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#jcoperahouse #takemetotheOH #welltemperedmadness #junctioncityks What is Well Tempered Madness? Well Tempered Madness is an intense explosion of music that transports you to exotic, tranquil shores and directly into the heart of disorder and chaos. W.T.M. is a free-speaking, independent canon of music with the courage to stand up against today’s electronically manufactured music scene that is more interested in mundane robotic perfection than the soul of human musical interaction. From calm, smooth jazz, funk, and blues to harmonically tense excursions of frenzied musical prowess, the music remains organic yet vivid. ​We call it Jazzadelia. Who is in the Band? Steve Fansler Uli Geissendoerfer Tom Bolton Guitars & Vocals Piano & Keyboards Drums Danny Infante June Goering John Bolton Jim Ripple Bass Vocals Tenor Sax Vocals Alto Sax Flute Rhythm Guitar Keyboards Where can I see Well Tempered Madness? Kites Bar and Grill Thursday, August 11th at 7:00 pm Manhattan, KS C.L. Hoover Opera House Saturday, August 13th at 7:00 pm Junction City, KS Tickets: jcoperahouse.org

#junctioncityks #jcoperahouse #fortehandbells #takemetotheOH Sunday, July 24th, 2022, the CL Hoover Opera House enjoyed the music of the Forte Handbell Quartet (Trio for this tour). The audience was amazed at how flawless and fast these ringers could play. Forte played with 7 octaves; that's about as many bells as keys on the piano, with their biggest bell weighing 17 lbs! They played a wide range of songs, from Rondo a la Turque by Mozart, a Mario medley (from the Nintendo video game), to the Christmas Classic, Carol of the Bells. Here are a few pictures from the event. A big thank you to Gatherings at 3 Thirteen for sponsoring this concert.

#jcoperahouse #takemetotheOH #LittleSatchmo #crook&nanny [Junction City, KS] - 50 years after the death of Louis Armstrong, the only child of the American icon, Sharon Preston-Folta, comes forward in an award-winning PBS documentary, Little Satchmo, set to screen at the C.L. Hoover Opera House on October 8th at 7:00 pm, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. After living closely in the shadow of her father, Armstrong’s secret daughter reveals a family and their relationship that was kept entirely invisible - until now. The feature documentary is the Season Premiere of PBS Reel South Season 7, running nationally on broadcast and cable. Little Satchmo is directed by John Alexander and produced by JC Guest, who previously filmed in Geary County for their cult thriller feature debut Bender, about the notorious Bloody Bender family, before their record-breaking and multi-award-winning Rudy Love documentary This Is Love. Little Satchmo is based on Preston-Folta’s memoir of the same title, detailing how Sharon, the product of a two-decade love affair between Satchmo and Harlem dancer Lucille ‘Sweets’ Preston, had no option but to harbor and conceal her identity for decades before making it public. Little Satchmo made a sold-out world premiere at Oscar-qualifying Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in Greece followed by critically acclaimed debuts at the American Black Film Festival, Toronto’s Hot Docs’ Doc Soup Film Series, the Krakow Film Festival, Harvard University and AARP’s Movies for Grownups, winning prizes in Switzerland, Spain and Italy. Details for the film’s upcoming international release will be announced soon. The film, a sponsored project of the Southern Documentary Fund, is also produced by Lea Umberger, executive produced by Sharon Preston-Folta, underwritten by Emily Bonavia and Susan Houston, and features original music performed by Wycliffe Gordon and composed by Emmy/Grammy winner and nominee, Eddie Korvin. Kansas’ Shawn Rhodes and Ann Garvey also co-produce. ABOUT CROOK & NANNY Crook & Nanny is a film production company dedicated to framing unique voices in a timely landscape. For more information, visit: crooknnanny.com

