July 2015 - McPherson Opera House

Behind the Curtains: The Official Newsletter of the McPherson Opera House
July 2015
Opera Academy of the Midwest
The Wichita Grand Opera has launched an intensive new initiative aimed at cultivating the next generation of operatic talent and production personnel. The Academy
opened on July 1st and will run through July 24th in McPherson and then activities will
move to its home base at Century II Performing Arts Center in Wichita and will close
at the conclusion of the Opera Season on October 19, 2015. During the training period,
Academy participants will receive training through coaching sessions, musical analysis,
diction, role interpretation, master classes, career planning and development. The Academy is sponsored in part by: Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission; National
Endowment for the Arts; Dr. & Mrs. Dennis Ross; City of McPherson; Naftzger Fund
for the Arts; Ross & Marianna Beach Foundation; Charlotte Brickler Trust; McPherson
Opera House; Newman University; and Central Christian College.
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the McPherson Opera House Company will be held on Monday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. Reports from the president, executive
director, treasurer, and committee chairs will be given. Election of board members and
officers will also take place. Three people are on the ballot to serve vacant positions. They
are Steve Bahr, Don Blankenship, and Beverly Hunter.
Steve Bahr have been with American Family Insurance for 20 years and has lived in
McPherson for 25 years. He is married to Peggy, principal at St. Joseph’s Catholic School,
and has three children: Alex, a junior at KSU, Anna and Katie, who both attend MHS.
He enjoys golf and attending kid’s activities.
Don Blankenship graduated from McPherson High School and is married to his high
school sweetheart, Una Kay. He worked in the oil production industry for Reda Pump,
Behind the Curtains: The Official Newsletter of the McPherson Opera House
July 2015 — Page 2
TRW, Wood Group, and ESP. He is involved in his church, Lions club, helping his friends
and has served on the Opera House’s building committee for the last two years.
Beverly Hunter was born in Coffeyville, KS and lived there 45 years, and after marrying Tom, she moved to McPherson. She spent most of her adult life working for Farmland Refinery and being involved in fundraising. She graduated from Central Christian
College, taught K-5, and now works for Ameriprise Financial. The McPherson Opera
House has taken over her soul and enjoys supporting this lovely lady by being the force
behind in “OPERA”tunity.
2014-2015 Season Brochure
The upcoming season brochure will be sent out to Opera House patrons in the next
few weeks, probably towards the middle of August. Tickets will go on sale then and members will have an opportunity to buy tickets at reduced prices. More information on each
show will be provided in the season brochure as well as on the internet. Scheduled performances are listed below:
2014-2015 Season Brochure
The upcoming season brochure will be sent out to Opera House patrons in the next
few weeks, probably towards the middle of August. Tickets will go on sale then and members will have an opportunity to buy tickets at reduced prices. More information on each
show will be provided in the season brochure as well as on the internet. Scheduled performances are listed below:
September 6, 2015, Janetta Ledell, “Lullabies”
September 19, 2015, Billy McGuigan, “Rock Legends”
October 17, 2015, Wichita Grand Opera, The Grand Duchess
October 24, 2015, Marshall Matthews and the Memphis Kings, “Elvis”
November 21, 2015, “Lite Nite Catechism: Sister Rolls the Dice”
December 4 & 5, 2015, Matthew & Gunnar Nelson, “Ricky Nelson Remembered
Christmas Show”
December 12, 2015, Sammie King, “Cool Yule, Part 2”
January 16, 2016, VoicePlay, Award Winning A Capella Quintet
February 26, 2016, Joseph Bishop, “Magic & Illusion”
March 19, 2016, Phil Keaggy Christian Acoustic Guitarist &
Vocalist, Ashley Cleveland Opens
April 16, 2016, “Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes,” The Hits, the Life, the Complete Hank Williams
April 23, 2016, Joseph Hall, “The King - Elvis”
Additional Information on the Coca Cola Signs
The article in The McPherson Sentinel about the signs did not mention the spiral staircase. This photograph provides a more visual representation of the staircase, the north
wall, and the challenges presented to restore the west sign, particularly. It also offers a trip
down memory lane.
(see next page please)
Behind the Curtains: The Official Newsletter of the McPherson Opera House
July 2015 — Page 3
Summer Performances at the Opera House
Normally things quiet down at the McPherson Opera House during the summer, but
not this year. Listed below are the offerings:
Wichita Grand Opera—“A Night at the Opera” with favorites from Puccini, Verdi,
Offenbach and more, with the WGO conducted by Maestro Ken Hakoda. Friday, July 17,
7:30 p.m.
Phantom Blues Band with Mike Finnigan—seasoned, award-winning studio musicians
play a mix of blues, jazz, R & B, gospel, rock and roll, and reggae. Saturday, July 25, 7:30
p.m.