Tag Archive for: #mcgregorhall

Time to Unwind Concert

Town Talk 07/15/20: It’s Almost ‘Time to Unwind’ Virtually With Greg Milton & Friends

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Greg Milton, of the musical group Greg Milton and Friends, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Milton announced that McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will present “Time to Unwind,” a musical concert featuring Greg Milton & Friends virtually via Facebook on Thursday, July 16, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.

This free evening of music will consist of spirituals, hymns, jazz standards, R&B classics, Gospel and much more.

Greg Milton and Friends includes Milton, Deron Keyes (organ), Julian Allred (drummer), Willie Lewis (saxophone) and Clifton Graves (bass).

In addition to Milton’s group, the concert will feature the musical talents of Blakely Bates, Dr. Aliza McLean, Karen Leigh Allen, Stella Jones, Alice Sallins and others.

“This is a great group of musicians, and we’re going to have a great time,” Milton said. “We want folks to kick their shoes off, recline their chairs back at home and just have a good time with us.”

Tune in through McGregor Hall’s Facebook page (click here for link) on Thursday to enjoy the show.

A link will also be provided on McGregor Hall’s Facebook page for those who wish to give a donation to help support the arts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To hear the interview with Milton in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Time to Unwind Concert

McGregor Hall to Livestream ‘Time to Unwind’ Concert July 16

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will present “Time to Unwind,” a musical concert featuring Greg Milton & Friends via Facebook on Thursday, July 16, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.

During this evening of music, the journey will consist of some spirituals, hymns, jazz standards, R&B classics, Gospel and much more. This concert will feature the amazing talent of Blakely Bates, Dr. Aliza McLean, Karen Leigh Allen, Stella Jones, and Alice Sallins, along with many more.

Tune in on the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center Facebook page on July 16 for this concert that is open to the public!

If you are able to give, a donation link will be provided to continue supporting the arts in our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Buyer & Cellar

McGregor Hall, Brian Westbrook to Present Virtual Presentation of ‘Buyer & Cellar’

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

Brian Westbrook (“Into the Woods,” “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”) will perform in an online, one-man presentation of Jonathan Tolins’ comedy classic “Buyer & Cellar,” the first virtual performance in McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center’s history.

The one-man play follows Alex More, a struggling actor who makes ends meet by landing a job as the curator of Barbra Streisand’s basement.

Online performances will be held on Saturday, June 13 and Saturday, June 20, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.

Ticket purchasers will receive a web address and password at the email address connected to their purchase no later than 10 minutes prior to showtime.

Please note: content rated ‘R’ for language.

For tickets, visit https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/11557

In order to continue its mission to “share the healing power of the arts in Henderson and beyond,” McGregor Hall asks for the help and support of the community to make this performance a success.

Henderson Rec Players Cancels Summer Season; McGregor Hall Opens Phone Lines

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The McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center recently provided updates regarding the Henderson Rec Players’ 2020 Summer Season and the opening of the center’s phone lines.

Henderson Rec Players 

In an effort to protect our beloved actors and patrons, the summer season of the Henderson Rec Players has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While we are sad to see this break in a nearly 50-year tradition in our community, be assured that this is a temporary pause, and the Rec Players will be back to entertain and provide a creative outlet for all ages as soon as it is safe to do so.

Stay strong and we look forward to shining the spotlight on our local talent again very soon.

McGregor Hall Phone Lines

As Phase One of North Carolina’s Road to Re-Opening begins, we are excited to announce that McGregor Hall’s office phone lines are opening again.

Phone lines are now open Monday through Friday from 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. You can reach McGregor Hall at (252) 598-0662.

Our Box Office will remain closed to the public for the safety of our patrons and employees until June 1, 2020.

Thank you, once more, for your support during this difficult time. We look forward to speaking with you and seeing all of you soon!

WIZS is in talks with Henderson Rec Players and McGregor Hall representatives to bring you a special edition of Town Talk next week. Please stay tuned to WIZS for more details.

Volunteer Hospital Gown Project Continues in Face of Local COVID-19 Surge

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A message from Amy Starr Russell, Associate Minister, First Baptist Church:

Last week we were excited to receive the news that MPH was well stocked with gowns. We felt that our project was reaching a natural conclusion and that we could wrap up our work this week. However, that decision was made with the caveat that we would reassess should there be a surge in our area. Unfortunately, that surge came this past weekend.

With the outbreak at Pelican Health, the need is greater than ever for our local healthcare workers.

We have committed to work for three more weeks or 1,500 more gowns, whichever comes first. We need your help and our community’s help to reach this goal and meet this need.

Beginning on Monday, May 4, 2020, we will resume our regular shifts of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekly with evening shifts on Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. All shifts are currently at McGregor Hall (201 Breckenridge – entrance at the corner of Wyche and Winder Streets in downtown Henderson).

If you are able to help, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0449afad2fa7fb6-protective2

Volunteers are required to sign up online before participating.

All volunteers 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. All volunteers will be screened upon arrival and must have a temperature below 100, no symptoms, and no known exposure to COVID-19 (including no known exposure by anyone in their household). Please bring a mask and scissors with you.

We are asking that all volunteers isolate as much as possible for the sake of each person who comes to give their time. All volunteers are required to wear masks, wash hands frequently throughout their shift and maintain social distance.

With the beginning of this second phase, our financial need has also increased. If you would like to make a donation toward this project, go to this website: https://engage.suran.com/fbchenderson/s/give/new-gift and choose “COVID-19 Protective Medical Gown Project.”

McGregor Hall Partners With Lowe’s, First Baptist on Hospital Gown Project

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

McGregor Hall is honored to announce its partnership as the first and primary assembly location for the COVID-19 Hospital Gown Project.

The project – with the support of McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, First Baptist Church of Henderson & Lowe’s Home Improvement (Henderson) – aims to assemble 5,000 homemade isolation hospital gowns to restore declining supplies of personal protective equipment at Maria Parham Health.

The assembly process began Monday at McGregor Hall and will continue until the goal is met. According to project organizer and surgeon at Maria Parham Health, Bob Noel, there are 50 people currently signed up to volunteer for the project. Honoring safety guidelines, volunteers rotate in groups of ten at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center and undergo strict screening procedures prior to beginning their shift. Noel hopes the project will produce 200-500 gowns per week.

Lowe’s has generously donated plastic materials that will help in the creation of nearly 500 isolation gowns. First Baptist Church of Henderson’s generous contribution will produce 2,500.

All gowns created through this project will stay local to aid Maria Parham Health and local nursing care facilities. 

If you would like to know more about the COVID-19 Hospital Gown Project, please contact Amy Russell at amyrussell@fbchenderson.net.

 

McGregor Hall

McGregor Hall Closed Through March 28; Perrys & Kingsmen Concert Rescheduled

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

We find ourselves in unprecedented times, and we’d like to update you on what we at McGregor Hall are doing to support local, state, and national efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. We are absolutely committed to the safety of our staff, our patrons, our volunteers, and our community, and are thus adhering to guidelines recommended both by Governor Cooper’s order and by the Centers for Disease Control.

These measures include:

•McGregor Hall will be closed to the public through March 28, 2020. Our box office will be closed during this time, and all scheduled events will be either canceled or rescheduled.

•The Angelina Ballerina school field trip performance originally scheduled for Thursday, March 19, is canceled.

•The Perrys and Kingsmen concert originally scheduled for Friday, March 20, has been rescheduled for Friday, June 12 at 7 p.m., and all currently issued tickets for that event will be valid for use on June 12 with the same reserved seating.

During this closure, a professional cleaning company will thoroughly clean the entire interior of McGregor Hall, with particular attention paid to restrooms, food service areas, seating, and high traffic areas. As always, we welcome you to reach out anytime with questions via info@mcgregorhall.org, via Facebook messenger, or by leaving a message at (252) 598-0662.

We look forward to gathering with you again as soon as possible to enjoy the finest in live entertainment on our stage. Until then, be sure to check both our Facebook page and www.mcgregorhall.org for updates. We are indeed grateful for your support.

The Kingsmen & The Perrys to Perform Gospel Hits at McGregor Hall

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

The Kingsmen and The Perrys, two gospel music greats, will be performing at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 20, 2020, at 7 p.m.

For more than half a century, no group has secured such a far-reaching legacy as The Kingsmen. Through the late 1970s and 1980s, they recorded hit after hit, including “Old Ship of Zion,” “Beautiful Home,” and “Saints Will Rise.” In 1981, “Excuses” became The Kingsmen’s biggest hit of the era, steady at number one for 18 months, making it the longest-running number-one song in Southern Gospel Music History.

If you have ever seen The Perrys in concert, you have undoubtedly sensed the power and conviction with which they sing. From the high-octane, hand-clapping hit, “I Wish I Could Have Been There,” to the anointed anthem, “If You Know Him,” the Dove Award-winning group has been delivering soul-stirring performances across North America for nearly five decades.

Tickets for this event may be purchased by:

DROP-IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m

CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)

CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org  (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)

(This is not a paid advertisement)

McGregor Hall

Town Talk 02/20/20: Hopper Discusses McGregor Hall’s Municipal Funding Request

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Mark Hopper, operations director of McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center and chair of the Embassy Cultural Center Foundation, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Hopper discussed McGregor Hall’s recent open-ended request for funding from the City of Henderson and Vance County, supporting the proposal with information gleaned from a recent economic impact study completed by the Municipal Research Lab at NC State University.

