Admission to musicals to be lowered

The price of admission to musicals presented by Three Rivers High School will be lowered starting next year, a measure being taken following action taken this week by the district’s Board of Education.

Superintendent Roger Rathburn said $15 for adults and $12 for students was found to be the highest among schools in the county as well as in the Wolverine Conference.

The new rate will be $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Rathburn said musicals are staged for the benefit of the students who participate, and not put on as a money-making venture.

Though there is a cost for copyright fees and rental costs for equipment and outfits, the district is willing to make the events more affordable for spectators, even if the production does not break even or finish with a small surplus.

Alan Jackson Tickets Selling Fast

The first day of ticket sales for Alan Jackson’s appearance this fall at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair was overwhelming, fair manager Bill Johnson said.

Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday and a line of more than 250 people was in place outside the fairgrounds ticket window. At the head of the line was a group that had waited since noon Tuesday, Johnson said.

A team of four people inside the ticket sales booth was able to serve the long line of Jackson fans in about an hour.

Johnson said about half of the 5,200 tickets for the Sept. 22 performance were sold on opening day. Presidential Seating – trackside seats in the rows closest to the stage – were priced at $67 each, sold out in 10 minutes.

He said Wednesday marked the most tickets sold on an opening day since reserved seating was made available in the early 1990s.

Alan Jackson To Headline Fair

Officials with the St. Joseph County Grange Fair announced Monday that country/western singer and songwriter Alan Jackson will headline the closing night of the 2012 fair.

Jackson, who gained national prominence in 1990 with the hit, “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” will appear Sept. 22.

Bill Johnson, fair manager, said tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 29 at the fair box office. Tickets also will be sold through a toll-free number and via Star Tickets’ website.

Cost of the tickets are $67, $57 and $52.

Last year’s headline entertainers were Tracy Lawrence and Mark Chesnutt.

The Search Continues For Headline Act

St. Joseph County Grange Fair Board President Bill Younts said members of the entertainment committee are continuing their search for a headline act to perform at the Centreville-based fair in September.

Younts acknowledged that entertainment is typically secured 10 months before the fair, but committee members have had to work around schedule conflicts and a few potential deals that never materialized.

He said the annual Michigan Association of Fair and Exhibitions is staging its three-day annual convention this weekend in Grand Rapids. He said the event will be an opportunity for the St. Joseph County’s representatives to compare notes with other county fair officials and get a better look at their options.

Last year’s fair drew a pair of well-recognized solo artists – Mark Chesnutt and Tracy Lawrence on one bill, and up-and-coming band Little Big Town a few nights later. Younts said despite solid performances, both shows were far from sell-outs.

American Idol Finalist Concert

About 500 people attended Friday’s concert by 2009 American Idol finalist Matt Giraud at the Sturges-Young Auditorium & Civic Center.

Giraud, 26, staged a 23-song set that included a number of cover pieces as well as numbers he wrote himself.

Sturges-Young executive director Brad Donmyer said he knows the event competed against five area homecomings. Still, Donmyer said even though the show didn’t sell as many tickets as he hoped or expected, he said Giraud is a high-level talent whose stature is consistent with the type of entertainment the auditorium likes to showcase.

Showboat’s First Practice

The first practice for a longtime St. Joseph County attraction started Monday, when participants in this year’s Mendon Kiwanis Showboat met at the elementary school gymnasium.

Showboat official Bill Stevens said the theme of this year’s three-day presentation will have a Las Vegas theme, featuring musical numbers originally performed by Elvis, Sinatra and other Sin City icons.

Anybody is welcome to participate. Practices will take place at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday and Monday until the week of the presentations.

Show dates are Nov. 3-5.

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