Good afternoon and welcome to the special meeting of the Greensboro City Council, May eleventh, twenty twenty six.

I move that the city council go into closed session pursuant to North Carolina General Statute One Forty Three Dash Three Eighteen Eleven A Three to Consult with the City Attorney in order to preserve the attorney client privilege regarding matters that may give rise to potential or pending litigation and North Carolina General Statute One Forty Three Dash Three Eighteen Eleven A ten for the City Council to review body worn camera recordings.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mr.

Marshall.

All in favor, please say aye.

And that passes unanimously.

We will be back as soon as we do that.

Oh say can you see by the dawn's light what surprisedly hailed at the twilight lights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perless fight or the watched was least dreaming and the rocket the bombs busting gave proof through the night that a flag was to stay us that free and the health order right Steve Good to offer the invitation would you bow with me for prayer Heavenly Father Today we gather with gratitude and humility and hope as we celebrate the graduation of the one hundred and nineteenth Greensboro Police Department Academy class.

We thank you for the dedication for the sacrifice and the perseverance that have brought these graduates to this important moment.

Through long hours of training and testing, discipline and preparation, they have answered a call to serve others, often in difficult and dangerous circumstances, and today we honor their commitment to protect and serve the people of Greensboro and beyond.

Lord, we ask for your hand of protection upon each officer standing here today.

Watch over them as they begin the next chapter of service.

Grant them safety in moments of uncertainty and danger, bring them home safely, and at the end of every shift to the families and the loved ones who stand behind them with pride and support.

Give these officers wisdom to make sound decisions, discernment to know what is right, courage to stand firm in difficult moments, and patience when tensions rise.

Help them to lead not with anger or fear, but with integrity, justice, compassion, and self-control.

Father, guard their hearts in a profession where they will encounter pain, conflict, tragedy, and brokenness.

Help them never to lose their compassion for people.

May they remain strong without becoming hardened and courageous without becoming reckless and authoritative without losing kindness.

We also pray for their families, for spouses, parents, grandparents, children, and friends who both share in the pride in the burden of this calling.

Give them a peace during the long nights, comfort during anxious moments, and strength as they support those who serve our community.

Lord, your word tells us, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God, and may these graduates truly be peacemakers in our city, protecting the innocent, serving the vulnerable, and helping bring order and safety and hope where it is needed most.

And Father, today, these graduates become part of a proud legacy as a graduate of PBIC 60.

I admit I may be a little biased, but I truly believe they are joining one of the finest police departments in anywhere in this nation.

The only one second to us is a Guilford County Sheriff's Department.

May they honor the way they wear that badge, and may they protect this community and serve the generations of officers who have gone before them in service, sacrifice, and gratitude.

Bless the Greensboro Police Department, its leadership, its officers, civilian staff, and all who support this mission in each and every day continue to guide this department to be a light in this community and a source of protection and professionalism and compassion for the people of Greensboro.

As these officers take their oath and begin their service, may they walk with humility, honor, and courage.

Guide them in every step, protect them from evil, and use them for good in our community.

And we pray all these things in your holy name.

Say it with me.

Amen.

Please be seated.

Now I'd like to call Greensboro Interim Chief of Police Chris Schulte Still for his remarks and welcome any of our special guests, Chief Schultz.

Good morning, and welcome to the graduation of the 119th Greensboro Police Academy.

I want to thank you all for being here this morning to celebrate the accomplishments of these graduates.

I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge and express our gratitude for folks who came to join us today.

Uh, to our elected officials who are here, to our city officials present, thank you.

We appreciate your support.

I would also like to recognize and thank members of the other law enforcement agencies present today, the Greensboro Fire Department, members of the community who have joined us, and those from our agency who have come to support our newest officers.

Thank you.

It is truly an honor to stand before you today as we celebrate this important occasion.

To the graduates seated here, congratulations.

Today marks the culmination of months of hard work, discipline, and commitment.

More importantly, it marks the beginning of a career defined by service, responsibility, and purpose.

Each of you made a deliberate choice to pursue a career in law enforcement at a time when we see fewer people willing to do so.

That choice alone speaks to your character.

But you didn't just choose this profession, you chose to serve the citizens of Greensboro.

And that matters.

It is more than a symbol of authority.

It's a symbol of trust.

Every time you put it on, you are being entrusted by this community to do what is right.

Often in the most difficult and uncertain circumstances.

You will meet people on some of the worst days of their lives.

In those moments, how you respond, your professionalism, your empathy, your integrity will define not only you, but this entire department.

But it will also provide you with opportunities that few other careers can offer.

The opportunity to truly make a difference.

