The Old Post Office Playhouse is proud to present The Hoppers, “America’s Favorite Family of Gospel Music” in concert on Friday, May 11 at 7:00 pm.  This award winning gospel group calls North Carolina home and often appears on the Gaither Homecoming series.

Tickets for the concert are available by calling The Green Room Community Theatre Box Office at (828) 464-6128.  Box Office hours are Wednesdays – Fridays from 10:00 am until 5:30 pm. Reserved ticket prices are $15 and $20. The Old Post Office Playhouse is located at 10 South Main Avenue in downtown Newton.  For directions or more information about The Green Room Community Theatre or the Old Post Office Playhouse, please visit our website:  www.the-green-room.org or call (828) 464-6583.

With humble beginnings as rural farm-boys, The Hoppers were organized in 1957 in Madison, NC by founding member and owner Claude Hopper along with brothers Will, Steve, Paul, and Monroe. With the addition of Connie Shelton (now Connie Hopper), the group became known as the Hopper Brothers and Connie. Over the years, the group welcomed and mentored many musicians and singers including sons Dean and Michael and daughter-in-law Kim.

The Hoppers have received many honors including Mixed Group of the Year from the Heart’s Aflame Awards, Diamond Awards, Singing News Fan Awards (12 times), and the SGMA. They have also received multiple Dove Award nominations, and in 2011, the SGMG Lifetime Achievement Honor. In 1998, Connie was recognized with the prestigious Marvin Norcross award, given to those with excellence in “devotion to family, service to church, and contributions to the gospel music industry.” Michael received the Musician of the Year award from the Singing News Fan Awards, along with Kim who has received the title of Female Vocalist and Favorite Soprano for well over a decade. Connie Hopper was also inducted into the SGMA Hall of Fame 2010 Class at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN.

The Hoppers have traveled the world spreading the Gospel while performing favorites like “Jerusalem,” “Yes I Am,” “Shoutin’ Time,” “Yahweh,” “I’ve Come Too Far” and many others. The group has always tried to remain stalwart in their sharing of hope and God’s unmatchable love, while keeping their faith in Christ and family. Their prayer is to extend this message to all who do not know him, and encourage those who do.

While keeping a full-time performance schedule, they are business leaders in music publishing, concert promotions and part owners in the National Quartet Convention (NQC) working hard to expand gospel music for generations to come.

For more information on The Hoppers, visit www.thehoppers.com.

The Green Room Community Theatre will open its Spring Musical, Smoke on the Mountain, this Friday, April 20, 2012 at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton, NC. This funny and touching show, set in the 1930’s, is all about the Sander’s family and their adventures as a gospel singing family.  Smoke on the Mountain is one of the all-time favorite shows ever presented at The Green Room, and we are thrilled to include it as part of our 25^th Anniversary Season.

Smoke on the Mountain is produced by Peoples Bank and Drum and Willis-Reynolds Funeral Homes and Crematory. It is written by Connie Ray, conceived by Alan Bailey, with musical arrangements by Mike Craver and Mark Hardwick. The show is directed by Hollie Sherrill with musical direction by Cathy Banner.

Performance dates for Smoke on the Mountain are April 20, 21, 27, 28, May 4 & 5 at 8pm and April 21, 22, 28, 29, May 5 & 6 at 3pm. Please note there are two performances on Saturdays, April 21, 28, and May 5.  The Box Office is open Wednesdays – Fridays from 10:00 am – 5:30 pm throughout the run of the show.  For tickets, call (828) 464-6128.

“The Seven Last Words of Christ” a Good Friday concert presentation.

performed by the Kontras Quartet and Newton-Conover Pastors

Kontras String Quartet, Western Piedmont Symphony’s quartet in residence, is excited to bring Joseph Haydn’s string quartet version of “The Seven Last Words of Christ” to the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton on Good Friday, April 6, 2012 at 7:00 pm.  Nine prominent pastors from the Newton area will reflect upon each of the Seven Last Words of Jesus on the cross.

This concert presentation is offered free to the public by The Green Room Community Theatre.  The Green Room is pleased to work with the following area minsters who will be participating in the concert: Lutz Keller, Interim at Grace Reformed UCC, Newton; Willis Green, First Methodist, Newton; John Robbins, Chaplain, Catawba Valley Medical Center; Ann and Frank Aichinger, New Vision Presbyterian, Conover; Beth Lilly, Retired – Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Newton; Robert Silber, ECCCM; Willetta Ar-Rahmaan; St. Pauls United Methodist, Newton; Brant Hoots, Trinity Baptist, Newton.

Contemplating on the Savior’s last sayings has served as inspiration to a great number of visual artists and musicians over the centuries. In particular, at least 15 composers have written musical settings of the Seven Last Words for various combinations of voice or instruments. The best known of these musical works is by the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809).

Combining the recitation and explanation of the actual phrases with Haydn’s musical meditations upon them has proven to be an incredibly profound and moving experience, and has been popular with concert audiences and churchgoers worldwide in the past two centuries.

No reservations are required, and general seating will be on a first come, first served basis.

The Green Room Community Theatre’s second stage all-youth production, Peter Rabbit and Friends, will open Friday, February 24 for a two-weekend run. This delightful adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s classic stories, The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, is sure to please all ages.  A cast of thirteen youth portray Potter’s beloved characters.

Peter Rabbit and Friends is produced by Pixelspace and is directed by Sara Scronce and adapted for the stage by Patricia Barry Rumble.  Production dates are February 24, 25, March 2 & 3, 2012 at 8:00 pm and February 26 and March 4, 2012 at 3:00 pm.  Tickets are $14 for Adults, $12 for Seniors and Students, and $8 for Children age 12 and under.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 828-464-6128 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 10:00 am and 5:30 pm.

