A community-wide performance will take place Monday to celebrate the life of Molly Banzhoff at Concord’s Capitol Center for the Arts.
The 13-year-old died May 7 from a brain tumor detected only days earlier. Molly was a beloved daughter and friend to many. She was a student at Rundlett Middle School who often performed in school plays, and she danced at Concord Dance Academy, where she had been a student since age 3.
When trying to come up with ways to remember their daughter, Molly’s parents, Barb Higgins and Kenny Banzhoff, decided that rather than doing a somber funeral or memorial service, they decided on a public celebration.
“I think we came upon it together. ‘Why don’t we make it a show?’ ” Higgins said. “Like instead of a ceremony with readers and all of this seriousness, let’s do a show. And we were like, ‘Oh my God, Molly would love that.’ ”
They decided the Capitol Center for the Arts would be big enough to accommodate hundreds of friends and family members. However, the theater also has special significance to Molly, who performed there many times.
“Molly spent so much time in that theater,” Higgins said.
Molly’s father, Kenny Banzhoff, agreed.
“She loved it,” he said.
There will be 13 performances of music, theater and dance, as well as a video tribute to Molly made by her classmates at Rundlett.
The show will start at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the general public. Molly’s family requests that attendees wear pink – her favorite color.