Never lose sight of why you started, and never underestimate the impact you can and will have on others.

I also want to take a moment to recognize the people who helped you get here today.

To the family and friends of our graduates, thank you.

Your support, your encouragement, and your sacrifices have been essential to their successes.

You have stood beside them through long days, difficult moments, and countless hours of preparation.

And while today is a celebration, it is not the end of that journey.

They will continue to need your support, your understanding, and your strength in the years ahead.

This career affects not only those who wear the badge, but also those who stand behind them, and your role is more important than you may ever fully realize.

Your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence have prepared these recruits for the responsibilities they are about to take on.

You have challenged them, guided them, and helped shape them into the officers they will become.

The foundation that you've built will carry forward into every call they respond to and every decision they make.

Graduates, as you leave this academy and begin your careers, I challenge you to hold yourselves to the highest standards, lead with integrity, treat every person with dignity and respect, support one another because this job is not done alone, and never forget that the trust of this community is earned every single day.

You are now part of something bigger than yourselves.

You are joining a profession rooted in service and a department committed to its community.

The citizens of Greensboro are counting on you and your fellow officers out there are eagerly awaiting the help.

Congratulations on this achievement, and as you embark on the next chapter of what I hope is a long and rewarding career.

Stay safe and take care of each other.

Congratulations.

To be successful, it's essential to have the support of our families and friends.

It is through that your support that these 22 recruits have made it through the academy, and we thank you.

Now please let me uh a moment to introduce the training staff, their dedication to and their commitment to the success of the organization through the development and education of its personnel.

This staff works tirelessly on numerous projects and programs while providing unwavering support of these recruits, our sworn officers, and our professional staff.

They are true professionals with whom I am proud to be associated.

Lieutenant Candace Vaughn, Sergeant Chris Wingfield, Corporal Kurt Stafford, Officer Dan Harris, Officer Nick Ingram, Officer Tim Jordan, Officer Brian Overstreet, and Miss Michelle Hubbard.

Please join me in giving these individuals a well-deserved round of applause.

I'd also like to thank the members of the Greensboro Fire Department who are in attendance today.

We share the training facility with them, and we are grateful for their support and camaraderie throughout the time.

Historically, the Greensboro Police Department presents several very special awards during academy graduation, and today we will honor members of the 119th Police Academy who are who have distinguished themselves.

I call upon our police academy school director, Sergeant Chris Wingfield, and the training staff to present these special awards.

Good morning.

All right.

The first award that we're going to give out is the highest academic achievement award.

All right.

During the academy, the students are given 40 uh topical areas of instruction ranging from constitutional law to drive an instructor, uh, driver's training to mental health awareness.

Every student must pass each block of instruction.

Um, while also preparing the comprehensive state exam at the end of the course.

The amount of studying required is demanding both physically and mentally, uh, as more material is presented over the course delivery.

During each class, um, we have one student who separates themselves from academically by achieving the highest overall average during the academy.

For the 119th Academy, the student finished with an overall average of 96%.

The train of staff's pleased to present the award to the highest academic average to recruit ward.

The next award is the Physical Fitness Award.

Each student is required to pass a physical fitness standard set by the state of North Carolina.

For the 119th Academy, I'm proud to present the physical fitness award to recruit Walker.

All right, the firearms award is going to be presented by our lead firearms instructor.

It's presented to the student and displays the excellent marksmanship skills.

In addition to this award, each student is eligible for an individual award for scoring a ninety-eight percent or higher during their qualifications course.

The recruits that achieved this level of proficiency are recruit Ayers, recruit George, recruit Leonard, recruit Lovett, recruit Petiford, recruit Starnes, recruit Trent, and recruit Walker.

All right.

One student was chosen from the class based on their fire's qualification scores and their overall firearms course performance.

The recipient of the firearms award for the 119th is recruit Trent.

All right.

CCT is an acronym for compliance control techniques.

Each student's instructed in handcuffing techniques, subject control, and officer safety.

The department's CCT instructors chose a student who not only demonstrates proficiency in the classroom and the mat room, but also personifies the immeasurable components of heart and drive.

For the 119th Academy, the recipient for the CCT Award is recruit Trent.

The instructor awards next.

The delivery of the police academy is an opportunity for each of our new employees to be given the state blocks of instruction while also becoming part of the city of Greensboro and their new family at the police department.

The 119th police academy consisted of roughly a thousand hours of instruction that's provided by our assigned training staff and many instructors throughout the department.

Each instructor brings something to the class that they're assigned, and they're an integral part of the best instructional academy in the Southeast.

