By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer for Hire
The weather outside may be cold and frightful, but inside the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center located on Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson an exciting 2018 lineup is bringing the heat.
The 2017-18 season began last fall with country music legend Lorrie Morgan, and the Center has been on a roll with great performances and exciting opportunities since. Ticket sales have been increasing and the support from both the public and the business community has been encouraging.
According to Mark Hopper, Vice Chair of the Board for the Embassy Cultural Center Foundation and McGregor Hall, individual tickets sales as of June 1, 2017 through mid-January of 2018 are up just over 50% when compared to the same time period in 2016-2017. Similarly, ticket revenues are up over 65% in the same time period comparison. Hopper believes this increase in ticket sales and revenue shows that the county and region are buying into the vision of making downtown Henderson a destination again.
In addition to increased sales, McGregor Hall is proud to have entertained over 6,000 students in educational programming in the past year. The Center has also partnered with Vance County Schools to bring Arts Alive! to the community. Arts Alive!, a talent showcase for students and employees of Vance County Schools, features dancing, singing, acting and the playing of musical instruments. According to McGregor Hall’s online calendar of events, the next Arts Alive! showcase will be held Saturday, March 24.
In February, the Center has a blockbuster schedule, including hit-maker Al Stewart, best known for the chart-topping songs “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages.” Stewart will be charming audiences on Saturday, Feb. 17 and Southern Gospel legend Karen Peck and New River will be performing on Friday, Feb. 23.
McGregor Hall will also present “Masters of Soul” on Saturday, March 3, a top-quality Motown revue show that will feature the classic songs that made the Motor City sound famous. Hotel California, the original tribute band to The Eagles will also be delighting music lovers on Friday, March 16 with classic hits such as “Life in the Fast Lane,” “Desperado” and many more.
Tickets are on sale starting this week for the second annual Music at McGregor classical and chamber series, a set of three intimate concerts where patrons are seated onstage close to a talented lineup of performers. This year, McGregor Hall welcomes home John Noel, a Fulbright scholar concert pianist who grew up in Henderson; Michael Stephenson, a world-class soprano saxophonist and a founding member of the New Century Saxophone Quartet who is also a Henderson native, and vocalists Tiffany and Terrance Brown, whose gifted singing has filled both Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
For patrons’ convenience, tickets for all performances are available for purchase in three ways: online via Etix, by calling the box office at (252) 598-0662 or in person at the box office. McGregor Hall recently announced a change and expansion to box office hours with the office now being open Monday through Friday, 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM, as well as one hour prior to show times. Ticket prices vary by show.
In addition to entertaining the community with performances, the Center’s hall and theater are also available for rental. Please contact the box office for current availability, facility specifications and rates.
McGregor Hall is a registered 501(c) 3 nonprofit and welcomes your tax-deductible contributions. According to Hopper, ticket sales account for less that 30% of operational revenue, and the Center receives no county or city funding. “Grassroots support keeps the dream alive, as over 50 business partners and numerous individuals generously showed with their contributions for the 2017-18 season,” said Hopper.
The gift of your time and effort are also welcomed. Volunteers to help with ushering, promotion, backstage assistance and other areas are needed and always appreciated. Please email info@mcgregorhall.org or call the box office to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Additional information on scheduled performances, including dates and ticket prices are available at www.mcgregorhall.org.
(WIZS contracted with the writer of this article Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer for Hire for publication here and on the air.)
(This is a news article, not a paid advertisement.)