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Dixie Carter, Hal Holbrook and former
Tennessee Governor Ned Ray McWherter share the
spotlight at Saturday's gala dedication evening
featuring the Nashville Symphony. |
The Dixie Debuts to Rave Reviews
HUNTINGDON - Thousands witnessed a dream come true over
the weekend as The Dixie Carter Performing Arts and Academic
Enrichment Center, home of The Hal Holbrook Theatre, made
its stunningly successful debut in Huntingdon, with capacity
crowds assembled to enjoy performances by The Chuck Wagon
Gang on Thursday and the Huntingdon Hayride and Nashville
Symphony Saturday. Children and adults alike were delighted
by Mum Puppettheatre's performance of The Velveteen Rabbit
Sunday afternoon, and the center made an early effort in its
commitment to educational excellence when seventh and eighth
grade students across the county were treated Friday to a
special performance of the Nashville Symphony.
Dixie is ravishing on opening night of the center that
was named in her honor. Behind her is longtime friend,
pianist John Wallowitch, who flew in from New York for
the festivities.
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Huntingdon Mayor Dale Kelley, whose vision and longstanding
friendship with Dixie Carter was the impetus for the
six-year, $3.2 million project, said, "The finished product
has accomplished what it was meant to do, and that is to
bring people to the town of Huntingdon and give it
recognition. I think it performed beyond most people's
expectations. It is clearly serving the public interest and
is going to have a great impact on Huntingdon and Carroll
County for many years to come."
The Dixie proved itself over the weekend as people from
across West Tennessee and beyond proclaimed the center an
icon of culture and education. Of interest is the fact that
the center's exquisite décor, which features wood trim cut
from 150-year-old wood gleaned from the site's original
buildings, is complemented by richly upholstered chairs and
stunningly beautiful, marble- and glass-topped tables
purchased at Williams Furniture Company in McKenzie. Floral
arrangements were also commissioned locally.
Hal Holbrook signs an
autograph for Tonya Belew, near the entry of the theater
that bears his name.
Also homegrown was the center's namesake, Dixie Carter, who
grew up in Carroll County, a resident of McLemoresville who
graduated from Huntingdon High School in the same class as
the mayor. The weekend was a family and class reunion for
Dixie, whose every turn brought her face-to-face with old
friends.
The dedication event, which preceded the symphony's
performance Saturday evening, was opened by former Miss
America Kellye Cash singing "The Star Spangled Banner"
accompanied by the orchestra. Cash will be performing the
lead role in Always...Patsy Cline March 31 through April 2
at The Dixie.
Mayor Kelley said the evening marked a new beginning,
distinct from its first beginning that took place in
December 1999 when Dixie was invited to City Hall for a
formal pronouncement of the center's conception and the
decision that it would bear her name. He quoted the town's
motto, born out by the center: "Honoring our heritage,
shaping our future."
Huntingdon Mayor Dale Kelley kisses Dixie, his friend and
schoolmate, on the forehead.
The facility joins three existing centers of art education
and performance in West Tennessee including The Ned R.
McWherter West Tennessee Cultural Arts Center in Jackson,
The Krider Center in Paris, and the West Tennessee Regional
Arts Center in Humboldt.
Special guests of the evening included Tennessee Arts
Commission representatives Rod Reiner, Deputy Director of
grant programs and Kim Leavitt, Director of Arts
Education/Director of Literary Programs; members of the
Huntingdon Town Council, Huntingdon Arts and Events Advisory
Committee; state legislators, Senator Don McLeary,
Representative Mark Maddox, Representative Jimmy Eldridge,
special thanks to Buster Barger, David M. Schuermann of
Architecture Incorporated of Memphis, Alan Douglas of the
Knapp Foundation, and representatives of the Tennessee
Department of Transportation, Norandal, USDA Rural
Development, all the family and guests of Dixie and Hal,
among whom were John Wallowitch and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason,
the creator, writer, and executive producer of Designing
Women, in which Dixie portrayed Julia Sugarbaker in perhaps
her most famous role.
Because a previous commitment had originally precluded the
presence of Dixie's husband, Hal Holbrook, a video of his
best wishes was presented during which he said he never
dreamed Kelley would be able to pull off his plan to build
the center, but that as time went by he would drive by to
see a hole in the ground where construction was taking place
and, in time, the solid brick wall where he learned Dixie's
name would be emblazoned. He soon caught the fever himself,
and played a major role in designing the theater that bears
his name.
Construction engineer Buster
Barger and center Director Lee Warren.
"I am just astounded at the effort and the dedication and
intelligence and imagination which was brought into this
beautiful house of dreams..." he said. "What a wonderful
gift for people who have lived here a long time and saw the
center of town drift away and people come to center again
and come together. And I keep thinking what a wonderful gift
this is going to be for young people... I get a thrill
thinking about possibilities."