Even with all that, we have instructors who step forward and demonstrate a commitment to both the department and the academy.

For the 119th, one instructor was chosen above all others from the level of dedication and providing excellent instruction, quality of work, and meeting the rigorous demands placed on both the state of North Carolina and the training staff.

This instructor received excellent reviews from the students and was the lead instructor on one block that many students identified as the best part that they had set through.

It's my pleasure to present the instructor award for the 119th Academy to Sergeant Josh Stern.

The Michael G.

Winslow Memorial Award.

On June 27, 1978, a brave hero, Greensboro Police Officer Michael Gray Winslow lost his life in a vehicle crash while responding to assist another officer who had called for assistance.

Michael was a member of the 50th PBIC, and since Michael had not yet turned 21 at the time of his class graduation, he had to wait until February 16th of 1978 to be sworn in as a Greensboro Police Officer.

As continuing memorial to Michael and his brief but impactful career, his family supports the Michael G.

Winslow Memorial Award, which distinguishes overall excellence and professionalism exhibited by one member of each graduating class.

The Michael G.

Winslow Memorial Award stands as the highest honor an academy graduate can receive, a distinction chosen by their class members and a lasting testament to the values, character, and professionalism that defines a true police officer.

Presenting this award is also Marlowe Wood, who received this award as a member of the 118th Police Academy.

It's my honor and privilege to announce the recipient of the 119th Police Academy's Michael G.

Winslow Award, recruit R.E.

George.

Now, as is customary at the Academy graduation, a student is selected to represent them.

At this time, I call recruit Leonard to deliver the class address.

Good morning, everybody.

I'm Recruit Leonard.

Ummand staff, training staff, attending officers and family.

I want to start out by saying thank you to the training staff and thank you to all the officers who took the time out of their lives to assist us in our training.

I would also like to thank and acknowledge all family members here today for the sacrifice during these 29 weeks.

We learned early on about the demands that come with this journey, the late nights, early mornings, in front of the laptop studying for our end-of-block tests.

The material, the material challenges and worry that come at times of uncertainty, moments of self-doubt remedied by support from our families, classmates, and training staff.

Without the help from my from my family, I know I would not have been able to achieve what I have in this academy.

As I'm sure it's the same for my classmates, I would also like to take a moment to show gratitude toward the Academy staff.

Captain Brown, Lieutenant Vaughn, Sergeant Wingfield, Corporal Stafford, Officer Ingram, Officer Harris, Officer Jordan, and Officer Overstreet.

Thank you, guys.

Thank you from the 119th.

You all made sure we had the adequate tools and support we needed to successfully accomplish the BLEP program.

Dedicating time off, dedicating time on days off to help recruits catch up and make up missed time.

And for the 119th, we say thank you.

Thank you, guys.

I was not alone in this.

The 119th came together and worked as one.

Every challenge, every test, every push-up, every step of the way, I was with my brothers and sisters in this academy.

From the nerves of day one and early formations, the classes felt longer than they really should than they really were some days, with too much info to take in from any person, but regardless, there was always those few who stayed behind to help the rest study.

Everybody does.

Honest, real differences.

But I do believe strongly that we as a unit are drawn together far more than we were driven apart.

Through the adversity bond bonds were built, and friendships were made that brought us together more than we could, we could have ever imagined.

From all walks of life, some speaking with Southern Twain, and others with New York dialect, from all backgrounds in the workforce, each bringing something unique with them as we prepare to serve the commun the community of Greensboro.

I will leave you with this.

Success is never final.

Failure is never fatal.

It is courage to continue that counts.

Growth and learning never stops.

Christopher Buck being pinned by his father, Randy Buck.

Dowdy being pinned by his wife, Angie Dowdy and Son.

Michael Ayers, Roland George the Third, being pinned by his wife, Caitlin George.

Carolyn Parson.

Jeffrey Love It being pinned by his father, Larry Love It.

Junior being pinned by his girlfriend Allie Summerliness.

Brandon Porter being pinned by his parents, Travonda and Johnny Porter.

Sarah Koreshi being pinned by her parents, Amin and Juanita Koreshi.

Nicole Robert being pinned by her mother, Michelle Robert.

Antonio Walker being pinned by his parents, Maxine and Anthony Walker.

Richard Ward Junior being pinned by his wife, Brittany Ward, I'm going to be a good idea.

I will now ask City Clerk Tory Frink to administer the oath of office.

A special thank you to Laundale Baptist Church, which provided the Bibles for each of our police new police recruits.

Hello.

Please place your left hand on the Bible, raise your right hand, and repeat after me.

Hi, Jonathan Harris.

