Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday at the Smoot Theatre. This year’s shows start an hour earlier than previous seasons. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — The 2025-25 season opens on Friday at the Smoot Theatre where shows will now begin at 7 p.m.

Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute kicks off the season under the new hours at the Smoot and Director Felice Jorgeson is worried patrons may have not read their notifications and are unaware of the time change. Previous shows started at 8 p.m.

“My concern is we changed our start time and people don’t know,” she said.

The change was made to accommodate older patrons and senior citizens who don’t want to be out late at night, Jorgeson said. Younger folk don’t care about getting home from a show after 10 p.m., she said.

“Young people don’t mind,” Jorgeson said. “Older people don’t like to be out after dark.”

Winter is worse when it gets darker earlier, she said.

Another issue for season ticket holders is the usual pre-concert reception is always an hour before the concert, so Friday’s, too, will begin at the earlier time of 6 p.m., not the previous time of 7 p.m., Jorgeson said. Receptions are for season ticket holders only, she said.

Friday’s reception will feature live entertainment from the local band Britain in the Trinity Episcopal Church parking lot adjacent to the theater.

The Smoot time change also follows what the Actors Guild of Parkersburg did this season, which changed the start of its shows from 8 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Jorgeson said. The first show in the Guild season, “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors,” opened with new hours last week and is going into its final three performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

The hours can always be changed back if it doesn’t work out for the Smoot, Jorgeson said.

Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute first appeared at the Smoot about six or seven years ago, Jorgeson said. The band enjoyed performing in an old historical theater and other accommodations at the Smoot, particularly the old-fashioned dressing rooms, she said.

“They really liked our dressing rooms,” Jorgeson said.

Songs anticipated at the concert are among the iconic hits by The Beach Boys including “Surfin’ Safari,” “Surfer Girl,” “Little Deuce Coupe,” “409,” “In My Room,” “I Get Around,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” Wendy, “California Girls,” “Good Vibrations,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Barbara Ann” and Surfin’ USA.”

“It’s going to be a good show,” Jorgeson said.

Members of the band are Paul Runyon on keyboards, guitar and vocals, Matt Thompson on guitar and vocals, Mike Williamson on keyboards, guitar and vocals, Wyatt Funderburk on bass and vocals and Aaron Drescher on drums.

Tickets are $45 for the show and all other shows in the season, which ends with a performance by Judy Collins on April 2.

In between the Beach Boys and Collins are the Linda Ronstadt Experience featuring the work of singer Linda Ronstadt on Oct. 18, the Aretha Franklin tribute Portrait of Aretha on Jan. 14 and the swing band Good Shot Judy on March 7. All tickets can be ordered online at https://www.smoottheatre.com/.