APRIL 22-28, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9 of The Gillioz Center for Arts & Entertainment, which has operated at 325 Park Central East since 1926. OLO was previously housed at The Creamery Arts Center, which is owned by the city of Springfield and serves as a headquarters for multiple local arts groups. OLO is the resident opera company of the historic theater, and Gillioz Executive Director Geoff Steele said he’s thrilled to have it in the house. “OLO for me feels like it’s the most representative of the way arts are growing in this community,” he said. Steele said OLO offers both consistency and creativity in its programming, and the organization is also a great example of an organization that is willing to partner with other agencies. “Working with them has just been incredibly productive for my staff,” he said. “We’re having fun.” Spyres said the energy goes both ways. Not long ago, OLO was doing two or three events per year, but the residency at the Gillioz has allowed the company to expand its offerings to six in the current season. The partnership expands the audience for both the Gillioz and OLO, Spyres said. “The Gillioz brings in the crowd to rock shows and to comedy shows, and we bring in a few different folks that don’t normally come to those things,” he said. “Our audience has changed since we’ve been doing more things here. We’ve seen a lot more interaction with first-time, new patrons, and a lot more younger audience members who are just used to this space.” Steele said he wants to provide diversity of programming in the theater. “Part of our mission is to be intentional and intelligent and to be good stewards of what we’ve been given – to cultivate an environment for creativity,” he said. “Our diverse programming is one of the primary things that sets the theater apart.” Another difference is seen in the physical space – the dimensions of the theater itself. The stage measures 37 feet wide and 21 feet tall, and it has a depth of 28 feet – narrow for staging. The theater was originally what was called a transition house, Steele said; it ushered in silent films while simultaneously ushering out vaudeville, and eventually it became a straight movie house. Spyres said the shallow stage creates some challenges for staging opera. “Because it’s so shallow, we’ve only got three drops that we can fly things in, where The Landers Theatre would probably have triple that. You know, it’s just a vaudeville theater, and that’s kind of the approach we go with. He noted that technology expands the possibilities for staging. “With projections now, you’re able to do things you couldn’t do before, and people are used to looking at moving images and animations,” he said. “If people are used to staring at their phone or their TV, we can kind of slip the opera in front of it.” Something for everyone Adie Williams has been an OLO board member for about a year, and said she enjoys seeing people discover opera. Interviewed in the week leading up to “The Black Rider,” she said she was anticipating a big, diverse crowd. Williams’ fiance, Steve Ames, who has a part in “The Black Rider,” called the show wildly different and unique. “The orchestration is very much in the style of Mr. Waits, with interesting and diverse instruments – theremins and didgeridoo, for example – and the show features some outstanding powerhouse performances,” Ames said. Williams said the board is interested in producing shows that are accessible to a wide range of audience members. “We want to show people opera is for you – it’s for everyone,” she said. “Forget anything you thought you knew about opera. This is going to be so much fun.” • TAWNIE WILSON Sean Spyres, business and operations director for Ozarks Lyric Opera, says keeping things fresh is important.
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