The 18th annual Voices of Elmwood returns September 18 for a nine-night run at Rosehill-Elmwood Cemetery, with this year’s performances commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Presented by the Owensboro Museum of Science and History in partnership with the Daviess County Public Library, the series will feature 10 all-new stories of local individuals who lived through the WWII era — both on the battlefield and the home front. Dahl and Groezinger, Inc. is the lead sponsor.
The experience blends historical storytelling with theatrical performance as costumed actors portray real individuals from Owensboro’s past near their actual gravesites. The show is not recommended for children under 12.
Attendance at Voices of Elmwood typically reaches between 1,200 and 1,500 guests annually, depending on the weather. Last year saw nearly 1,300 visitors despite heavy rain forcing indoor performances during one weekend.
Each evening includes seven narrated wagon tours, each seating about 22 guests per ride. Performances often sell out.
Tickets are on sale now at owensborotickets.com. All-in ticket pricing is $28 per person (including fees) for both trailer and tent shows. Group rates are available at $26 each for purchases of 10 or more tickets made together.
The show schedule this year is as follows:
- September 18-20 and 25-27: Trailer rides begin at 6 p.m. with the last ride at 8:30 p.m. (Thursdays) or 9 p.m. (Fridays/Saturdays)
- October 2-4: Tent shows at 6 p.m.; trailer rides follow from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Directed by Carolyn Greer, each presentation will be given during guided wagon tours that depart every 30 minutes. Each tour lasts approximately 75 minutes. Patrons are encouraged to arrive 15-20 minutes before their scheduled departure time. Tent shows offer a covered, seated alternative catered toward big groups.
The tours take place entirely at Rosehill-Elmwood Cemetery, 1300 Old Hartford Road. On-site parking is available, and trailer rides include back-supported bench seating and a historical guide between stops.
Over 75 local volunteers contribute to the production each year.
Isaac Settle, the museum’s director, called it one of the museum’s “biggest events of the year.”
“It brings together a lot of different people — the theater community, the museum community, as well as the community at large,” Settle said. “You’re in the cemetery, you’re where these people are often buried, and it’s someone portraying that person, giving you facts about that person and the story of their life through kind of a theatrical version of it.”
Greer said the lineup features a mix of new and returning actors.
“All of the pieces we’re doing this year have to do with World War II,” Greer said. “It gives people who are interested in history — and people who are interested in the arts — an opportunity to really experience the stories that have come from our community.”
For more information, visit the Owensboro Museum of Science and History’s Facebook page or call 270-687-2732.
