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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 494
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WHEREAS, Residents of Houston are celebrating the 100th |
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anniversary of one of the city's most popular performing arts |
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venues, the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park, on May 12, |
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2023; and |
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WHEREAS, The theatre is named in honor of Jesse Wright |
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Miller, a mining engineer and cotton broker, who left property to |
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the city for municipal purposes upon his death; the proceeds from |
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the sale of the Miller estate were used to build a permanent |
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bandstand in Hermann Park, initially called the Miller Memorial |
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Theatre; on May 12, 1923, the first presentation at the venue, |
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Springtimes of Our Nation, featured some 2,500 performers, and |
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the theatre's inaugural production, The Rose Maiden, was led by |
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the director of city bands on May 18; in the ensuing years, sports |
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fans gathered at the venue to listen to radio broadcasts of the |
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World Series and world championship boxing matches, and in 1941, |
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the Houston Symphony played its first free concert there; and |
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WHEREAS, The city built a new theatre in 1968, and the |
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award-winning structure opened on September 1 with a performance |
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by the Houston Symphony; that same year marked the beginning of a |
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55-year history of annual musicals presented by the Theatre Under |
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the Stars company; today, events at Miller range from |
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performances by the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet to |
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celebrations of Juneteenth and Cinco de Mayo; with the guidance |
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of the Miller Theatre Advisory Board and Houston First |
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Corporation and with funding from the City of Houston and the |
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generous support of other sponsors, the Miller Outdoor Theatre |
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currently offers an eight-month season of free performances, and |
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it attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees each year; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the past century, the Miller Outdoor |
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Theatre has entertained countless audiences, showcased the |
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talent of numerous performers, and greatly contributed to the |
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cultural vitality of the community, and it is a pleasure to |
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honor this beloved landmark on this important milestone; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the |
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Miller Outdoor Theatre and extend to all those involved in its |
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operation sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for the theatre as an expression of high regard from the |
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Texas Senate. |
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Whitmire |
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Patrick, President of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 1, 2023. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |