From a new twist on a children’s classic tale to flute, piano and organ soloists, it’s a busy time in local arts.
Richmond Civic Theatre’s Stage One Youth Theatre is in its final weekend of “The (Almost) Totally True Story of Hansel & Gretel.” Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22-24 at 1003 E. Main St., Richmond.
A fairy godmother is interrupted by police officers seeking children causing trouble in the forest. Well-behaved kids volunteer to help her tell the familiar tale, but police insist on having their say before everyone lives happily ever after.
Tickets for the G-rated tale are $13 for adults and $8 for students/65-plus in advance by calling 765-962-1816 or at gorct.org. Admission increases $2 for adults and $1 for others on show day.
Richmond Community Orchestra is teaming with Richmond High School Orchestra and a local music professor to offer a 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, concert at Civic Hall, 380 Hub Etchison Parkway. Admission is free.
Jessica Raposo, chair of fine & performing arts and associate professor of music at Indiana University East, will solo for Carl Reinecke’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra.
The orchestras also will play portions of “An American Symphony” from the film “Mr. Holland’s Opus” plus “Marche Militaire” by Camille Saint-Saens.
Former Nettle Creek Schools Superintendent Joe Backmeyer, resident organist at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Richmond, will share the handicapped-accessible sanctuary with Richmond pianist Chris Rogan at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28. They’re performing in the church’s ongoing free recital series at 121 S. 18th St.
Backmeyer earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music before leading the Hagerstown district. Rogan, a former church musician, currently teaches piano, theory and music history and is an accompanist at Earlham College. She and her husband, Pat, played for many years with Richmond Symphony Orchestra.
Dueling Pianos International will make a Richmond visit from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, in a fundraiser for Ivy Tech Foundation. Musicians play everything from classic hits to current pop.
Tickets are $100 for the casual-attire dinner at Starr-Gennett Building, 101 S. First St., Richmond.
For information or reservations, visit link.ivytech.edu/keys-and-cocktails or call 765-966-2656, ext. 2348.
Civic Hall Performing Arts Center kicks off its 30th season with The Texas Tenors, a nationally touring act local audiences asked to bring back.
Often performing in Branson, Missouri, the classically trained tenors — who wear boots and cowboy hats — are the third-highest selling artist in the history of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” show. They also have starred in two PBS specials.
In addition to being named Billboard Magazine’s #10 Classical Artist in the World, their three most recent albums all debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at 380 Hub Etchison Parkway, Richmond.
Tickets are $45 for adults and $37 for students. Call 765-973-3350 or visit civichall.com to reserve seats.
A version of this article appeared in the September 20 2023 print edition of the Western Wayne News.