I, Roland George, I, Lonald Bowden.

Hi, Glory Leonard.

Hi, Jeffrey Loves.

Hi, Jeremy.

Hi, you all Robert.

I go over to our regard.

I'm sorry, Storms.

I Tom Strength.

I'll never walk.

Ah, Richard Ward.

Do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

So help me God.

So help me God.

I do further solemnly.

I do further solemnly and sincerely swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of North Carolina.

To the state of North Carolina.

And to the constitutional powers.

And to the constitutional powers.

And authorities which are or may be established.

Which are or may be established.

For the government thereof.

And that I will endeavor to support, maintain, and defend the Constitution of said state.

Not inconsistent with the Constitution.

So help me God.

Abilities, abilities, judgment, judgment, and according to law.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Sergeant Wingfield, you may now dismiss the 119th police academy.

Right.

Peace.

Forward march.

Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the graduation ceremony, the 119th Police Academy.

We ask that you wait in the lobby area while our new officers complete some of their necessary paperwork.

They will join you in the lobby when they are finished.

Thank you.

Greensboro has it all.

Growing businesses, big time sports, green spaces, higher education, and incredible arts organizations.

Creative Greensboro wants to make sure the world knows that Greensboro is a destination for the arts.

Jackie Boone is Chief Creative Economy Officer.

She has the very best title in all of the city of Greensboro.

Hello and welcome.

Hello.

Thank you.

So glad to have you here.

So let's start with what is Creative Greensboro.

Creative Greensboro is the city's office for art and culture.

So I like to think of us as a catalyst for creative development in the city.

We support nonprofit arts organizations, creative individuals.

We provide free and low-cost experiences in the cultural center downtown and also throughout the city.

So we do a lot of things.

Yeah, you touch how many different organizations in the idea.

About I on average, I would say maybe 75 to 100 a year through various ways that we participate with people.

And thousands and thousands of people interact with Creative Greensboro, whether they actually know that's who they're interacting with or not.

Absolutely.

There are some people who actually say to me, um, oh, you're the nonprofit Creative Greensboro.

No, we are part of the city.

This is city supported, um, and this is the city's way of showing direct investment into the art and cultural sector.

Yeah, is does this happen in every city?

I mean, I would think no.

It does not.

And that's why Greensboro is such a gem that we have a dedicated office to focus specifically on arts and culture and to provide access in this specific way to the cultural community.

It's wonderful.

Yeah, it really is fun because it really does make a community.

It really turns it around.

What what makes Greensboro an art destination?

Greensboro is an arts destination for several reasons.

We have something for everyone in every season.

If you want to do something small and intimate, you can do a small intimate theater.

If you want to do something a bit larger, we have a beautiful music scene here.

Go to an outdoor festival, folks fest, of course, is coming up.

That's a wonderful staple in the creative community.

Tanger Center also has amazing offerings.

All year round, we have something for everybody.

So I think it makes us kind of quirky and unique.

Yeah, you can just drive through town, you'll see public art everywhere you go.

All parts of town, exactly.

Yeah, and as people are probably thinking, well, I'm not an artist, I'm not creative.

Like that doesn't, that doesn't apply to me.

But that's not true.

I mean, we're I mean, you're listening to music in your car, right?

Exactly.

You're creative.

Exactly.

Yeah, we all play a part in this creative economy.

I think that's a very specific point.

You don't have to be the artist to participate.

Support your local artist, support your local store, support your local creative.

You're a participatory in this process.

Yeah.

Buy a t-shirt that an artist made.

I mean, it's it's all part of the art scene.

I love that.

Okay.

So um the some things coming back this year.

Uh, the cultural pass program.

What is that?

So excited for the culture pass program.

So this is a partnership that we have with the Greensboro Public Library, where we provide free passes for cultural experiences between May and September.

Very excited about this.

Some of the organizations that we're supporting, their offerings are already free, but folks don't know about them, but you can go to the library and find out more what's happening culturally in the city.

But then there are other organizations like the Pearl.

They're brand new.

The Children's Museum, the Science Center.

We have purchased passes from them to provide free experiences for the public.

So you can go to the local library, downtown branch on the church street, and look and see what offerings are available.

Get a couple of passes and experience art and culture in the city.

Wow, just with a library card?

Just with the library card.

Wow, that's amazing.

From May to September.

From May to September.

We have about 150 plus passes already signed up in the program.

So I'm very excited to launch the program again this month.

How much fun is that?

That is great.

Okay, some new things coming this year.

Art and Culture Month.

What's that?

When is it?

What is it?

Art and Culture Month in Greensboro is the month of May officially.

Okay.

