NEWS staff report

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Occasions Banquet Hall, 415 E. Hendricks St., will hold its second dance featuring the Flying Toasters at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday as a fundraiser for the Strand Theatre. Martin Zinser, owner of Occasions, said that the first fundraiser on Nov. 22 was well attended, and he expects another big crowd for Saturday night.

Tickets are $10, and $3 from each ticket is donated to the Strand to help with renovations to the former cinema.

Tables for 10 are available for $150, and this includes hors d’oeuvres for the entire table. Tickets are available at Occasions, or customers may call (317) 421-0820 for reservations. Only cash and checks will be accepted. Occasions is a nonsmoking venue.

Houpt steps up with ‘Crazy Family Christmas’

Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

In the spirit of yesterday’s variety shows – such as "The Sonny and Cher Show," "The Carol Burnette Show" and "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" – Cindy Houpt brings madcap, over-the-top silliness to the Strand Theatre stage. Like those once popular television programs, Houpt’s original production of "Our Crazy Family Christmas" features sketches interlaced with singing and dancing.

"We are going to have fun, and it’s going to spill out into the audience," Houpt said.

Performances will be on Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 2:30 p.m. Doors to the Strand will open 30 minutes prior to each show. At the end of the show, Santa and Mrs. Claus will pose with children for free photos.

All proceeds from the show will be donated to the Strand Renovation Fund. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets for children ages 10 and under are $5. Tickets are available at all Strand Theatre events as well as the following Shelbyville businesses: Mickey’s T-Mart, Mac’s Music, Smashed Productions and Karma Music.

Houpt created the concept and wrote the dialogue. She also performs and directs. Kim Wallace – who met Houpt during their performances of the Shelby County Players’ rendition of "Nunsense" – provides music direction.

Realizing that the element of surprise amplifies humor, Houpt isn’t revealing many details of her holiday romp. For a long time, even she didn’t know what the show looked liked in its entirety. Since the Strand is a busy venue that is used by a wide variety of performers, Houpt had to work around a hectic, fragmented schedule – often only rehearsing portions at a time.

Although she is tight-lipped about most aspects of the family-friendly production, she did reveal that the audiences will recognize the holiday songs and some of the goofy characters. Also, many performers will be familiar to fans of the Shelby County Players. Approximately 25 actors, actresses and behind-the-scenes people have worked on the "Our Crazy Family" production.

"It’s wonderful to pull so many talents together," Houpt said. "We’ve had fun."

Creating a holiday production has been a fun ride for the arts lover, who is comfortable on the stage or behind the scenes.

"I started working on this in July," Houpt said. "I’ve been consumed by creativity."

Although Houpt has performed onstage as an actress with the Shelby County Players and a vocalist with the Shelby Community Band, this is first time in the director’s chair. The experience has been fun but exhausting.

"There’s so much that goes into a show," she said. "You have to be on top of everything. I have a deeper respect for directors now."

David M. Finkel, director of the Strand Theatre of Shelbyville Inc. executive board, hopes that a holiday show at the Strand will be an annual tradition. Since the theatre opened on Jan. 17, more than 6,200 people have attended live performances at the Strand.

"The Strand is all about facilitating live performances in Shelby County," Finkel said. "When you are attending a live performance anywhere in the community, you are fulfilling the Strand‘s mission."

Musical performances to brighten Shelby County over the holidays

NEWS staff report

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Several holiday concerts and shows are scheduled throughout Shelby County, beginning with student productions that start Monday.

The Triton Central Schools Band & Choir Concert will take place Monday at 7 p.m. in the high school’s auditorium.

Triton Central Elementary School will stage a Christmas program in the high school auditorium on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.

Hope’s Point Baptist Church will present a Christmas musical titled "That’s the Good News!" on Dec. 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Strand Theatre. The musical is co-directed by Tiffany Wilson and Rachel Todd, written by David T. Clydesdale and Steve Moore. Admission is free to ticketholders, but donations to the Strand Theatre will be accepted. Tickets are available at the Strand and the church. Concessions will be sold at intermission.

