Greetings, Neighbors and Friends and Happy New Year!
On behalf of the all-volunteer team at the Friends of the Vergennes Opera House, here's a wish for a healthy and happy 2026 to you all.
Also, a heartfelt THANK YOU for all your support over the past year in both donations and encouragement as we continue toward completion of the All Access Project in 2026.
We look forward to inviting you back into the theater at the end of March with our first ON Stage production, featuring Gina Coleman and the Misty Blues Band and their "Roadhouse Revival Gospel Blues Review" on Saturday, March 28. Tickets are available on the events page: https://www.vergennesoperahouse.org/events.
While you are on our website, check out the many free OFF Stage shows coming up, including Duo Dulce at 10 Green Street on Saturday, Jan. 10; and the Hokum Brothers on Friday, Jan. 23 at Rockers Pizzeria.
We also want to take the opportunity in this newsletter to remember a beloved friend and supporter of the VOH, Carlotta Tippett, who passed away in November. She will be greatly missed and leaves behind a wonderful legacy.
So here’s to the arts, and best wishes to you all! No doubt 2026 will be a GREAT year because of all the good people and goodwill in our community.
Thank you and Happy New Year!
With gratitude,
Gerianne Smart, President
Friends of the Vergennes Opera House
info@VergennesOperaHouse.org
802.877.6737
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DUO DULCE
SATURDAY, JAN 10, 6-8pm
at 10 Green Street Wine Bar
(free admission)
Our “Off Stage” performance series continues with an intimate evening of chamber music featuring “Duo Dulce,” (John Dunlop, cello, and Laura Markowitz, violin) at 10 Green Street Wine Bar in downtown Vergennes. Set in the warm, welcoming atmosphere of one of the little city’s newest gathering spaces, the performance invites the audience to experience classical music up close and off the traditional concert stage.
10 Green Street Wine Bar offers an intimate backdrop for the evening, pairing live music with thoughtfully curated wines and a relaxed ambiance. Audience members are encouraged to arrive early, enjoy a glass of wine, and settle in for a performance that blurs the line between concert and conversation. Wines, lagers, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, as well as hors d'oeuvres.
John Dunlop has been teaching and performing in the Northeast for over 30 years. He studied at Oberlin and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and currently serves as principal cello with the VSO. Further, he plays with many of the most talented performers in the area, performing new works with the TURN Music Ensemble, the Skylark Quartet, the VSO sponsored Jukebox Quartet and others. John has trained several generations of young musicians, many of which have gone on to major conservatories to pursue careers in performance, education and academia. John has taught at Dartmouth College, University of Vermont, and the Monteverdi School in Montpelier but focuses now on his private studio in Richmond Vermont.
Laura Markowitz, a Pennsylvania native, has been a violinist with the VSO since 1991. She received her Bachelors in Music from Indiana University and studied post-graduate at Akron University. Laura currently maintains a private teaching studio in Richmond, VT where she teaches violin and fiddle to beginners and advanced players. She also coaches students in the Vermont Youth Orchestra.
Many thanks to 10 Green Street Wine Bar for hosting this event.
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THE HOKUM BROTHERS
FRIDAY, JAN 23, 6-8pm
at Rocker's Pizzeria
(free admission)
VERMONT'S PREMIERE AMERICANA COMEDY BAND features Woody Keppel (guitar), Allan Nicholls (drums), and Gus Ziesing (accordion, saxophone, clarinet). This playful band has a kitschy blend of ragtime, folksy tunes, vaudeville, and early jazz. They are a riot! Come early, grab a seat, order a pizza, and get ready to giggle. So much fun!
Many thanks to Rocker's Pizzeria for hosting this event: 191 Main St, Vergennes
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The 20th Anniversary of Broadway Direct was spectacular for many reasons, not the least of which was the unique venue at the Vergennes Congregational Church. What a spectacular performance by the entire cast, including the beautiful pipe organ that made a cameo “appearance” in the opening number from the Phantom of Opera.
Thank you to Bill Carmichael Walsh for bringing this show to life for 20 years and to the cast which included Bill along with the pros, Elisa VanDuyne, Brian Golub, Madison Micucci, Caitlin Walsh, David Postlewate, and Ronnie Romano accompanist. Thanks also to the two CVU students Marin Walsh and Rowan Williams for sharing their talent as well.
Thank you to the Vergennes Congregational Church and Pastor Elliot Munn for their hospitality in accommodating this year’s OFF Stage production of Broadway Direct.
And finally, a Broadway-sized THANK YOU to our show and season sponsors who made this year’s show possible.