#jcoperahouse #handbell #fortebandbellquartet #takemetotheOH #junctioncityks Forming in 2007, Forté has had an increasingly active schedule of concerts and recordings. Founding members include Luke Nabeta, Michelle Eads, David Jordan, and Tracy McChesney. There have been a lot of different members throughout the years, but each new ringer has helped shape the group that performs today. Forté is based in Colorado Springs and is an advanced handbell quartet marked by artistry, energy, and dedication to its craft. The musicians of Forté now are – Luke Nabeta, Megan Reishus, Dillon Ekle, and Tory Marting. These four ringers challenge themselves to “Rethink Possible” by expanding their musical and performance horizons and adding original compositions and arrangements to their ever-expanding repertoire while challenging audiences’ perceptions of what handbells can really do. Forté began with a few goals in mind. The first was to Glorify God by developing and sharing the gifts and talents He has given. We acknowledge that all of our abilities are gifts from God, and we want to use them with an attitude of grateful wonder and excitement. To offer Him our best, we constantly strive to push ourselves and sharpen those skills. Whether we are playing sacred or secular pieces, classical or modern, profound or lighthearted, we want our music to point to the One who saves us and gives all creation its inspiration and fulfillment. The second is to foster awareness, enjoyment, and appreciation of handbells within the wider musical world and beyond by maintaining high musical and artistic standards "Much of the general public is unaware of the world of handbells, and many musicians have never seen the instrument outside of limited contexts. By approaching our music with professionalism and artistry, we hope to broaden the experience and exposure of handbells, showing the musicality and depth they can produce." They have been featured performers and faculty at Handbell Musicians of America events, have presented several successful tours across the country and released three CDs and a DVD of music videos filmed around the state of Colorado. They perform various styles, including but not limited to Celtic, techno, pop-country, classical, contemporary Christian, and new age. We will welcome Forté Sunday, July 24th at 2 pm onto our stage. This tour is called "The Trio Tour" and will feature Luke Nabeta, Megan Reishus, and Dillon Ekle. Get your tickets below! Sources: https://fortehandbells.org/

#jcoperahouse #junctioncityks #handbells The C.L. Hoover Opera House has had the Raleigh Ringers, Rezound! Handbell Ensemble, and now they are hosting Forte Handbell Quartet. These acts travel around the country playing handbells, which are pretty popular. But as someone who knows nothing about handbells, I decided to research and figure out precisely what they are. The only exposure I’ve had to handbells is an episode of New Girl where Jess teaches kids to play the handbells instead of having them attend detention. Then she discovers her roommate is amazingly talented at playing them. Bells, like the one in our clock tower, have been around for thousands of years, but handbells were developed in the 17th century in England. Church towers in small towns changed from ringing bells to small wooden handbells to avoid disturbing the city during practices. In 1660 the Cor brothers created the first bronze handbell. Handbell sets were made to correspond with bells in specific towers. Ringers soon saw the handbells’ musical potential; by the mid-18th century, every village had a band of bell ringers. You could say we wouldn’t have the big brass bands, Jazz, or even rock and roll without handbells! Perhaps one of the most famous of those early bands of bell ringers would be Crosland moor United out of Worcestershire, England. Handbells were first introduced to the United States in 1845 with a touring handbell group arranged by the Greatest Showman himself, P.T. Barnum. Still, it would be another 100 years before handbells became popular in the US, and now there are ringers all across the US. Did You Know? Handbell players wear gloves because their hand oils tarnish the bells. This, in turn, is the traditional end of the season ‘Handbell Polishing Party.’ Most handbell players play one bell with each hand. Depending on the size of the ensemble and the complexity of the piece, they may play four in hand or even six in hand. Most handbell pieces are four minutes or less, predominately used in religious settings. But they aren’t always! The smaller the handbell, the higher the sound. The bells range from two inches to more than 15 inches in diameter. Some of the larger bells can weigh more than 15 pounds. For example, a C8 may weigh 8 ounces, while a G2 can weigh over 18 pounds. Junction City has its own handbell ringers (People who play the handbells are known as ‘ringers,’ not ding-a-lings). The Glory Ringers Bell Ensemble are members of First Presbyterian Church, led by our Development Director, Sheila Markley! Now you know a little bit more about handbells. As they say, learn something new every day! -Brittany Lamb C.L. Hoover Opera House Marketing Director Sources: https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/01/15/history-of-handbells/#:~:text=Bells%20have%20been%20in%20existence,in%20which%20the%20bells%20ring. http://www.cbcct.us/music--cbc/cbc-handbell-choir/a-brief-history-of-handbell.html https://blog.sheetmusicplus.com/2017/12/13/fun-facts-about-handbells/

