Planning a new season at the NPAC

I am writing this as I await the arrival of our programming committee for a meeting at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. We will be holding our second meeting for the 2016-17 season. Although we have just reached the halfway point in our 2015-16 Niswonger season, many of us start looking and planning for another year.

Last week, while attending the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference in New York (yes, we got out of NY just in time), I visited with many other presenters, artist agencies, booking agents, artists, entertainers, and even saw and heard some outstanding showcase performances. It’s much like being on a fact-finding mission. I always like to get opinions from the committee before leaving so I have some direction for what I’m looking for.

Now, a week later, we are meeting to really get geared up for the making of a new season.  Each year, I find it interesting to see and hear about new shows that will be touring.  Some are new performers, some are older ones coming back and reinventing themselves, and some packaging themselves in different and more exciting and appealing ways in which they hope the public will enjoy.

We will go through a few months of making choices, and then the job of fitting the puzzle together will begin. That’s where the real work begins.  Many variables are considered and affect who and when we can get.

I can tell you that, now entering our 10th year of operations at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio, people are very familiar with where Van Wert, Ohio, is located.

And speaking of 10 years, next year will mark our 10th anniversary and we will be planning some exciting things to help celebrate what we (and you) have created.  Stay tuned for this exciting news as we draw closer to announcing the season and eventually a gala performance.

For all who weren’t able to make the Craig Wayne Boyd concert scheduled for this past Saturday, we have decided to give you another opportunity by rescheduling him for April 29. Hopefully by then Nashville will not be under eight inches of snow, on top of ice, and I-75 will be open to his tour bus. Who would have ever thought that Nashville would be the weather culprit and we in Ohio would be in sunshine? Strange weather these days!

Anyway, we are still selling tickets for the winner of the 2014 “The Voice”: Craig Wayne Boyd.  If you already had tickets, just keep them and present them on April 29 for admission.  I think it will be a spectacular concert …. and now you have a second chance to get in.

The next two shows, Million Dollar Quartet on January 31 and Air Supply on February 6 (notice: a new date from the original published date), are sold out, but remember there could be some seats released at the last moment if you still want to see one of these. Good luck!

FINÉ.