So this came about because several organ um departments within the city have their own specific month to highlight different causes around the city, which makes total sense.

Art and culture, we need our own month.

We need our month not just for a Creative Greensboro programming, but because the sector is huge.

And there are so many things that are happening across the city in terms of art and culture.

The sector really is a driver for economic development.

The arts means business.

So this is a time that we can really focus on the arts, not just the celebration of it, but also the business of it.

So this is a time for arts organizations to be highlighted, for local businesses, creative businesses to be highlighted, and of course, programming to be elevated and supported throughout the city.

Okay, what about culture works?

What's this?

Culture works, very excited about culture works.

This is new for Creative Greensboro.

This is our new signature event for Arts and Culture Month.

It's a one-day free arts and culture fair that we're gonna have in the cultural district.

We have amazing anchor institutions within the cultural district.

We've all gotten together to produce this wonderful one-day event.

We're gonna have everything from fashion, indoor fashion experiences to outdoor art galleries to art battles to podcasts, pavilions.

It's gonna be an art explosion all day long.

Free is gonna be fun.

I'm really excited about this.

Okay, when is this?

This is May 23rd from 11 to 8 p.m.

So fun.

Well, and that's gonna be where.

This is gonna be in the Greensboro Cultural Center, Labour Park, the Greensboro Museum, and the library.

So we're using all the cultural assets within the cultural district to really elevate and celebrate art and culture this month.

That's so much fun.

I love it.

Okay, so what are you?

I mean, you've told us a lot, a lot of things.

Is there like one specific thing you are so looking forward to this spring and summer with when it comes to creative things in Greensboro?

Obviously, I'm excited about Culture Works is brand new.

It's our baby.

We're we're pumped about that and all the other offerings that Creative Greensboro has to offer this spring and summer.

But I'm most excited for people to be outside.

This winter was brutal.

Um so the fact that we have more than 15 festivals um from culinary to literary to dance to music, all happening between now, ranging all the way through up into September, October.

I'm excited for people to be outside to be activated, to be encouraged, to be inspired.

So people come outside and be inspired.

It's you brought the sunshine with you today.

Yes, I think.

I tried to.

Yeah, I love it.

I love it.

I love it.

Okay, so when you are feeling creative, Jackie, what do you do?

These days I'm really focused on being a creative producer.

I'm a writer and a filmmaker by trade.

That's my jam.

That's my lane.

Um, but I really am excited about being a producer.

Um, I have a lot of experience producing large-scale events before coming to Greensboro in Charlotte and New York and in Baltimore.

But now I really get excited going to other people's events and becoming inspired, and then seeing how we can collaborate or how we can promote people more.

How can we use the arts to tell the story of Greensboro?

That is my sole passion these days, and I'm really excited to be delving deeper into that lane.

What is that story?

What is the story you want to tell with the arts in Greensboro?

I definitely want people to know this is not a drive-through city.

Yeah, um, this is an arts destination.

There is something for you.

Um, you can be creative, you can be outgoing and um excitable, have that kind of experience, or you can have something intimate and meaningful and cultural and small.

Um, this is a charming city with big energy, and I want people to feel like they're welcome here and that this is a beautiful special city that everyone should experience.

I love it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks for spending some time with us.

You can find out more about Creative Greensboro and all the good things happening on the art scene in Greensboro.

Just go to Creative Greensboro.com.

Again, Creative Greensboro.com will get you right where you need to go.

All right, when we come back, music, poetry, theater.

Oh my.

Stay with us, welcome back to Gate City Insider.

Our creative juices are flowing today, and how could they not be with a house full of artists?

Ameredith Corinthov Music Programming and Operations Specialist with Creative Greensboro, also Todd Fisher, performing arts coordinator.

Hello as well.

So glad you're here today.

All right, let's start with music this summer.

Uh this spring and this summer.

What can we expect?

Oh, we've got big things, we've got big things planned.

On June 6th, the Philharmonia is presenting its final spring concert, and it's gonna be a big one.

Our conductor Peter Peret is gonna be retiring after 10-15 years.

So we're really hoping to celebrate him and make that a special concert.

So that's a big deal.

That'll be at 7:30 at Dana Auditorium at Guildford College.

So that's that's the last of our indoor series.

Um and then we move on to Musep.

We love that.

Always music for a Sunday evening in the park.

Right.

Okay, and we're hitting all the parks this year, or lots of parks this year.

We've got five parks.

We're gonna start off on June 14th with the Greensboro Big Band at Lindley Park.

Always a big hit.

Yes.

We'll have a little spot for dancers.

We always get a good turnout of dancers there.

