Grand Ledge Opera House * General Seating * 2025 - 2026
Lansing Theatre Organ Presents the 29th Riverside Pops Season:
A Grand Old Time!
SILENT MOVIE:
"IT" (1927)
John Lauter, Organist
Sunday, November 23, 2025 - 3:00 p.m.
Pretty little Clara Bow was undoubtedly the hottest thing to hit the screen since the invention of the projected image. She was the brightest star of the Jazz Age and gave new meaning to the term "sex symbol." After the release of this film, she was forever known as "The It Girl," and for good reason! Starring as a beautiful and sassy department store salesgirl Betty Lou Spence, she gives chase to the son of the store's owner, Cyrus Waltham as soon as the two meet in one of the silent screen's most heraded romantic comedies.
Detroit native John Lauter began music studies at age 14, and quickly made his public debut at the Redford Theatre at age 16. Hundreds of movie preludes later, John can still be heard there regularly, and was recently the subject of a fifty-year celebration concert at the Redford. Since then, he has performed nationally and internationally, including several national conventions of the American Theatre Organ Society. In past years, he held staff organist positions at both the Detroit Fox Theatre and the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor, and continues to concertize and accompany silent films thoughout the Midwest and Canada. John, who has also provided musical services for churches throughout the years, resides in Farmington Hills and is currently the pianist with the Swing City Big Band.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
Scott Smith, Organist (plus special guests!)
Sunday, April 26, 2026 - 3:00 p.m.
This event was originally scheduled to be performed last April, but due to extensive damage within the building from a broken water pipe, all events were postponed until a later date while restoration took place. Luckily, the organ was spared any damage. So, here we go again! This concert will be a celebration of Riverside Pops concerts in a party atmosphere. Special guests who have performed over three decades will be on hand to make cameo appearances. The storied history of the former Michigan Theatre Barton and how it came to be at the Opera House will be musicallly traced. Best of all, you'll be there to see how it all happened!
Scott Smith is a native and lifelong resident of Lansing. During his teens, he performed regularly on the Barton organ at the Michigan Theatre in downtown Lansing as its last House Organist, from 1972 to 1980. Scott was responsible for the organ's redesign for the Opera House, and oversaw the installation and tonal finishing. He was one of the original incorporators of Lansing Theatre Organ, and has served as the organization's President since it's inception. During the Christmas holiday shopping season, Scott performs on weekends at the Mole Hole of Marshall, now in his 37th year. In addition to concertizing and accompanying silent films, he also lectures about the pipe organ and his writings can be found on the pages of numerous pipe organ trade journals. He is also the owner of Scott Smith Pipe Organs, a full-service pipe organ business that services, builds and restores both theatre and church/classical pipe organs.
All events take place at the Grand Ledge Opera House, 121 S. Bridge St. (M-100), Grand Ledge, MI. All programs/artists subject to change.
Doors open one hour in advance of performance time.
Tickets:
Individual tickets $12 in advance from LTO Box Office or Grand Ledge Opera House office, and $15 at the door, day of performance. Season tickets available ONLY from LTO box office, and are $20 for one ticket for each performance OR take advantage of our Mix 'N Match program, where you can pay the same $20 for two tickets in any combination of performances.
Individual tickets $12 in advance from the Grand Ledge Opera House office, and $15 at the door, day of performance.
To purchase tickets in advance:
Grand Ledge Opera House Office (rear of building; Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
121 South Bridge Street, @ River Street
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
517-627-1443
* Cash, money order, checks, VISA/Mastercard *
Ticket orders received by USPS one week or less from the day of performance will be held at the LTO box office and available as a will call.
All events take place at the Grand Ledge Opera House, 121 S. Bridge St. (M-100), Grand Ledge, MI. All programs/artists subject to change. Doors open one hour prior to performance time.
VISA, Mastercard, Amex and Discover credit cards now accepted for tickets on concert days!
The box office, concession counter and record counter open one hour before each concert when the doors open and during intermission. For your convenience, both the box office and record counter remain open for five minutes after each concert. Concessions close after intermission.