by Trevor Odom, Assistant Marketing and Program Manager, Elks Theatre and Performing Arts Center
Hello all. It is hard to believe the Elks Theatre and Performing Arts Center is now two years past its renovation.
A lot has happened here in the past couple of years, so much that one article cannot do all of it justice. The theater now shows movies every Wednesday, playing a variety of titles from “Gone With the Wind” to “Top Gun.”
Our second-floor dance halls are filled with dance instructors in a variety of disciplines. We have also had huge success with our Top of the Elks Jazz concerts, which now take place every second Monday of the month.
We were also fortunate enough to be able to gift a $6,000 scholarship to a Prescott High School band student via our Ann C. Dater Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The most exciting thing that has happened within the last year is the addition of our new state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing studio.
The completion of this studio represents two years of work from the Elks’ team. The purpose is to provide a low cost, professional option for access to audio recording to a larger segment of the performing arts community.
We are fortunate enough to contract with multiple experienced and well-trained recording engineers who will be able to help local artists take their talents to the next level. This studio includes Wenger sound isolation recording booths with 8-input channels. The studio is powered by a Logic X software interface and also includes all of the mixing software necessary to cut a demo or record your podcast. Just stop on by to take a look and chat with one of the recording engineers.
The new recording studio is open to the public and will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Musicians can choose from multiple recording engineers who have a combined 90 years of experience.
Our engineers specialize in multiple genres including bluegrass, hip-hop, rap, metal, rock, blues, country, Latin and others. Using our Wenger sound booth technology, the engineers can simultaneously record multiple artists in isolation, creating crisp and clean sound for professional recordings.
The recording studio is representative of the Elks Theatre and Performing Arts Center mission to enhance the performing arts community in Prescott and the surrounding area. We take pride in being able to offer these subsidized services to the great performers here in the Prescott area. We are truly blessed to have such a great and supportive performing arts community here, and it is an honor and privilege for the Elks to be able to make a positive impact within it.
The hope is that the center can recreate the success that has been seen in the second-floor dance studios, which now accommodate 25 instructors in 18 different dance disciplines.
We were able to create this success by supplying professional resources at prices subsidized to give all community members access to space, regardless of financial means. One of the major draws for our dance studios is we have the only sprung Marley floored studio in the entire Prescott area.
In our continued drive to provide top quality resources for performers, the recording studio is meant to enhance the music community the same as the dance studios enhance the dance community. We are confident the quality of the equipment and personnel will ensure our hope becomes a reality.
It is through participation from community members we are able to provide the entertainment and services that we do, and we are extremely thankful to be living in such a responsive and engaged community.
In addition to supporting the maintenance of one of the oldest historic buildings in the Yavapai County, a portion of every dollar spent in the theater or center goes to programs benefiting youth in the Quad Cities. Without Prescott’s caring support, along with the donations and patronage of the community, we would not be able to do this.
Those interested in receiving tours of any of the spaces mentioned in this article can contact the theater at (928) 777-1359 or the Performing Arts Center at (928) 756-2844.
On behalf of the staff and volunteers at the Elks Theatre and Performing Arts Center, I would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season and invite you to spend part of your holiday with us here at the center. Whether you catch a movie, enjoy a class, attend a show, or join us for Acker Night, it’s always a great time at the Elks Theatre and Performing Arts Center.
