JC Breakfast Optimist Club inquires about upcoming shows at the CL Hoover Opera House
By Dr. Ferrill Miller
JC Post
Guest speakers for the JC Breakfast Optimist Club on Wednesday were Joe and Sheila Markley, directors of the CL Hoover Opera House. They provided members with an update of events and expansion of programs.
Sheila Markley shared that the following shows are scheduled for the 2022-23 season. “Guys and Dolls will be presented by Junction City Little Theater (JCLT) September 2-4 and 9-11; Circus On Ice will take place on September 16; Jeff Lefson (comedian) Sorry, I’m not Kevin Hart October 15; Petit Satchmo on October 8; A Radio Christmas Carol from the 1940s on December 3 and 4 by the JCLT; Nutcracker Ballet Highlights; First Infantry Division Holiday Concert on December 10; Reza (a magician) February 3; Arcadia by the JCLT on February 17-19 and 24-26; Joseph Hall as Elvis; The Adventures of Cipollino on March 20 and Joseph and the Incredible Technicolor Dreamcoat by JCLT on April 28-30 and May 5-7.
Joe Markley told the Optimist’s that “a fine arts academy has been established to help develop the talent of young people in our area. Activity Imagination Music (AIM) is for K-12 students; Act One for students in grades 3-5 and ASTRA for students in grades 6-8. Private lessons in singing, acting, dancing and guitar for 30 minutes per lesson are offered as part of outreach. A team of two theater teachers will visit schools and lead fun and informative 60-minute workshops. These sessions will focus on exercises to help students discover theater while developing and using their creative minds,” he said.
Markley went on to say that “to deliver programs like those listed, space at the Opera House needs to be expanded. The old Peter Pan grocery store, which was next to the Opera, was purchased and an architect created a plan to give more space to JCLT, these other programs and artists. $1.3 million was raised to reach the $2 million goal. The expected completion date is within 9 months of the start of the renovation.
The JC Breakfast Optimist Club meets every Wednesday at the Hampton Inn located at 1029 S. Washington Street in Junction City. A complimentary buffet breakfast is available for those attending a meeting for the first time. Breakfast is served after 06:00. The Optimist Club meeting begins at 6:50 a.m.
