GOWANDA — After two years of COVID-19 restrictions, the Historic Hollywood Theater is getting back to being an active entertainment venue.
Due to capital project work at Gowanda High School repurposing their auditorium to temporary classroom space, both high school and middle school musicals were performed at the Hollywood.
A final Gowanda High School event will be at the theater at 7 p.m. March 31 when the annual Cabaret Concert takes the stage. This unique musical event presents a selection of high school vocalists and groups in a cabaret setting. In past years, the concert has included some tables and chairs set up on stage for some of the audience giving the concert the intimate club feel.
Coming April 1, the theater presents the third installment of their silent movie series. Beginning at 7 p.m., three comedies will be screened. Organ accompaniment for the movies will be provided by Dennis James, a major player in the global revival of interest in silent films. The screening promises a historical experience with movies from the 1920s presented as originally screened in a theater accurate to the period. To further the experience, James also gives some historical background about the actors and films being screened allowing the audience to fully put themselves back into the mindset of the original audiences.
April 30 brings Jake Swanson back to the theater for a concert of classical music. Together with Sarah Marchitelli, Swanson founded the Decho Ensemble in 2011. The group performs throughout North America and Europe during the Summer months while Swanson serves as the band director at Gowanda High School during the school year.
The 2 p.m. Gowanda concert will also include additional performers whose names are yet to be announced. Past performances have included musicians from SUNY Fredonia and other regional universities.
Then on May 7 at 3 p.m., a “Chopsicks to Chopin” dueling pianos concert in scheduled.
The theater will be holding their annual “Music & Me” music camp for preschoolers June 27 to July 1.
July will bring the future vision of Hollywood Theater as a Regional Performing Arts Center to a reality when musical comedy “The Addams Family” will be staged July 1-3. The show is a production of the Springville Center for the Arts with Don Wesley as director and Doris Jones as musical director, both previously Gowanda teachers.
Coming out of the severe isolation of two years of COVID, the presentation is particularly timely. One of the great takeaways from this musical is the importance of seeing the things that bring us together over those that push us apart. Auditions for the show are coming up April 2 and 3. Full details about auditioning can be found at springvillearts.org.
Moving further into the summer, Nashville comes to Gowanda on July 23 for “Opry Night at the Hollywood.”
During the first five days in August, the Hollywood Theater will again present the annual Hollywood Theater Drama Camp. The program brings former Gowanda teacher Cindy Ripley back each Summer. Ripley began the Broadway Junior initiative that adapts Broadway musicals for younger performers. She travels extensively around the country promoting early high school theater, which includes all of the Gowanda Middle School musicals for several years.
August 27 will bring Strictly Hip back to the Hollywood Theater. The Tragically Hip cover band previously performed at the theater Feb. 20, 2020.
Over the coming months there will likely be additions to the schedule as Gowanda’s Hollywood Theater continues to move forward toward a bright future. The most current information and any updates to the schedule can always be found at gowandahollywoodtheater.com.
