Five years ago Plymouth Christian Youth Center (PCYC) launched a bold plan to re-invent its Capri Theater into a venue that would become a beacon for North Minneapolis by “bringing up the lights on West Broadway.” This five-year milestone will be celebrated on Saturday, June 30, with an “all-star” benefit concert featuring Rick Carlson, Debbie Duncan, Charmin Michelle, Thomasina Petrus, Dennis W. Spears, Regina Marie Williams and The Wolverines Jazz Trio.
The concert is set for 7 p.m. followed by a post-show party. Tickets are $75, and are available at thecapritheater.org or through OvationTix at 866-811-4111. ($50 of the ticket price is a tax-deductible contribution to support arts programming at the Capri.)
“We launched the Capri Theater Renaissance with a special Classic Capri: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan concert on June 16, 2007, that featured Dennis, Debbie, Charmin, Rick and the Wolverines Classic Jazz Trio, and it was this event that inspired the creation of our popular Legends jazz series,” said Karl Reichert, Capri Theater Director. “As we started to plan this festive concert to celebrate our five-year milestone, we felt it was important to feature a few of the many artists who have helped transform the Capri into what Minnesota Monthly has hailed as ‘the Twin Cities’ Best Jazz Venue.’”
Dennis W. Spears, artistic director of the Legends series, will direct the June 30 concert, with the guest artists reprising some of their most memorable performances at the Capri over the years.
“It’s hard to believe that it was just five years ago when PCYC launched its campaign to upgrade the Capri Theater and to transform it into a high-functioning performance and community gathering space in North Minneapolis,” said Anne Long, PCYC Executive Director. “We are proud that the Capri has become a hub and a showcase for North Minneapolis. During the past five years we have said we’re ‘bringing up the lights on West Broadway,’ but now we can confidently say that ‘the lights are up!’ And, in order to keep the lights shining brightly, we will continue to need our community’s support.”
Key accomplishments for the Capri include: Five seasons of the Legends series featuring well-known local musicians performing tributes to legends such as Billie Holliday, Nat King Cole, George Gershwin, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Aretha Franklin, and many more; Minnesota Monthly magazine naming the Capri the Twin Cities’ “Best Jazz Venue” because of the successful Legends series; Major upgrades to the theater in 2009 including a retrofitted marquee with electronic LED reader boards, a refurbished lobby, theatrical LED lighting, a 24 channel digital sound mixer, Bose speakers, a 20-foot motorized projection screen, state-or-the-art LCD projector and a full complement of stage curtains; The Capri becoming home for many rental events featuring music, film, dance, spoken word, community forums and more; Performing arts activities ranging from concerts by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra to performances by emerging hip hop artists during our Freedom of Xpression open mic sessions; A youth apprentice program is in its fifth year of training students in operating and managing a theater; Significant new relationships with other Twin Cities performing arts organizations such as the Children’s Theatre Company, McPhail Center for Music, Guthrie Theater, Illusion Theater, and the Penumbra Theatre.
For more information, visit www.pcyc-mpls.org.
