The Lerner 100 Year Anniversary
Celebrating 100 Years of Entertainment
The Lerner Theatre’s historic 100 year milestone will be marked by a yearlong series of events and initiatives, celebrating the theater’s rich past, vibrant present, and promising future.
The 100th anniversary celebration aims to strengthen the emotional investment and practical commitment of the community’s advocates, leaders, and decision-makers, ensuring the Lerner Theatre continues to be a beacon of arts and culture for years to come.
The Lerner invites everyone to join us for this landmark occasion as we begin a year-long celebration of our centennial. We encourage the community to share their personal stories and memories of The Lerner with us as part of an ongoing centennial storytelling initiative. The committee is asking residents to bring in their Lerner/ELCO history.
Select an issue below to open and read the full publication as a PDF.
Since a major piece of history will be celebrated for the City of Elkhart, Mayor Rod Roberson has named Diana Lawson as chair of The Lerner 100 Anniversary Committee.
Led by Lawson, the committees include a group of community leaders who are dedicated to making the Lerner’s centennial a truly unforgettable celebration. With the support of the Honorary Executive Committee—comprised of Dallas Bergl, Jack Cittadine, Bob Deputy, Arvis Dawson, and Dick Moore—the team is committed to engaging the community in this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. In addition, there is an appointed committee chairs comprised of community members.
The Lerner 100 Anniversary Committee at their initial planning meeting.
Main Initiatives
The committee chairs are leading six distinct initiatives.
Community Outreach
Chaired by Danny Reynolds and Jeanne Kern, this committee will engage every corner of the community, fostering connections and involving volunteers to create awareness of The Lerner’s value to Elkhart.
History
Led by Craig Gibson, Ashley Hughes, and Jenna Brouillette, this committee will document the theatre’s timeline and gather historical information, bringing The Lerner’s storied past to life.
Renovation
Steered by JJ Bond, Dan Cripe, and Jack Cittadine, this committee will bring together documentation for the theatre’s renovation, detailing the dedication and passion that restored and solidified The Lerner’s legacy in Downtown Elkhart.
Time Capsule
Led by Ashley Hughes, a time capsule initiative will also be assembled to commemorate this special occasion.
Big Event & Fundraising
Chaired by Carrie Berghoff, Ashley Martin, and Dallas Bergl, this committee will organize a grand celebration and launch a fundraising campaign to benefit the Friends of the Lerner.
Communications
With Arvis Dawson and Amanda Eckelbarger at the helm, this committee will craft the narrative of the 100-year celebration and manage all communications, ensuring the story of The Lerner reaches the broadest audience possible.
Share Your Story!
UPCOMING 100 Year Events
More About The Theatre
HISTORY
On March 31, 1923, Harry E. Lerner, an Elkhart businessman, announced he planned to construct a modern "theatrical palace" on the corner of Franklin and Main Streets
in downtown Elkhart.
RENOVATION
The $18 million Lerner Theatre renovation project was designed, budgeted, and approved by the City of Elkhart in 2008. Construction began in early 2009 and was completed in June 2011.
Donate
By making a tax-deductible gift to The Lerner, you're helping sustain a vibrant cultural life in the Michiana region.