A gala celebration of 5 years at NPAC

Do you remember when Doug Wolf and Beachfront Property with Tom Dustman returned to Van Wert to open the Niswonger Performing Arts Center? Or maybe when Country star Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA” on our stage the following night. Perhaps you were in attendance on Sunday night when Christian artists Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris brought the house down with “I’ve Just Seen Jesus”. That was March of 2007, over five years ago! It’s hard to believe.

To mark five years of existence, we are using this year to celebrate and it all kicks off on September 14 and 15.  A weekend of festivities that include a gala dinner, a lecture with one of the world’s most inspirational speakers, and an incredible concert featuring the dynamic voice of tenor Ronan Tynan.  I invite you to take part in one or all of these festivities next month.

To be completely clear about the gala’s festivities, here is the schedule of opportunities:

Friday, September 14, at 5 p.m. — Social time at Willow Bend Country Club, followed by our Gala Dinner at 5:30 p.m. with Ronan Tynan, Scott and Nikki Niswonger and other notable guests. This is open to the public and tickets are on sale at the NPAC box office, with proceeds going to the new NPAC Endowment Fund. The dinner is $50 and includes admission to Ronan’s speaking engagement later that evening.

Friday, September 14, at 7 p.m. — Ronan Tynan speaks at the NPAC. Tickets are available for this for just $10.  If you have paid for the dinner, it includes admission to the speaking engagement. I hope by now, many of you have heard or read all about Mr. Tynan. He has an incredible story to tell of overcoming physical handicaps to become a world renowned tenor, medical doctor, 18-time Paralympics champion, and so much more.

Saturday, September 15, at 7:30 p.m. — Ronan Tynan will be in concert with the Lima Symphony Orchestra and will be performing everything from Classics to Broadway and Pop. It will be a tremendous wrap up to our gala celebration.  Tickets for this blockbuster concert are on sale at the box office and start at just $22!

If you haven’t met Mr. Tynan, I invite you to visit the newly designed NPAC website: www.npacvw.org and click on his picture for an interview done for CBS-TV. You will be amazed!

His singing is so amazing that he was invited to sing at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan at the request of Mrs. Reagan, the inauguration of President George W. Bush, the 9/11 Memorial Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and now you have the opportunity to hear him give a full concert backed by a symphony orchestra right here in Van Wert at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center!  I don’t think you will want to miss it. It will be the talk of the town come Sunday morning.

I look forward to seeing you at one, two or maybe all three events as we celebrate five years of performing arts at the region’s No. 1 venue for inspiration, education and entertainment.

FINÉ.