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What a great season we had in 2022. Over 80 events that included 45 Opera House events, 5 Clayton Community Band Concerts, 7 rental performances, 5 weddings and several other events. Not to mention our partnership with the Thousand Islands Museum to host Hashing Over History and History at Noon in the Ballroom that brought in well over 1,000 people through the year. Through most of the year, Al and Marilyn Hutchinson had the Corbin Collection on display in the ballroom as well. It was great to see so many of the old photographs and we truly appreciate them giving us the privilege to display this historic collection. It was great to see people in the Opera House this year. We had 12 performances with well over 300 people in the house. What a great way to re-open our doors to a regular season.
We still have Annie in the Water, the 10th Mountain Division Christmas Concert, Aaron Tippin and It’s A Wonderful Life on our schedule of performances for the remainder of the year. Not to mention the Clayton Community Band Christmas Concert, Santa Central and a movie event night with The Butler Did It Players helping to generate some Christmas spirit as we show the Polar Express.
Paige Richardson joined the staff in April. Paige hit the ground running and did a great job this summer with our full season. She always has a cheerful smile and willingness to help people. We have a wonderful staff in Michaela, Jeff and Paige and I look forward to continuing to work with them.
We are looking forward to a very busy 2023 starting in January with The Trews returning for a performance. We are truly becoming “Your Year-Round Entertainment Destination,” as we have events throughout the year. Alan Doyle will finally perform in February (a reschedule from this year), the Celtic Angels are returning in March, and we have a theatrical production of The Jungle Book scheduled for Saturday, April 29 as a matinee show. Some of the feedback we received this year was people wanted to see more programming for our young audiences, so we are trying to incorporate that into our season.
Summer 2023 is once again full of performances with something for everyone. We had one more hold out performance from the 2020 season to be rescheduled and I am happy to say we have finally worked out a date for The High Kings in July. We are still working on the 2023 season as contracts are slowly starting to come in now. I am excited that AJ Croce will return at the beginning of July. If you missed him this year, be sure to put it on your calendar. His performance was one of my favorites in the time I have been here at the Opera House. June, July and August are packed with a great variety from country to comedy. We have found a group that has replaced Capitol Steps called DC Reflecting Fools. They are former members of the group Capitol Steps and we have secured a date for them to perform in 2023.
Our Arts in Education Committee continues to look for a great variety of shows for our students to attend for free. We are working on several groups at this time and hope to have them firmed up in the coming weeks.
We received two grants from the New York State Council for the Arts in the amounts of $10,000 and $49,500 respectively and a grant from RBC Wealth Management for $3,000 for support of our Arts in Education programming. We have applied for a New York State Council for the Arts grant for 2023 and we are waiting to hear if we have been approved.
Of course, none of what we do here would be possible without the continued support of our ticket buyers, Patrons and sponsors. In 2023, 15 of our shows were supported by sponsors or grants. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors that include: The Cerow Agency, Watertown Savings Bank, Allan Newell, Samaritan Medical Center, The Clayton Country Club, Jeremy Smith, Colello Air Technology, Pepe’s Parts Express, The Pearson/Bigelow Family, the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, Dani Baker, Dan and Peggy LeKander, Mary and Ted Mascott, ABC 50 and the Northern New York Community Foundation. If you would like to support the Opera House by becoming a sponsor to one of our shows, please feel free to contact me.
I look forward to seeing everyone throughout the year and hope to see you soon at a performance. I cannot thank my Board, staff and Volunteers enough for everything they have done to continue making this organization great. We are so very fortunate to live where we do and have the access to quality performing arts in our region.
Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you soon.
We still have Annie in the Water, the 10th Mountain Division Christmas Concert, Aaron Tippin and It’s A Wonderful Life on our schedule of performances for the remainder of the year. Not to mention the Clayton Community Band Christmas Concert, Santa Central and a movie event night with The Butler Did It Players helping to generate some Christmas spirit as we show the Polar Express.
Paige Richardson joined the staff in April. Paige hit the ground running and did a great job this summer with our full season. She always has a cheerful smile and willingness to help people. We have a wonderful staff in Michaela, Jeff and Paige and I look forward to continuing to work with them.
We are looking forward to a very busy 2023 starting in January with The Trews returning for a performance. We are truly becoming “Your Year-Round Entertainment Destination,” as we have events throughout the year. Alan Doyle will finally perform in February (a reschedule from this year), the Celtic Angels are returning in March, and we have a theatrical production of The Jungle Book scheduled for Saturday, April 29 as a matinee show. Some of the feedback we received this year was people wanted to see more programming for our young audiences, so we are trying to incorporate that into our season.
Summer 2023 is once again full of performances with something for everyone. We had one more hold out performance from the 2020 season to be rescheduled and I am happy to say we have finally worked out a date for The High Kings in July. We are still working on the 2023 season as contracts are slowly starting to come in now. I am excited that AJ Croce will return at the beginning of July. If you missed him this year, be sure to put it on your calendar. His performance was one of my favorites in the time I have been here at the Opera House. June, July and August are packed with a great variety from country to comedy. We have found a group that has replaced Capitol Steps called DC Reflecting Fools. They are former members of the group Capitol Steps and we have secured a date for them to perform in 2023.
Our Arts in Education Committee continues to look for a great variety of shows for our students to attend for free. We are working on several groups at this time and hope to have them firmed up in the coming weeks.
We received two grants from the New York State Council for the Arts in the amounts of $10,000 and $49,500 respectively and a grant from RBC Wealth Management for $3,000 for support of our Arts in Education programming. We have applied for a New York State Council for the Arts grant for 2023 and we are waiting to hear if we have been approved.
Of course, none of what we do here would be possible without the continued support of our ticket buyers, Patrons and sponsors. In 2023, 15 of our shows were supported by sponsors or grants. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors that include: The Cerow Agency, Watertown Savings Bank, Allan Newell, Samaritan Medical Center, The Clayton Country Club, Jeremy Smith, Colello Air Technology, Pepe’s Parts Express, The Pearson/Bigelow Family, the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, Dani Baker, Dan and Peggy LeKander, Mary and Ted Mascott, ABC 50 and the Northern New York Community Foundation. If you would like to support the Opera House by becoming a sponsor to one of our shows, please feel free to contact me.
I look forward to seeing everyone throughout the year and hope to see you soon at a performance. I cannot thank my Board, staff and Volunteers enough for everything they have done to continue making this organization great. We are so very fortunate to live where we do and have the access to quality performing arts in our region.
Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you soon.