The Prizery has become a cultural hub of Southside Virginia enticing art-loving tourists.

When entering The Prizery, the building still has the look and feel of an aging tobacco warehouse with some of the crop's history — and the role it played in Halifax County — lining the walls with pictures, dates and information.

However, by just turning one corner of the hallway, guests are taken somewhere else entirely.

"You walk around the corner and you say 'Oh my gosh' and there is the theater space," said Chris Jones, The Prizery's artistic director. "People aren't expecting to see that. That is the wow factor."

The 250-seat Chastain Theatre is just part of the 38,000-square-foot building that is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places as part of the South Boston Historic Tobacco Warehouse District. The Prizery, which once served as a tobacco warehouse, is now a lively center for the arts attracting thousands of visitors from outside the area each year.

It is believed that the building was constructed in the late 1800s by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. and it was of similar structure that it is today. The basement was used for manufacturing the 1,000 pound tobacco barrels where the tobacco was "prized" — pressed layer by layer into the hogshead barrels. The first floor was used for storage and the second floor was for pickups and drop offs and the top floor was for drying the tobacco.

Before an almost standing-room-only crowd, 17-year-old harpist Katherine Elizabeth Campbell of Danville’s George Washington High School and Caleb Anthony Flowers, a 15-year-old home-schooled countertenor from Clover, each took home $300 after winning the South  Boston Lions Club’s Annual James Bland Memorial Music Contest Friday night at The Prizery

Runners-up were pianist Asher Brandon Caplan, 15, also of George Washington High School, and baritone Thomas Paul Freeman. Freeman, home-schooled, is 18 and from Alton.

This was Flowers’ third win in as many years, previously singing as a soprano. Flowers sang “Caro Mio Ben” by Giuseppe Giordani, and Campbell played Handel’s “Concerto in B flat major.” 

Freeman sang Mozart’s “Vogelfänger bin ich ja.

Caplan played “Prelude in C sharp minor” by Rachmaninoff.

Flowers is a student of Dr. Christopher Swanson. Campbell is taught by Laura Byrne, Freeman by Samuel Howell and Caplan by Dianne Collie.

Somewhere around 250 music lovers witnessed the contest. Each paid an admission fee of one pair of used eyeglasses.

Harp, cellos, piano, violins, violas, vocalists, Oh my! Twenty-six young musicians will grace the stage of the Chastain Theater at The Prizery at 7 pm Friday. This is the largest card for a Bland Contest in memory. The sponsoring South Boston Lions Club feels they have the best Bland Contest in the state. Beginning last year, students play, or are accompanied by, The Prizery's new 9-foot Steinway concert grand piano.
One Vocal and one Instrumental winner, rendering classical compositions, will each win $300 cash. This is probably the largest Club award in the state. They will then be eligible to compete on the District level for $100 U.S. Savings Bonds for winners and $50 U.S. Savings Bonds for runners-up. District winners will compete at the Lions Club State Convention in Bristol next May. State winners win a $2,500 scholarship. First and second runners-up receive $2,000 and $1,500 scholarships, respectively. Fourth, fifth, and sixth place receive $1,000 cash.

Lions Clubs in Virginia began James A. Bland Memorial Music Scholarship Contests in 1948. James Alan Bland was an African-American musician and composer. He was the most successful entertainer of his time in North America, extremely wealthy.

With the launch of The Prizery's new website, Artistic Director Chris Jones will be using this blog to help keep you abreast of all the exciting things going on at The Prizery.

The Prizery has something for everyone: live music, theatrical performances including The Prizery's Summer Theatre, art and music classes, The Crossing of the Dan exhibit for history buffs, the Robert F. Cage Art Gallery and our Italian Fresco, Little Theatre performances, and venue rentals for anything from business events to weddings to theatre presentations.

Glerin encourages you to consider the "Sponsor a Day at The Prizery" program. It costs $667 per day just to open the doors, even if there are no events, and The Prizery operates an astounding 364 days a year! You can choose the day you would like to sponsor - maybe to remember someone special or to celebrate a special day - and you'll be recognized on a sign in the lobby, 4 radio ads on your day, and a listing in the playbill for each performance.

There is always a need for volunteers also, so if you don't have the money but do have extra time please consider volunteering to help further the arts in our community.

If you notice any problems with the site that we may not be aware of, please inform Glerin Business Resources at info@glerin.com so we can make corrections. We're proud to have donated a good portion of the new site, and appreciate your help in making sure it's the best it can be.

Thank you, and enjoy your visits to The Prizery!

Lisa Kipps-Brown, President & CEO
Glerin Business Resources
proud sponsors of The Prizery

New and old talent takes stage

One of the best things about Halifax County Little Theatre is that its productions provide opportunities for community folks of all ages and all levels of experience to try their hand at performing on stage. It’s almost certain that every HCLT show will feature some familiar faces we all love to watch, and some new actors who surprise audiences with their talent and passion. When HCLT opens its season with the much-loved story A Christmas Carol next month, this mixture of experience and new faces will create an air of excitement and wonder that just shouldn’t be missed.