Shelbyville Middle School will perform its third annual madrigal at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 and 6 in the cafetorium. Seating is reserved, with ticket prices ranging from $12 to $20. Tickets will go on sale Monday. Payment is due by check (made payable to SMS Drama) or cash at the time of reservation. A meal will be catered by Occasions Banquet Hall & Catering. For more information, call the school at (317) 392-2551, ext. 1808.

Shelbyville High School will perform "Sweet Sounds of the Holidays," the Choral Department Dessert Concert, on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Sanctuary of Shelbyville.

Morristown Junior-Senior High School will host its junior high Christmas program on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the school gymnasium. The senior high Christmas program will take place Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. in the same location.

The free Community Band Holiday Concert, under director Russ Smith, will be held at the Strand Theatre on Dec. 7 at 2 p.m.

The Southwestern Junior-Senior High School choir and band program will be on Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The Southwestern Elementary School music program will be Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. Both concerts will be performed in the high school gymnasium.

Waldron Junior-Senior High School choirs will sing during the Christmas at the Zoo program in Indianapolis on Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. The school will host its annual Christmas concert featuring the school band and choir Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. in the school gymnasium.

The Triton Central High School will perform the radio play "It’s a Wonderful Life" on Dec. 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. The performance is the original 1947 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast of "It’s a Wonderful Life." The play is staged as a radio broadcast, complete with 1940′s radio commercials, an onstage band and choir, a sound effects table and Christmas music within the "show broadcast."

A high demand for tickets is expected, since the show will incorporate the school’s drama, band, show choir, chamber choir and art students. Already, 200 tickets have been sold for each performance. All tickets are $3 apiece and reserved seating. They may be purchased from director Jeff Wilson at Triton Central during school hours (7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), or by sending a request via e-mail to jwilson@nwshelby.k12.in.us. All orders should include a name, number of tickets and date preferred. Tickets will be held until they are purchased.

The Strand Theatre will host "Our Crazy Family Christmas" on Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 2:30 p.m. Doors to the Strand will open 30 minutes prior to each show.

The production is a holiday variety show which was written and directed by Cindy Houpt with musical direction by Kim Wallace, both Shelby County residents. All proceeds from the show will be donated to the Strand Renovation Fund. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Children 10 and under are $5. Tickets are available at all Strand Theatre events as well as the following Shelbyville businesses: Mickey’s T-Mart, Mac’s Music, Smashed Productions and Karma Music.

Shelbyville Central Schools’ several other holiday programs are scheduled as followed:

Banquet facility to host concert to benefit Strand

B.J. Fairchild-Newman
Staff Writer

Friday, November 21, 2008

An established Shelbyville entertainment venue – Occasions Banquet Hall – is planning an evening of fun and dancing to benefit a fledgling local entertainment option, the Strand Theatre.

Martin Zinser, owner of Occasions, along with his wife, Tami, said he is very impressed with the renovation work that David Finkel and his army of volunteers have accomplished at the former movie theater, and he decided that he wanted to hold an event to raise money for the cash-strapped Strand.

The popular band The Flying Toasters will perform at Occasions, 415 E. Hendricks St., at 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday and again on Dec. 20. Zinser and The Flying Toasters plan to donate $3 to the Strand from each $10 cover charge that patrons will pay to attend.

"Occasions and The Flying Toasters both want to help support live performances in Shelbyville and Shelby County," Zinser said, "and the Strand is bringing lots of live entertainment to the community."

For people wanting to attend the dance with a group of friends, reserved tables are available that will seat up to 10 people for $180. Zinser said many of the tables for Wednesday night have been reserved, but plenty of tables are available to be reserved for the Dec. 20 event.

Those who reserve tables will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, but everyone will have bowls of pretzels and other snacks to enjoy with drinks purchased from the cash bar.

Patrons will find a few nonreserved tables and plenty of room to sit or stand and talk when taking a dancing break.

"People are already calling for December, so I suggest that those who want to attend either date call right away," Zinser said.

