Keeping a promise for Natalie; the show will go on as planned

NEWPORT — The Newport Area Chamber of Commerce is one again partnering with

the Newport Opera House Association to present Dancing With The Newport

Stars, Friday Jan. 24th and Saturday Jan. 25th.

Both shows start at 7 p.m. on the historic Charles Massey stage inside the Newport Opera House. This annual tradition will feature 10 local “stars” partnered up with 10 local

“professionals” dancing on stage, with the audience voting for who they want to win each night’s competition.

Once again this year, Dancing With The Newport Stars will have two different

categories, Adult and Student dancers. The six adult couples will compete

against each other, as will the four student couples, with one winner for each

category awarded each evening.

Both the Newport Chamber and Opera House Association were saddened this

past month with the passing of Natalie Miles. Natalie was the owner of the

Newport Ballroom, 35 Main St. in Newport, and was instrumental with the

creation of this event, and tirelessly working on the choreography of the show

for each of the previous eight shows.

In our ninth year for this show, though ill, Natalie continued to work on the choreography, and her routines will be once again showcased this year. She had asked all involved to promise that the show must go on.

This fun evening has become a large fundraiser for the Chamber and Opera

House Association, with Chamber events like the Newport Winter Carnival,

Concerts On The Common, ’Twas Just Before Christmas and more and programs

at the Opera House like the Spring Musical, Taste Of Sullivan County, the

Winter Carnival Pageant and Semi-Formal and more, along with infrastructure

improvements like their lighting upgrades, all benefitting from Dancing With

The Newport Stars.

Our 2020 cast lineup for Dancing With The Newport Stars is Bobby Bates, Sam

Nelson, Scott Barton, Lisa Ferrigno, Fran Huot and Donna Mahair for the adult

dancers, and our junior dancers are Natasha Whipple, Allie Howald, Cameron

Hall and Cody O’Brian.

Tickets are $25 for reserved seating, $20, general admission, and $15 for student general admission and can be purchased online at NewportOperaHouse.com, at the Newport Opera House Box Office, or at the Petal Patch.

We look forward to this wonderful community show, thank our local sponsors’

support and could not thank our dancers and their families enough for the

countless hours of hard work they put in to make this show a gigantic success.