June 28th, we'll have the Greensboro concert band at Labour Park.

That's always a big hit as well.

July 19th, we'll be at Barber Park, featuring the 4J band and Songbird Raven and the Nest is the name of her.

Two new bands for us this year.

I love that name.

And then we've got August 9th, we will have West E Mambo, a salsa group that will be at Hester Park, followed by August 23rd, Africa Unplugged at Country Park.

So much fun.

Spreading it all out over the summer, and it's gonna be how many years of Museb now?

I think we're in year 46 or 47.

Wow.

Yeah I mean, so I mean, most of us don't remember a time without it.

But for those who have not been, can you kind of paint a picture of what it's like to go to one of these concert doors?

Yeah.

Concerts start at six o'clock wherever we are.

We have added in the last few years food trucks.

So we will have one sweet and one savory truck on site for your refreshments.

Yeah, and then depending most of these concerts are just gonna feature the one band, so they'll play a 45 minute set, take a little break, and then another 45 minute set.

In the case of Barber Park, we do have two bands, so they will switch over there at the half.

Um so we finish up around eight o'clock as it's starting to get dark.

Um, but it's it's a good time.

People can bring their own picnics um or partake of the of the food trucks that are on site.

So either way, yeah.

Good time to bring your chairs, bring your blankets, bring your kids.

Everybody is welcome.

Whole family.

Yeah, so much fun.

Thank you.

Okay, so Todd, I understand um you're gonna bring some music to the stage this summer.

Tell us about that.

Yeah, we're excited to bring a bye-bye birdie out to uh the Virginia Somerville Sutton Theater this this summer.

So that's at Wellspring.

That's at Wellspring, yeah, otherwise known as Wellspring, yeah.

So auditioning in May, so plenty of time to sign up to audition.

Yeah, rehearse, and it gives up June 25th through the 28th.

Okay, so much fun.

All right, so tell us about this show.

Bye-bye, Bertie.

Um it's uh got lots of famous songs to it.

Uh put on a happy face, which everybody remembers that jingle.

Um I won't whistle it for everybody right now because it'll be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

Um, it already is going to be a good thing.

Uh kids these days.

Um, so you hear that a lot repurposed in in a lot of uh commercial and TV radio.

So um it takes this, it's not about Conrad Birdie, although that's the title of the play.

It's about his um producer team, um, and particularly Rosie, uh, who is trying to get um Alfred to quit the music business.

And they cook up this big, big scheme for Conrad Birdie who gets drafted into the army on not not too unlike a certain similar other uh person around the 60s that was drafted into the army.

Yeah, yeah.

They cook up the scheme to get him to say farewell to America uh by kissing um the president of his fan club out in the small town.

So they travel from New York to a small town.

Uh lots of hijinks ensue.

Um things do not go the way they are planned.

Um, and then uh like most musicals of that era, um, most things come together in the end, but Rosie does get her way at the end, and that's what everybody really loves the the sort of story for.

It was Cheetah Rivera's breakout role, uh won the the Tony that year for that um and kind of set her on her path to stardom.

So great musical, great songs.

Uh we plan on having a big ensemble and incorporating some film work too, which is uh part of the story.

So great, yeah.

And and that's another one that's an all-ages kind of show.

Always, yep, absolutely.

Uh all ages show to participate in, and also um all ages for everybody to come see you.

Yeah, it's gonna be a lot of fun.

Okay, and tell me about Sonnet Fest.

Back for another year.

Back by popular demands, uh, which was great.

So we did Sonnet Fest last year.

It's a little hard to describe what Sonic Fest is, but I'm gonna try to do it.

So yes, it is Shakespeare's uh sonnets.

Uh this year we're gonna um do Sonnets 51 through 101, so just 50 of the sonnets.

Um last year we had about Oh, just 50.

Just 50, yeah.

And we had four different collaborators uh uh on board, so it's not just me coaching 50 different actors.

We had Scrap Mental, Sherry Radiance Performing Arts with us, um, also a little independent theater, and then Creative Greensboro.

We all took a group of actors, we all got randomly assigned sonnets to do.

So we didn't get to handpick them.

Uh and then we all picked a floor of the cultural center to perform in, and that was our stage.

So there was lots of different creative iterations of the sonnets, not just a stand and recite.

Some were sung, some were danced, some were done as group pieces.

Yeah.

And we're proud this year to be partnering with Parks and Rex.

We're gonna be the first Shakespeare in the park at um on the downtown Greenway.

That's gonna be cool.

So we're gonna uh use the uh public art as backdrops set pieces, basically, uh, and the audience will travel up and down the greenway to see the different performances.