#HISTORY #TAKEMETOTHEOH #JCOPERAHOUSE Fourteen years ago, the Opera House was restored and opened as a state-of-the-art performance venue. Since then, we have had sold-out performances to Junction City Little Theater productions and outside acts from around the country. But how well do you know the history behind this beautiful building? Here are ten things you may not know about the C.L. Hoover Opera House. 1. THE ORIGINAL BUILDING COST $12,000 AND WAS USED FOR MANY PURPOSES In 1880 the Junction City citizens voted to spend $12,000 on constructing a public hall. The front portion of the original structure was used for the second floor's fire department, police department, jail, and city council room. In the basement were horse stalls that housed the horses used to pull fire wagons. A clock tower with a bell on the roof was built to serve as the city fire alarm. The back portion was used as an Opera House. The original theater included an orchestra level, a balcony, a gallery, and three levels of box seats for a total of 600 seats. Lighting came from gas chandeliers. 2. IN 1898, A FIRE DESTROYED THE OPERA HOUSE On a cold January evening in 1898, the bell on the Opera House rang three times to alert the citizens of a fire. It only rang three times because the fire was inside the Opera House and had burned through the rope used to ring the bell. There is an account of a citizen standing across the street with the snow falling, watching the clock and 2,500 lb. bell fall from the tower. Some believe the fire started in the fly gallery, where the scenery was kept, while others think the fire may have started in the basement, where a blacksmith area for shoeing horses had a forge. Even though the Opera House was destroyed, it was rebuilt and reopened in just nine months, in October 1898. 3. IN 1939, THE OPERA HOUSE WAS TURNED INTO A MOVIE THEATER The Opera House started showing movies as early as 1915 with 10 cents a ticket! But the Opera House wasn't renovated into a movie theater until 1939. Air conditioning was installed, new cinema seating was added, and the name was changed to The Colonial Theater. 4. THE OPERA HOUSE AND JUNCTION CITY LITTLE THEATER ARE NOT THE SAME THING While Junction City Little Theater has its office and performs on the Opera House stage, they are not the same organization. They have two different Boards of Directors and different ticket prices. JCLT pays to use the facilities, and the Opera House gets part of JCLT ticket sales. The Opera House is also home to the Junction City Community Band and The Junction City Arts Council. 5. THE OPERA HOUSE HAS AN EDUCATION PROGRAM The Opera House has had a long history of presenting shows for the youth of the Junction City community. But, starting in 2018, the Opera House saw a need for an after-school theater program for middle school-age children and younger. Thus, After School Theater Repertory Actors (ASTRA) was born. ASTRA provides 6th-8th graders with knowledge of theater, music, dance, and performance while helping the children gain confidence. Actors Creating Theater in One Acts (ACT ONE) is for 4th-5th graders and focuses on one-act shows that help students improve their performance skills. Activity Imagination Music (AIM) is a pre-k program that started in the fall of 2021. It's a 6-week program, once a week for ages 3-5. It's a space for young children to learn performance skills. These programs are a part of the Fine Arts Academy. 6. THE OPERA HOUSE PROVIDES ALL KINDS OF ENTERTAINMENT, NOT JUST OPERA In fact, the Opera House hardly ever does Opera! The Opera House is just the name of the building. They have had stunt dogs; local musicians play in Harmony Junction, movie screenings, tribute bands, ballets, live theater, comedians, magic shows, handbell concerts, and so much more! 7. YOU CAN RENT THE WHOLE OPERA HOUSE OR JUST A ROOM. As well as being a performance space, people can rent the whole Opera house or just a room for weddings, parties, meetings, and much more. There is a catering kitchen on the ground floor and a smaller kitchen upstairs. The three areas available for events are the Walker Reception Hall, Montgomery Rehearsal Hall, and the Theater/Stage. 8. THE OPERA HOUSE IS EXPANDING! The Opera House's education program, Fine Arts Academy, has made it necessary that the Opera House have more space. The Opera House bought the building to the east (131 West 7th Street) in 2021. Grants have been received from the Weary Foundation, the Jellison Benevolent Society, the Bramlage R2B4 Family Foundation, the Sunderland Foundation, Central Charities Foundation, and a significant gift from Michelle Munson and Serban Simu. Here are a few things that will be added • Two more rehearsal/meeting/event areas Rendering of the Green Room • The Junction City Little Theater and Junction City Arts Council will have a first-floor, store-front office accessible to everyone. • An Art Studio and a Mini Art gallery. A Green Room and dressing rooms closer to the stage. 9. THE OPERA HOUSE PROVIDES FREE SHOWS TO STUDENTS Serving the youth of our community and region and providing youth education is a priority at the C. L. Hoover Opera House. In addition to their evening shows, the Opera House has presented free shows to over 2,000 elementary students across our region. These shows included The Wichita Children’s Theater productions of Alice in Wonderland and School House Rock, Buckets and Boards (a comedy percussion show), and the Fairy Doll Ballet (presented by the Ballet Kansas). Dr. Nick Morgan, the Herington Elementary Principal, said, “Everyone said the show was terrific. I think you (C.L. Hoover Opera House) created a terrific memory for many of our students that never had an opportunity to see a live show." These shows were made possible by the generous financial support of the Jellison Benevolent Society and Central Charities. 10. HAVE YOU SEEN THE OPERA HOUSE GHOST? Numerous reports of people swear they’ve seen something, felt a presence, or heard something. Some believe it's the ghost of JCLT founder Bettina Coover; however, after talking with Lisa Divel, who knew Bettina, she doesn't believe that it's Bettina, but her mother, Mona Kessinger, who was also a JCLT founder. People and staff have been associating the ghost with the name “Isabella,” which has stuck. There have also been reports of people seeing strange things in the Opera House windows, especially during October.