'ONCE AND AGAIN' ACTRESS FOLLOWS HEART, PASSION IN RENOVATION PLAN

BYLINE: The Associated Press -- Actress and Meridian native Sela Ward was busy shooting her Once and Again series on ABC when the announcement was made to renovate the Grand Opera House of Mississippi.

"I have been obsessed with the opera house since I was in the third grade, 8 years old, when I would see pictures of it. It was this mysterious, exotic, beautiful thing that I didn't have access to, you know. I was never able to see it until the last several years," Ward said in a recent telephone interview from Hollywood.

"I am so obsessed with getting the place restored because I think, in our fair little city, we have such a jewel. It is like a little jewelry box entombed in these buildings, and my dream is that my children will be able to see performances there, and I'll be able to see performances there."

Mississippi State University and The Riley Foundation are teaming up to renovate the Grand Opera House and the Marks-Rothenberg building on Front Street, and to create a teaching and performing arts center called "The Riley Education and Performing Arts Center."

At a total cost of $26 million, the Grand Opera House would be fully restored to its original grandeur. The Marks-Rothenberg building would then be converted into a 38,000-square-foot educational and conference center for MSU and Meridian Community College.

The third element in the project is a 500-car drive-up parking garage to be utilized for public parking in the downtown area and for the performances and educational activities that will be held in the conference center.

Ward has promised her help in attracting performers to the opera house.

"Well, I just have access to many contacts in the entertainment industry from living in this world out here. Who knows what we can come up with in getting people to come to Meridian? Yes, I am definitely going to Washington to help get more funding. It is just something I have been working really hard on with Bruce Martin, the mayor, Dr. (MSU President Malcolm) Portera and the Rileys to make it happen," Ward said.

Dr. William Riley was Ward's doctor when she was a child.

"They are incredibly special people. As my pediatrician, I remember Dr. Billy Riley very well and have known him for years," she said.

"Dr. Richard Riley has a great love of the arts. They both have a lot of love for their hometown and are investing in the future of our town, and really want to contribute in a way that enhances everybody's life. This is a huge thing that will economically affect Meridian in terms of the arts."

Ward and her husband own a home and 200 acres of land in Causeyville.

"We are pretty invested in spending large amounts of time there. It is totally my quiet time, my down-to-earth time that really grounds me when I come back. I have a lot of friends and family still there, and it is a really special place," Ward said.

Ward will continue to film her television series through March.

"And then I'll see if there is anything to do that is worthwhile during my hiatus; otherwise, I'm going to go hang out in Italy with my children," she said.

Would she ever live here permanently, again?

"If Hollywood were a bit closer, but jet service to Meridian would be nice. I could actually get to work in a timely fashion and then go back and forth. It would be easier if there were jet service," Ward said.

"I'll probably end up in Manhattan or around there because I really love big cities, but I'll always come back and spend very large chunks of time because it is very important to me that my children know what my roots are, what the South is like and it is very important for me to stay connected to where I come from. There are so many simpler pleasures of life when you are there which you sort of forget about when you are in bigger cities."

Ward said she dreams of the day she can sit in a box seat at the restored Grand Opera House for the first time.

"I'd love to hear someone sing there. Someone come back and sing and host an evening there. As far as a play, I have no idea what I'd like to see," Ward said.

"This project is so important to me, and I am so happy it has come to fruition. Dr. (Malcolm) Portera has really fallen in love with Meridian and embraced the community."

Ward will accompany a legislative delegation to Washington later this month.__Commercial Appeal (February 20, 2000)