Article submitted by Jamie Fleury, The Pilot News Staff Writer
PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Board of Public Works approved the request submitted by the Rees to display new banners created by Shelley Heiden of Heiden Creative on the lamp posts through downtown and River Park Square after Labor Day Weekend and through November announcing and celebrating the grand re-opening of the Rees, “Rees for the Stars” which will be held from Saturday, October 1 through Saturday, October 8.
In a press release issued regarding the event, the Rees will offer cinema, dance, educational seminars, events, music and theater experiences with endless other possibilities. The grand re-opening celebration will include a concert at River Park Square on Saturday, October 1 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET featuring Denver Bierman and the Mile High Orchestra. A free will offering will be collected.
Bierman is writing a new song, “My Home Town” for the Trumpet Challenge. The hope is to bring together a record breaking number of trumpeters to River Park Square to play in one location. Relay for Life will be fundraising through concessions during that concert. That evening at 5 p.m., 225 adult ticketed guests will gather to share a semi-formal meal in the middle of the 100 block of Michigan St. served by 18 Marshall County restauranteurs who will be serving their unique culinary specialties along with the accompaniment of live music.
The Maxinkuckee Players and Plein Air artists from the Heartland Artists Gallery will participate in the celebration. In addition to painting the event live, the gallery will also host an Arts Block featuring work by local artists created in every media.
The Marshall County Historical Museum will host a window display featuring the history of theaters in Marshall County. The museum will be open that evening sharing a new exhibit “The History of Theaters in Marshall County” with some local historians dressed in period costumes on site to help guide guests through the 1940’s history of when the Rees first opened.
A ribbon cutting will be held at the theater doors at 7:15 p.m. followed by the dedication of the Bob Pickell Performing Arts Stage inside the theater at 7:45 p.m. Bierman and the Orchestra will then perform the first concert on the new stage from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. This concert will be part of the “Dinner on the Street” for ticket holders.
During intermission that evening there will be a live auction of Peter Schumacher’s guitar and the Plein Air paintings from the evening. Several photo opportunities will include Classic Cars from the 1940’s from Hoosier Wheels, Rees Theater seats inside the lobby positioned in front of a new art collage of the Rees painted by Heartland Artists, and a Rees for the Stars playbill.
On Sunday, October 2 Community Tours of the venue will be offered between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. An adults only ticketed event, “Whiskey & Trivial Tidbits” will be held on Tuesday, October 4. Tony Ross of Max 98.3 Radio will emcee along with several Rees Committee members sharing stories and important facts about the REES renovation and the surprises they found in the theater.
An IMPROV event will be held on Thursday, October 6 for adults and children. Saturday, October 8 will conclude the weeklong celebration with the beloved children’s movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” at 1 p.m. This will be the first movie shown in the new Rees in conjunction with the Plymouth Downtown Merchants Chocolate Walk through downtown that day.
The Pilot News will capture the history of the event with a Special Edition hearkening back to the 1940’s and will sponsor a Rees coloring contest for all ages three weeks preceding the grant opening with prizes for winners in each age group.
