Vintage Voices Preps for Special 25th Anniversary Performances
Jody Basola says Vintage Voices helps give forgotten Alton stories a voice again as the annual cemetery performances prepare for a milestone anniversary.
ALTON - Vintage Voices will mark its 25th anniversary this year with memorable performances at the Alton Cemetery.
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On Oct. 3, 4, 10 and 11, 2026, community members can enjoy a walking tour where actors will portray influential Altonians who are buried in the cemetery. At 5 p.m. on Oct. 4, St. Mary’s Parish Hall will host a non-walking staged performance and reception.
Jody Basola, chair of the Vintage Voices committee, explained that this year is extra special as the tradition marks its 25th anniversary. It means a lot to her to tell these stories.
“When people ask me, ‘Why do you do this?’ — it’s because not only does Alton have stories worth telling, but it’s because those stories might otherwise be forgotten, and nobody would have known these things,” Basola said. “By doing this, we give those people a voice again.”
Vintage Voices began as a fundraiser for the YWCA. Over time, it morphed into a volunteer-only group that now raises money for several organizations across the Alton area, including the Alton Cemetery and Hayner Public Library District.
Every year, historians Lacy McDonald and Margaret Hopkins research people buried in the cemetery and produce packets of information about these interesting community members. The actors then write their own scripts, and the Vintage Voices committee helps them refine their scripts, perfect their costumes, and prepare for the performances.
The 75-minute walking performances kick off every 15 minutes between 12–2:15 p.m. on Oct. 3, 4, 10 and 11. The guided tours will meet at the Alton Cemetery gates and then travel through the cemetery to eight “stops,” where actors will tell their character’s stories.
For the first time this year, the tours will be allowed inside the mausoleum. Basola noted that this is “really exciting,” as no one from the public has been allowed inside the mausoleum since the last entombment in the early 2000s. She looks forward to telling the story of a few Altonians who are inside the mausoleum.
Tickets for the walking tours cost $15 for adults and $10 for students ages 6–18. Kids under age 5 are free. You can purchase tickets online, at the gate, or at Picture This and More on Broadway in Alton.
The non-walking performance at St. Mary’s Parish Hall is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Oct. 4. These tickets cost $25 and must be purchased online or at Picture This and More.
For the first time ever, the non-walking tour will include a reception and Q&A with the actors. There will be hors d’oeuvres and the opportunity to ask the actors questions about their methods and characters.
Everyone who attends a Vintage Voices performance can complete an entry form for the chance to win a framed 25th anniversary print featuring original sketches by local artist Patrick Dailey. The second place winner will receive a gift basket filled with Alton favorites, and third place will take home four tickets to next year’s Vintage Voices.
Basola and the Vintage Voices team are excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary and share “a cross-section of Alton’s history” with the community. She added that the committee tries to feature people who are famous Altonians with names like “Lovejoy” and “Hayner” as much as the everyman who made up Alton’s history.
“We are very intentional about choosing the people that show history isn’t just about the people whose names appear in the history books,” she explained. “It’s about the teachers, the business owners, the homemakers, musicians, community leaders, veterans, and everyday people that help make Alton what it is today.”
For more information about Vintage Voices, visit their official Facebook page. To purchase your tickets in advance, click here.
This featured article is sponsored by Vintage Voices. To get your business or organization featured on www.RiverBender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
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