Tickets are available at Occasions, or customers may call (317) 421-0820 for reservations. Credit cards can’t be used for the event; only cash and checks will be accepted.

"Since it is a fundraiser," Zinser said, "I can’t afford to pay the fee for the credit cards in addition to donating part of the ticket price."

Room to move

The Flying Toasters have performed at Occasions twice before, and Zinser said many of those who attend prefer the nonsmoking atmosphere at Occasions as well as the roominess of the facility instead of a crowded, smoky bar.

"We have that large lobby area where people can walk around if they want a break from the dancing and music," Zinser said. "People can’t enjoy themselves when they are all crammed in together."

Both of the previous bookings were a big success, and Zinser said Occasions would like to plan more performance events in the banquet hall. He is interested in finding comedians and other performers who would like to use the venue.

Zinser said he often receives calls from groups interested in holding a fundraiser, but he encourages them to try to come up with a unique idea. He said civic groups are telling him that it is getting harder and harder to raise money.

"People need to feel like they are getting something for their money," Zinser said, "but whether a fundraiser makes money really depends on how hard the people who are putting it on are willing to work."

Occasions frequently is used as the setting for various civic events, fundraisers, parties, reunions and large company meetings, but wedding receptions make up more than half of his Saturday night bookings each year.

Eager to grow

Coincidentally, his manager at Occasions, Cathy Caito, runs a wedding cake business called Cakes by Cathy out of the restaurant. The two businesses are totally separate, but each helps the other to find additional business.

Zinser said the banquet business is just as susceptible to a weakening economy as any other business. Although his bookings are strong through the end of the year, he is eying January and February with trepidation. Normally, Occasions already has recorded numerous reservations for the upcoming year, but bookings are definitely down.

Zinser said the recent opening of Maxim Events and the splashy permanent casino that opens in the spring make for a competitive environment. He said he remembers how different the restaurant and banquet landscape was in Shelbyville when he was persuaded to open Occasions by Mike Dellinger from the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and former Mayor Betsy Stephen.

"They came to me and told me that the city really needed a large banquet hall," Zinser said, "and at that time, there really wasn’t a good place in town to hold big parties and meetings."

When he was approached, Zinser was running The Chicken Inn on East Hendricks Street, so he decided to make the investment and bought the former Parrish Lumber Co. site in 1997 with plans to turn it into a banquet facility.

"We needed a nice place to have events, and I was the one to make a commitment and go out on a limb," Zinser said of his 14,000-square-foot building.

However, shortly after opening Occasions in 2002, other restaurants continued to open in Shelbyville, and the availability of the large clubhouse area at Indiana Downs also provided new competition.

"It is great to have lots of different choices," Zinser said, "but the town will have to grow to support all these different banquet facilities."

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Blue River Community Choir, directed by Cindy Leahy, and the Dixie Kats Dixieland jazz band, directed by Kenny Bowman, will join to present a concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Strand Theatre, 215 S. Harrison St. All proceeds will benefit the continued efforts to remodel the Strand.

The Blue River Community Choir is an all-volunteer, nonprofit choir that performs at a variety of events throughout Shelby County. The Dixie Kats band is an offshoot of the Shelby Community Band that performs regularly throughout the Indianapolis area.

Tickets are $5 and are available at Mickey’s T-Mart, 748 S. Harrison St.; Blue River Printing, 55 E. Washington St.; the Strand box office; and from choir members.

For more information, contact Cindy Leahy at (317) 392-9216 or spaul1@att.net

B.J. Fairchild-Newman
Staff Writer

Monday, November 10, 2008

The gaily decorated cans featuring smiling little girls have sat on the counters of area businesses for weeks now, collecting coins and bills that will determine who reigns as 2008 Snowflake Princess.

Each donated penny counts for one vote, and the girl with the most votes wins the crown during a ceremony at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Strand Theatre, 115 S. Harrison St.

The 2008 Snowflake Princess will be crowned by the 2007 princess Destinee Clabough. The public is invited, and there is no cost to attend. Jack Boyce is the master of ceremonies for the event.

