Kim Schultz Photo by Rick Spaulding

Running at just about 90 minutes, the play covers Dorothy's first visit to Knife Lake as a 23-year-old nursing student in 1930 with her father, Cap. In addition to Cap, Schultz portrays two other characters: Bill Berglund, an old friend of her father's and the original owner of the Isle of Pines Resort; and her only neighbor, Bob. As a memoir, the play is a little meandering at times and the thread of her reflections is sometimes lost and a little confusing.

The scenic design by Chelsea M. Warren and lighting design by Chris Johnson are lovely, capturing the rustic, wild feel of the BWCA, the provisions crammed into Dorothy's cabin, and the expansiveness of the sky, whether in the daylight or in the evening filled with stars. Shultz gives a beautifully realized performance of Dorothy's sincere wonder at the beauty of the remote Isle in her first visit. Dorothy was a great lover of wildlife, frequently interacting with wild animals on her island, and the sound design by Katherine Horowitz evocatively portrays the movement of nature around her, most humorously when birds fly into Dorothy's hair.

One difficulty with the structure of this memoir play is that there is not a clear arc to the story. We begin with Dorothy's first visit to the Isle, then mark the steps along the way that led her to live on the island and continue to follow a chronological series of events somewhat didactically until her death. The most suspenseful moment is a harrowing walk across frozen lakes Dorothy takes with owner Bill when his health is failing. Schultz dons appropriate winter gear as she mimes snowshoeing and dragging Bill on a toboggan to first an abandoned cabin and ultimately a less remote location several lakes over to wire for a helicopter to take him to the hospital.

Root Beer Lady will leave you impressed by the extraordinary gumption and grit of Dorothy Molter, and marveling at the independence of this singular woman, who used her nursing training to keep herself and her many resort visitors alive in the remote wilderness. The origin of Dorothy's nicknames the Root Beer Lady, Nightingale of the Wilderness, and the Loneliest Woman in America are all touched on, and Schultz' script emphasizes Dorothy's resentment when she is told what "girls" can and can't do.

The performance ends with a plea to the audience to preserve nature and will leave you craving a root beer. Make sure you get there early so you can buy yours in the lobby beforehand, as there is no intermission.

Root Beer Lady runs through February 23, 2025, at History Theatre, 30 E. 10th, St. Paul MN. For tickets and information, please visit Historytheatre.com or call 651-292-4320.