Press Release: Memorial Service for Heather Heyer at The Paramount Theater

August 15, 2017

PRESS RELEASE

THE PARAMOUNT THEATER

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2017

CONTACT:
Chris Eure, Executive Director
The Paramount Theater
chriseure@theparamount.net
434-293-1007 (Direct)

Memorial Service for
Heather Heyer
Wednesday, August 16, 2017, 11:00AM

WHO: The Paramount Theater
WHAT: Memorial Service for Heather Heyer
WHEN: Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | Doors Open – 10:00AM | Service Starts – 11:00AM
WHERE: The Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, VA
ONLINE: https://www.theparamount.net/heather/

Charlottesville, VA – August 15, 2017: The Paramount Theater will host Heather Heyer’s Memorial
Service tomorrow, August 16th, 2017 at 11:00AM. Doors will open at 10:00AM. The family asks
that attendees wear purple, Heather’s favorite color, in honor of her memory.

No tickets are required for entry; entry will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Arrangements for overflow attendees to view the service via livestream have been made, with details to be released the day of event. Please no signs, backpacks, firearms, or food and drink.

The Paramount Theater is honored to assist Heather Heyer’s family at this time and provide them with the
Theater as a place to remember the life of their lost daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter and friend.
As we honor the memory of Heather, we ask that the community comes together peacefully to respect the family in their time of grief.

For the most up-to-date information, please visit our website at www.theparamount.net.

For media logistics, please contact Joe Rice, Communications Coordinator of the City of Charlottesville at 434-409-8226.

The Paramount Theater Named 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres

July 20, 2017

The historic Paramount Theater of Charlottesville is thrilled to be named the 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres! 

“We could not be more honored to receive this very distinguished award from The League of Historic American Theatres. Our pride for our Theater being recognized with this honor shines through every seat in the auditorium, every smile on a patron’s face, and every glimmer of excitement in a child’s eye when they see an event on stage. None of this would be possible without the foresight of those who saved and restored our beautiful Theater. To be recognized nationally as The Outstanding Historic Theatre for 2017 by such a prestigious organization, is an honor we share with our community and we plan to celebrate this honor with you all this season!” -Chris Eure, Executive Director

Founded in 1976 by 42 theaters across the country,which has grown to more than 350 historic theaters with more than 1,000 individual members, the League of Historic American Theaters (LHAT) is a non-profit organization with the mission to champion the preservation, restoration, and operation of historic theaters across North America for the benefit of their communities and future generations.

The Outstanding Historic Theatre Award recognizes a theater that demonstrates excellence through its community impact, quality of program and services, and quality of the restoration or rehabilitation of its historic structure. Former winners of this prestigious award include the distinguished Fabulous Fox in Atlanta, the New York City Center, the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey, and Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio to name a few. CLICK HERE to view a full list of Outstanding Historic Theatre Award winners.

The award was presented to the Executive Director of The Paramount Theater, Chris Eure, at the League’s 41st Annual Conference which took place in Los Angeles, California, July 16 – 19. The honor of the award received carries significant respect and excitement from colleagues in the arts world.

Pictured above: Ken Stein, Executive Director for The League of Historic American Theatres; Maran Garland, Director of Marketing for The Paramount Theater; Chris Eure, Executive Director for The Paramount Theater; David Gies, Board Member for The Paramount Theater; Chris Faulkner, Major Gifts Officer for The Paramount Theater; Janna Gies, wife of Board Member David Gies for The Paramount Theater; Jeffrey Gabel, Founding Executive Director for the Majestic Theater, Gettysburg PA, and Chair of the Board for The League of Historic American Theatres.

