Once upon a time, the McKinney Performing Arts Center was the Collin County Courthouse. It sits in the center of the square in downtown McKinney. The courthouse sat abandoned for quite a few years, until it was recently renovated, at which time it became the MPAC. What a gem this is, a mere 15 maximum minute drive from even the furthest corners of McKinney.

The MPAC consists of the Courtroom Theater, which is the main auditorium, and seats over 400. Then, on different floors, there are various other rooms for smaller events. There is also a kitchen on the premises. Parking is free on or adjacent to the square, or in various city lots very close to the venue.

One of the best tips I can offer is that the wooden seats in the Courtroom Theater, while historical and lovingly restored, are not very comfortable. So, do stop by the ticket office on your way to the theater and request seat cushions, for which the suggested donation is $1 each for the evening's use. The special "insider's tip" is to get two cushions per person. You may also bring your own cushion.

My second tip is that the temperature inside the Courtroom Theater may vary. It is an old building, with a balcony. The upper level can get quite warm in the summer. The lower level can get quite cold if there isn't a large crowd. Dress in layers!

The MPAC mails occasional materials and also maintains an email list, both of which are quite useful as sometimes discount tickets are included. You can also go to the MPAC website to see what events are on the horizon. We have attended several events at the MPAC lately, and at each event, we have been pleasantly surprised by the turnout. Some of the more recent events we've attended include:

MPAC Monday Movie Madness: One Monday each month, the MPAC shows classic movies, one feature in the afternoon and a different feature in the evening. Admission is only $3 and you may bring your own refreshments (there are none for sale at the event). Tonight, we saw Metropolis, a 1927 German film with subtitles. It was very interesting, something we would never have selected on our own, but were glad to have experienced. In spite of a little technical difficulty in the middle of the viewing, it was a pleasant evening. The audience seemed genuinely interested in the film, even one young boy of perhaps seven or eight. We packed a light supper of rolled sandwiches and bottled water. I believe that the afternoon movies are more geared towards the ladies, but all are classics.

Dixie's Tupperware Party: Dixie Longate is the most successful Tupperware salesperson in the United States. Dixie played to a packed house the night we attended, with people coming from as far as Chicago to see the show. In spite of the bawdy humor, and audience participation, this was a real Tupperware party! We managed a pre-show dinner at Cafe Malaga, and enjoyed some wine during the show.

Five Funny Females: This actually turned out to be Four Funny Females. While an enjoyable evening, it wasn't so much my kind of humor. The program consisted of four female stand-up comediennes, each very different. If I recall, there was a bar offering mixed drinks during the show. This same show will be seen at the Eisemann Theater in Richardson within the month.

The Great American Trailer Park Musical: A musical comedy, silly and fun, with pink plastic flamingos. One of the earlier events at the MPAC, the opening of this comedy was celebrated with the display of flamingos in numerous yards in McKinney's historic district.

The MPAC calendar is definitely worth checking out regardless of the day of the week. Every time we attend an event, the theater seems to be busier. While there were only perhaps 30 people in the movie tonight, there were several other groups using the facilites. In the hallways, children could be heard singing. And the night of Dixie's Tupperware Party, there was an art exhibit on the basement level.

So, don't forget the MPAC!