A Timless Tribute: Paramount Fundraiser Set For Feb. 22

Event To Feature Music, Art And More

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Bristol’s beloved Paramount needs money. Constant money. Money beyond what’s earned from its typical schedule of shows.
“We are a non-profit organization,” said Merle Dickert, executive director of the Paramount.
Given the recessed economy, donations to non-profits are down across the country.
“But the arts are so essential,” Dickert said. “Movies and theaters thrived during the Great Depression. It feeds the soul.”
So to help pick up the slack, Deana Cole-Roberts, artistic director of Highlands Ballet, has organized a benefit for the Paramount.
Scheduled to stage at the Paramount on Feb. 22, “Timeless: A Tribute to the Paramount Center for the Arts” will feature a wide array of local talent.
“I hoped to get together Celtic to bluegrass to R&B,” Cole-Roberts said. “Lindsey Blackwell will sing everything from Janis Joplin to something from ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’ ”
Musicians scheduled to perform include harpist Sandra Parker, bluegrass band Breaking Tradition, Appalachian Celtic band Fire in the Kitchen and acoustic alternative rocker Annie Robinette. The bill will also include ballet from Cole-Roberts’ Highlands Ballet Company.
Attendees can also expect to see art and photo exhibits, further enhancing the show’s presentation of local arts.
The show’s mostly local theme, Cole-Roberts said, is firmly in keeping with today’s Paramount.
“I think the Paramount was renovated in 1991 to be a community theater,” she said, “to serve the community at large.”
However, many community theaters nationwide are struggling as cuts in arts grants and donations leave many on the brink of closing. Benefits such as “Timeless” for the Paramount are vital, Dickert said.
“Show revenues do not cover what it costs to operate this theater,” she said. “We depend on donations and grants and business support.”
Look no further than the Paramount’s marquee. As of this writing, a large number of light bulbs are burned out and need replacing. That’s but a dent in what’s needed.
“The carpet is showing its age. It’s nearly 20 years old,” Dickert said. “The heating and air conditioning need some major repairs.”
For now, the public may not notice most of the needs of the Paramount. However, in time if gone unaddressed, such blemishes could detract from the theater’s grandeur.
Meanwhile, there’s a show on tap at the Paramount. Cole-Roberts and Dickert agree, behold Bristol’s beacon of the arts.
“It’s a timeless icon, that nice old theater,” Cole-Roberts said. “It’s timeless.”

IF YOU GO
What: Timeless: A Tribute to the Paramount Center for the Arts
When: Feb. 22, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Paramount Center for the Arts, 518 State St., Bristol, Tenn.
Admission: $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, and $6 for children under age 12
Info: (423) 274-8920
Web: http://www.theparamountcenter.com

TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at .