Culture
Renovated Theater in Jackson Opens for Live Performances
< < Back toAfter nearly 20 years of work and $2 million, the 1930 Art Deco former movie house in downtown Jackson, Ohio is ready to present live performances.
The public is invited to drop by for the Grand Opening of the Markay Cultural Arts Center (269 East Main Street, Jackson) anytime between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1. Thanks to a host of talented and generous performers, live entertainment will be on stage every hour on the hour, beginning at noon.
The day’s performances are free, courtesy of the Southern Hills Arts Council, which hopes to introduce the theater to the public. Portions of the facility have been in use since 1997 but renovating the auditorium for live performances has been a daunting task, according to Markay staff.
Guests can enjoy a display of costume designs in the Gallery by the late Caley Summers, who created works for Cincinnati’s Playhouse in the Park, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Hartford Stage Company and numerous shows in New York.
The Meeting Room will have one wall filled with photos from the lengthy renovation. Another wall will feature photos and artifacts from the Markay’s rich history. Cookies and lemonade will be served.
The big attraction is the theater itself: 280 comfortable seats have been installed. Prior to the top of each hour, guests are invited to settle in for some homegrown entertainment. A full schedule of attractions can be found at markayjackson.org and on Facebook and Twitter.
Out of respect for the performers, no one will be seated after a performance has begun. Performances are scheduled to last 30 to 40 minutes. For more information, contact the Southern Hills Arts Council at 740-286-6355.