For the Miami Valley Today

PIQUA — The Piqua Civic Band concludes its summer concert series on Thursday, July 29, at 7 p.m. in Piqua’s Fountain Park with a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Hance Pavilion.

The Chautauqua Pavilion — later renamed for Bob Hance — was built in 1921 with private funds to be the permanent home of the Piqua Chautauqua festival. Over the years, many groups have called the pavilion home including Kids Galore, Music Warehouse, and the Piqua Civic Band. Guest performers in the pavilion have included the Air Force Band of Flight, Ohio Chautauqua, a National Chautauqua, and a concert conducted by Ohio’s March King, Henry Fillmore. The Hance Pavilion also served for many years as the centerpiece of entertainment for the city’s Fourth of July festivities.

Due to structural damage, the facility has been closed this year, but the band will be performing under a tent next to the pavilion for this event. Benches from the pavilion will be place in the park for concertgoers. In the case of inclement weather, the concert will move into the dining hall facility in Fountain Park.

The concert program, titled “The Seventies,” recalls many of the great pieces of music heard over the years in the pavilion when the band was under the direction of Bob Hance. In addition, music from the 1970’s, the last decade that saw major structural repairs needed to the pavilion, will be performed. Selections will include “American Overture for Band,” “Irish Tune from County Derry,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” music by “Chicago,” “Blue Tango,” selections from “Mamma Mia,” and many more.

The band’s guest for the evening will be Dan Rosenbaum. He is a Piqua native and graduate of Piqua High School and has been living in New York City and working as a professional Broadway actor for the last 22 years. Due to the shutdown of the industry and world, due to COVID-19, he has returned to Ohio and will be attending Wright State University to finish his BFA in musical theater this fall, and he hopes to teach and direct in the area in the very near future.

Rosenbaum was most recently seen playing the lead role of Sonny in the regional premier of “A Bronx Tale: The Musical” at Broadway Palm Theater in Ft Myers, Florida. Previous credits include national tours of “A Bronx Tale: The Musical,” “RENT,” Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida,” and “Miss Saigon.” He has appeared regionally in “Sunset Boulevard,” “Footloose,” “Annie,” Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida,” and off-broadway in “Baby Fat: Act 1” by Screeching Weasel, “Medicine: The Musical.”

Don’t forget to complete and return the special Hance Pavilion coloring page from the previous weeks’ programs for display at the concert in Fountain Park. Copies are available for download at the band’s web site and Facebook pages.

Admission to the concert is free, and all are invited to attend. For more information, visit the Piqua Civic Band’s web site at http://piquacivicband.weebly.com or like “The Piqua Civic Band” on Facebook.