GREENFIELD — As hundreds of people came through the doors of the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts, they were welcomed by the smell of freshly baked cookies and the warm notes of Christmas carols. Children rushed to the stage to meet Kris Kringle, who greeted patrons with welcome smiles and laughs.
Older patrons mingled upstairs, sipping craft beer and wine in an area of the balcony before the lights dimmed and the curtain went up, signaling the start of Christmas at the Ricks, a variety show making its holiday-season return after a long absence.
Scenes like this are what make the difference between a place and a community, said Randy Sorrell, a member of the board of directors for Greenfield’s Friends of the Theater. You can have a location on a map, but events like this are what give a place life, he said.
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Friends of the Theater, a new 501 (c)(3) nonprofit aimed at supporting the Ricks theater, kicked off the holiday season Saturday with the show, which was a celebration of the talents the local arts community has to offer. About 300 people — a full house — attended to watch performances from local dancers, singers and artists, all in support of the organization’s kick-off fundraiser.
The nonprofit was formed last year after the theater lost county funding. It is responsible for helping with the preservation and upkeep of the historic venue. Every dollar earned from the inaugural variety show — about $3,200 — is going toward the organization’s first big goal: renovating the aging marquee, a landmark that has attracted visitors for years, board member Chris VeHorn said.
The show featured performances from Wilkerson Dance Studio; Mt. Vernon’s Locked Out a capella choir; the New Palestine Intermediate School hand bell choir; Hearts Ablaze Cloggers; and the Brandywine Wind Jazz Concert Band.
The Ricks used to host a holiday variety show that took place after the city’s annual Christmas parade, but the tradition was ended years ago, said Debbie Wilkerson, owner of Wilkerson Dance Studio. The Friends of the Theater decided to revitalize the Christmas show, which turned out to be a great success, she said.
The Ricks has served as a venue for local entertainment groups for years, said performer Neil Lantz, who has played tenor saxophone with Brandywine Wind for six years. With the central location and wonderful acoustics, it’s the perfect venue to keep the spirit of the hometown theater alive during the holiday season, he said.
“This is where it needs to happen, absolutely,” Lantz said. “It’s obvious, look out there. There’s a full house and then some. There’s a lot of people out here having a good time.”
For some performers, Christmas at the Ricks was an opportunity to showcase their talents with their friends and families in the audience while contributing to a good cause in the process, said Liam Bass, a vocalist for Mt. Vernon’s Locked Out choir. With all the seats filled and no microphones being used because of the smaller space, it made the singers feel closer to those in the crowd, he said.
“It’s great to hear everybody here and connect with the audience on a personal level,” Bass said.
The whole neighborhood felt close-knit, said Greenfield resident Jim Devlin, whose daughter is a dancer with Wilkerson Dance Studio. Devlin said he learned about Friends of the Theater the night of the performance, but their efforts putting the show together were clearly good for the community, he said.
Watching local businesses come out to support one another is always a positive thing to see, he added. Friends of the Theater has received a rush of community support since its founding; for the variety show alone, it received sponsorship and advertising assistance from several local businesses, including Griggsby’s Station, Joyner Homes and NineStar connect, VeHorn said.
“There’ s a lot of good spirit here in town,” Devlin said. “It’s good to see a lot of small businesses encouraging people to get through the door.”
Griggbsy’s Station, a pub and eatery in the same block as the theater, was eager to sponsor the event, said owner Amy Baggott, who served drinks for patrons before the show and during intermission. Friends of the Theater is working to protect the historic venue, which isn’t important just to preserving the area’s heritage, she said. It also helps the well-being of all downtown businesses, Baggott added.
The theater is drawing more people downtown, which benefits everybody, Baggott said. And with the warm and welcoming atmosphere, it was a night she was happy to support.
Lauren Zych, owner of the Butterchip Bakery, served some of her from-scratch cookies and treats. Zych, who also is a teacher at Wilkerson Dance Studio, has a lot of love for those dedicated to the cause.
“I’ve been performing here since I was in school, and I’ve been going to shows here since I was very little,” Zych said. “The Ricks theater really has a special place in my heart.”
The Friends of the Theater is taking a cue from other small Indiana cities in ensuring that they support local artists and performers, VeHorn said. Supporting the theater will help continue the mission of preserving the historic downtown as a destination for visitors and as a place to live, she said.
“We feel like Greenfield is on its way to becoming that,” Vehorn said. “So we want to make sure this here is a cornerstone of our downtown that lives on for a long, long time.”
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Miss the show?
Saturday’s Christmas at the Ricks benefited the Friends of the Theater’s efforts to refurbish the facility’s marquee, a project estimated to cost about $16,000. If you missed the show but would still like to contribute, you can reach out to the friends of the Friends at hctheaterfriends.org or on Facebook at Friends of the Theater — Hancock County.
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