Back on stage

It’s been more than 11 months since anyone has performed live from the stage at Arts Place.

That will change Thursday, though the seats in Hall-Moser Theatre will remain empty.

Arts Place will present its first live-streamed performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday as local musician Ken Bantz takes the stage. The free show will be available via the Arts Place’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

“It’s great,” said Arts Place executive director Eric Rogers. “I’m really excited about this.”

The last live performance at Arts Place was Harmony Players’ production of “Charley’s Aunt” on March 19. Originally schedule for three performances with live audiences, it was cut back to one live-streamed show in the early days of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

As the pandemic continued, Arts Place looked at putting together a virtual performance of its own.

“We actually wanted to … but we didn’t feel like we had the right equipment for it,” said Rogers. “We didn’t like the quality of what we were going to see.”

Some new equipment was already planned as part of the facility’s renovation and expansion project that is currently in process, so a decision was made to take the extra step to make virtual performances possible. That included buying a camera that is now mounted above the light/sound booth in the theatre and the related computer equipment to operate it.

When Bantz learned about the new equipment and virtual show plans while chatting with Rogers, he volunteered to be the beta tester for the new procedure.

“I love Arts Place. I’ve had so many great experiences there,” Bantz said, noting that he has taken painting classes with instructor Steve McClung. “I’ve also performed there a few times and I’ve gone to a number of performances there. What they do for the community, they’re just a real gem. We’re really blessed and fortunate to have them here.”

Bantz, who retired a couple of years ago from teaching accounting at Ball State University, has played guitar since he was about 10 years old.

But it was in his 20s, during what he describes as a tumultuous time in his life, that he turned to music more seriously. He improved his guitar skills, then learned to sing, then started writing songs, finishing his first around 1990. He’s been writing ever since and has recorded four albums that are available at kenbantz.com.

As he thought about Thursday’s performance at Arts Place, it didn’t take long to settle on a theme.

“With what’s going on in the world right now, I said, ‘We need a little more love right now,’” he said. “‘Why not do songs about love?’”

The performance of all original songs will include “Crowded Room,” a song about love at first sight. He’ll also play “One More Chance,” which focuses on the male tendency to “mess up love” and subsequently need to ask for forgiveness.

Bantz plans to play for about 45 minutes, saying he will start somewhat subdued with songs picking up tempo as the performance moves along.

In preparation for its first live-streamed show, Arts Place has held a couple of rehearsals with Bantz in an effort to make sure there are no unexpected glitches Thursday night. The experience only served to make him even more excited to be back on stage and performing live. He took advantage of every moment during rehearsal, even as the Arts Place crew was tinkering with its new technology.

“I just kept on playing because it just … felt so good to play and hear it,” said Bantz. “It's going to be kind of strange playing to nobody in there,” he added, “but I’m just going to do my best to be true to the songs and try to give everybody a little bit of an uplifting show.”

Arts Place has several other performances planned, with Pete Vogler, Amelia Freeman and Rogers to hold a live-streamed faculty recital April 8, and another virtual show to come later in the spring. It will host Dave Bennett — his band was slated to close out Arts Place’s 2020 performance series in April before that show was canceled because of the ongoing pandemic — for a free concert June 25 at Hudson Family Park.

“Thursday night is sort of putting our toe in the water,” said Rogers. “We’re going to do these virtual events and then be able do live events outside. And by this fall we expect to be doing live events, in person, inside.”