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| Encore! Encore! FairShow featured Saturday at UC Civic Auditorium |
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Posted: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 9:03 pm
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For the past 26 years, area youth have come together to perform the Obion County FairShow.
On the tails of a successful week at the fair, 44 performers and staff members will have an extended encore performance of the “Glee”-based production Saturday as the kick off show for the Community Concert Association of Union City/Obion County.
The students spent more than 90 hours rehearsing for last week’s shows, beginning in late May.
Once called the Obion County Fair Youth Musical, the FairShow has roots dating back to 1986 when then-Gov. Lamar Alexander declared 1986 homecoming year for the State of Tennessee, calling it “Home-coming ’86.”
Jill Emmons, a former Obion County Fair board member, wanted to get the youth involved in the community celebration and shared her ideas with Richard Dickerson, who was the minister of music at Union City First Baptist Church. Dickerson took on the role as director and, after auditions, 18 youth were chosen to present a mini-musical called “Get Ready Tennessee.”
In the early ’90s, Cindy Hunt continued the tradition as director of an all-girls show choir for two years. In 1994, Obion County Fair board member Sharon Regen asked Union City High School band director John Easley to take on the director’s reins. For his first musical, he cast 14 teens performing “Rock On.” Easley continued his leadership role as director through 1999, during which time the youth musical moved from a tent to the Whitney Cozart Pavilion, which was constructed as a memorial to the UCHS alumna by the Obion County Fair Association.
Bill Davis, former band and choir student of John Easley, followed him as director beginning in 2001 and continuing through 2008 and taking the musical to the Mid-South Fair in Memphis in 2003 with a cast of 34. During the next eight years, Davis and his assistant, Ryan Stone, helped to make significant improvements to the stage, with air-conditioned dressing rooms being added to the musical pavilion. In 2001, Davis’ mother, Phyllis Rauchle, became producer of the Obion County Youth Musical and is serving in that role today.
When Davis left the area in 2009, Stone, his long-time assistant, took over as director.
Mrs. Rauchle and Stone marked over a decade of service to the fair show this year.
Jamie Worrell serves as vocal director, with Zoe Ramage as assistant vocal director. Filling the spot of assistant director is Dawn Tittle. Dance choreographer is Carolina Conner, with assistance from Alton Alexander and Savannah London.
Residents who saw the show during the fair will get an extra treat as more songs have been added for the Community Concert performance, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Union City Civic Auditorium. Individual tickets are available for $10 and may be purchased from Mrs. Rauchle by calling her at 446-4299, from Sandra Harris at Lanzer Printing and Office Supply or at the door.
Membership tickets are available for $95 per family, $45 for adults, $40 for seniors or $25 for students. Patron memberships are available and include Eighth Note $100-$249, Quarter Note $250-499, Half Note $500-999 and Full Note $1,000 and above.
Membership includes admission to each of the concerts in the series, also including Collin Raye on Sept. 22, Masters of Motown on Nov. 17, Papa Doo Run Run on March 9, 2013, and Voice Play on April 20, 2013. Each show begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Union City Civic Auditorium. Individual tickets for each of these shows will be $20 each and will be available at Lanzer’s and at the door.
Membership tickets and patron memberships are available by calling Mike or Cathy Cox at 536-4569 or Chuck Doss at 886-1155. Both may also be paid by sending your name, address, phone number, email and appropriate dollar amount, including the number of tickets (up to seven) for family memberships, to Community Concert Association, P.O. Box 894, Union City TN 38281-0894.
Published in The Messenger 8.21.12 |
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