Haunts, History and Performing Arts Keep Visitors Returning to Missouri's State Capital 

The Miller Performing Arts Center is just a quick walk from historic downtown Jefferson City

Meet some TV celebrities at the Missouri State Penitentiary, a 176-year old decommissioned prison. Or just a few blocks away at the historic Union Hotel's Elizabeth Rozier Gallery you could learn about the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, via a touring exhibit and a musical performance inspired by America's legendary 16th president. If you'd like to experience the arts and a little glimpse of the past through drama, grab a seat at a Shakespearian theatre performance or a show set in ancient Rome, produced by one of Jefferson City's four theatre companies. Whether through a concert, landmarks, an exhibit, traditional art or a stage production, history comes alive in Jefferson City.

For information about historical sites, upcoming events and other attractions in and around Jefferson City, contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-769-4183. You may also visit the CVB online at VisitJeffersonCity.com or at the Bureau's Facebook and Twitter pages.

The stars of Syfy Channel's Ghost Hunters are coming back to Jefferson City on March 23 for a special ghost hunt and meet and greet at the Missouri State Penitentiary.

Ghost Hunters and TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) team members Jason Hawes, Amy Bruni, Adam Berry and Steve Gonsalves will be on hand from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. for this exclusive one-night event. Tickets are $245 per person and will include a chance to meet the Ghost Hunters stars, participate in a Q & A and enjoy an informative lecture, as well as splitting into groups for some actual ghost hunting around the prison.

The Ghost Hunters initially visited Jefferson City in June, 2011 to film an episode of their hit reality television show at the historic Missouri State Penitentiary. The cast and crew spent about a week filming and exploring the infamous decommissioned facility. The show aired on Nov. 2, 2011 on the Syfy Channel. 

Since its 2004 premiere, Ghost Hunters has spawned two spin-offs with over 200 episodes among the three series, cementing its place as the No. 1 paranormal franchise on cable. For more than eight years, Ghost Hunters has set the standard for paranormal series, offering viewers spine-tingling investigations by the TAPS team.

For more information about this one-night event, including ticket-ordering information, contact Ideal Event Management at events@idealeventmanage.com or visit idealeventmanage.com/missouristatepenitentiary.html. Seating is limited so please act immediately.

For more information about the Missouri State Penitentiary, including details about tours of this historic prison, go to MissouriPenTours.com or call Sheila Sanford of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitor Bureau at 866-998-6998.

The Elizabeth Rozier Gallery at the Union Hotel is located at 101 Jefferson Street.

The hours of the Union Hotel are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Accompanying the exhibit on March 23 is Abraham Lincoln in Song, a performance by nationally acclaimed, award-winning musician Chris Vallillo from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Elizabeth Rozier Gallery. He will be performing period and contemporary folk music inspired by one of America's most celebrated presidents. These songs use Lincoln's own words and stories to shed more light on this pivotal figure in American history.

Admission to the gallery and the March 23 Abraham Lincoln in Song concert is free. To find out more about the Lincoln exhibit and Abraham Lincoln in Song, contact the Union Hotel at 573-751-2854 or visit the Elizabeth Rozier Gallery online at the Missouri State Parks website. For more information on Chris Vallillo, visit GinRidge.com.

Theatre in the Capital City  Jefferson City takes pride in its abundance of theatre arts performances with four full-time stage companies. Musicals, dramas, comedies, one-person shows or one-act plays are all right at home in the Capital City. Jefferson City's theatre companies have a diverse lineup of quality shows with a variety of show times. Here's a list of notable performances over the next few months: 

• The Robe at the Stained Glass Theatre (830 E. High St.) - Based on a Lloyd Douglas novel, The Robe is about Marcellus, a young exiled Roman officer, whose duty is to crucify a Galilean. He believes the man is innocent but he obeys his orders. After the crucifixion, Marcellus tosses dice and wins a homespun robe the Galilean wore. Marcellus becomes consumed with guilt over executing an innocent man and becomes obsessed with thoughts of the Galilean and persecuted Christians and makes a life changing decision as a result. Performances of The Robe will run from now until March 23, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 per person on Thursdays and $8 on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information about The Robe and other Stained Glass Theatre productions, visit SGTMidMo.org. 

