The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center
 

Paige Boone, Gary Morse's granddaughter, shows us what's happening inside the newly enlarged building.

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I saw the video of the inside last night...all I can say is AMAZING, AWESOME..the Morse Family have outdone themselves once again. Three cheers for the Morse Family.

This looks like a wonderful facility. Can't wait to learn more about it, like the stage size, what the usage plans are, etc. From a performers perspective, I really hope our Village Resident groups will have a chance to perform there. And I hope it's affordable to do so.

Watched the video and was amazed by all they are doing. I hope they open it up for tours when it's finished. Can't wait!

That question is the same all over the U.S.for Civic Theatre Groups and local Choral Groups and Musical Groups cannot find affordable venues. And Performing Art Centers can't stay afloat financially.

Someone has to pay for the air conditioning and the clean up and the lights and janitorial services and the insurance..so...it can't be free.

So it comes down to the is it a right or is it a privilege issue. Someone has to pay the cost of things. The rec centers can be used for no fee as long as all participants are residents including the audience(?) and no money is charged, is that correct? That would be tough for groups because they use material and music with fees and costuming isn't free.

How much do they charge for the use of the stage and hall in Regional Rec Centers?

Wonder who decides what groups can perform? I have seen some NOT GREAT performances at The Savannah Center as well as awesome performances there.

On the other hand, The Village Voices were absolutely wonderful and had performed many times at the old Church on the Square for a nominal ticket price. Maybe the Presbyterian church where they performed when they could not use the Chuch on the Square will continue to be the site they use.

It seems every acting/entertaining group in TV is asking the same thing. Who will be invited to perform? What will the costs be? How will this new venue affect their organizations?

In my view this new venue is targeted for attracting outside professionals and they command large fees.

Do we think that the facility could support something like a Broadway Across America series?

Not with seating for only a little over a thousand. I'm really surprised. I thought they were going to make something where they could have nationally know performers. It's only slightly larger than the Savannah Center.

A nice 10,000 seat venue would be nice.

Huh?? 10,000 seats in a Villages concert venue, when The Kennedy Center Concert Hall seats 2,442???

Or… 10,000 seats for over $25 in a Villages concert venue, when people scream about a split plate charge of $2 at a restaurant there on the square, because the people are too cheap to buy 2 dinners for 2 people?

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A great step forward building a facility that can bring us more cultural events to The Villages. The new building is equipped with high tech electronics (maybe the first one in USA) which can/will make this place very popular. Can't wait to see one of the first performances there.

I'm guessing that tickets will have to be at least $50 and up and that's just for road shows, not Broadway tours.

I'm hoping for real performers. As much as Villagers enjoy performing, I have problems seeing a 70-year-old ingenue. The stage looks like it will be large enough to do an entire Broadway play and the seating size is certainly satisfactory for Broadway to come here, not just showing condensed versions of a musical or just singing some of the songs, as is presently done at Savannah. If we get real Broadway and name performers (think Willy Nelson), I imagine the ticket prices will be pretty high but well worth it.

Thanks, the video was most impressive. I can see this venue being a draw for both talent and theater patrons. I will miss the local talent that was there before on a regular basis, and I assume there will still be those nights set aside. But this gives us the opportunity to attend performances that used to require a trip to Orlando or Tampa. And Spanish Springs should do well as a lot of people like the idea of a dinner and show night.

The building is owned by the Morses. The entertainment department is no longer owned by the Morses. We will have to wait and see who does what.