“Hairspray”
Big, Local Cast & Crew Takes To The McGregor Hall Stage To Bring You The Rockin’ Broadway Hit ‘Hairspray’
This Tony-Winning Musical Is Based On The Popular 1988 Silver Screen Comedy That Was Adapted Again In The 2007 Hit Film
HENDERSON, N.C. (OCTOBER 23, 2017) — McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will roll back the clock to the 1960s with a rocking production of the Broadway hit “Hairspray” for two weekends in a row.
A cast and crew of nearly 100 will present six performances of the musical: Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28, at 8 p.m. each evening; Sunday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m.
Set in Baltimore in 1962, “Hairspray” tells the story of a spunky and lovable plus-size teenage girl who earns a spot to dance on a local television show. After becoming an overnight celebrity and meeting a colorful array of characters, Tracy Turnblad helps to lead her city to social change.
“The winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Hairspray is full of laughter, romance, and music and dancing that never seems to stop,” said Mark Hopper, vice president on the Board of Directors for McGregor Hall, who is also the director of the show. The musical brings back the 1960s in nearly 20 songs that will offer melodies to please everyone as Hopper leads a live 15-piece orchestra.
McGregor Hall’s “Hairspray” brings together familiar faces from among the area’s strong theater talent and introduces new young actors and actresses to the big stage, Hopper added.
The show stars Sarah Young of Henderson as Tracy Turnblad, Jonathan O’Geary of Henderson as Edna Turnblad, Brian Westbrook of Durham as Corny Collins, Elsa Wansink of Chapel Hill as Penny Pingleton, and Karen-Leigh Allen of Raleigh as “Motormouth” Maybelle Stubbs.
“We’re fortunate to have so much talent in this region,” Hopper added. “We’ll have veterans of the Henderson Rec Players in the show, and we’re happy to be joined by some of the area’s best from other theater groups. To have so many new young people joining us for the first time is making for a meaningful experience.”
In addition to the six shows for McGregor audiences, a daytime performance of the musical will be staged for area schools on Thursday, Oct. 26.
“We’re appreciative of the support for this production we have received through a grant from the North Carolina Community Foundation,” Hopper said, “and we certainly are thankful for the many supporters who are helping us for the 2017-2018 season.”
Tickets are on sale for $25 or $20 plus sales tax. Group and student rates are available. Tickets can be purchased directly at the McGregor Hall Box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Box Office is located at 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson. The Box Office can also be reached by phone by calling (252) 598-0662. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.McGregorHall.org by using the secure and trusted purchasing platform, eTix. Online fees apply.
“Hairspray” is the second act of the McGregor Live! and Heritage! performance series packages. Upcoming shows in the McGregor Live! series are the Christmas Wonderland holiday spectacular, Dec. 5; world-renowned magician and mentalist Joshua Lozoff, Jan. 6; Al Stewart, known for the Top 10 hits “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages,” and his band, the Empty Pockets, Feb. 17; and the original Eagles tribute band, Hotel California, on March 16.
The Heritage! series will feature a new stage play, “Daddy’s Boys,” by North Carolina African-American playwright Garrett Davis, Jan. 13; the Masters of Soul Motown Revue, March 3; and Rod of God with comedian Roderick Allison, April 14.
Individual tickets are available for each of the shows in the Live! and Heritage! series.
Discounted series package tickets are still on sale for McGregor Hall’s Joy! series, featuring three shows with five well-known Christian artists and groups: Dove- and Grammy-award winning Jason Crabb, Nov. 12; Karen Peck with New River, Feb. 23; and the Talleys with Tribute, April 7. With a regular ticket price of $75, the three-show Joy! package will be reduced to $50. Those purchasing the Joy! series can also add on the Christmas Wonderland show for a reduced price of $20.
For more information on this and other series packages, visit www.McGregorHall.org.
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— press release courtesy of McGregor Hall
(McGregor Hall is a paying advertising client of WIZS.)
Vance County Sheriff’s Office Fall Festival
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office Fall Festival is Saturday, Oct 28th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The festival will be held in the parking lot of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.
All proceeds will be donated to Relay for Life.
