10

Things from Steve

April 26, 2024

Issue #75

4-26-24

HAPPY PALINDROME WEEK!

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Thank you for your trust. Your support has brought us to shatter last year’s record-setting membership numbers, and more than two months sooner as well. All this while inching ever so close to reaching our goal with our 2000 Bulbs of Light Marquee Restoration campaign that mercifully ends May 25. (Did I mention there is still time to get your very own bulb?) The fact that you, our locals as well as so many from out of town, even out of state, have been as generous as you have with TWO campaigns running simultaneously speaks volumes about your genuine interest in keeping this historic landmark thriving and continuing to serve as the cultural beacon of Clinton County, and a key economic engine of downtown Wilmington.

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Catch my next column in this Saturday’s Wilmington News Journal.

1) Who doesn’t like a quality pianist? Who doesn’t like to laugh at a pianist that doesn’t take themselves too seriously? How long has it been seen you’ve enjoyed a humorous pianist? Remember Victor Borge, and his numerous concerts on PBS, growing up? Not Victor growing up, you growing up. Now there was a quality stand-up pianist! Well, we’ve one “upped” the late, great Mr. Borge, with the internationally acclaimed, award-winning concert keyboard arteest, Sarah Hagen, and she’s coming to the Murphy Theatre with a comedy show she’s calling “Perk Up Pianist”. You’ll absolutely love Sarah Hagen, or my name isn’t Deb. Great seats are still available and all tickets are just $25.00 through our website! That is this weekend folks. You really need to see this show. Sarah is hysterical, and she plays the piano pretty darn-tootin’ good as well. This is not a Sarah Hagen tribute, this is the REAL Sarah Hagen.

2) But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here campers, Friday is due to arrive before Saturday this week, and once again we are offering Happy Friday Hours in Charlie’s, from 4:00 to 7:00. Settle in for an hour or two or three and hob nob with the hobbiest nobbiest people in town, catch up on local gossip, make new friends, try our Sarah Hagen concert specialty cocktail, and enjoy snacks aplenty.

3) Oprah signing off the air, Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, me flossing, and now this…Charlie’s Tub Club! Four historic moments sharing one paragraph. $50.00 gets you unlimited popcorn for the rest of the year, with a special customized Charlie’s Tub Club Bucket, located at our concessions. Take advantage of this great savings now before I do the math and realize just how much money I’m losing for the theatre.



4) Has anyone ever heard of the movie Star Wars? I hear tell it’s a pretty decent flick, so grab the kids and the neighbors’ kids, and join us for this family-friendly evening of Star Wars on 5/4. Our May The Fourth Be With You event kicks off at 6:00 with a concert by the Clinton County Community Band, playing the Star Wars theme music of John Williams, followed by the movie that started it all, Star Wars: A New Hope, at 7:00. Members of Ohio Garrison - 501st Legion and Apollo Base Rebel Legion will be on site in costume for photo ops, and Matthew Joy of the new shop, "Matters," opening soon on Sugartree Street, will have displays of original Star Wars memorabilia, collectibles for sale, and a special raffle item! Just ten bucks gets you in for the night, free for Murphy Members.

Special thanks to SFM Insurance for sponsoring

 this evening of family fun!

5) Tornado warnings canceled last month’s Smarty Pants Trivia, but the forecast for this next one calls for sunny skies, a 10% chance of intelligence, and 100% chance of laughs, as the world’s most highly acclaimed quiz sensation returns to Charlie’s on Tuesday, May 7. Doors open at 5:45, and the first question falls out of my mouth at 6:30. Unbelievable prizes await the smartest in the room, so I won’t tell you what they are because you won’t believe me anyway. $5.00 to play, but Murphy members play for free.

6) Mike Albert and his Big E Band return to the Murphy stage on Saturday night, May 11 at 7:30. It’s a great Mothers’ Day weekend treat, and tickets are selling faster than a Hound Dog. Huh?

7) Dry Bar Comedy’s national touring comic Rod Paulette, with Marci Deloney take the Murphy stage for a night of laughter on Saturday, June 22nd, at 7:30. All tickets are $25 and currently available to Murphy Members, then to the general public on Wednesday, May 1.

