#Freeman stage how to

Fundraising and construction take time-up to six years. The future pavilion will make that even easier to do. “We look forward to continuing the diversity of our program.” “It’s not just one genre,” Grimes agrees. But it equally emphasizes local ballet, theater and other performing arts groups.

The Freeman has become known for bringing in national headliners, including the Beach Boys, Lyle Lovett, Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo Girls. Despite never having handled entertainment programming previously, Grimes didn’t hesitate. The women came up with a list of family-friendly entertainment options, including music, movies and children’s activities.įreeman gave Grimes the go-ahead in March 2008. At the time, Grimes was vice president of marketing and customer relations for the developer. In late 2007, Michelle approached Grimes about creating a summer arts program at Bayside, one of the company’s communities. Now, with plans for a 4,000-seat venue underway, Freeman is making an even bigger name for itself./Photo courtesy of the Freeman Arts Pavilion. Even as the pandemic took center stage, the shows played on. Freeman Companies, which developed Sea Colony, and a noted philanthropist who loved the arts.įeaturing performers like the B-52s, Chicago and Lyle Lovett, The Freeman Stage became a local icon, hosting more than 89,000 patrons in 2019. The former Green Beret was the president of the Carl M. Freeman Foundation is a tribute to Michelle’s husband, who died in a helicopter accident in 2006. Grimes and Michelle DiFebo Freeman, the foundation’s founding chair, are also committed to bringing the arts to the community.

#Freeman stage how to

“We were probably one of a dozen arts organizations in 2020 to feature live performances, so we learned a lot about how to do things safely,” she says. However, the Freeman is dedicated to following CDC protocols. Grimes hopes that pods won’t be part of the 2022 schedule. Attendees can now sit at picnic benches with dinner before the show.

There also will be more concessions, a hit last year. “We got a lot of suggestions for improvements that we can make.”įor the 2022 season, the venue will have another exit, additional restrooms and paved paths instead of crushed stone. “As we finished the season, we did a survey, and the feedback was great,” says Patti Grimes, the foundation’s executive director. The new layout was complete in just six months. The attendance figures beat pre-pandemic figures.

In 2021, more than 80,000 people attended live performances, despite the pod-style seating that maintained social distancing. The increased space has made an immediate impact. The nonprofit arts organization is currently raising funds for a $27 million facility with a covered stage and 4,000 seats-more than a quarter of which will be under a roof. Freeman Foundation, which operates the venue, is just getting started. The stage moved to a new home on purchased land adjacent to the existing site, increasing its footprint. But the Selbyville event venue did more than change its name. In 2021, the Freeman Stage became the Freeman Arts Pavilion. The Freeman Arts Pavilion, formerly known as the Freeman Stage, has big production plans as it books performances for the coming year. Summers are for enjoying outdoor concerts, and this Selbyville venue can’t be beat when it comes to live music in the First State. Photo courtesy of the Freeman Arts Pavilion.