The Valley Chronicle - Special events take center stage at HHTng

Tribute Mania concerts continue June 9 with a tribute to The Who

[caption id="attachment_11429" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Photo by Susan Carrier
Over 150 fans attend the HHT for the showcase of the film Grease.[/caption] ■ By Susan Carrier / Contributed The Historic Hemet Theatre is becoming well known all around the region for its Tribute Mania concerts. But concerts are only a part of the story behind the success of the downtown community arts center. HHT hosts a wide variety of events, and late spring is especially busy. On Memorial Day, Ray Rodriquez and the nonprofit K.I.A. sponsored a day of free patriotic movies for the community. One of the films was especially popular - “Flight to the Wall” chronicles the journey of a group of Vietnam veterans as they restore three helicopters and travel across the country to visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. Over 50 local residents participated in the event and everyone signed a special K.I.A. memorial flag. Then on Thursday, May 31, the Hemet Woman’s Club hosted a sing-a-long screening of the 1978 classic film, “Grease.” Over 150 fans showed up, many in costume, for the event. Wally Arida and Diane Richard emceed the festivities that included costume and singing contests, as well as a hula hoop challenge and a raffle drawing. In addition, several club members had vendor booths in the lobby to showcase their businesses. This week, River Springs Charter School is hosting the end of the year awards and promotion ceremony for the high school and next week the younger grades will follow with two days of ceremonies. Also next week on Thursday, June 14, from 5:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m, the Hemet/San Jacinto Chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) will host a free “Hemet Pride Day” that will feature a series of short films and speakers who will share their mental health experiences in their LGBTQ journey. A panel discussion will follow the presentation designed to educate and raise awareness of LGBTQ issues. Meanwhile, next up on the Tribute Mania schedule is a Tribute to The Who featuring Who’s Next on Saturday June 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the Tribute to The Who are selling fast, but a few will likely still be available day of show. Other concerts in the season include tributes to The Doobie Brothers (June 23), Chicago (July 7), The Bee Gees (July 14), The Eagles (August 4), and Abba (August 18). Showtime for all Tribute Mania concerts is 7 p.m, with doors open at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $22 presale / $25 day of show. HHT also features classic films for just $5 every Monday and Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. Coming up on Monday, June 11, The Green Glove (1952) starring Glenn Ford, Geraldine Brooks, and Cedric Hardwicke, and on Tuesday, June 12, HomeTown Story (1951) starring Jeffrey Lynn, Donald Crisp, and Marjorie Reynolds. Information on all theatre events is available at www.HistoricHemetTheatre.com or by calling the ticket office, (951) 658-5950. A weekly email blast of upcoming events is available by enrolling on the website. Event tickets are available online at www.PurplePass.com or at the theatre ticket office. Ticket Office hours are Monday thru Friday 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Tickets are also available at the Downtown Deli, 113 N Harvard St and the Harvard Street Music Exchange, 134 S Harvard St.