IN THE PRESS:

“The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville Named 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre” – Charlottesville Tomorrow

“Paramount Theater named 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre by L.A.-based league” – Daily Progress

“Paramount Theater Named Outstanding Historic Theatre for 2017” – NBC29

“Paramount Theater in Charlottesville wins national award” – Virginia Business

“Congratulations to The Paramount! The Paramount was named the 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres in recognition of its excellent programs and services, the quality of the restoration of its historic structure, and its outstanding community service. The Senior Center benefits from the Paramount’s generosity through the Mary Reese Community Access Fund.” – Senior Center

Amazon Prime Day is Coming! Support The Paramount While You Shop

July 7, 2017

 

Amazon’s third-annual Prime Day is on Tuesday, July 11 and will feature more than 100,000 deals exclusively for Prime members, making it one of the biggest shopping days of the year! When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible to The Paramount. All you have to do is select The Paramount as your charity of choice, and Amazon will give back to the Theater at no additional cost to you.

CLICK HERE to shop for great deals on Amazon now!

Just Announced: Patti LaBelle LIVE at The Paramount!

July 5, 2017

The Paramount Theater announces music icon Patti LaBelle live on stage on Sunday, October 8, 2017 at 8:00PM. Ms. LaBelle, whose name has become synonymous with grace, style, elegance, and class, has been belting out classic rhythm and blues renditions, pop standards, and spiritual sonnets that have created the unique platform of versatility that Ms. LaBelle is known and revered for.

Tickets for this event are on sale to Star Circle Members on Monday, July 10 at 10:00AM; to Paramount Members on Wednesday, July 12 at 10:00AM; and to the general public on Friday, July 14 at 10:00AM. Tickets can be purchased online at www.theparamount.net, by phone at 434-979-1333 or in person at the Box Office.

More Information about Patti LaBelle
In addition to her amazing career as an entertainer and entrepreneurial success, Ms. LaBelle’s work as a humanitarian is just as legendary. She remains an advocate for adoption, foster care, Big Sisters and the United Negro College Fund, among many other initiatives.  While Ms. LaBelle’s celebrated 50-plus year career is respected world-wide, she has also endured and survived personal strife. Within a 10-year period, she lost her mother, three sisters and best friend to diabetes and cancer. In 1994, LaBelle was diagnosed with diabetes and shortly thereafter became a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association.

The same motivation that had Patricia Louise Holte blossom from a choir member to lead vocalist for Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles and later Labelle, to a solo artist is the same energy that keeps her fire burning at seventy-one years young. “Each year I grow, and that’s a blessing from God.  I do what I can do.  I do what I feel God has given me the energy to do, so I just go out there and I do it…It’s not about making money because I don’t need money, but I need to sing.  With a voice or without, I’ve got to get on that stage.”  And the world is thankful that Ms. Patti’s voice sounds so good to our ears.

Thank you to our event sponsor: The Hunter Smith Family Foundation.

Following the Yellow Brick Road with Compass Creative Dramatics and The Paramount

June 20, 2017

Saturday, June 17, 2017 marked the end of a week-long adventure at The Paramount for young local theater enthusiasts who participated in the Summer Theater Residency program, presented in collaboration with Compass Creative Dramatics (CCD) and culminating in two public shows on The Paramount’s stage! We were thrilled to welcome 69 participants and two professional actors for the week, and offer five exciting days of rehearsals and theater enrichment workshops with CCD.

During these rehearsals, students in grades 1-12 were provided an opportunity to work alongside professional artists in mounting a full musical production of The Wizard of Oz. With the help of Compass Creative Dramatics, the program allowed students access to all elements of production, including music, costumes, props, make-up, sets, sound, and light. Most importantly, the workshops and rehearsals enabled students to flex their creativity in a safe space without self-judgement, and develop skills such as teamwork and respect.

Learn more about Compass Creative Dramatics HERE, and register for the upcoming Residency Week (The Jumping Jacks and the Beanstalk, June 26 – July 1) HERE!

It was a joy to see these students having a blast learning the ins and outs of musical theater during The Wizard of Oz residency week! Take a look at some of the highlights from Saturday’s two live performances:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos by Tom Smith and Marilynn Sting.
Thank you to the event’s sponsors, Ting and Carpet Plus, whose generous support of the Theater and its family programming allows The Paramount to bring quality programs such as The Wizard of Oz to the stage.

