Blue Jacket’s Fantasy of Lights marked a milestone year following a year that saw the holiday light display add more scenes at Franke Park as it added an extra mile thanks to a new entry and exit.

Although the redesign of Franke Park’s Renaissance required some adjustments, event organizers created a new traffic flow using the grand entrance off Goshen Road.

For the eighth consecutive year, free cocoa and photos with Santa were offered in Santa’s Christmas Village, which had record attendance with nearly 75,000 visitors, a 25 percent higher than last year. 

“For those of us working the event, especially in Santa’s Village, it’s incredibly rewarding to see the joy on children’s faces,” Fantasy of Lights manager Ayron Reeves said. 

With all the changes, combined with the shorter season from the late Thanksgiving holiday, Fantasy of Lights experienced a 9 percent loss in attendance from the previous year. However, Blue Jacket officials were pleased with attendance of nearly 28,000 vehicles, which was higher than expected. 

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our longstanding and new sponsors, as well as the 206 local companies and families who help make this the largest nonprofit drive-thru light display in the country,” Blue Jacket CEO Tony Hudson said. “It is humbling to see so many sponsors and patrons helping this event grow year after year. In all our research, there is no other like-sized drive thru display with free offerings like this, at our size, for less than $40 per vehicle, nor operated by a nonprofit that provides such crucial services to the community, and we are honored to host.”

Prepare for theater degree at Three Rivers

High school juniors interested in pursuing a degree in musical theater can register with Three Rivers Music Theatre’s College Audition Program. 

The program prepares students for the National Unified Auditions that will take place in October in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago for high school seniors. Recent TRMT alumni have been accepted and graduated with theater degrees from such prestigious university programs as Ball State and NYU Tisch School of the Arts. 

Registration includes weekly participation in their Sunday pre-professional musical theater classes at no additional charge. The program costs a flat fee of $50 per weekly 60-minute coaching, but registrants can take off 20 percent if registering before March 1. 

For more information and to register, go online to threeriversmusictheatre.com/cap.

Audition for Dinner Detective shows

Auditions for Courtyard Marriott’s The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Show will be Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. 

Performers will play interactive roles in a modern, live, true crime mystery show. Pay is $50-$120 base pay per show, depending on the role, plus tips. 

Auditions will be held in the Courtyard by Marriott’s Lawton Room, 1150 S. Harrison St. 

To submit an audition form, send an email to FTW.info@thedinnerdetective.com with the subject line “Fort Wayne Auditions.” 

The Dinner Detective takes place most Saturdays in the ballroom of the Courtyard by Marriott in Downtown Fort Wayne. Time commitment for regular shows is 4-6 hours including a pre-show rehearsal. 

Live local theater offerings

This week’s live local theater offerings include:

  • Burlesque: Sultry Songs of the Stage & Screen at Three Rivers Music Theatre, Jan. 17-19, and Jan. 24-26.
  • The Last Quiz Night on Earth at Arena Dinner Theatre, Jan. 17-18, Jan. 24-26, and Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

Fire & Light Academy’s Godspell at PPG ArtsLab, Jan. 16-18.

Pulse Opera House announce 2025 season

Pulse Opera House in Warren recently announced their 2025 season, which includes:

  • The War of the Worlds: The 1938 Radio Script: Feb.28-March 2, March 7-9, and March 14-16.
  • The Boxcar Children: May 2-4, May 9-11, and May 16-18.
  • Sherlock Holmes & The Mystery of the Crown Jewel: July 18-20, July 25-27, and Aug. 1-3.
  • Witness for the Prosecution: Sept. 12-14, Sept. 20-22, and Sept. 26-28.
  • Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition: Nov. 23-24, Nov. 28-30, and Dec. 5-7.

News and Venues covers Northeast Indiana’s music and arts organizations, venues, and colleges, from large to small. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.