Weekend events herald new era for Civic
Chrissie Hynde helped serve appetizers
— samples of what is to come at her new restaurant,
VegiTerranean — at a media event last week.
Photo courtesy of the city
of Akron
DOWNTOWN AKRON — Events
to be held downtown this weekend as part of the Metropolitan
Experience are a step toward the future of the Akron
Civic Theatre, according to the president of the Civic’s
Board of Trustees.
Ralph Palmisano said the Chrissie Hynde and Friends concert, taking place Sept. 15 at 8 p.m., is “the kickoff to a new age of the theater.”
“A year ago we took a look
at the financial situation of the theater,” Palmisano
told media gathered at a press conference with Hynde
and Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, held Sept. 6 at the
Northside Lofts, the location of Hynde’s soon-to-open
restaurant, VegiTerranean. “We had to come to
grips with the problems plaguing the theater, stabilize
the financial aspects and find a way
to use the theater.”
Palmisano said the theater is trying to build relationships with national and regional programming organizations to bring shows into the theater. Fund-raising also has begun in earnest. He added he expects the theater to be in good financial shape in another year.
The Saturday concert is a fund-raiser for the theater. This week it was announced that Jerry Lee Lewis has been added to the bill, which also includes Hynde and her guitarist, Adam Seymour, as well as 15-60-75 The Numbers Band, The Bizarros, the Diffi-Cult and Patrick Sweany. Tickets are still available at $30.
Prior to the concert, the Northside District will be the center of attention for the Metropolitan Experience, a day-long event showcasing downtown living options, art galleries and studios and a food fair featuring downtown restaurants. Activities will begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 11 p.m., according to organizers.
At 4 p.m. in front of VegiTerranean, 21 Furnace St., Hynde will lead a ribbon-cutting for the new restaurant, which is expected to be open to the public in October. The public is invited to the event, which will take place on a stage in front of the restaurant.
For more information, go to www.northsidelofts.com.
— By
Kathleen Folkerth
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