The 21st version of Broadway Direct will be back in the Opera House but those who attended the 20th anniversary show won’t soon forget it. It was truly one to be remembered! Here's a link to a video clip of one of the opening numbers:
https://youtube.com/shorts/VwoEV2jGNSY?feature=share
This show is made possible by the generosity of our season sponsors and the following Broadway Direct show sponsors: The Hardy Family, Peter and Liz Markowski, Connie and Bill Houston, Vergennes Animal Hospital and Gaines Insurance. |
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Remembering Carlotta
In this issue, we pay tribute to a dear friend, generous donor, and a powerhouse behind the original restoration of the Opera House back in 1990’s. Carlotta Tippett was on the initial design committee that envisioned how beautiful the old theater could be. She and her team did the research, traveling far and wide to study other theaters and Opera Houses, designed the stunning decor from floor to ceiling, and raised the funds to get it done. The results of their great work endures to this day. In fact the Tippett impact on the Opera House wasn’t just cosmetic, during his tenure as President of the Board, Paul Tippett was instrumental in the installation of much needed air conditioning. Until recent years, both Carlotta and Paul participated in every event and fundraiser, especially the Ladies Rally, as seen in the photo. Just recently Carlotta asked for a paver in the new All Access alleyway/courtyard to be installed with this inscription:
CARLOTTA TIPPETT
7 YEARS OF INTERIOR DESIGN
IN THE 1990s
W. PAUL TIPPETT JR
2 YEARS AS VOH PRESIDENT
RAISED FUNDS FROM GOVT GRANTS
AND PRIVATE DONORSIN THE 1990s
THANKS FOR THE VOH’S FIRST
AIR CONDITIONING, PAUL!
HOW FAR WE HAVE COME!
We appreciate and recognize the contributions of the Tippett Family and look forward to continuing their legacy to maintain and improve the Vergennes Opera House into the future.
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Check out the construction progress on our new elevator tower! Here's the latest video clip from the second floor INSIDE the tower!
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ALL ACCESS PROGRESS - JANUARY 1, 2026
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THANK YOU FOR "PAVING THE WAY"
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Imagine walking through the new courtyard between City Hall and St. Paul's Church and looking down and seeing familiar names and interesting phrases and sentiments engraved in the pavers beneath your feet. The entire courtyard tells a story, and you can be a part of it too!
So far we have sold 267 bricks, which adds up to more than $53,000 of community support! Truly we are a "Little City with a Big Heart."
There is still time to purchase a brick and help us "pave the way" to the new elevator entrance.
Your brick can honor a friend or family member, commemorate a special event, or memorialize someone special. There are four sizes available. You can access all the information here: Buy a Brick.
 Options available:
- 4x8 bricks are $125
- 8x8 bricks are $250
- 12x12 bricks are $500
- 24x24 array of bricks $2,000
Add a logo to any size for $50.
You can also make a donation or pledge of cash, check, stock, or any combination. All we need is your pledge at this time. Here is a link to the various ways to give: Make a Donation or Pledge.
Thank you for helping us to make the historic Vergennes Opera House space easily, respectfully, and safely accessible to everyone.
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Calendar at a Glance
"OFF STAGE" Productions all around Vergennes
- SATURDAY, JAN 10, 6-8pm – "Duo Dulce"- John Dunlop (cello) and Laura Markowitz (violin) at 10 Green Street Wine Bar (free admission)
- FRIDAY, JAN 23, 6-8pm – Hokum Brothers at Rockers Pizzeria (free admission)
- SATURDAY, FEB 14, 2pm – Love Songs with Bill Walsh (vocals) and Dan Levine (piano) at Vergennes Grand Senior Living (free)
- SATURDAY, FEB 28, 6-8pm – Josh Clevenstine at Rocker’s Pizzeria (free admission)
"ON STAGE" in the Vergennes Opera House
To view updates to our events, visit our events page: VOH Events
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THANK YOU to our 2025-2026 SEASON SPONSORS!
Patricia Butler, Vergennes Grand Senior Living, Mark & Julie Basol, Realtor® Sue Walsh at Berkshire Hathaway Vermont Realty Group, Vergennes Partnership, Geoff & Susan Nelson, Ed & Beverly Biello, Amanda Bodell & Jeffry Glassberg, Jackman Fuels, H.J. LeBoeuf & Sons Contractors & Builders, Mike & Maggie Catillaz, Ned & Lauren Pike, Philip & Roberta Puschel, Peter & Liz Markowski, Bob & Deb Hartenstein, The Schaefer Family, Connie & Bill Houston Lizbeth & Timothy Ryan, Casella Waste Management, Otter Creek Awnings, and in Memory of Garry Simpson.
Media Sponsor: WMUD 101.5 and WCLX 107.3
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