Mississippi College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly finished Entergy Theater at the Gore Arts Complex on September 21, 2023. The ceremony hosted speakers such as Dr. Blake Thompson, President of Mississippi College, and Haley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi. The event also included notable guests like Dr. Andy Schoggin, the superintendent of Clinton Public Schools, and Mayor Phil Fisher of Clinton. Many of MC’s faculty and students attended the ceremony.
Students and faculty prepared for the ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the Gore Arts Complex.
Entergy Theater is nestled between the band hall (pictured) and University Place.
The Entergy Theater letters were a brand new addition, installed the morning of the event.
Directed by Director of Bands Duval Salvant, the Mississippi College Drumline performed at the ceremony to welcome attendees.
The drumline played multiple cadences as students and guests were welcomed into the building.
Several MC students were present at the event, including the new group of Choctaw Ambassadors.
Department of Art professor Randy Miley started the event by acknowledging and welcoming all guests of the ceremony.
Once Miley finished his welcome remarks, Thompson stepped on stage. He made comments on how the newly built Gore Arts Complex and Entergy Theater will be a wonderful utility to students of the fine arts, like theater and art.
Thompson briefly recognized Institute of Southern Storytelling co-founder Anthony Thaxton, presenting a short video created by Thaxton emphasizing the importance of buildings like the Entergy Theater to students.
Thompson invited Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi, to speak. Fisackerly was a donor to the theater. He spoke about the importance of having a space like the Entergy Theater for students
Guests congregated outside after the speeches to capture the ribbon cutting.
Director of University Events Lori Bobo positioned guests, including the ceremony speakers and art department faculty, for the ribbon cutting.
With the ribbon cutting, the Entergy Theater was officially opened.
Once the ceremony was over, guests were given tours of the Gore Arts Complex.
Touring guests were shown a sculpture by Samuel Gore of his own wife, Margie. The sculpture, normally housed at Cockroft Hall, has been moved temporarily to the Gore Arts Complex as part of an ongoing project with artist Wyatt Waters. Waters will be painting the statue as a gift to the nursing department in celebration of its 50-year anniversary.
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