, is comprised of the Ballet Mississippi School and the Ballet Mississippi Youth Company. They have several performances a year from various guest choreographers and perform the Nutcracker every winter. The school places students according to their age and ability and teach them the technique, flexibility and artistry necessary to become the best performers they can be. The Youth Company is comprised of professional, youth ballet and apprentice dancers that must audition to become a performer.
The Civil Rights Exhibit at the Old Capitol Museum is the first permanent exhibit on the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. It contains film footage from the 1960s, pictures and posters pertaining to Civil Rights in Mississippi between 1954-1970.
The Community Children's Theater is a 50-year-old volunteer group that produces a play for children in the Jackson real estate area. The volunteers select a play and contribute everything themselves, from building sets to gathering props to making costumes and arranging reservations for more than 10,000 children that come to see the play every winter.
The Fondren District originally began as part of a large 5,000 acre plantation outside of Jackson real estate. It was owned by the Garland family and eventually was broken up after the Civil War ended, during the Reconstruction Era. This area extends from Northside Drive on the north to Woodrow Wilson on the south and from I-55 on the east to the ICRR tracks on the west. Today, there are several diverse shops, restaurants, churches, schools, homes and neighborhood clubs/organizations in the area.
In 1989, the Mississippi Chorus began from a simple call for singers to enhance the Crossgates United Methodist Church's Christmas presentation of Handel's Messiah and has now become a much larger group that have been guest artists with the MS Symphony and has toured Europe for two weeks (in 1994) performing concerts in four countries and serving as official Goodwill Ambassadors. They are always seeking singers to compliment their group efforts and continue with regular performances for the public.
The Mississippi Opera originated in Jackson real estate in 1945. They promote the enjoyment and appreciation of ppera. They strive to develop operatic talent and wish to provide entertainment for public consumption. They are the eleventh oldest continuously performing professional opera company in America.
The New Stage Theater was founded in 1965 as a non-profit organization. Their plays range from musicals to children's theater, to comedies, to cutting-edge drama. They perform contemporary as well as classic pieces. The theater offers internships for both performers and technicians of the arts. They have intern programs and have developed a curriculum for teaching youth and adult classes. There are five plays performed per year as well as a Christmas show, an annual student matinee and a kids-only show with local talent.