I am thrilled to report, Shawnee has stayed the course, weathered the COVID storm, and has emerged better than ever!  Some six decades later,  we are still here! 

The date, Sunday March 15, 2020, Shawnee hosted Pierce Arrow from Branson Mo. Little did we know that in the next weeks, months and years the world would become a very different place, and, Shawnee would be in the toughest fight of its 65 year life to remain open. 

The past several months has taken its toll on small businesses, arts organizations have been hit especially hard.  Shawnee is no stranger to tough times; our founders staged a play in a barn, and Shawnee was born.   

After a couple of “false starts” Shawnee, like so many arts organizations has embarked on a more phased approach to post-COVID reopening. As artists slowly return to the profession, we are seeking them out and will get them to our stage as we return to normal operations. We invite you to check our website often, news and events of our reopening will appear there first.
  
Aside from fundraisers (as COVID policies permitted) we have spent the “dark time” making some badly needed facility upgrades. A warm and inviting fresh coat of paint (and new signs) greet our patrons. Inside, we have kept our facility spic and span, a lot of cleaning and sanitizing. We have made extensive changes to our sound system that will provide the highest fidelity audio for years to come.

Finally, Shawnee not only remains open, but continues to set the bar high for arts Organizations County, state and nationwide. Our “secret sauce” that not only keeps our doors open, but keeps us moving forward is the support of our loyal patrons. To these patrons, our heartfelt thanks, for supporting our shows, and for honoring the trust placed in our community by our founders for over 60 years.

Sincerely, 

Jack R. Terrell
President Shawnee Board of Directors