MIFFLIN – Consultants for the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District are holding a town hall meeting June 27 to discuss the future of the Johnny Appleseed outdoor drama complex.
Located south of Mifflin at 2179 Ohio 603, the Johnny Appleseed complex includes a 1,700-seat outdoor amphitheater and a 90-seat indoor auditorium that once belonged to Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center and was home to a short-lived outdoor drama about John Chapman.
The outdoor drama closed in 2015 after two seasons. The facility has seen little use in recent years and last year was acquired by MWCD.
The meeting will be 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the theater’s indoor auditorium and is open to local residents. Supporters of the arts and people with knowledge of the tourism industry in the area are particularly encouraged to attend.
“We’d love to have as many people there as possible,” said Michael Hardy, a consultant who specializes in outdoor theater facilities.
Hardy will lead the town hall meeting along with John Hoopingarner, the executive director of the MWCD. There will be a short presentation followed by a discussion.
Hardy said in addition to arts and tourism groups and individuals, he also has an interest in hearing from residents who have memories of the time when the facility was in use and may be able to share input on things that did or did not work well during that time.
The purpose of the meeting, Hardy said, is to get input from residents who care about the area, have an interest in the arts and entertainment, and understand the value of popular tourist attractions.
“When meetings like this are well attended, we learn things that we would otherwise miss, and it helps us develop our recommendations in ways that will be compatible with community interests and, therefore, well-supported,” Hardy said.
Hardy has served in executive roles in non-profit arts organizations for 40 years and has consulted for a variety of organizations over the past 30 years. Recent highlights of his consulting work include the business plan and staff recruitment for the Telus Centre at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto; the business plan for the Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina; the business plan and architect selection process for a new outdoor theatre in Columbia, South Carolina; and the feasibility study and business plan for conversion of the St. Columba church to a new performance venue in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
He also wrote a book, “Outdoor Theatre Facilities,” a comprehensive guide to planning, designing and building outdoor theatres.