8) This Just In! Saturday, September 28 we are presenting a Homecoming of sorts with the Grand Ole Opry Inductees and Gospel Music Hall of Famers, locals who made it big in the biz, The Isaacs, coming to The Murphy, with special guests, Cincinnati’s own My Brother’s Keeper opening. This was an idea presented to me by a Murphy member more than a year ago, and we are so excited to finally be able to line it up. You do not want to miss this concert. Tickets for Murphy members go on sale Wednesday, May 1 at noon, and then to the general public on Wednesday, May 15 at noon.

9) Speaking of Grand Ole Opry inductees, in case you don’t already know this, we’re also bringing the one and only country music legend, Gene Watson to the Murphy on Saturday night, June 1. Tickets are now on sale to everyone, members and general public alike!

10) Ticket scam alert!!! Third party ticketing agencies are trying to sell tickets to our shows, and marking them up sometimes more than $100 more per ticket. Please do not purchase your tickets from any other source than us or from the act’s website which will direct you to our ticket seller. Simply go to our website, or the website of the act you are interested in seeing, and click that link. When you click to buy tickets from us, it will take you to what is called Ovationtix, and that is the legit, correct site. Any other ticket site wants to take advantage of you by over charging you, and should have their shins met with a lead pipe.

Coming soon…WAKE UP WILMINGTON, Live from Charlie’s at the Murphy Theatre! You want more details? Of course you do…

A note from Amanda:

The Murphy Theatre hosts a variety of events throughout the year, in addition to our concerts, films, and arts presentations. Some of those events are rentals, many of which are great partnerships with local school and dance groups that continue to return to The Murphy Theatre.

We love having them here!

Some upcoming events are:

Wholesome Life Productions presents Signs Of Love, the story of the first American Deaf school,

Thursday, May 2nd and Friday, May 3rd at 6:30 pm.

Ticketing info will be posted on their website as it becomes available.

Another group returning to The Murphy Theatre is ballet tech of ohio, presenting their spring recital on Saturday, May 18th, at 2:00 and 7:00. Visit their website for ticketing updates.

East Clinton will present their middle and high school band and choir spring concert on Thursday, May 23rd at 6:00 pm at The Murphy Theatre. Tickets will be available through the school.

These events are open to the public and we encourage you to attend and experience the art your community is making!

Also happening at The Murphy:

May 10, starting at 7 am, kids from all over will roll in on buses and take The Murphy stage for the Thrills and Trills Music Festival. Matt Spradlin of Wilmington Hight School coordinates this event where musical groups play their instruments in front of judges for noncompetitive adjudication, then head to Kings Island to finish off their day. It was a lot of fun to see how many groups came in last year, where they came from, and listen to them sing on the bus!

We are happy to have them back!

This Saturday, at 10 am, Sarah Hagen will head over to Cape May for an outreach to the senior citizens there. We had a great time there with The Fourth Wall, and we anticipate a wonderful morning with Sarah, the piano, and the residents of Cape May as well.

Finally, since I usually have a photo in these notes - and someone has been bugging me about where the notes from Amanda have been, and asking "how hard is it?"...

Here is the photo for this week's notes from Amanda and a shout out to Officer Pat Black. Hi!

Officer Black is always helpful, cheerful, and professional. He is the kind of calming presence you want in a law officer. He's friendly, he's watchful and firm, and the few times I've needed his assistance, I turned to get him and he was already there. Thanks, Pat - you are part of The Murphy family!

Officer Black is pictured with our youngest Murphy family member,

 Leo Campbell, who visited us for a concert recently.

(Officer Black is on the right.)

See you at the theatre!

OUR MURPHY THEATRE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

If you can’t be kind, you can’t be here

Joe Spicer, President

Cindy Camp, Vice President

Veronica Campbell, Secretary

Paul Fear, Treasurer

Mark Miars, Dustin Williams, Bob Baylor,

Elexis Wiederhold, Nick Butcher, Joni Streber,

and Jennifer Hollon

We wish to thank George F. and Charlene Bush, longtime friends and ardent patrons of The Murphy Theatre. The Bush family’s generosity to so many deserving, non-profit and educational organizations proves their commitment to leaving this community in a better, kinder, more hopeful place. Their lasting gift to The Murphy Theatre, through The Clinton County Foundation is truly appreciated and will be used to further their vision and commitment.

Have questions about the theatre? You can always drop us

a line at boxoffice@themurphytheatre.org

   Thank you again for all your generosity, and remember

when you are giving to The Murphy,

you’re giving to an organization

that is giving back to the community.