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R E S O L U T I O N
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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, 2023; |
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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 the |
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theatre's inaugural production, The Rose Maiden, was led by the |
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director of city bands on May 18; in the ensuing years, sports fans |
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gathered at the venue to listen to radio broadcasts of the World |
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Series and world championship boxing matches, and in 1941, the |
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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 by |
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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 performances |
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by the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet to celebrations of |
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Juneteenth and Cinco de Mayo; with the guidance of the Miller |
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Theatre Advisory Board and Houston First Corporation and with |
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funding from the City of Houston and the generous support of other |
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sponsors, the Miller Outdoor Theatre currently offers an |
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eight-month season of free performances, and it attracts hundreds |
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of thousands of attendees each year; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the past century, the Miller Outdoor Theatre |
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has entertained countless audiences, showcased the talent of |
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numerous performers, and greatly contributed to the cultural |
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vitality of the community, and it is a pleasure to honor this |
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beloved landmark on this important milestone; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Miller Outdoor |
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Theatre and extend to all those involved in its operation sincere |
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best wishes for continued success; and, be it 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 by the |
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Texas Senate. |