The Sharon opened up Thursday to laughter, champagne, hors d’oeuvres, tuxedos, gowns and a few tears.
It was a night when the Swells and average Villagers came together to have a party. They celebrated The Villages latest entertainment jewel: The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center.
The memory of the late Sharon L. Morse was with her family.
“This is a very emotional night for us,” said Jennifer Parr, Sharon Morse’s daughter. She stood near the lobby entrance of the Center, along with her sister, Tracy Mathews and brother, Mark Morse. They greeted many of the nearly 1,000 patrons for the opening night gala.
Lobby doors opened at 6:30 p.m. for the Center on Spanish Springs Town Square. Showtime for Patti LuPone was 8 p.m.
Champagne and hors d’oeuvres were soon offered to the guests.
“This is a world-class theatre,” said Bill Krone, who regularly performs in Villages’ stage productions. “It’s a tremendous leap forward for The Villages and the arts community here. I think it makes The Villages a better place for everyone.”
Soon after the doors opened, it seemed like a huge cocktail party. People were sitting at round tables in the lobby of what used to be The Church on the Square. Hector Garrido and his Sextet played some smooth jazz and light pop music near the lobby stage. The atmosphere, to say the least, was festive.
“We’re so excited to be in here,” said June Jarvis, who, like Jean Hemes, showed up in a black gown and platinum hairdo. “It’s nice to see people in The Villages so dressed up. It makes everything elegant.”
The opening night was considered formal and most of those attending lived up to the dress code.
See a video from opening night on the Villages-News.com Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagesNews?ref=hl
“This is really the beginning of a new era,” said Migri Lyons, another Villages’ theatrical performer. “You can have opera, ballet and stage musicals here that we’ve never had before.”
Carol Onuschak, Janet Moscatello and Diana Schrak were celebrating the event with a champagne toast at one of the tables.
“To me, this means the greatest entertainment is coming to The Villages,” said Onuschak, who belongs to a local theater club. “I’m glad they kept the stained glass from the Church on the Square. That keeps the old Villages alive.”
The blending of past and present was a big part of opening night. Mary Blount was a longtime friend of Sharon Morse. “It feels good to be here and I think tonight is a night to honor Sharon. She would be proud.”
Fernando Varela is one of the most popular singers in The Villages and has earned worldwide acclaim for his music. He attended the opening with his wife, Susan, who also performs and does charity work with him.
“The Morse family has just hit it out of the park with this place,” Fernando said. “The Sharon has been so anticipated and so needed. It’s a state of the art facility where we can bring in big Broadway shows and big names. This place is built for big, professional shows.”
Vera Marks sat at a table with friends and soaked up the atmosphere. “When I walked in I saw Jennifer (Parr) and Mark (Morse) and I thanked them for this wonderful theater. As time goes on, it will only get better.”
Michael Gielow, 16, was among the youngest members of the audience.
“This is the kind of theater that will bring young people from Ocala, Leesburg and other places to The Villages to see more shows.”
“It’s like a new window on the world of entertainment,” added his mother, Nancy Gielow. “It’s going to have a big impact on the economy here.”
Whitney Morse, Sharon Morse’s granddaughter, runs the Center with her husband, Jason Goedken. Despite the complications of opening a new theater, everything seemed to go off without a hitch.
Whitney Morse paid tribute to her grandmother – whom she called Nonnie – writing in the opening night program:
“Sharon L. Morse spent a large part of her life bringing us to theatre, and now because of the passion she instilled in all of us, we are bringing the theatre to you.”