Great.

So kind of on the west side of the greenway on the west side this year, yeah.

Yeah, so which is what we know as the final mile, which is which is opening this spring for the first time, yeah.

Um to bring an eye to the public art there, which is you know part of what we do here at Creative Greensboro, and then also give the community an opportunity to perform.

So all the performers are volunteers.

Um it was so much fun last year.

Um so we're looking forward to sweating it out on the greenway this year.

But it'll be fun.

The audience can travel on their own, they can walk, they can take a bird scooter, um, and then we'll have mobility options to you, so everyone can come and participate.

Sweating with the sonnets.

Sweating with the phone, there we go.

Yeah, sweating with the sonnets.

Maybe that will be on the back of our t-shirts.

That could be very fun.

That could be a whole lot of fun.

Okay.

So, you know, you talked about, you know, you can audition, you can come to shows, you can come to see the music.

How is the best way to keep up with all the great things happening with Creative Greensboro?

Well, definitely our social media channels, also through the city, but we have our own, our Instagram and then our Facebook account are great ways.

Uh, if you want to audition, if you want to support a program, how do you how do you do that?

Uh just sign up.

Absolutely.

Um, website still.

Yeah, website still, and just fill out a jot form.

And if you want to be part of the crew or help out backstage, uh we encourage that.

Probably one of the few in town that we train people to in directing and stage management and uh set construction and scenic design.

So um sign up the same as any actor and just say I'm interested in a career position, we'll reach out to you.

Yeah, all right.

Meredith, what do you love most about the arts in Greensboro?

I love that they're free and accessible.

Yeah, yeah.

So we I mean, I suppose not everything is free, but a lot like all my stuff, all the music programming is free.

I know a lot of the theater stuff is free.

Um, so I I think it's great that we're able to get into different parts of the community and offer it where the people are.

Um, we can bring it to you.

Yeah, that's and you and you go, I mean you take the music all over Greensboro.

Really, yeah.

What about you, Todd?

Yeah, I love how collaborative and supportive um the local theater scene is.

Everybody just kind of works together, helps each other, and comes out and supports each other, and that's what feeds community theater in Greensboro.

Okay, now uh your personal creative outlet.

How do you what is what do you do when you're feeling creative?

I mean, theater's your job, so but is that also uh, you know, your passion, or do you have do you like to crochet?

I don't know.

Uh I am an actor, of course.

You know, that's where it's all started, um, and getting to act in a short film in a couple weeks, but I'm a home brewer, I homebrew beer.

Now that's cool.

Nothing to do with theater or art making, um, although there is a craft to it.

So if I ever have a day off and I'm down a tap at my house, I'll go out to my garage.

I'm usually by myself.

I was listening to music, and it's eight hours of staring at uh kettle boyle.

So very meditative.

It sounds that sounds kind of uh sipping is not bad either.

Not bad.

Okay, well good.

Then you've gotten good at it, I guess.

Yes.

What about you, Mirda?

I'm a musician as well, so the the fit is great for me.

I play piano and I sing, so I do musical theater on the side, I'm music direct, um, and then I also play and sing at my church.

And and it's still fun, even though it's your job.

It still feels like an outlet for you.

Yeah, great.

Well, good.

Well, thank you both for sharing with us today.

Really appreciate as always.

Okay, you can keep up with all those good things happening.

You can follow on social media, you can sign up and to be on a crew, you can sign up to audition.

You can find out where the next music performance is going to be.

It's all available online.

Creative Greensboro.com is the place to be.

Thank you for spending a little of your time with us.

We're out of time today, but we're really really glad you shared some of yours with us for all of us here at GTN.

Have a great day.

We're very excited to gather today to give everyone a sneak peek at our 2026-27 first bank Broadway season series.

This year's lineup will feature seven shows on series and two specials.

That season seat members will be able to purchase the specials when they renew.

Today we are thrilled to celebrate the 26-27 season of live musical performances with three entertainers from three of the shows coming to Greensboro.

We just finished an incredible week of Hell's Kitchen, which will be followed by an expected sellout for the sound of music.

Please get your tickets now if you haven't.

With over 16,000 subscribers in our current season, it will be very difficult to top the success of our fifth year.

Our Broadway partners at PFM and Nederlander have put together an incredible list of uh direct from New York Broadway shows for the Tanger Center stage.

Is everyone ready?

Please direct your attention to the video screens to see the first seven spectacular shows coming to the Tanger Center direct from New York for the first bank Broadway 2026-27 season.

Thank you.

Those are all truly direct from New York shows.

So it's very exciting to see those coming, and thank you to Nederlander, PFM, and First Bank.

