By Jessica Heflin, marketing intern; Karl Pratt, executive director

The Main Street Arts Council (MSAC) completed the last round of performances in the 2019 Main Street Summer Theater Festival on July 21. The festival, which featured five shows in five towns, began with rehearsals all throughout June and culminated in nine performances the first three weekends in July. 

Approximately 160 area youth between the ages of 5 and 18 from all over northwestern rural Kansas participated in the festival, performing for family and friends throughout the region. Towns and shows in this year’s festival included Goodland:  Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland JR”; Quinter: Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka KIDS”; Hoxie: DreamWorks’ “Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR”; Colby: Disney’s “Cinderella KIDS” and Atwood: Disney’s “The Lion King JR”

The 2019 shows were made possible in part thanks to the generosity of Dane G. Hansen Foundation Community Fund Grants received from the Sherman County Community Foundation, Thomas County Community Foundation, Gove County Community Foundation, Sheridan County Community Foundation, and the ACE Foundation/Rawlins County Community Foundation, respectively. All foundations are affiliates of the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation, Bird City.

Grant support from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, directly, aided with staff fees for festival directors, choreographers and student director interns. A grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission and National Endowment for the Arts also assisted with staff fees.

Participation in the festival was free to all cast members thanks to the generosity of these grant funders, members of the MSAC and from ticket sales.Without the help of the community, this would not have been possible for the youth to experience. Culture and creativity are important in a child’s life, and the MSAC sincerely thanks all who contributed to helping make the theater festival possible and a success!

Along with the summer theater festival, the arts council sponsors various programs for the community to participate in and learn about different aspects of culture and expressions of art and music. These include adult theater production(s), community choir, art classes, and the annual Main Street Art Walk, scheduled for Friday, Aug. 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. in downtown Hoxie.

All MSAC programming is made possible through the financial support of paid members, donations, and grants. To support MSAC in its endeavor to promote the arts, encourage creativity, serve the Arts community, and act as an advocate for the Arts, consider paid membership. Varying levels are available for both individuals and businesses, each offering a multitude of benefits and advertising premiums in acknowledgment of support.

Visit our Membership page for more information and to join today. Contact Executive Director Karl Pratt at mainstreetartscouncil@gmail.com for more information.