Newswise — Mississippi's most magnificent and beautiful performing arts treasure will make its opening debut in grand style on September 8, 2006, with a black tie gala featuring Aaron Neville and special guest, Meridian native and Emmy Award winning actress, Sela Ward. The $25 million MSU Riley Center for Education & Performing Arts also boasts the state's most significant historic preservation project. The fully restored 1889 Grand Opera House of Mississippi will once again shine, attracting patrons from all over the state and entire southeastern region to historic downtown Meridian. The center also includes over 30,000 square feet of meeting space that uniquely blends the best of old and new. The center strikes a unique balance by providing a strong sense of place rooted in turn of the century architecture and Victorian décor, while featuring the latest in technology and modern amenities.
The Grand Opening Gala on Friday, Sept. 8, will begin at 5 pm with a champagne reception followed by dinner at 6 pm and a performance by Aaron Neville and his quintet featuring older brother Charles Neville. Neville is to perform classic singles from his new, yet to be released album, "Bring it on Home—The Soul Classics." The audience at the MSU Riley Center grand opening will be the first to hear him perform these singles. Hometown girl, Sela Ward will also address the crowd from the historic stage prior to the performance.
The center has hit the ground running with over 30 performances booked in their inaugural season, making Meridian home to the largest performing arts season in the state, and quite possibly the deep south. The historic theatre will serve as host to a diverse range of cultural arts and entertainment events as well as educational programs designed to appeal to varied audiences, including singer/songwriter greats, Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt; jazz icon and Pulitzer Prize winner, Wynton Marsalis; internationally acclaimed Soweto Gospel Choir; ubiquitous comedian Vicki Lawrence; and Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka presented by The Kennedy Center.
For more details about the Grand Opening Gala and the center, visit http://www.msurileycenter.com and/or click on the appropriate link below and run/play program. QUICK FACTS:
- The MSU Riley Center is a $25 million restoration project in the heart of historic downtown Meridian, Mississippi.
- Includes the restoration of an 1889 Grand Opera House theatre and over 30,000 square feet of meeting space housed within a historic structure.
- Before even opening its doors, the MSU Riley Center has 30+ performing arts events booked ranging from Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Wynton Marsalis, to Trinity Irish Dance, Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa and Kennedy Center's Willy Wonka.
- Artists performing during the grand opening season have garnered over 50 Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe awards, over 100 nominations and one Pulitzer Prize.
- Over 100 special events and conferences have also been booked within the first 6-9 months of opening. That number is expected to triple within the first year.
- The center satisfies the meeting industry's growing desire for conference space with high quality aesthetics and a strong sense of place (vs. non-descript conference facilities that could be found in "Anytown, USA" ).
- The Center is comprised of three buildings: Grand Opera House, Marks Rothenberg Department Store Building and the Newberry Building. The Opera House and Marks Rothenberg building were constructed in 1889. The Newberry building was added in 1902 to support theatre. The theatre operated from 1890 to 1927, while the department store operated until the late 1980's.
- The historic Victorian theatre, which seats just under 1,000, is designated the Grand Opera House of Mississippi and recognized on the National Historic Registry and League of Historic Theatres.
- The theatre has four private boxes, and no seat is further than 85 feet from the stage.
- Thirty original wall coverings were digitally recreated by EverGreene Studios, NY, and now appear throughout the theatre and lobby spaces just as they once did in the late 1800's.
- Original wood work, wainscoting, paper mache ornamentation and anaglyptic wall coverings were all restored, as was the original lambrequin above the stage and the original Sun Burner chandelier.
- The center is the perfect example of historic preservation being used to revitalize a once vibrant and soon to be again downtown area, and capitalizes on cultural tourism, an ever-growing market segment.
- The MSU-Riley Center for Education & Performing Arts is operated by Mississippi State University - Meridian Campus.
- Funding for the center was as a result of unique public and private partnerships, with the intent of creating a fully-functioning performing arts, educational and conference center that uniquely blends a rich past with modern day technology.
- The center is named in recognition of The Riley Foundation, which is committed to furthering the arts and education for all and made the $10 million anchor commitment to the project that lead to further funding.
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