Thank you, First Bank, and everyone uh who has had a part of Tanger Center.

It is amazing.

And I'm sure that it will captivate audiences and bring our city to come here to see not only the shows, the fabulous shows, but also everything in the Tanger Center.

Uh the Tanger Center is a cornerstone of our city and our thriving art scene.

It enriches our quality of life and is part of what makes people want to live, work, and play in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina.

It's the Tanger Center's program, the Broadway series, and it has all brought an incredible energy to downtown and our community as a whole.

And now we will have a sneak preview and the first of three live performances we have for you today, and one an utter utterly electrified from Entertainment Weekly new musical, just in time, brings to life the story of Bobby Darren.

He's the legendary singer.

He had a short but remarkable journey, and it took him from a teen idol to global sensation.

Packed with his biggest hits, including Beyond the Sea, Mac the Knife, Splish Splash, and Dream Lover.

Just in time is a hell of a good time at the theater.

That is from Time Out.

And a wallop of joy by the New York Post.

Let's take a look.

Just as Mackie.

Back in tower.

Look out, oh Mackie is back.

And now please welcome to the stage Matt Magnuson, who will perform the song, Mac the Knife from Justin Time.

Thank you very much.

Oh, the Shuck Babe has such teeth here.

And it shows them.

Just a Jack Knife has old Mackey.

But it keeps it out of sight.

You know when that shark combines with its teeth and babe.

Start to spread.

Fancy gloves.

Where's old Mac Heath?

Babe.

So there's never never a trace of a red.

Now I'm a sidewalk.

Just the oozing life.

Someone sneaking around the corner.

Could it someone up be Mac the knife?

Uh there's a ton boat.

On down by the bee, but don't you know?

Where a seaman bags just still drooping on down.

Oh, that seaman is just it stand for the week here.

Five will get you ten oh Mackeys back in time.

Now to him by Louie Miller.

He disappeared.

After drawing out all of his heart and cash.

And now a Mac Keith spins like a sale.

Could it be hot boys done some in rash?

Uh uh I said Jenny Dava.

Uh oh, such it.

Stay back on me, slidal lane.

Uh moving over Miss Lucy Brown.

You know that line for some blue rights, babe.

Now that Mackie's back, and on New York Time.

I said in it, I ooh, sugi today.

Stay back, come in, slide a lane.

Uh move it over, Miss Lucy Brown.

You know that line for some who rights, babe.

Now that Mackie's back in tower.

Look out, oh Mackie is back.

Get up by me.

Thank you.

I don't know about you, but that just screams direct to New York, and it gets you very exciting for a great day.

A critical ingredient to our continued success at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, Broadway season campaigns, um, in support of our members, but also our sponsors.

We are thrilled to uh brought that our Broadway season seat sponsor and official bank for the fifth consecutive year is first bank.

Please welcome back the chief executive officer of First Bank, Adam Curry.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Scott.

Uh, thank you to everybody that has been involved in this.

Y'all, this is our fifth year sponsoring this, and it's crazy to think about it because when we started this, we didn't all know if we'd ever put three thousand people together again ever.

It was right in the middle of COVID.

See, Matt over there.

Um, it was right in the middle of COVID, and we we were asked to step up and make a take a big risk and make a big commitment on on behalf of the city.

Um, and we were really proud to do so, but it it was scary at the time.

Um, we we stepped up, sponsored this.

We thought that if we brought Broadway to Greensboro, that the city would embrace it.

And that has been an enormous understatement.

Um, it has been incredible what this has turned into.

It's been incredible, has become just a part of the fabric of the community, and we are really honored to be a small part of that.

So uh, thank you to everybody, thank you to all in this room that had the vision to put this together five years later.

It's become something really incredible.

All right, and now I'm excited to introduce our second special sneak preview.

Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Maybe Happy Ending tells the deeply human story of a chance encounter that sparks connection, adventure, and maybe even love.

Helmed by Tony Award-winning director Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending has been called one of the best musicals in years by USA Today, and the best musical in eons by Observer.

Don't miss the totally original new musical adventure that explores what it means to be human, even if they're not.

With four days of rain behind us, the yellow sand conditions are clear.

So we've got mask at home.

Today the air in Seoul is very clear and warm.

Today the smiles, too, are warmer than the norm.

My looks and albums, my expectations and tears.

And I know this might even be fun.

The packing is done.

And no matter where it's how far you drive, people say our best friend.

Um I would accept the motion to adjourn.

Moved by Mr.

Holston.

Second.

Second by Mayor Pro Tim.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Thank you.

We are adjourned.