Season after season, Memorial Opera House (MOH) opens its lineup of shows with a crowd-pleaser. And, though the old adage may seem trite, Region theatergoers can’t help but notice that each season at MOH seems better than the last. This can certainly be said of their 2020 season, which kicked off (or rather, stepped in time) with a production of “Mary Poppins: The Musical” this February.
“The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive,” Scot PJ MacDonald, executive director of Memorial Opera House, said of “Mary Poppins.” “We always have a good showstopper to open our season, but this has probably been the best!”
Audiences were especially thrilled to see Ms. Poppins make her grand entrance, umbrella in hand, as she swooped down to the stage from above. For the first time in its history, MOH made use of a fly system to lift actors for such theatrical moments. The community theatre makers turned to ZFX Flying Effects to rent the necessary equipment. MacDonald said the company designs flight tracks for anything and everything, its credentials including the touring production of “The Phantom of the Opera” and Lady Gaga’s concert tour.
“We’ll definitely be working with them [ZFX] again,” MacDonald said.
While wheels inside minds are probably spinning in excitement at the thought of what MOH will do next that might require the powers of flight, the year ahead is already looking very promising in terms of the excitement factor. Like Mary Poppins’ famed carpetbag, MOH continues to produce another source of curiosity just when you think it can’t possibly top itself. Upcoming theatrical productions include “9 to 5: The Musical,” “Matilda The Musical,” “Clue: The Musical,” and “Holiday Inn.”
The next round of auditions is for “Matilda,” which MacDonald stressed requires a pretty large cast.
“All abilities are welcome,” he said. “And we love seeing new faces!”
While auditions for “Holiday Inn” won’t take place until August, those interested are encouraged to attend an adult tap class MOH will be hosting every Saturday in April.
“‘Holiday Inn is a very tap-heavy show, so we thought it would be beneficial to offer this class,” MacDonald said. “You don’t need to take the class to be considered for the show, but it’s a nice option to have to learn tap ahead of auditions or brush up on any tap skills you do have.”
Molly Vass will teach the class, and she will also likely be choreographing the production itself. Vass choreographed “Mary Poppins” in addition to many other productions at MOH.
“She’s a phenomenal choreographer,” MacDonald said. “I’m thrilled she’s leading this class.”
In addition to the theatrical productions coming down the line, MOH is also looking forward to the continuation of its concert series. Organized by the Memorial Opera House Foundation, which works to provide financial support to MOH so that they may use theatre and the arts to build community and create a sense of belonging, the concert series offers audiences the opportunity to partake in an affordable and authentic live music experience.
Concerts include performances by tribute bands such as the ever-popular MegaBeatles; Heartache Tonight - A Tribute to the Eagles; Pink Floyd tribute band Echoes of Pompeii;
Marrakesh Express - A Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young Experience; Felix J. Deneau, Jr., who charms audiences with his Dean Martin impression; and Atlantic City Boys, who pattern themselves off The Four Seasons.
While the MegaBeatles concert has already taken place, the community can look forward to every other concert listed, starting with Heartache Tonight on March 14. The concert will double as a fundraiser for MOH and Shirley Heinze Land Trust.
“We’re really finding a lot of success with these concerts that give people a sense of nostalgia, while also giving them a one-of-a-kind music experience,” MacDonald said.
In the vein of authentic experiences, the MOH Foundation is also organizing an October event that doubles as a community Halloween party: the Phantoms of the Opera House. The event will feature a costume contest complete with prizes, among other entertainment.
“Since the Memorial Opera House Foundation started their own concert series, we’ve been excited to create events that are a little more of a specialty and fundraising-driven,” said Andrew Brent, marketing consultant at MOH. “We almost always sell out the concerts, and we can’t wait to draw even larger audiences with more unique events.”
The MOH Foundation also funds Theater for a New Audience, which allows Memorial Opera House to open its doors for a free preview night performance of its theatrical productions for anyone who might not be able to afford a night out, due to socioeconomic reasons or physical disabilities that prevent them from having a comfortable experience otherwise. MacDonald and Brent both expressed gratitude to the Foundation for offering such an experience.
Tickets to MOH’s many theatrical productions, concerts, and special events are now all available through the MOH website under one convenient umbrella (we couldn’t resist one more reference to the magical nanny herself). Since implementing everything into one system, MOH has seen a 20-30 percent increase in ticket sales, which is great for Northwest Indiana, because that means they can continue to provide art in its many exciting forms to the community.
Help foster that growth by purchasing tickets to the next exciting show or event at Memorial Opera House. To learn more about their 2020 season and everything in store, visit https://memorialoperahouse.com/.