According to a flyer received by WIZS News, “We will have something for the whole family to enjoy!!! There will be GAMES, FOOD, DEMOS, BOUNCY HOUSE, MUSIC AND A SILENT AUCTION!!! Also joining us will be the Vance County Rescue Squad, Vance County EMS, Vance County Animal Control, Vance County Fire Dept. and North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Silent Auction will open at 12:00pm with bidding closing at 1:00pm.”
VGCC agricultural initiative highlighted at local food economies meeting
— courtesy VGCC
Vance-Granville Community College’s Main Campus served as the host for a late-September gathering of community leaders from throughout the region interested in local food economies.
The meeting, entitled “Innovations in Economic Development through Local Foods,” was organized by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), a partnership of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and North Carolina State University. Laura Lauffer of CEFS said that the organization had conducted the same event at two other locations elsewhere in North Carolina before VGCC, but that this was their best-attended to date.
As she welcomed participants to the college, VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams said, “We are excited about the opportunities ahead for this region of North Carolina, and we are happy to be a partner in economic, agricultural and environmental stewardship.”
The first part of the meeting consisted of presenters sharing innovative models related to entrepreneurship and supporting local farmers that could be replicated in other communities. First up was VGCC Small Business Center Director Tanya Weary, talking about the college’s “NC REAL Agricultural Entrepreneurship” program. Lauffer said that Weary and VGCC are “pioneers in leading agriculture business classes and promoting agriculture in the community college system.”
Tanya Weary, director of the VGCC Small Business Center (standing), addresses attendees at the “Innovations in Economic Development through Local Foods” event.
Weary told attendees that the Agricultural Entrepreneurship program, a seven-week, interactive course designed to strengthen the business savvy of community farmers and budding agricultural entrepreneurs, succeeded in part because of strong partnerships. She partnered with the VGCC Human Resources Development department, the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, N.C. Cooperative Extension, local city and county governments, attorneys, banks and other businesses.
“We have worked with other community colleges to share our experience about how we started this, who our partners are and how we’ve been able to grow this,” Weary said. “We have served around 65 students since starting in late 2014, and that’s a real success for this area. We’re very pleased with it.”
She added that the course spurred VGCC to offer other agriculture-related programs. A new free, three-part workshop series, “Planting Your Marketing Seeds for Your Agricultural Business,” is scheduled for Tuesday evenings, Nov. 7-21. Carrie Harvey, the instructor, also taught many of the college’s Agricultural Entrepreneurship classes.
Other presenters included Ardis Crews of the Green Rural Redevelopment Organization; Henry Crews (a graduate of the first NC REAL Agricultural Entrepreneurship class at VGCC) and Jennifer Dietsche, discussing a Vidant Health initiative at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville; Jimbo Eason and John Kimber from Covington Vodka; Eric Hallman of the Piedmont Food and Agriculture Processing Center (PFAP); Mike Ortosky of Orange County Agriculture Economic Development; and Gabe Cummings of Warren County-based Working Landscapes. CEFS has produced a short video on Working Landscapes, which participants enjoyed watching during lunch.
The Harvest Restaurant of Oxford catered a lunch featuring local food for the meeting. After lunch, attendees heard presenters discuss statewide resources, including the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, the N.C. Department of Commerce, the N.C. Rural Center and CEFS projects.
The CEFS “Local Food Economies” initiative is part of the NC Growing Together (NCGT) project. NCGT is a five-year, USDA-funded project that aims to bring more locally-produced foods into mainstream markets, strengthening the economics of small to mid-sized farm and fishing operations and their communities. In addition to research, academic and extension components, NCGT also aims to create an enabling environment for farms and food businesses.
For more information on the VGCC Small Business Center, contact Tanya Weary at smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240.
–VGCC–
Families Living Violence Free Quarter Auction
WIZS has been asked to announce:
Join Families Living Violence Free on November 3, 2017 for “Quarters For a Cause.”
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Auction begins at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are $10.00 (Dinner and Bidding Paddle). Vendor spots are $25.00. All proceeds go to Families Living Violence Free to help Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Victims and Survivors.
Be the first to buy your Christmas Gifts!!
Bid and win some amazing baskets and more!
Call Families Living Violence Free for more information 919-693-3579.
Or visit their website www.FLVF.org for tickets.
