Phil Olson's play continues in the popular rural Minnesota theme of "Don't Hug Me," the PLCT's 2006 summer show. This play expands the action at "Carl and Lena's Place for Beer."

KOLD Radio operates in a corner of the small-town tavern at Whitefish Bay near the Canadian border. Lars Knutsen (Scott Ruffing, Aitkin) is the host of a radio show, "Crappie Talk."

The show is devoted entirely to ice fishing for crappies.

Because it is a somewhat narrow subject, Lars has no listeners. So he loses his only advertiser, Ole's Bait Mart and Deer Petting Farm.

Martha Bjorklund (Mary Nelson, Cushing) is Lars' unrequited love interest who hosts "Book Beat." She has all the listeners and all the advertisers.

Lars has issues with Martha, ever since she beat him in the 50-yard dash in sixth grade. Lars' jealousy toward Martha increases when a fish-out-of-water Brooklyn Italian (C.J. Anderson, Pequot Lakes) comes to Whitefish Bay, buys the radio station, promotes Martha and fires Lars.

Lars has his work cut out for him. He needs his dignity. But more important, he needs Martha.

All 11 characters in this jingle-filled comedy come to life with their individual qualities and quirks found in folks we know. The bar owners, Carl (Stanley Mikles, Crosslake) and Lena (Molly Ring, Pequot Lakes), co-exist amid the chaos as long as Carl understands who wears the pants.

Ole Swenson (Peter Herzog, Pequot Lakes) owns Ole's Bait Mart, Ole's Deer Petting Farm, and Ole's Lutheran Hall of Fame.

Sal Carducci (Anderson) is a successful grocer making his move to be a media mogul, accompanied by Donna Decasola (Jennifer Kiffmeyer, Baxter), his attractive ex-wife.

Walter Gisselson (Ron Wendorff, Aitkin) hosts the local news on KOLD Radio.

Ruth Streeland (Lauren Nickisch, Pequot Lakes) is the jingle-singer for KOLD Radio who colors the airwaves and the off-air moments with her messages:

"Come to Ole's Lutheran Hall of Fame, where the wine is real and the sermon tame; and you got no guilt 'cause there's no confession, no Holy Water, and no genuflectin'."

Sarah Knudsen (Anna Gardner, Baxter) is Lars' teenage daughter trying to make sense of her father's hang-ups.

Sven Oxstrude (Jon Bjorkquist, Crosslake) is the never-seen voice, a frequent call-in to the radio station.

The play won the Gilmore Creek Playwright Competition and was a finalist in the prestigious Chesterfield Writer's Project. LA Weekly selected it as a Pick of the Week when produced at the Group Repertory Theatre in North Hollywood, Calif.

Nancy Waller, Breezy Point, directs the production, which is presented by special arrangements with Eldridge Publishing Co., Tallahassee, Fla.

The production team includes stage manager Meredith Bjorkquist, Crosslake; set designer Allan Olson, Pequot Lakes; set builder Bill Musel, Brainerd; costumer Ron Wendorff, Aitkin; technical director Jenny Moon, Pequot Lakes; and props mistress Donna Olson, Pequot Lakes.