Wilson Center Auditorium

After several months of City commission meetings and public input, the Wilson Center renovation project is beginning to move forward again.

The City has scaled back its plans and is no longer planning to relocate city offices there, but it is still acquiring the auditorium and gymnasium for community entertainment and recreation. A small amount of space was also purchased for concessions for these two facilities.

We are eager to be able to get back into the auditorium when Dymaxion’s construction is far enough along that it is safe for use. Estimates are that that won’t be until late 2024 or early 2025.

We will continue to post to this site as updates become available.

The City of St. Johns‘ new city commission is revisiting plans for relocating their offices from the county courthouse to space at the Wilson Center, a plan that would involve their purchase of that portion of the building, the auditorium and gymnasium from developer Dymaxion.

Dymaxion’s plans to renovate the remainder of the building into living space are on hold while these deliberations are made.

At a special City meeting on February 15th, the Wilson Center was one of the topics for discussion. Here is a link to the meeting minutes:

https://cityofstjohnsmi.com/egov/documents/1677591375_09561.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0_9dwpZQwWX9woA-_0bdR70Y-DJU0WzhqonYc265_dExWrkNHmudFbKqo

As you can see in the minutes, three residents – two of which were involved in the community’s 18-year fundraising and volunteer renovation of the Wilson Center Auditorium – spoke in favor of not abandoning preservation of the historic building, retaining its auditorium and gymnasium for public use and continuing to work collaboratively with Dymaxion on their development of the rest of the building.

A special City Commission meeting is planned for this week – on Tuesday, March 7th at 5pm – at the city police department building at 409 S Whittemore Street (Business 127) to discuss the topic further. The public is welcome, and we would like to invite anyone who would like to show support for continued preservation and renovation of the Wilson Center to attend.

Again, the meeting is this week, Tuesday March 7th at 5pm at the city police department building on S. Business Route 127 (a couple of blocks south of the traffic light at M-21 and BR-127). ALL ARE WELCOME.

Next up at the Wilson Center Auditorium: The Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon!

Christmas is a time for magic. A time for the traditions we cherish. A time to watch as many original TV movies as a human being can possibly endure.

But now with the Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon, you can enjoy the sugar rush of six Christmas movies all at once!

Welcome to Hopewood Falls, Vermont, where singles in adorable sweaters converge to look for love. Can disguises help royalty and/or movie stars find the down-to-earth connections they crave? Will evil city slickers destroy charming inns and/or Christmas tree farms?

Isn’t it a little creepy for a meet-cute to depend on one person being in a coma?

Grab a hot chocolate and your favorite wise single friend to find out in this wildly entertaining parody of holiday rom-coms, presented in script format on the stage of the historic Wilson Center Auditorium by Homegrown Productions.

Friday, December 2nd – 7:30pm

Saturday, December 3rd – 7:30pm

Sunday, December 4th – 3pm

Tickets are $10 at the door.

This 90-minute staged reading features Makayla Marrison, Darryl Schmitz, Marci Balogh, Tim Balogh, Christopher Hibbs, Marsha Brook, Jan Ross, Tom Webb, Debbie Lundeen, Eric Kasten, Beth Webb, Bob Pung, Michelle Harvey Hill, Bob Murrell, Kallie Marrison, M D Nelson, David Brooks, and Susan DeRosa.

Singers on the Grand presents “Tapestry: the 1970s revisited” at the Wilson Center Auditorium in St. Johns on Saturday, November 12. The 12 singers and 8 band members will take you on a musical journey through your favorite songs of the decade.

Enjoy iconic music from the 1970s like songs from Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Queen, ABBA, Earth Wind & Fire, John Denver, Joni Mitchell, The Carpenters, The Village People, Barry Manilow, and many other favorite performers. Includes full ensemble performances, solos, duets, and small group numbers. Don’t miss the opening performance of their 2022-2023 season, so purchase your tickets today!

Saturday, November 12, 7:00 pm show (doors open at 6:30 pm)

General admission seating.

Wilson Center Auditorium, 101 W. Cass St. Saint Johns, MI 48879

Tickets are $15 and available online at https://sotg.bpt.me , through any ensemble member, or at the door. For more information, visit the event link on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1760056237685615

Homegrown Productions presents

THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940

Written by John Bishop. Presented by permission of Dramatists Play Service.

Friday, October 7 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, October 9 at 3:00 pm

Saturday, October 15 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, October 16 at 3:00 pm

It’s not a musical, it’s a comedy!

A little music, a little mayhem, a murder here or there.

Starring Kallie Marrison, M.D. Nelson, Sandy Thomasson, Ralph Sims, Michelle Hill, Bob Murrell, Debbie Lundeen, Darryl Schmitz, Marci Balogh, and Christopher Hibbs

Wilson Center Auditorium, 101 W Cass St, St Johns, MI 48879

$15 general admission. $12 students and seniors.

Tickets available at the door.

Homegrown Productions is supported by Clinton County Arts Council, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Opening night is just over a month away! Performances of the murder mystery satire “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” are Friday, October 7, Sunday, October 9 (matinee), Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16 (matinee). Note the staggered (no pun intended) dates due to the shared use of the auditorium.

Pictured at rehearsal, left to right are Christopher Hibbs (Patrick O’Reilly), M.D. Nelson (Eddie McCuen), Kallie Marrison (Nikki Crandall), Debbie Lundeen (Bernice Roth) and Bob Murrell (Roger Hopewell). Not pictured are Michelle Harvey Hill (Helsa Wenzel), Marci Balogh (Elsa Von Grossenkneuten), Darryl Schmitz (Michael Kelly), Ralph Sims (Ken De La Maize), and Sandy Thomasson (Marjorie Baverstock).

Watch this page for more details. We hope to see you there! Bwahahaha!! 🗡

It’s not a musical, it’s a comedy. There isn’t a single murder, but there might be four. The action begins at midnight, in a mansion not too far from Broadway, in a blizzard, with a power failure. If you’re ready for a fast moving, satiric romp, in classic (think Casablanca) costumes, you’re encouraged to audition.

Homegrown Productions is holding auditions on August 22 and 23 at 7 pm at the Wilson Center Auditorium, 101 W. Cass Street, St. Johns. Performance dates are October 6-9. For more information, email susanderosa@msn.com or tomwebb73@gmail.com.

Hope to see you there!

Dymaxion Development will be conducting this short tour this coming Tuesday at 6pm to explain their plans to develop the classroom space of the Wilson Center into apartment units. All are welcome: