ALTON - Committee chair Jody Basola expressed gratitude for the community's strong support of Vintage Voices and the event's continued popularity. “This year’s attendance brought our 24-year total to more than 10,000,” Basola said. “The portrayal of individuals from Alton’s past by costumed actors in the Alton Cemetery has become a treasured October tradition.”
In addition to the primary mission of preserving local history, Vintage Voices is making a positive impact by giving back to the community. Basola added that this year $4,000 was distributed among various local organizations: Alton Cemetery, Community Hope Center, Crisis Food Center, Hayner Genealogy & Local History Library, Operation Blessing People That Care, Overnight Warming Locations, The Salvation Army, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Wreaths Across America, and YWCA Southwestern Illinois.
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“In addition, the 2025 Vintage Voices Founders Award was presented to the Alton Municipal Band.” Basola went on to say, “It was our pleasure to portray Reinhold Gossrau during 2025. The band was selected in recognition of Gossrau’s influence on music in Alton, which contributed to the formation of the Alton Municipal Band more than 135 years ago.”
To kick off the 25th Anniversary year in 2026, the Vintage Voices Players will present The Lovejoy Legacy in collaboration with the Hayner Genealogy & Local History Library. This powerful program brings history to life through first-person portrayals of individuals connected to the legacy of Elijah P. Lovejoy. The event is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2026.
The 25th anniversary season cemetery tours will take place on October 3, 4, 10, and 11, 2026. A non-walking performance will be held on Sunday, October 4. Stay connected and informed about all Vintage Voices events by following them on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Community members with a passion for storytelling and a love of history are invited to audition to be a part of the cast. Auditions are scheduled for June 6, 2026.
Vintage Voices continues to combine community engagement, historical preservation, and philanthropy, measuring success both through tangible results and its meaningful influence on the community.
Pictured is the 2025 cast:
Front row: Jane Watson Bassett, portrayed by Gail Drillinger, Dorothy Scott, portrayed by Latasha LeFlore Porter, Cary Waples, portrayed by Caleb Kelahan, Joseph Henry Price, portrayed by Sean Williams, Reinhold Gossrau, portrayed by John Kirkpatrick.
Back row: Alice Quigley, portrayed by Jean Heil, Jennie Quigley, portrayed by Diana Kay, Bertha Neerman Yoxall, portrayed by Debbie Maneke, Martin Beem, portrayed by Kerry Miller.
