For almost 29 years, a little old white church in Brownville, Nebraska, has brought cabaret, opera, jazz and other classic music styles to rural Nebraskans. The mission of the Brownville Concert Series, which started in 1990, is “to bring professional live performances to a rural, underserved area of Nebraska.”
This spring, the Brownville Concert Hall will be renovated and brought up to code with new elevators, handicapped-accessible bathrooms and outdoor lighting. Builders plan to finish the $775,000 project in June.
Thanks to a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant and private donations, only about $250,000 still needs to be raised. The Concert Series, which relies mostly on volunteers, invites donors to join “The Grand Club” by donating at least $1,000 toward the project.
The renovations will not disturb this year’s season, which runs through December, program coordinator Jan Chism Wright said. This year, artists like Christina Bianco, the April Verch Band and Marilyn Maye will perform at the hall for about 100 guests. The price of admission is $25, and attendees can even meet the artists. Student tickets are $16.
“It’s really such a deal,” Wright said. “It’s like we have a Brownville-Broadway connection.”
To learn more about the Brownville Concert Series or to donate, go to brownvilleconcertseries.com.
