CIVIL WAR EXHIBITION, LECTURE AND CONCERT

CIVIL WAR EXHIBITION, LECTURE AND CONCERT TO KICK OFF WEEKEND. On
Friday August 18, 2023, a Civil War exhibition will be held at the St. Marys Grand Opera
House/Theatre featuring authors, vendors and exhibits concluding with a lecture on the
remarkable story of the Civil War Steamboat disaster Sultana. Nationally known author, Gene
Eric Salecker who is a military historian whose seven published books include Destruction of the
Steamboat Sultana: The Worst Maritime Disaster in American History (2022), will present his
powerful presentation based on the up-dated, and expanded book on this historically important
event. Gene has also written the book Typhoon Louise vs. the United States Navy: Catastrophe
at Okinawa, October 9-10, 1945 (2023). He owned the largest collection of Sultana artifacts and
memorabilia which he donated to the Sultana Disaster Museum in Marion, Arkansas. Gene is a
graduate of Northeastern Illinois University; he is a retired police officer and retired middle
school teacher currently acting as the historical consultant for the Sultana Disaster Museum.
Concluding the evening will be the music of the Civil War performed by Loco Foco’s, a
nationally known musical group from Oklahoma and who are a Living History organization
whose purpose is to illuminate the first documentable publicly performed blending of early Euro-
American and African American musical elements resulting in the Nation’s first uniquely
American music and constitutes the start of American popular music in the U.S.
Admittance is FREE, with the lecture beginning at 4:00 p.m. and the concert immediately
following. It begins the weekend that will premiere the original play A Long Journey Home,
which tells Charles Kruse’s remarkable Civil War story through the actual words of his letters
and through a multi-media presentation including period costumes, props, music, and video. The
events he encountered are recreated in dramatic form, boasting a cast of fifteen and including
Gary Sandy from the memorable and classic TV sitcom, WKRP in Cincinnati serving as the
narrator. Two performances are scheduled during the Bi-Centennial celebration, Saturday
August 19th at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday August 20th at 2:00 p.m. in the St. Marys Grand Opera
House/Theatre. For ticket information please contact www.grandoperahouselive.com/tickets .