The Snowflake Princess contest is a fundraiser sponsored by Kappa Delta Phi sorority, and a record 30 girls from throughout Shelby County in grades 3, 4 and 5 are participating this year. In addition to the top princess spot, a first and second runner-up also will be selected based on the amount of money in their cans, and all of the participants will take part in the holiday parade in downtown Shelbyville on Nov. 21.

The Snowflake Princess wins a savings bond, and all of the girls will receive a plaque and a snowflake ornament.

A total of 70 princess applications were received, but only the first 30 were accepted. The sorority checked the postmarks on the mailed applications to judge which ones were sent in first.

Most of the participants received their applications at school and took them home for the required parental permission signatures before mailing them.

After the money from each can is counted and recorded, 10 percent of the money, plus a matching amount from the sorority, will be donated to a charity selected in advance by each girl. The balance of the money will support other charitable donations and scholarships determined by the sorority. In 2007, the princess candidates raised a total of more than $4,600.

Marlene Leitenberger, co-chairman of the event, said that money raised during last year’s Snowflake fundraiser paid for two $500 scholarships as well as donations to the Pregnancy Care Center, the Salvation Army kitchen renovation, Sanctuary of Shelbyville and Christmas presents for several needy families in Shelby County.

Since the Strand is not charging the sorority to use the theater this year, Leitenberger said that the Strand also will receive a donation. In 2007, the sorority discovered that it no longer had a place to hold the contest after a last-minute booking cancellation, so the contest was held in the mayor’s council chamber.

"We wanted to have plenty of room this year for all the parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles who want to attend," Leitenberger said, "so the Strand seemed like the perfect place to go."

The Snowflake Princess contest is Kappa Delta Phi’s primary fundraiser, but members also earn money for their charitable works by selling noodles and cookies at the yearly Delta Theta Tau Christmas Gift and Hobby Show at the Shelbyville Middle School and an annual rummage sale.

The 2008 Snowflake Princess contestants include the following girls: Jessika Beyer, 9, Loper, daughter of Steve and Elizabeth Beyer; Gabrielle Boyd, 10, Coulston, daughter of Deborah Baatz; Yvette Clemons, 7, Triton Central Elementary, daughter of Letitia Clemons; Haleigh Davenport, 8, Triton Central Elementary, daughter of Brian and Jenny Davenport; Taylor Deaton, 10, Hendricks, daughter of Linda Deaton; Abigail Evans, 9, Hendricks, daughter of Monte and Sarah Evans; Brieann Forman, 9, Loper, daughter of Tony and Samantha Forman; Victoria Grubbs, 9, Triton Central, daughter of Travis and Tami Grubbs; Haley Hansome, 10, Triton Central Middle, daughter of Terry and Jodi Hansome; Rebecca Hilliker, 11, Coulston, daughter of James and Tina Dean; Jaclyn Hoffman, 10, Coulston, daughter of Paul Hoffman and Holly Young; Jordan Hudson, 9, Hendricks, daughter of James and Kristina Ragan; Mariah Leclercq, 8, Coulston, daughter of Ronald and Lesa Leclercq; Kylie Leitenberger, 9, home school, daughter of Fred and Jenni Leitenberger; Abby Martin, 11, Coulston, daughter of Brian and Misty Martin; Kayla Maynard, 10, Hendricks, daughter of Jay and Wendi Maynard; McKinsey Morphew, 9, Coulston, daughter of Daniel and Karen Morphew; Madison "Macy" Nolley, 9, Coulston, daughter of Joe and Theresa Nolley; Miesha Owens, 9, Hendricks, daughter of Jermaine Owens and Tara Abston; Morgan Parker, 10, Loper, daughter of Ed and April Parker; Emily Piersall, 9, Triton Central Elementary, daughter of Mike and Julie Piersall; Cassie Popplewell, 10, Hendricks, daughter of Charles and Charity Popplewell; Madison Rice, 8, Coulston, daughter of Bryan and Kim Rice; Fatima Shamaa, 9, Coulston, daughter of Sherif and Theresa Shamaa; Ginny Shelton, 8, Coulston, daughter of David and Prudence Shelton; Haley Spears, 8, Southwestern Elementary, daughter of Tonya Spears; Kiara Taylor, 9 Triton Central Elementary, daughter of LeAnn Taylor Reed; Stacia Warren 10, Hendricks, daughter of Chris and Michele Warren; Chloe Westra, 8, Loper, daughter of David and Mindy Wainscott; Alyssa Zell, 8, Triton Central Elementary, daughter of Randy Zell and Krista Hughes.

