03/29/2024
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Mark Andersen and Friends will present “Phantom of the Opera” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 26th.

Organist and composer Mark Andersen returns to his home theater and our Mighty Morton theater organ with a special evening of film and singing just in time for Halloween. The first half of the show features Andersen accompanying on organ the 1925 silent horror film classic with his own original score, while the second half features some of the region’s best vocalists performing selections from Andrew Lloyd Weber’s hit musical. An utterly unique evening not to be missed!  Performers:  Melvin Ezzel will sing the Phantom, Janiel Miller will sing Christine, Brad Thompson will sing Raoul and Laura Morgan will sing the Diva Carlotta.

Tickets are $10-$25. Seniors (65+) and military $22. Subscription series discounts apply. Contact the theater for group rates. Tickets can be purchased in-person or by  telephone with credit card or cash noon-6 p.m. Monday through Friday through our administrative offices in the theater’s second floor (enter on Fourth Street side), or by calling the Civic Center at (910) 738-4339. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. Theater lobby box office opens for ticket sales one hour prior to performance.

Mark Andersen
On October 26th, audiences will hear the Mighty Morton organ played by the hands of Mark Andersen, a noted concert and recording organist who travels the country performing on these magnificent instruments. Mark has been featured on several American Theater Organ Society national annual conventions over the years and he has recorded more than 36 albums in his career. He is now the host of the “Crescendo!” weekly television program over Spectrum (formerly Time Warner) and Comcast networks throughout America and devotes much of his time to the preservation of the art of theater pipe organ. Although Mark is a native of Lumberton, most of his life has been spent in New York, Boston, Paris, and Seattle playing concerts. Mark was a head staff musical arranger for NBC in New York and also a noted composer having won the International Composer’s Competition in Amsterdam, Holland twice in his career. His has now retired back to Lumberton.

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO SEE MARK ANDERSEN PERFORMING A BROADWAY SELECTION ON A WURLITZER ORGAN

The Mighty Morton
The theater’s Robert Morton organ is one of only about 100 such organs still operational in the world today. At one time in America almost every theater and movie house in the country had wonderful pipe organs to provide the music accompaniment to silent films and bring audiences to their feet singing the familiar melodies of the day. These wonderful instruments were very different from church organs and they were complete with pipes, drums, sound effects, and more to provide great entertainment to audiences across the nation. In many ways these instruments provided much needed relief from the stress of the great depression and daily worries but they mostly fell silent after the invention of movies with sound tracks. Over the years most theaters simply discarded these beautiful instruments and for a while it was though that they would be lost forever in the annals of history.

Fortunately a very small number of theaters across America did keep their wonderful musical instruments so that we can relive the glory days of the theater and hear the sounds of these mighty pipe organs yet today. Even though the original pipe organ from our Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater was lost to time, a group of dedicated people found and installed a Robert Morton theater pipe organ in the theater during the 1980s. Over the years this lovely organ has needed extensive repair and continued maintenance. This has been made possible by locals people who care and by dedicated artisans who have given their love and labor to bringing it back to life.

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ORGAN’S HISTORY

About the Theater
The Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater is a beautifully-restored 1928 treasure listed on the National Register of Historic Places that offers visitors a unique and visually stunning experience. The theater is located at 315 North Chestnut Street in the heart of downtown Lumberton.  First opened as a vaudeville and silent film house, the theater offers a wide array of programming including live touring performances, original productions, art exhibits, films, special events and rentals. For more information visit www.carolinaciviccenter.com.

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