The theatrical arts are a tool for youngsters who are
looking for an area in which to excel, he said, and provide
an outlet for the gamut of human emotion. He recalled that,
during his own youth as a student in a military school, he
assumed a macho façade when the Indiana Symphony Orchestra
was scheduled to perform at the school.
He recalled with amazement, however, that "a little man with
a white stick" appeared before the assembled orchestra.
"He slowly raised the stick and suddenly this orchestra gave
up with the most gorgeous sound I'd never heard before," he
said, awed, "music that seemed to lift you up, swoop you up,
then come down slowly, slowly to land you gently back
down... My first experience with arts had an effect on me:
about a year later I started writing poetry... secretly," he
said.
Holbrook said he hoped excitement and excellence would
predominate the activities of the center in recognition of
the character and hard work exhibited by Dixie.
"I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am to be here in
this house of dreams that you have built and named after
Dixie Carter, my wife," he said, noting the perseverance in
making the center a reality had taught him something about
Tennessee. "This proves to me that the heart of America
still beats strong and that its blood is still red in its
veins," he said.
Taking the stage in person, he introduced his wife by
acknowledging the second best thing that ever happened to
him was when he settled in West Tennessee among his wife's
family, friends and community, and that the best thing was
when he fell in love with Dixie.
"Never in my wildest imagination could I have imagined
this," Dixie said, in a profusion of gratitude. She said the
beauty and magnificence of the center was sufficient cause
for pride, "but you have put my name on it and I cannot
think how I could have deserved to have that honor," she
continued. "But since you have, I will be true to this
entire facility and devoted to the center and to you. I've
been on lots of stages in four and a half decades but none
like this one. There are no words to say how I feel except
to say thank you... I am and will always be your Dixie."
Bloodworth-Thomason said it was her and Dixie's "dirty
little secret" among their Hollywood peers that they had a
happy childhood and deeply loved their mother and daddy. She
extolled Dixie's many talents and spoke of her close-knit
family and the special relationship between her now ailing
father and her mother, who died several years ago, as well
as the "high voltage chemistry" between Dixie and her own
husband.
The Dixie, she said, addressing Dixie, would stand as a
"lasting image to your presence on this earth."
THE CHUCK WAGON GANG OPENS THE WEEKEND
Huntingdon Mayor Dale Kelley
and Dixie Carter, center, pose with members of The Chuck
Wagon Gang Thursday evening.
As restless customers entered The Dixie's doors for the
first time Thursday evening, after a hectic day of finishing
touches to the just-completed facility, usher Melissa
Powell, who is also a member of the Huntingdon Town Council,
noted everyone was "just giddy" with excitement.
"I don't have the words--it's absolutely indescribable and
I've only been on it four months," said Director Lee Warren.
Powell, who has watched the vision develop over six years,
said, "It's a dream brought to fruition; it's exciting and
it's a new time for Huntingdon and Carroll County.
Guests assembled for the evening's performance were amazed
by the talent displayed by the group that was begun 70 years
ago by the great-grandfather of alto singer Shaye Truax, one
of four current members of the group, also including Dave
Emery, Ronnie Page, and Melissa Kemper.
The group performed on a barren, hued stage, the sole
backdrop becoming memories and fantasies conjured by Page's
colorful descriptions of days gone by and by a Bewley Flour
sack stretched inside a frame during the group's portrayal
of their early counterparts. Bewley Flour was the group's
earliest sponsor.
Shirley Willhite, left, of
Martin, and Ms. Pat Forgy, McKenzie Elementary School music
teacher, enjoy an evening with The Chuck Wagon Gang. The
friends are members of Gloryland Quartet.
Nevertheless, the evening was a mixture of old and new as
the group sang 21 songs, spanning the early years to their
latest releases, providing a delightful evening in the
beautiful new facility that was christened with prayer by
ministers of the Carroll County Ministerial Association
following an awesome performance by Huntingdon's own "AWOL"
(All Walks of Life) singing "America the Beautiful", "This
Little Light of Mine", and "God Bless the U.S.A." Members of
the group include Buster Barger, Dr. Lee Carter, Johnny
Clement, Bob Newman, Larry Thomason, Dr. Tim Tucker, Billy
Webb, and Kevin Wheatley. Thomason performed "How Great Thou
Art" on the center's grand piano. Ministers dedicating the
facility included Rufus Chandler, Milton Gordon, Paul
Mullikan, Bryan Oakes, Lynn Stapleton, and Fred Ward.
STUDENTS ATTEND SYMPHONY
In a special cost arrangement between school and The Dixie,
seventh and eighth grade students across the county traveled
to Huntingdon Friday to hear the Nashville Symphony, with
the Carroll County School District providing the buses.
