Post sponsored and written by the Chehalem Cultural Center. Learn more about the Cultural Center and its new LaJoie Theater at chehalemculturalcenter.org.
NEWBERG, Ore.—Excitement is building as the curtain prepares to rise for the first time on the Performing Arts Wing at the Chehalem Cultural Center. This journey has taken nearly two decades, during which numerous decisions and plans were made about the new space’s physical appearance. Alongside these conversations, there were dreams about what would happen once it existed and the types of art experiences that could be brought to the heart of Newberg.
As construction on the theater began earlier this year, Performing Arts Manager and Newberg resident JeanneAnn Faris Comiskey got to work, piecing together the puzzle with the goal of giving the new LaJoie Theatre an unforgettable introduction to the community.
“When in the LaJoie Theatre, we want each person to be exhilarated, both individually and communally,” Comiskey said. “One key to assembling this inaugural season is providing a variety of experiences so the community can sense all that has been made possible by having this new space at the Chehalem Cultural Center.”
That range of possibilities will be showcased during the Grand Opening “Sneak Peek Variety Show” on Sept. 7, when the Jim Halliday Stage in the LaJoie Theatre comes to life for the first time. This production will tease upcoming shows throughout the season, featuring performances from 45th Parallel, push/FOLD, Gather Repertory Theatre, and more.
The entire community is invited to celebrate this milestone at the Chehalem Cultural Center, and tickets for this event are Pay-What-You-Will.
In addition to bringing well-known regional arts groups like push/FOLD Dance (Oct. 18-19) and 45th Parallel Universe (Nov. 15) to Newberg and the surrounding community, another priority is providing a high-quality venue for local, homegrown arts organizations.
Gather Repertory Theatre will present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Sept. 26-Oct. 5), a show choice that nods to the Chehalem Cultural Center’s former life as Central School.
Additionally, the popular annual “Eclectic Christmas” concert (Dec. 13-14) will move from the ballroom into the new theater space. Chehalem Valley Vaudeville joins the season lineup, providing hilarious, family-friendly acts in the Black Box Theatre (Oct. 11-12 and Dec. 6-7).
Even more family-friendly programming is planned for the LaJoie Theatre, with Red Yarn Productions bringing their interactive music and puppet show to the stage (Nov. 9). The CCC is also hosting two community movie nights featuring the 1931 Dracula (Oct. 25) and Coco (Nov. 2).
With the preparation for the Performing Arts Wing finally coming to fruition, Comiskey is excited to welcome the community into this new space.
“With the performances we’ve chosen, my hope is that we’ve created an environment where our audience is personally engaged by what is on stage while also feeling a greater connection with the people, their neighbors, sitting alongside them.”
See the full lineup of performances for the LaJoie Theatre’s inaugural season and reserve your seats at https://www.chehalemculturalcenter.org/lajoie-theatre.
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