Not just any festival….It’s the World’s Fair!

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Join ASPI for their production of Meet Me in St. Louis! The year is 1904, the Smith family experiences life and love’s woes, all leading up to a family trip to the St. Louis World’s Fair.

So, what exactly is the world’s fair?

The world’s fair is an international exhibition meant to showcase a nation’s accomplishments. The most recently hosted was the Expo 2017 held in Astana Kazakhstan.

The tradition of the world’s fair began in Paris with the French Industrial Exposition of 1844. After which, other European countries decided to follow suit. A world’s fair can last anywhere from three weeks to six months.

Fun Fact: Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was constructed for the 1889 Exposition Universelle? Many structures and towers built to be used temporarily for the fair are dismantled at the close of the festivities. But not the Eiffel Tower! While some opposed the construction, and wanted it dismantled after the fair, the Eiffel Tower is here to stay and has become an icon of Paris.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also knows and the St. Louis World’s Fair, was held in St. Louis, MO from April 30th to December 1st, 1904. It was intended to celebrate the centennial of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, though the opening of the exposition was delayed until 1904. It cost $15 million to fund the construction and festivities. The fair site took place over 1200 acres and close to 19.7 million people who attended the St. Louis World’s Fair.

Exhibitions included concessions, theater troupes, educational displays, local history displays, etc. from 50 nations, and 43 U.S. states (of the then 45 states).

One exhibition building was the Palace of Electricity. With a cost of $400,000, the building was to share progress in electrical engineering. Different technologies on display included the Finsen light, x-ray apparatus, radiophone, electrical lighting, and electric locomotives (to name a few).

While not invented at the fair as previously believed, there were many foods that were popularized by the fair. Can you guess what these foods are? Hamburgers, hot dogs, peanut butter, and cotton candy. The fair is also said to have introduced Dr. Pepper to the mass of attendees.

Come and join ASPI family on December 1st-3rd and the 8th-10th for their production of Meet Me in St. Louis. Tickets are on sale NOW! For more information on the show or to order tickets, go to www.abramstheater.com or call the box office at 920-826-5852.

Cushioned chairs will replace church pews

Bond Foundation presents $11K grant to Abrams theater

By Joan Koehne
Owner of Writer to the Rescue

Theater Chairs Bond Foundation
Seated in a church pew at the Byng Community Theater, Bill Koehne, president of Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc., and Debra Jolly, vice president, accept an $11,535 grant from the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation, presented by Mary McMonagle, left, president of the foundation, and Jenni Hanna, executive director. The theater will use the grant funding to replace the pews with cushioned chairs.

The Byng Community Theater in Abrams will install new seating for its audience, thanks to an $11,535 grant from the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation. Abrams Spotlight Productions will replace the theater’s church pews with more comfortable and versatile chairs.

According to Bond Foundation executive director Jenni Hanna, the project was selected for funding because of the theater’s significance in the community.
“The foundation’s board of directors recognized Abrams Spotlight Productions as a great creative outlet for the local community as well as an entertainment venue for people of all ages,” she said.

“The board was also impressed with the dedication and hard work of the many volunteers who are responsible for the success of Abrams Spotlight Productions. The board felt the theater seating will improve not only the function of the theater but also allow Abrams Spotlight Productions to better serve the community.”

“We are so grateful to be selected for a Bond Foundation grant,” said Bill Koehne, president of Abrams Spotlight Productions. “These chairs will provide added comfort for our patrons and the opportunity for us to better utilize our space and more easily accommodate patrons with disabilities.”

The 200 new chairs will replace all 22 pews in the church, plus three rows of metal folding chairs. The new chairs are solidly built, durable, washable, and stackable.

The grant also provides funding for the flooring to be cleaned and prepped before the new chairs are installed. In order to keep costs to a minimum, volunteers will remove the pews and install the chairs. The renovations will take place in late December or early January, and the church pews will be available for purchase.

The pews are remnants of the building’s previous use as St. Louis Catholic Church. The facility, home to Abrams Spotlight Productions since 2007, has undergone a series of transformations that include the construction of a stage with modular set booms, backstage dressing rooms, a concession stand, and a light, sound, and projections booth.

The new seating is scheduled to be unveiled Feb. 15, 2018, at a joint Oconto Falls/Oconto Chamber of Commerce event. Patrons attending the spring performance of “Singing in the Rain” will be the first to sit in the new chairs. The show will be performed March 16-18 and March 23-25 at the Byng Community Theater, 5852 Maple St. in Abrams.

The theater is currently running “Meet Me in St. Louis,” a classic holiday musical presented Dec. 8-10.
The Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation is a family-endowed foundation committed to the growth and improvement of Oconto County and its surrounding areas. The foundation was established in 1993 by Leon Bond (benefactor of the foundation and founder of the Bond Pickle Company) and Earl DeCloux.