School district recognizes Brown family for contributions to auditorium, performing arts

Friday, Sept. 1 was the first official day of high school for the Rhinelander High School Class of 2027. The milestone day ended in the school’s auditorium where a brief ceremony was held to recognize the contributions of local resident Dori Brown and her family to the district’s performing arts programs.

Brown’s most recent donation allowed the district to add an air conditioning unit to the performing arts center that bears her name, making for a much more comfortable experience for the student musicians and thespians who will perform there as well as the parents and community residents who attend productions. Previously, Brown arranged for the refurbishing of a Steinway piano in the performing arts center. Over the last several years, the Brown family also funded upgrades to the entire auditorium, including new curtains, lights and sound system.

Brown has been a patron of the arts for many years, most notably as part of the Northwoods Concert Association which for years arranged annual concerts including by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. 

It was through the concert association that she became aware of the need for upgrades to the auditorium.

“I worked with the concert association for years and we had many nationally known artists (come to Rhinelander),” Brown told the River News, adding that the “the prerequisite was always, what kind of piano do you have.”

The Steinway, she said, “is a real asset to have in terms of performances.”

Brown said the possibility of adding air conditioning to the auditorium has been on her mind for years, ever since a Milwaukee Symphony performance when it was so hot inside the auditorium that the conductor had the musicians remove their coats for the second half of the concert.

“It’s been in my background for years, that (the auditorium) is not air conditioned,” she explained. “I didn’t think somebody was stepping up to get it done so I was happy to be able to do it.”

 “I’m happy that I’m still here to enjoy it,” she added.

The appreciation ceremony included a musical performance by Andrea Sheppard showcasing the Steinway piano as well as the presentation of a bouquet of stargazer lilies to Brown.

The lilies were presented by Julie Bronson, a former Rhinelander High School English teacher and the secretary/treasurer of the Hodag Schools Foundation which facilitated the Brown family’s donations to the district.

“Dori’s vision, and her family’s vision, for the fine arts in Rhinelander is what we’re celebrating today,” Bronson told the freshman class and assorted community members in attendance, noting that she chose the stargazer lilies to represent the many future stars who will have the opportunity to perform in an exceptional auditorium thanks to the generosity of the Brown family. 

“This auditorium holds lots and lots of stars, you guys will be some of them,” she told the new freshmen. “I don’t know who you’ll be yet, but I know that it will come and the vision that the Brown family, and Dori, has had for this community, what they’ve done with this auditorium is so remarkable, you’ll thank her many, many times.”

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].