Rome Arts Hall of Fame
Induction Ceremony

Class of 2024
Sunday, May 5 • 4pm

Rome Native Returns to Honor Teacher

1966 Rome Free Academy graduate Anthony Elliott, Emeritus Professor of Cello at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor will be in Rome this weekend to honor his former music teacher at a ceremony Sunday at the Capitol Theatre.  Elliott who has achieved worldwide recognition as a cello soloist, conductor and teacher will share his memories of Willard E. Mathers who is one of the six 2024 Rome Arts Hall of Fame inductees who will be lauded Sunday, May 5^th in a ceremony beginning at 4pm at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Rome.  Mathers was a member of the Rome City School District’s music faculty and RFA and Strough orchestral director during the 1960’s.  Mathers has been cited by several RFA graduates as having a profound influence on their future music careers.  Anthony Elliott, himself a member of the Rome Arts Hall of Fame since 2014, says “…he was an inspiring leader with infectious enthusiasm and a desire to spread the joy and love of music.”  Elliott, a Rome native last appeared in concert in Rome at a November 26, 2022 performance for the Wednesday Morning Club.  Mathers died in 1982.  Members of the Mathers family are scheduled to attend the event to accept the honor in his name.

Additional inductees Sunday are: Performance Ensemble, Alliance Classical Players (represented by Colleen Reilly O’Neil and Kristin Kelly Hahn); Drummer and Author, Frank Briggs; Visual Artist and Arts Entrepreneur, Adam Prescott Chrisman; Music Educator and Performer, Linda Slavin; and Theatrical Director and Technician, Ray Tucker.

Tickets for the induction ceremony are currently available from the Capitol website, at the Capitol box office (Tuesday – Friday; 11am-4:30pm) and at Jervis Public Library.  Tickets priced at $15.00 adults; $13.00 Capitol Friends; $10.00 students; and $40.00 (maximum for same household, family members) will also be available at the door.

All of the activities Sunday begin at 4pm and are open to the public.  More than one hundred plaques containing pictures and brief biographies of current members of the Rome Arts Hall of Fame will be on display in the theater’s outer lobby. Rome Free Academy’s Show Choir Rhapsody will lead off the program Sunday with a performance at 4:30pm. The formal induction ceremony will be hosted by Rome Arts Hall of Fame committee member Rob Tracy.  There will be an opportunity for audience members to meet and congratulate the 2024 inductees as well as view exhibits of memorabilia representing their involvement in the performing, visual or literary arts.  Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the induction ceremony.

The Sunday event kicks off a Local Arts and Music Showcase at the Capitol highlighting area talent.  Saturday, May 11^th beginning at 7pm the theater presents the CNY Onstage Live variety show hosted by Sydney Irving, recent winner of a 2024 SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Awards).  On Sunday, May 26^th the Capitol’s youth theater group the Rising Stars take the stage at 5pm with an original musical production Westward, Ho!.  The Rising Stars features fifty students from twelve central New York school districts and colleges. 

The Rome Arts Hall of Fame honors individuals with a connection to the Rome community who have made outstanding contributions to the literary, perform­ing or visual arts. The organization provides the community an opportunity to remember past contributors to the arts, to celebrate current outstanding artists and to inspire young people in future artistic endeavors.  Nomination forms for the 2025 class of inductees are available online from the Capitol website.  Inductees can be living or deceased.  Once nominated, potential inductee names are automatically considered in subsequent years.

TICKETS

Capitol Arts Complex to Host Month-Long
Showcase Celebrating Local Talent this May

Capitol Arts Complex is launching a Local Arts and Music Showcase this May, transforming the entire month into a grand celebration of local talent. Every week, the Complex will host events spotlighting local artists, musicians, and performers.
Kicking off the festivities on May 5th will be the Rome Arts Hall of Fame. Since 2005, this event has been held annually at the Capitol Theatre to honor and celebrate the contributions of local artists to the community. This year’s inductees include renowned drummer Frank Briggs, Alliance Classical Players, visual artist Adam Chrisman, orchestra director Willard Mathers, music educator Linda Slavin, and former Capitol board president Ray Tucker.
The celebration continues on May 11th with the CNY Onstage Live variety show at the Capitol Theatre stage. This event, hosted by Sydney Irving, recent winner of the 2024 SAMMY for best pop album, will feature a range of performances including music by former American Idol semi-finalist Ethan Harris, the Blues Brothers of Central New York, magic acts, stand-up comedy by Brendan McGurk and Brenda Reinhardt, and special appearances.

The Local Film Shorts Showcase will take place on May 18th at Cinema Capitol. This event has become a staple in our community, showcasing local short films. Additionally, local artist profiles and short films will also screen prior to each movie at Cinema Capitol.

On May 26th, the Capitol’s youth theatre group will present the original play
“Westward Ho!” live on the Capitol Theatre stage. This program is led by Janet Foote and Rod Foote, and promises a vibrant performance by the Rising Stars Youth Theatre.

May is set to be a month of dynamic creativity and community spirit at the Capitol Arts Complex. We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the wealth of local talent that our community has to offer.