Make plans to spend this Valentine’s Day by enjoying dinner and a show – right here in Henderson.
“The Bridges of Madison County” opens on Friday, Feb. 14 for a two weekend run at McGregor Hall, and Mark Hopper, McGregor Hall’s executive and creative director, said patrons can choose to dine before the show “with your Valentine or some of your best friends.”
The doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner service in the Gallery begins at 6:15 p.m., Hopper said on Thursday’s TownTalk. There’s plenty of time to enjoy the meal before the curtain rises at 8 p.m.
Visit https://www.mcgregorhall.org/ to purchase tickets online, stop by the box office Monday through Friday between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. or call 252.598.0662. Discounted rates for tables for 8 are available, too. Other shows are Feb. 15, Feb. 22 and Feb. 23.
There will be a silent auction, which includes stays in vacation homes and a surprise item that Hopper said he’ll wait to reveal. The meal and the silent auction both benefit McGregor Hall.
As for the play, Hopper said the storyline is pretty involved. “It’s not a stereotypical Valentine’s Day kind of thing…(but) the theme of the show is love.”
Readers may remember the 1992 Robert James Waller novel. Moviegoers may remember the 1995 Oscar-winning movie featuring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. And Hopper said there’s “something remarkable in store” for audiences who come to see the McGregor Hall production.
Kelley Keats plays Francesca, who grew up in World War II Italy, married a GI and moved to Iowa to begin a new life. When Robert shows up to photograph the covered bridges of Madison County, a chance encounter cause Francesca to re-evaluate her life.
“It’s been very rewarding to work on – challenging but rewarding,” Hopper said, heaping praise on Keats, with her experience on Broadway, as well as the “incredible” cast that “makes the transitions with grace and skill.”
This upcoming production is the fourth ticketed show of a five-show series called McGregor Live!, Hopper said ticketed shows make up just a small percentage of what McGregor Hall hosts – something like 10 percent.
The rest comes from rental events and other types of shows, including “Father Figure,” another play by area playwright Garrett Davis. “He’s a very skillful writer,” Hopper said of Davis, who has Warren County ties, adding that most of his shows delve into the health-oriented concerns of the African American community.
“Father Figure” is about a father and son reconciliation, healing and the importance of a father figure in the life of a son. That show is on Feb. 2 at 4 p.m.
The fifth and final production in the McGregor Live! series is Catapult Dance on Mar. 27 at 7:30 p.m. which tells stories through group dance – in shadow. Hopper admits it’s difficult to describe in words just what the show will look like. There’s a video clip on the website.
The troupe was a finalist on Season 8 of America’s Got Talent.
Shows especially for area school students take place later in February and March, including a program on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for older elementary students and a “Faces of Black History” for younger elementary-age students.
The N.C. Symphony returns on Mar. 13 to audiences of fourth graders from the area.
View the complete calendar of events at https://www.mcgregorhall.org/
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