Alice in Wonderland , The Green Room Community Theatre’s All-Youth show for the 2011-2012 season, will continue this weekend at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton. Join Alice on her journey into a world of talking animals, comic royalty, and races where the contestants run in circles.

Alice in Wonderland is produced by Automated Machine Design, Inc. and is directed and adapted by David Brown from the classic story by Lewis Carroll.  Remaining production dates are February 17 & 18, 2012 at 8:00 pm and February 19, 2012 at 3:00 pm.  Tickets are $14 for Adults, $12 for Seniors and Students, and $8 for Children age 12 and under.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 828-464-6128 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 10:00 am and 5:30 pm.

The Old Post Office Playhouse is pleased to present Magic’s Royal Duke – Sammy Cortino on Friday, January 27, 2012, at 7:30 pm.

Alkahest Artists & Attractions and Music City Artists are positioning Hickory illusionist Sammy Cortino to turn a vision into a reality. Cortino is set to embark on a tour across the country and overseas, bringing audiences his vision of a back-to-basics approach to magic in its purest up-to-date form. To thank the Greater Hickory Metro for supporting his ventures, the 22-year-old will premiere his touring stage show at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton. This will be one of Cortino’s last area performances for a while as the illusionist moves to Nashville, TN this spring to set the Music City as his new base of operations.

To Cortino, magic is an art: an image of life. The show will feature stage illusions incorporated into drama, music, dance, and comedy as a theatrical medium to express life and preserve magic’s foundation for future generations. He will share with the audience magic’s rich history by showcasing the art’s masters and presenting classic illusions like Houdini’s Metamorphosis and the renowned Gamolo Stage Levitation. Through music, illusion, and storytelling; tribute will be paid to his cousin Johnny Mercer. Mercer was co-founder of Capitol Records and collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini, and Ray Charles.

Tickets are on sale at the Old Post Office Playhouse, home to The Green Room Community Theatre. All seats are $15.00.  Box office hours are 10:00 am-5:30 pm Wednesday-Friday.   Please call (828) 464-6128 to reserve your seats. Please note: the box office will not be open the week of Christmas.  You can track the production of the show on the official Sammy Cortino website, http://www.SammyCortino.com.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will open this Friday, December 2, 2012 at the Old Post Office Playhouse in downtown Newton. The Green Room Community Theatre is pleased to present this Christmas classic as its holiday offering for the 2011-2012 season. Based on the classic tale by Charles Dickens published in 1843, this is the tale of how Ebenezer Scrooge is forever changed by his encounters with the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future one fateful Christmas Eve.

A Christmas Carol is produced by McCreary Modern and is adapted and directed by Sylvia Schnople who has directed many shows at The Green Room, most recently, The Fantasticks.  The Scenic Designer for this show is Steven Hoke, art teacher at Arndt Middle School.  Green Room patrons will remember Steven as the Tin Man in this season’s production of The Wizard of Oz.

Production dates for A Christmas Carol are December 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, & 17 at 8:00 pm and December 4, 11, & 18 at 3:00 pm.  The Box Office is open Wednesdays – Fridays from 10:00 am – 5:30 pm throughout the run of the show.  For tickets, call (828) 464-6128.

Six lovely ladies take the stage this Friday, November 4, as The Green Room Community Theatre opens Steel Magnolias at the Old Post Office Playhouse in downtown Newton.  Making up the cast of this Southern classic by Robert Harling are Kelly Abernethy, Amy Beane, Connie Bools, Hailey Clarke, Karen Henline, and Jeanne Laws.

Steel Magnolias features a group of Louisiana women sharing their triumphs and tragedies in and around Truvy’s beauty parlor.  It was made into a movie in 1989 starring Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts.

Steel Magnolias is produced by Robert Abbey, Inc. and is directed by David Townsend.

Performance dates are November 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, & 19 at 8:00 pm and November 6 & 13 at 3:00 pm.  Box office hours are 10:00 am – 5:30 pm on Wednesdays – Fridays throughout the run of the show.  The box office number is (828) 464-6128. Ticket prices are $14 for Adults, $12 for Seniors and Students, and $8 for Children age 12 and under.  This show is rated PG.

For tickets, please call the box office number listed above.  For other questions, please call the main office at (828) 464-6583 or visit our website: www.the-green-room.org.

The Wizard of Oz will conclude its run at The Green Room Community Theatre this weekend at the Old Post Office Playhouse located in historic downtown Newton.  Remaining production dates are September 16 & 17 at 8:00 pm and September 18 at 3:00 pm.

The Wizard of Oz is the first production in The Green Room’s 2011-2012  25^th Anniversary season . Join Dorothy and her three friends as they travel down the yellow brick road in search of their hearts’ desires.

The Wizard of Oz is produced by Corning Cable Systems and is directed by John David Brown III and David Townsend with musical direction by Cathy Banner and choreography by Sara Scronce.

The Old Post Office Playhouse Box Office will be open from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm Wednesday through Friday, September 14 – 16.  To purchase tickets, please call the box office at (828) 464-6128. The Old Post Office Playhouse is located at 10 South Main Avenue in Newton.

This production of The Wizard of Oz is based on the book by L. Frank Baum and adapted by John Kane from the motion picture screenplay.  Music and Lyrics of the MGM motion picture are by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg with background music by Herbert Stothart.