rossio, Heritage Room Coordinator, Portage District Library

David Lee Sutfin grew up in Southwest Michigan at a time when Europe began its tragic journey into World War I. Not wanting to be left out, Dave volunteered to serve in the American Expeditionary Force under Colonel Joseph Westnedge where he did his duty as a combat medic under the harshest conditions. This program will bring Dave to life through a vast array of primary documents, letters and photographs he left behind.

Steve Rossio is the current Heritage Room Coordinator at the Portage District Library in Portage, Michigan, a position he has held for going on twenty-seven years. A life-long resident of Kalamazoo County, Steve graduated with his history degree from Western Michigan University. Steve has always had a strong interest in United States military history and has used this interest to interview countless veterans on their experiences as well as conduct in depth research on various areas including what you will hear about in this program.

By Christine Byron

Social dancing was a popular form of recreation across the country in the first half of the 20th Century, and Michigan was no exception with dancing venues springing up across the state. Byron will look back at dance halls and pavilions located in amusement parks, resorts, hotels, night clubs, and other spots. Some restaurants and taverns featured “dining and dancing” to draw patrons to their establishments. From dancing stately waltzes in the 1900s, the 1910s gave way to novelty dances like the turkey trot and the bunny hop. The 1920s could be known as the “Dance Age” as the fox trot, jitterbug and Charleston took America by storm. During the Depression, dancing flourished as an inexpensive form of entertainment. The rise of swing and big band music in the 1930s and 1940s drew thousands of fun seekers to dance halls across the state. This social dance trend faded in the 1950s as rock and roll took center stage.

Christine Byron is a retired librarian from the Local Historical Collections of the Grand Rapids Public Library. She is an avid reader of Michigan history, and a collector of thousands of postcards and old Michigan tourist and travel memorabilia.

By Katie St. Amand, BA, MS, Curator & Director of Programs, North Berrien Historical Museum

In its 65 years of operation, millions of people visited Deer Forest in Coloma, Michigan, to pet and feed animals such as deer, llamas, and peacocks. It was a favorite location for families and animal enthusiasts, and many decades of memories were made at the park. Although it closed in 2014, Deer Forest lives on in the recollections and memories of the community. Through photos and stories, revisit the famed park where many once ‘fed the deer and rode the train.’

Katie St. Amand is the Curator & Director of Programs for the North Berrien Historical Museum in Coloma, Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation, both from Eastern Michigan University.

June 28, 2025: noon to 5 pm

Afterwards, 4 pm to 5 pm – Scott Club open for tours and refreshments

Scott Club is delighted to partner with SHOUT for the 28th annual Cottage Walk. This event, a fundraiser for both nonprofit organizations, opens beautiful South Haven cottages and a brand-new riverfront condo for tours. Conclude the afternoon with a tour and refreshments at the Scott Club, a Michigan Historic Site built in 1893, on the corner of Phoenix and Pearl Streets.

Tickets $20. Available at
The South Haven Visitors Bureau, 546 Phoenix Street &
The Chamber of Commerce, 606 Phillips Street,
or on June 28th at the Farmer’s Market