Tommy Sam, an eighth grade student who is a snare drummer in
the McKenzie Middle School Band, son of Denise and Dr.
Joseph Sam, said he hoped soon to have another opportunity
to hear an orchestral performance. "It was really good, I'd
never been to one before and it was pretty cool," he said.
"There were a lot of kids there and even the people who
don't really appreciate band liked it."
NASHVILLE SYMPHONY LENDS CLASS TO DEDICATION CEREMONY
Maestro Byung-Hyun Rhee, whose fluid movements directed the
Nashville Symphony Saturday evening, selected the evening's
music with the community in mind. Following "The
Consecration of the House Overture, Opus 124", composed by
Ludwig Van Beethoven, and the "Academic Festival Overture,
Opus 80" by Johannes Brahms, the orchestra performed a
powerfully moving piece created by Aaron Copland for the
film "Our Town". Other pieces included Polovtsian Dances
from "Prince Igor" by Alexander Borodin and "Mississippi
Suite" in four movements: "Father of Waters", "Huckleberry
Finn", "Old Creole Days", and "Mardi Gras".
A gala reception, catered by Cami Furr and Tammie Utley,
awaited guests in the upstairs and downstairs lobby
following the event.
Comments made by patrons of the evening's event included:
Joan Gibson of McKenzie: "This is my first trip here and I
am so impressed. Carroll County needs to be so thankful that
they had the vision to do this and I am so happy to be
here."
County Mayor Kenny McBride: "I wish everyone in Carroll
County could see this facility; it's as impressive and as
nice as any you would see in Memphis or Nashville. We are
very fortunate to have a facility like this located in
Carroll County."
Theater aficionados Gena
Mitchum and Phyllis Franks of McKenzie attend the
performance of the Nashville Symphony.
Gena Mitchum of McKenzie, who holds season tickets to the
theater in Nashville: "It's lovely and we are so proud of it
being here. It's a treasure for our area."
Phyllis Franks of McKenzie: "It just feels like New York."
District Attorney Gus Radford: "This is a very great vision
on behalf of Mayor Kelley." "It's a source of pride," added
his wife, administrator of elections Linda Radford.
Marion Graham, director of the Bethel College Theater
Department: "I'm thrilled that a theater and art center
would open in this area and so thrilled that "Quilters" (a
Bethel production) will be presented here in February."
Former Governor Ned Ray McWherter: "I just think that it's
wonderful that the city of Huntingdon and this community has
the foresight and the vision to develop this theater... I
give Dale Kelley and the people of Huntingdon a great deal
of praise for his vision that brings about industry,
shopping, and other opportunities for people here;
Huntingdon becomes an (objective) now, where you're not
going through, it's your point of destination."
VELVETEEN RABBIT PROVIDES FINE FINISH TO WEEKEND
FESTIVITIES
Molly Davis, 7, and mom Pansy
enjoy juice and cookies after a performance of The Velveteen
Rabbit.
A bevy of bubbly youngsters and their excited adult escorts
made their first visit to The Dixie Sunday, where the
childhood classic "The Velveteen Rabbit" was acted out in
mime by the Mum Puppettheatre, using puppets, masks and
expressive gestures to tell the story of a stuffed bunny
who, at long last, discovered what it means to be real.
Seven-year-old Molly Davis said the play was not like the
real story: "It was supposed to be a little boy and it was a
little girl," she said. Nevertheless, she said the outcome
was the same: "that she loves the rabbit so much that he
becomes real." Molly attended the theater with her mom,
Pansy, a health officer with the Carroll County Health
Department. The family resides in Lexington.
A cookie and juice reception following the presentation was
catered by Mallard's.
ART DISPLAY
Currently on display in the upstairs ballroom is the work of
photographer Miranda Granger, who last year relocated from
Los Angeles to Nashville. Her black and white equine
portraits line the four walls of the room. "Horses are like
living and breathing sculpture," she says. For more
information, see www.mirandagranger.com.
WHAT'S NEXT AT THE DIXIE
December events include Sanders Family Christmas December 10
and 11 including a Saturday Matinee at 3:30 p.m., Saturday
Evening at 7:30, and Sunday Matinee at 2 p.m. The Huntingdon
Hayride returns December 17, Saturday afternoon at 2:00. The
Hayride's regular cast includes Dixie Carter, Carl Mann,
Kellye Cash Shepard, Andy Williams, Linda K, Branded
Country, Cousin Tuny, The Tennesseans, The Gospel Edition,
and many more. And don't miss the New Year's Eve concert
featuring Danny Ray Martin and Big Band, December 31, with a
catered dinner at Mallard's optional. For more information
about these and 2006 events, see
www.dixiepac.net.
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