With an operations budget of approximately $500,000, Hopper said the center is maintained by one full-time employee, three part-time employees with a combined 20 hours per week and the help of volunteers who “go above and beyond.”

“That is an extremely lean budget for a facility like ours,” Hopper said. “Most facilities like ours our operating in the $800,000 to a million-dollar budget range.”

Providing a brief history of the building of McGregor Hall, Hopper explained that the Embassy Cultural Center Foundation fundraised for the $9 million center. Six months before opening, one pledge fell through, according to Hopper, and the Center owes a remaining $2.9 million through a low-interest USDA loan with an approximate annual payment of $124,000 a year.

The center is now requesting assistance from the City and County to offset this debt payment every year. An exact dollar amount was not specified in the request.

Hopper said McGregor Hall, with seating for 1,000, is breaking new ground as the only performing arts center in the state with over 750 seats not connected with an educational institution that does not receive any kind of municipal funding.

While McGregor Hall staff and volunteers are proud of being a pioneer of sorts, Hopper said management of debt, City and County funding and increased staffing are essential for continued growth and sustainability.

“Our primary goal is not really an artistic one,” Hopper expressed in a sentiment that he has shared in previous interviews with WIZS. “Our primary purpose in our formation was an economic one. We intended to be an economic stimulus in downtown Henderson.”

According to the results of McGregor Hall’s economic impact study, the center is achieving that goal. During the 12 month study period prior to April 2019, McGregor Hall was directly responsible for injecting $2.4 million into the Henderson economy and was responsible for 5.5% of all economic growth in Vance County over the past three years.

“Taking that kind of economic presence out of the Vance County and Henderson economy right now would be absolutely devastating. We want this to grow and get even bigger. We are starting to see some really exciting things going on in downtown Henderson and we feel we’ve had a big part in making that happen,” stated Hopper.

To hear the interview with Hopper in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Town Talk 02/18/20: Daeke Discusses Potential McGregor Hall Funding

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Garry Daeke, Henderson City Council member, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Daeke briefly mentioned the upcoming Focus 20/20 Regional Economic Development Summit to be held at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center on Thursday, February 20, 2020, and discussed the success of another downtown entity, Sadie’s Coffee Corner.

“What a great venue, and a great community space where people can come together,” said Daeke. “Sadie’s is a great place for anyone and everyone to come together in downtown, relax and enjoy good food and drinks.”

In light of a recently completed economic development study quantifying McGregor Hall’s impact on the local economy, including increased traffic at downtown business and restaurants, McGregor Hall representatives requested City and County funding to assist with its remaining $2.9 million debt.

The results of the study, prepared by the Municipal Research Lab at NC State University, were sent to Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen and former City of Henderson Manager Frank Frazier. While McGregor Hall did not list a specific monetary amount in its funding request, it pointed out the following, as indicated in the study:

  • McGregor Hall is directly responsible for injecting $2.4 million into the Henderson economy during the 12 months preceding April 2019.
  • McGregor Hall is directly responsible for 5.5% of all economic growth in Vance County over the past three years.
  • McGregor Hall, with a 1,000 seating capacity, is the only performing arts center with over 750 seats in NC (not connected with an educational institution) that does not receive any kind of municipal or county funding.

With an annual budget of $491,839 as of 2018, McGregor Hall currently operates with one full-time employee and three part-time employees. The rest of the blanks are filled by numerous volunteers and donors, a feat that Daeke admitted will be hard to maintain in the long-run.

“I don’t think it can continue, in my opinion, with the level of quality they provide now with just so many volunteers,” Daeke said. “It’s very important that the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center continues to grow, thrive and be a pinnacle centerpiece for Vance County.”

Providing a history of the construction of McGregor Hall and other Breckenridge buildings, including the Henderson Police Department, Daeke stated that the City has already invested quite a bit of money into the project and suggested the County may be the place to turn to for additional funding.

“The City has a couple of million dollars in the facility already whereas the County was not involved in that funding,” explained Daeke. “The County benefits greatly from the sales tax [generated by McGregor Hall], the City to a lesser degree. For every $3 that’s generated by McGregor Hall, $2 goes to the County and $1 to the City.”

Daeke said the impact study has helped to shine a light on the extent of McGregor Hall’s economic reach and believes the County appreciates the results as well.

“A very fair and economical way of helping would be for the County to step up and provide some help; they get return from it. I do think the County sees its role in continuing to help McGregor Hall.”

To hear the interview with Daeke in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.