News
Southern Living March 2008 -- page LA 2
The golden age of the silver screen lasts a Little Longer for Louisiana.
By Taylor Bruce
Town Theater Ruston, Louisiana, is a hometown,
the hometowniest of hometowns-sweetsmelling
streets, meat-n-three friendliness, the local
college faithful-but the Lincoln Parish seat does not
claim to be a vacation spot. That is, unless you find
yourself in a red-cushioned seat under the chandelier
glow at the Dixie Center for the Arts. Then Ruston
might as well be Tinseltown.
Onstage In Ruston (population approximately 20,000), the Dixie is now a true community entertainment venue where a bluegrass band may play the weekend after a touring theater troupe. Essentially, the Dixie, now refitted, sound-checked, and neon-ed after 10 years and $2 million, serves as host and home to all sorts of performers in the community. But, in its soul, the Dixie remains a movie house, with a balcony projector and billboard-size screen to prove it.
The Comeback Story The Dixie Theater, built
in 1928 under the handle New Astor as a vaudeville
house and silent film home, became a pigeons' hideaway
by the 1980s. "But this wasn't just a musty old
theater," says resident and renovation champ Linda
Graham, who faced an uphill restorative climb in the
late 1990s. ""The Dixie is a memory ofhow the world
used to come to Ruston through the movies."
Bake-offs, seat sales, pennyjars, talent shows, and a generous state grant paved the road to a new Dixie, which reopened with a performance by The Temptations."Definitely takes you back to a simpler time," muses Rick Hohlt, publisher of The Ruston Daily Leader.
Where and When? Visit www.dixiecenter.org, or call (318) 255-1450 for a schedule of events; snap a photo of the classic marquee and Dixie star where North Vienna Street meets West Alabama Avenue
Mary Ann Woods, Dixie Volunteer of the Year
l to r: Beth Craig (President of Russ Town Society), Tammy Rome, and Mary Ann Woods, receiving the Russ Town Society Dixie Center for the Arts 2007 Volunteer of the Year Award. The award was named last year for the Russ Town Society for their long time support and dedication to the Dixie Center for the Arts. They were the first recipients of the award. Mary Ann Woods is the chairman of the new Dixie Volunteer Society. She organized the group and there are more than 70 names on the volunteer list because of her efforts. She is also producing the Joe Woods Wildwood Express Country Music Showcase this year.
2008 Dixie Horizon Entertainer Selected
On Saturday, February 9, in a field of 16 very talented contestants, thirteen year old Chancie Neal of Calhoun was selected to be the 2008 Dixie Horizon Entertainer.
Last year’s winner, Cyndi Johnston of Farmerville, emceed the talent contest at the Dixie Center for the Arts and passed the title to Chancie, who played the guitar and sang a song she wrote entitled “You Drive Me Crazy”.
The panel of judges also selected Astrid Hayes, Choudrant as 1st runner up; Billy Tucker, Shreveport, 2nd runner up; Taylor Price, West Monroe 3rd runner up; and Baylee Regan 4th runner up. Our new 2008 Dixie Horizon Entertainer, Chancie Neal will make her debut at the Dixie on the Joe Woods Wildwood Express Country Music Showcase on Saturday, March 1 at 6:00 p.m.
The Dixie wins The Distinguished Partner in Education Award!
January 18 I just got back from the Chamber of Commerce Banquet and am proud to announce that the Dixie Center for the Arts won: 2008 presented to The Dixie Center for the Arts For making education a top priority through your Lincoln Parish School Board Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Gala I wish you all could have been there to help receive the plaque from Danny Bell and Cathy Cox that we will proudly display at the Dixie. This award belongs to all of you who have gone before us to “set the stage” for things like this to happen. This award was only part of the great things to happen tonight—one of our stalwart supporters, Mr. John Emory, very deservedly received the “Robert E. Russ Award”. Congratulations, Mr. Emory, you deserve this award and more. You do so much for our community. We wouldn’t be where we are without your support and belief in the Dixie and its missions. We will have photos and info up on the website as soon as possible. But, I wanted you all to be the first to know. Visiting with Mr. Emory after the banquet, he said to me “I believe that we are right at the edge of really big things happening at the Dixie.” I totally agreed and told him that every day something better than the day before happens to us and I am excited to see where the adventure is taking us. Thanks again and Congratulations to all of you! Marlen |
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Dixie Filled to Capacity for Big Band Christmas
They came from all over north Louisiana and southern Arkansas to hear the Lawrence Gibbs Orchestra’s Big Band Christmas and packed the Dixie Center for the Arts to capacity December 7th. Sounds of Christmas music set to the arrangements of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller and others that were famous during the Swing era filled the Dixie.
Lawrence Gibbs fronts his eighteen piece orchestra of professional and semi-professional musicians with his saxophone and clarinet in the style of Goodman and Miller. Lisa Lee McCalmon was the guest vocalist and Shirley Barron was featured on the piano.
Gibbs’ orchestra is dedicated to the preservation of classic jazz music
of the Big Band era and the re-introducing this music the public.
A recording of The Big Band Christmas show is available at KLCH TV for viewing. click here