• Romeo & Juliet at the Miller Performing Arts Center (501 Madison St.) - The Little Theatre of Jefferson City presents Shakespeare's well-known classic about two young, star-crossed lovers whose deaths unite two feuding families - the Capulets and the Montagues. Along with Hamlet, this is one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays and has become the blueprint for all stories about young lovers. Romeo & Juliet will run April 18-20, with a 7:30 p.m. performance each night. Tickets for each performance are $15. For more information about Romeo & Juliet or for details about other productions from The Little Theatre of Jefferson City, visit TLTJC.org.

• Much Ado About Everything at the Stained Glass Theatre - Mary and Martha, two matronly sisters who live together in a small town, seem to be caught up in the business of life and ignore the truly important things. They regain their focus with the help of the town's beloved and respected minister. Performances of Much Ado About Everything are set for Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m., April 18-May 7. Tickets are $7 on Thursdays and $8 on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information about Much Ado About Everything and other Stained Glass Theatre productions, visit SGTMidMo.org. 

• Moon Over Buffalo at the Shikles Auditorium (1200 Linden Dr.) - The Capital City Players hosts this dinner theatre production about George and Charlotte Hay, feuding actors who also are husband and wife. The couple battles their way through one comic crisis after another as they try to juggle their stage performances with their relationship and their sanity. This show, directed by Steve Nelson, is scheduled to have two runs - the first will be April 19-21 and the second will be April 25-28. On April 19-20 and 25-27, doors will open at 6 p.m. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances will take place on April 21 and 28, with the doors opening at noon. Lunch begins at 12:30 p.m. and the play begins at 1:30 p.m. Tickets for each performance are $35. For more about Moon Over Buffalo or for The Capital City Players' 2013 show schedule, call 573-681-9012 or visit CapitalCityPlayers.com.

• The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Miller Performing Arts Center - This happy-go-lucky musical about small-town vice and statewide political side-stepping recalls both the good times and the demise of the Chicken Ranch, a well-known pleasure palace that has been in operation since the 1850s. Governors, senators, mayors and football teams visit Miss Mona's until that fateful day when the puritan Watchdog focuses his television cameras on the Texas institution. This musical, presented by The Little Theatre of Jefferson City, will run from June 13-15 and is intended for mature audiences. Show times are at 7:30 p.m. each evening and tickets are $20 per person. For more details about The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas or for more about other performances from The Little Theatre of Jefferson City, please visit TLTJC.org.

Upcoming Concerts in Jefferson City

Music is also plays a big part within Jefferson City's performing arts framework. Here are a couple of the scheduled musical performances presented by the Jefferson City Concert Association in the upcoming months:

• The Swing Dolls, a popular Andrews Sisters/McGuire Sisters tribute trio, will take you back to the 1940s and 50s with a 7 p.m. performance, April 5, at the Miller Performing Arts Center. This musical group invokes the nostalgia of the "greatest generation" with hits like "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree." For ticket information, please contact the Jefferson City Concert Association at 573-681-9371 or visit TheJCCA.org.

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For more information about these and other attractions in and around Jefferson City, please contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-769-4183, at

VisitJeffersonCity.com or at the city's Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest pages.   

(573) 632-2820

 Ryan@VisitJeffersonCity.com 

VisitJeffersonCity.com  

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For more information, high-resolution photography or to schedule a customized press trip to Jefferson City, please contact Marjorie, Jo, Kyle or Gene of The Beenders-Walker Group at 800-544-8474. 

The Beenders-Walker Group

125 E. High St. Suite 200

Jefferson City, Missouri

800-544-8474

 Info@TBWGroup.net