As Veterans Day approaches, Bismarck will take a step back in time: from November 11 to 16, the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum hosts the theatrical presentation “North Dakota Voices of the Great War.” The production immerses audiences in the experiences of North Dakotans—soldiers, nurses and families—who faced the hardships of World War I.
The week-long run underscores how local history resonates today, inviting veterans, students and history-lovers in the Bismarck region to reflect on courage, sacrifice and identity.
Written by Daniel Bielinski and Dr. Joseph Stuart, the play is rooted in actual letters and songs from North Dakotans who served in Europe during the Great War.
It will be performed at the Heritage Center’s Russell Reid Auditorium, offering multiple showings to reach a broad audience.
For locals in Bismarck—and the broader central North Dakota region—this event offers more than entertainment. It connects modern-day community members to the experiences of earlier generations in their own backyards.
• The story of WW I is often told at a national level—but this production localizes it, making it relevant to North Dakota residents.
• Educators and students can use the performance as a learning tool, linking classroom studies with live story-theatre.
• Veterans in the region are given a platform of recognition and reflection around a historic service milestone.
In a month marked by Veterans Day commemorations, the timing is powerful. For the Bismarck community, it offers a chance to anchor remembrance in local heritage.
“From the initial enthusiasm of going to war to the realities of its horrors, Voices of the Great War brings these personal stories to life,” said a spokesperson for the Heritage Center.
“We wanted to give voice to North Dakotans — men and women — who served overseas but whose stories rarely reach our state stages,” said Daniel Bielinski, co-writer of the production.
What You Need to Know
Dates: November 11-16, 2025.
Location: North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, Russell Reid Auditorium, Bismarck.
Tickets & Info: Available via Eventbrite and the Heritage Center website.
Recommended for: Veterans groups, schools, student field trips, history buffs, families.
Additional tie-in: Consider arriving early to visit the museum’s military gallery and WW I-era exhibits to deepen the experience.
For the Bismarck community, North Dakota Voices of the Great War isn’t just theatre—it’s a meaningful moment to remember and to learn. As November brings reflection for veterans and their families, this event offers a unique opportunity: to see, hear and feel the legacy of these North Dakota patriots, and to carry that recognition forward.
History may belong to the past, but its impact is very much part of Bismarck’s present—and into its future.