Rock bands jumping at chances to perform at the Strand

Steve Talbert
NEWS Correspondent

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

From covers of the past to originals of the present, a wide range of rock music will resonate within the walls of the Strand Theatre in November.

On Friday at 8 p.m., Rule of Seven will be performing its heartfelt originals, along with a rousing rendition of The Doors’ "Roadhouse Blues."

On Nov. 28, the Time Bandits will "steal" favorites of the 1960s British rock invasion, when they perform their versions of songs from The Byrds, The Beatles, the Turtles and others. On Nov. 29, Dropclaw will bring an energetic edge to the stage with their takes on Rush, U2, Black Sabbath, Black Crowes and Poison. Special guest Faded Daze will open the show.

After watching Ede and Travis of the Cosmos perform at the Strand on Oct. 25, Andrew Hamilton, Tye Wade, Gerry Myers and Troy Wade can’t wait to perform at the Strand on Friday as Rule of Seven.

"The Strand is awesome," Tye Wade said. "The place is beautiful, and our fans will love it."

Originally called "Paradigm," the band changed its name to Rule of Seven when band members discovered that another group had trademarked the name. Hamilton and the Wade brothers grew up together in Shelby County, and they have many fond memories of Shelbyville. The three reunited after a seven-year separation, which is one of many reasons for the new name.

The theater holds special meaning for the three longtime friends because they watched "Jurassic Park," "The Matrix" and many other movies there when it was Cinema 3.

Rule of Seven will be releasing their newest CD at the concert, and the band will meet and greet attendees after the show.

"We want to say ‘thanks’ to our fans," Tye Wade said. "If it wasn’t for our fans, we wouldn’t be playing at the Strand."

Time Bandits will transport concert-goers to a bygone era when they perform at the Strand on Nov. 28. The band comprises Ed Jakad, drums and vocals; Val Muylle, guitar and vocals; Don Etchison, guitar and vocals; Francie Richard, vocals and keyboards; Dean MacNamara, bass guitar; and Laura Harmon, guitar and mandolin.

"While we play a variety of rock music from different time periods, we specialize in music of the British rock invasion era," Harmon said. "We perform music by the Dave Clark 5, the Who, Herman’s Hermits, Zombies, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, the Mamas and the Papas and many others."

Dropclaw, a 4-year-old rock band from Indianapolis, returns to the Strand on Nov. 29. After performing in bars and clubs around Indy, Mark Bailey, Dropclaw’s vocalist and guitarist, enjoys playing at Shelbyville’s intimate indoor concert venue.

"During our last show at the Strand, we were moved by the energy that we received from those attending the show," Bailey said. "We look forward to providing another energetic rock experience for Shelbyville at our upcoming performance."

Playing for a focused audience is new and refreshing experience for most bands who perform at the Strand.

"Our first show at the Strand was a blast," Bailey said. "Normally we play bars and clubs, where the crowd is often busy doing other things while you’re playing."

Dropclaw also features Paul Fielding on drums and R.J. Salewicz on bass guitar.

Rock concerts at the Strand are arranged and promoted by Joe Gaudin, owner of Smashed productions. All rock musicians perform at the Strand for free. Gaudin donates proceeds from ticket sales and concessions to the theatre’s restoration fund.

Gaudin gives each rock band a professional-quality DVD of their performance as payment for their contribution to The Strand.

"They can use the video to get other gigs, put on You Tube or whatever they’d like," Gaudin said. "The DVD costs more than they’d probably make if they played somewhere else for money."