Archive for February, 2009

I’m from Michigan.  As, I assume, are most readers of this blog, and friends of Farmers Alley Theatre.  But for me, my associatoin with our great state is limited to travels up and down I-94 from Kalamazoo to Ann Arbor to Detroit and back, and the occasional trip up to Charlevoix with my family for a week in the summertime.  Only once have I traveled to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  So, to say I am familiar with the ‘yooper’ ways would be a false statement.

However, with ESCANABA IN LOVE, the hilarious romantic comedy by Jeff Daniels, opening this weekend, I seem to have adhered myself to some of the yooper ways.  For instance, I now add ‘Eh’ the end of most of my sentences, and have acquired a taste for Venison Jerky.   The most important part of feeling like a yooper though, is what I’ll call Yooper-Speak.  And now I would like to pass along some vocabulary lessons for when you come down to Farmers Alley Theatre this month and get magically whisked away to the UP, eh?

Obviously, “Yooper” is a name for an inhabitant of the Upper Peninsula.  Whether you’re from Escanaba, Marquette, or up Nobbin Way, you’re a yooper.  Here are some other words that you’ll need to be familiar with when you get your ticket and spend a night at the Soady Deer Camp with us.

(www.usaring.com)

Bag – to kill, re: a buck.

Beer – Da Yoopers favorite drink.

Da Soo – Sault Ste. Marie, Yooperland.  Right across the border from Sault Ste. marie, Ontario, Great White North.

Dooker – In bathroom terms, No. 2.

Eh – A word that ends practically every sentence.

Holy Wha – Yooper expletive meaning, roughly “Holy  $&*@!”

Jerky – Da Yoopers favortie food.

Jesus Crumps - Similar in meaning to Holy Wha.

Pitters -Armpits.

T’roat – Throat. (ex: “She stuck her tongue down my t’roat.”)

Troll – Refers to a native in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

Two holer – Toilet

That’s just some of da words you’ll be hearin’ when you get your tickets to da romantic comedy ESCANABA IN LOVE, playin’ dis February at da Farmers Alley T’eatre.  You can get your tickets right here on dis website or by calling 343-2727.

And if you miss dis’ show, Holy Wha!, I won’t know what to do wit ya, eh?