The Daily Progress Readers’ Choice 2017 Winner!

June 7, 2017

Thank you to all who voted for The Paramount in The Daily Progress 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards! We are honored to have won two first place awards:

BEST PLACE TO CATCH THE BIG SHOW – FIRST PLACE

BEST INTIMATE MUSIC VENUE – FIRST PLACE

The Paramount Board of Directors and staff wish to extend our sincere gratitude to all those who have contributed to making The Paramount such a special Charlottesville landmark – including our loyal patrons, dedicated volunteers, and generous donors. The Theater could not be what it is today without you! We invite you to check out our upcoming schedule to experience The Paramount Theater first-hand!

2016-17 Education Season Wrap-Up

May 30, 2017

Photo Courtesy of Jack Looney

As spring comes to a close, so does the 2016-17 Arts Education season – and what a season it was!

This season, we were thrilled to welcome 16,000 students and teachers from around Central Virginia and make great memories with artists from all over North America. On average, our Arts Education program serves over 15,000 students and teachers annually – and in total, more than 158,000 since 2004! We were also pleased to have assisted approximately 6,000 students with financial assistance beyond the subsidized ticket price of $7.50. Read more below for a breakdown of this season’s highlights – and stay tuned for 2017-18 Education Season programming details!

 

 

By The Numbers:

  • 16,000 students and teachers attended performances in 2016-17
  • Attendees were from 56 public schools, 27 private schools, and 25 home school groups
  • 6,000 students were impacted by financial assistance
  • 9 productions and 18 performances in total on The Paramount’s stage, including:
    • Black Angels Over Tuskegee | Dallas Children’s Theater’s Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters | National Players’ The Grapes of Wrath | Richmond Symphony The Snowman; What’s Going on Here Beakman? | Mad River Theater Works Everybody’s Hero: The Jackie Robinson Story| Momix: Opus Cactus | Childsplay’s Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat| Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories.

Our Favorite Moments:

Stone Robinson Bright Stars’ gorgeous thank you letter to The Paramount for the April Brown Bear, Brown Bear performance – a real ray of sunshine!
The reverse side of the note from Stone Robinson which features the butterfly that students saw on stage!
The standing ovation that the Off-Broadway Black Angels Over Tuskegee received from students and the post-show selfie the cast took with the audience!
A very special surprise by Education Committee member Lisa Cogswell, who dressed for the occasion at the The Cat in the Hat performance on March 27!

Over 200 teachers and students submitted post-performance feedback – here’s what they had to say!

“The moments the lights were dimmed, the students were transported to the imaginary world of Dr. Seuss and were captivated by the performance. The students were delighted by the energetic cast that brought to life such a well-loved story. For days after our visit to the theater, the children continued to talk about the ‘silly Cat’ and how much trouble he caused on that wet, wet day! They especially enjoyed recognizing the character’s lines and chiming in with the actors throughout the play.” – Cale Elementary, 1st Grade Teacher

“The children had a wonderful time [at Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories] and, as always, recreated the performances in the classroom for days after the performance! It would not have been possible for the Bright Stars to attend without financial assistance from The Paramount….The commitment that The Paramount has to children is an inspiration. We are extremely fortunate to have you in our community. Thank you!” –  Stone Robinson Bright Stars Coordinator

Agnor Hurt 5th graders react to Everybody’s Hero – The Jackie Robinson Story:

“I enjoyed the show because it was like Jackie Robinson was really there. I also liked it because of the way that Jackie handled the crowd booing and saying disrespectful things to him.”

“Jackie Robinson was the best play I have seen. The actors did a beautiful job and the words had so much feeling in their faces when they were acting.”

“My favorite part was when the two people in the back sitting on the chairs were touching their guitars because it was really nice hearing the sound and their songs were wonderful!”

“I definitely adored the play and I thought it was fancy too!”

“I liked that it was so realistic and it showed his whole life including his struggles and opportunities. I wouldn’t change any of it because I loved it!”

