Photos of Charlotte's Web ... HANCOCK ’Äì On Friday, April 20, Local school children enjoyed a preview of the Finlandia production of Charlotte's Web, to be presented at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 22, at the Finnish-American Heritage Center on Quincy Street in Hancock. This authorized small-cast touring version of E.B. White's famous story was first produced in July, 1984, by Lincoln Center, New York City, under the direction of Carey Perloff. Finlandia's performances of the play this weekend will feature musician and composer Melvin Kangas at the piano, joined by the Suzuki Strings and their director Brian Kubin. Iowa Farmer Arable's daughter Fern (left), played by Dollar Bay sixth grader Katie Smith, meets her new friend Wilbur the Pig ’Äì  played by Maija Stenvig, a seventh grader at Baraga High School.        Wilbur and Fern meet with some resistance to their friendship from Fern's father, Farmer John Arable, played with an authentic Finnish accent by Heikki Rimpilˆ§inen of Kajaani, Finland. Rimpilˆ§inen, an exchange student at Finlandia who is studying tourism services in Finland, said he took a drama course for fun and ended up in the cast for this play. "I like it very much," he said.     Wilbur (Maija Stenvig) learns from his barnyard pals the reason he's being fed so well. Also pictured from left are co-director Rich Cejmer as the Rat, Finlandia student Judy Sellers as the Sheep, Hancock Middle School sixth grader Alexa Pattison as the Gander and Anne Aho as the Goose.           Co-directors Melvin Kangas (left) as Homer Zuckerman and Rich Cejmer as farmhand Lurvy try to get Wilbur to take some sulfur and molasses to cure his lack of appetite, really caused by loneliness.                  Wilbur the Pig meets another new friend, Charlotte the Spider, played by Charlotte Anderson, a sixth grader at Hancock Middle School. Charlotte's special web is at left. Her  costume is an original design by Costumer Becky Weeks, a student at Finlandia's School of Art and Design.     Charlotte sings Wilbur a lullaby played by Melvin Kangas on the piano.         Charlotte uses her web to promote her friend Wilbur the Pig. She will have to save him from the usual fate of Iowa pigs ... See the show to find out what happens!         Costumer Becky Weeks adjusts Melvin Kangas's farmer costume before the performance.         Photos by Michele Anderson April 20, 2001