BY MATT PIKE
St Joseph Post
After a year of being shuttered, there will be a grand reopening event in St. Joseph’s theatre district.
Performing Arts Association director Beth Sharp says that with the Performing Arts Association moving to a new building, and the St. Joseph Symphony being back after being shuttered last year due to COVID-19, it just made sense to hold this event.
“With the Symphony, them being shuttered and starting a new season and having a new conductor, we thought it just made sense to do a grand reopening event.” Says Sharp.
And managing director of the St. Joseph Symphony Lori McAlister agrees adding it’s been a great collaboration.
“It’s been a collaboration from the get go, which is exciting,” McAlister says. “We’ve actually been talking about and looking for opportunities to do things together.”
Both the Performing Arts Association and the St. Joseph Symphony will hold ribbon cuttings this afternoon.
Sharp says that the ribbon cuttings will be staggered, beginning with the ribbon cutting for the Performing Arts Association at 4pm.
“St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will come out, they provide the ribbon and the big scissors,” Sharp says. “I know that our board president is excited about giving a little speech, as well as I, then we’ll shuffle everyone over to the Symphony at 4:15.”
The St. Joseph Performing Arts Association and the St. Joseph Symphony will celebrate its grand reopening this afternoon.
The event will run from 4-7 pm with staggered ribbon cuttings at 4pm for the Performing Arts Association and at 4:15 for the St. Joseph Symphony.
After being shuttered for a year due to COVID-19, Performing Arts Association executive director Beth Sharp is excited to use this as a kickoff for their new seasons next month.
“We’re really excited to kickoff the very first show September 18th,” Sharp says. “It’s Piano Men, it’s a tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel, and this is a fantastic tribute show.”
And the start of the Symphony season won’t be far behind, managing director Lori McAlister is excited to start the very next week.
“On September 25 that will be our season opener, the first in the season that Christopher Kelts has designed for us,” McAlister says. “And he’s starting it off with the theme of ‘New’, a new season a new sound.”
Fans that attend the grand opening even this afternoon will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to the shows, as well as enter a drawing for a chance to win great prizes.
Guests will get an opportunity at the Symphony ribbon cutting to meet the Symphony’s new conductor, Christopher Kelts, as well as buy concert tickets and enter a drawing. The event will run from 4-7pm.