“I liked the music because it was great for the situation they were in during that time period. I liked that the actors were so realistic when they spoke to each other.”

“My favorite part was when it started and everyone got quiet. I didn’t really like when they made Jackie feel less than others. The music was wonderful, and I loved the way the chorus did the harmony.”

“I loved the actors. They were very creative. I loved the music. It made everyone clap, and some songs were very catchy. It was an awesome way to teach us more about Jackie Robinson.”

Gallery

Momix: Opus Cactus.
Photo Courtesy of Rob Garland Photographers
Black Angels Over Tuskegee.
Photo Courtesy of Eze Amos
Black Angels Over Tuskegee.
Photo Courtesy of Eze Amos
Everybody’s Hero: The Jackie Robinson Story.
Photo Courtesy of Jack Looney
Everybody’s Hero – The Jackie Robinson Story.
Photo Courtesy of Jack Looney
Black Angels Over Tuskegee.
Photo Courtesy of Eze Amos

Read The Paramount Theater’s Spring 2017 Newsletter

April 4, 2017

Our Spring 2017 Newsletter is now available online!

Read the newsletter below and find out about recent events such as The Paramount’s presentation of Tony Bennett, our 85th Birthday, and 2016 by the numbers including fascinating statistics about the past year at the Theater!

This digital newsletter is powered by Issuu.

You’re invited to the biggest party of the year!

April 3, 2017

We invite you, our honored patrons, supporters, and friends to The Paramount’s most important fundraiser of the year, which also happens to be one of the biggest parties!

Photo: Rob Garland Photographers

7th Annual Grand Marquee Gala
Friday, April 28
Gala 7:00PM | Late Night 9:00PM
$250 Individual Supporter | $500 Individual Patron | $100 Late Night

CLICK HERE To Purchase Tickets

Photo: Rob Garland Photographers

Join us for the 7th Annual Grand Marquee Gala, where there will be incredible food, a silent disco, dancing, and a fabulous silent auction – all in support of our grandest fundraising effort of 2017! We are so thankful to all those who have supported us through the years in ways big and small, and because nonprofit Paramount relies so heavily on donations, your continued investment in the Theater means more than you know. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the incredible successes we’ve had over the past year, including welcoming legends such as Tony Bennett, providing access to Arts Education programming for more than 16,000 students and teachers, and offering 25 free events to the community! We can think of no better way to honor these achievements than to spend a fun, retro-fresh evening with those who make all of this possible.

We also extend a sincere thank you to Gary and Tana Taylor and their family, who have generously chaired this event to make it an unforgettable evening.

This year, we are excited to offer the “Late Night” ticket again, which includes dancing on the stage, drinks, and food starting at 9:00PM – a  great option for the night owls!

For more information about the event, to reserve your ticket, or inquire about exciting event sponsorship opportunities, please click here or contact Rosemary Miller at 434.293.1010 or rosemarymiller@theparamount.net.

Unable to attend the Gala but still want to support The Paramount? CLICK HERE to donate now!

Two Days of Fun with The Cat in the Hat

March 31, 2017

“It is fun to have fun but you have to know how.” – Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat

Paramount patrons definitely know how to have fun! Our public and education performances of The Cat in the Hat performed by Childsplay of Tempe, Arizona on March 26 & 27 were an absolute blast for all involved. For Sunday’s public performance, patrons were able to purchase the “Thing One Cocktail” for adults and the “Thing Two Mocktail” for the young (and young at heart!), and we enjoyed a wonderful family reception with friends of The Paramount!

 

The students who attended Monday’s education performances were treated to a surprise guest – the Cat in the Hat in the flesh! While the students waited patiently on the Downtown Mall to enter the Theater, Arts Education Committee Volunteer Lisa Cogswell (who is the generous sponsor for our Arts Education production of Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories) A.K.A. the Cat provided pre-show entertainment.

Thank you to all of the students, patrons, and families who helped make two days with The Cat in the Hat so special.