home of the historic World War II popcorn machine
Our Mission Statement:
Our mission is to benefit the area community by serving as a catalyst and partner to enrich lives through the arts, to inspire creative thinking, and to transform the Burford Theatre Complex into a community keystone and center for the arts.
Upcoming Events
May 28 – The 100 Year Blessing and the Butterfly Effect
- On May 29, 1922 an Historical “Blessing” took place at Wilson Park for the 5,000 people who attended. But before it happen there were many occurrences of the “Butterfly Effect” that set things in motion. On Saturday May 28 at 3:00pm on the beautiful Burford Theatre stage, Tim and Sandy Durham will be playing Anthony and Adah Carlton (the original owners of the Osage Manse from 1917-1927) and re-telling the miraculous true stories of some of God’s greatest works preformed by the hands of women! These are the “Butterfly Effects” that lead up to the glorious event at Wilson Park 100 years ago. The following day, on Sunday, May 29th at 6:30pm, they will be at the Wilson Park Rotunda to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the famous evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson coming to Arkansas City!
June 4 – Troubadour Dinner and Concert – Concert Tickets available now!
- Themed after the Troubadour night club in West Hollywood, California, the Troubadour Dinner & Concert will feature a number of local Cowley County musicians! Keep your eyes peeled on our social media for artist announcements as we near the date of this event. Dinner tickets were sold at our annual Burford Fever Fundraiser, but we have concert tickets available for purchase. Doors will open to the public for the concert portion of the evening at 6:30pm, and performances will begin at 7:00pm.
June 25 – Aaron Watson Concert, with opener Mike Love – Tickets available now!
- Aaron Watson is coming to the Burford Theatre in Ark City! The opening act for this concert is Mike Love. Balcony seats available, and part of the main floor will be standing room only. This concert will feature a bar and concessions. The Aaron Watson Concert is part of the VJ Wilkins Concert Series. Tickets purchased or awarded for the previously scheduled Aaron Watson concert that had to be cancelled will be honored for this event. Doors will open at 7:00pm, and the show will begin at 8:00pm.
July 2 – Liberty, Justice, and Sparklers For All – A Burford Singers Concert – Tickets available soon
- Join us at the Burford on Saturday, July 2 at 7:00pm for an evening of patriotic music from the Burford Singers, with special appearances by the children’s choir, Prairie Voices! Burford Singers is a choral ensemble under the direction of John Dalton-White, accompanied by Sara Weinert. Singers are from the Cowley County community and have been hard at work rehearsing some beautiful & fun selections for this special Americana concert. Prairie Voices is a children’s choir under the direction of Gia Watson, and they will join in with a few selections as well. This concert will feature concessions, and the bar will be open.
Burford Singers, Summer 2022
There’s still time to register for Burford Singers this summer under the direction of John Dalton-White, accompanied by Sara Weinert!
- Who? – Singers aged 14 and over are invited to participate
- What? – Burford Singers is a choral ensemble directed by John Dalton-White, accompanied by Sara Weinert
- When? – Rehearsals will be held on Sunday afternoons at 2:30pm, beginning on Sunday May 8 through Sunday, June 26 in preparation for the concert, “Liberty, Justice, and Sparklers for All” on Saturday July, 2.
- Where? – Rehearsals and the concert will all be held at the Burford Theatre
- Why? – Because you love singing in a choir and want to be a part of something great at the Burford!
- How? – Singers are asked to pay a registration fee of $20 per singer, and there are scholarships available. This registration fee helps to cover the expenses of purchasing music, director/accompanist fees, and more. Registration will be open through the Sunday, May 22 rehearsal! To inquire about available scholarships, please contact us at 620-442-5895 or director@burfordtheatre.com.
Click Here to Register for Burford Singers 2022!
Kids Summer Day Camps
Janet Davidson, Director of Child Care and Development/Early Childhood Education at Cowley College, and her students have been hard at work preparing a total of 8 different day camps this summer! Each camp is intended for children ages 7-14, and registration is $25 per child, per camp. We’ll have a special registration day on Saturday, April 23, and you can also register in the main office or online. There are scholarships available for these camps. Please inquire in our main office at 112 S Summit, 620-442-5895, director@burfordtheatre.com. To learn more about each camp, and to register online, please visit our Summer Day Camps page!
Click Here to Register and Learn More about Summer Day Camps!
Ms. Gia’s Summer Classes & Theatre Camps
Ms. Gia is excited to announce this summer’s show: SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE, JR.! It will be a classic show to make you sing along, with some new twists! Her June classes are getting twist too! She’s expanding the creative writing class “Let’s Write a Play” to include songwriting and mixing it up to create “Let’s Write a Musical.” And that’s not all! “Let’s Dance” will explore characters, stage presence, and how to learn and retain choreography. Registration for all classes and camps will open on May 2. The deadline for June classes is June 2, and the deadline for July camp enrollment is June 27. You can register with Ms. Gia directly or through the Burford Theatre Arts Office. The cost is $25/class, with $5 off each additional class when you sign up for 2 or more in the same month. To learn more about each camp, please visit Ms. Gia’s Summer Classes & Theatre Camps page!
Click Here to Register Learn More about Ms. Gia’s Summer Classes & Theatre Camps!
2022 V.J. Wilkins Concert Series
We’re excited to share the line up in our 2022 Concert Series sponsored by the VJ Wilkins Foundation. This list is still growing, so check back for updates.
February 19, 2022 – Across the Pond Concert
May 13, 2022 – The Bellamy Brothers Concert (Opener: Steel Skarecrow)
June 25, 2022 – Aaron Watson Concert (Opener: Mike Love) – Tickets available now!
July 23, 2022 – Whiskey River Band Concert – Tickets available now!
August 27, 2022 – The Astronauts Concert – Tickets available soon
October 6, 2022 – Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Tickets available now!
November 5, 2022 – EPIC Concert – Tickets available soon
December 17, 2022 – The Aerotones Big Band Concert – Tickets available soon
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
BEWARE of online ticket resellers who are offering tickets to Burford events at INFLATED prices. This is the official website of Burford Theatre Arts, and the only official online ticket outlet for our events is HomeTown Ticketing.
Future Events
May-June – Burford Singers – a choral ensemble led by John Dalton-White, accompanied by Sara Weinert. Registration is open now!
June & July, 2022 – Youth Summer Camps, sponsored by V.J. Wilkins Foundation – Registration is open now!
September 6-10 – Missoula Children’s Theatre at the Burford – More information coming soon
June & July 2022 – Kids Act with Ms. Gia Watson – Learn More & Register Here!
March 31-April 1, 2023 – BisonBison Film Festival – Learn more here!
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