Welcome to Connecting to Collections Care › Forums › Group Forums › C2C Community Archives – 2012 through 2014 › Vaudeville Theater Restoration
- This topic has 5 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 8 months ago by
Nancy Barthelemy.
-
AuthorPosts
-
-
May 28, 2013 at 10:51 am #132698
Rose McMahon
MemberI’ve been asked to contribute to a project that aims to create a business plan for restoring a 1913 Vaudeville theater.
I wonder: do any members of this forum know of any similar projects they could refer me to? Is there a US organisation that deals with the restoration and preservation of historic theaters?
I would appreciate any advice.
Best wishes
Rose
-
May 28, 2013 at 11:11 am #132703
Nancy Barthelemy
ParticipantThere is a restored vaudeville theater in Beverly, MA, the Cabot Street Theater, which was restored in the 1970s and operated with a magic show until recently. They also run independent and second run movies, as well. Unfortunately, the building is for sale but is still open until then. The interior is lovely and if you can contact them, they might steer you in the direction you need for your own restoration. Good luck.
The telephone number is 978-927-3677 and the website is http://www.cabotcinemamovies.com/cabotcinemamovies.com/Enter_Cabot_Street_Cinema_Theatre_Beverly_MA_Movies.html
-
May 28, 2013 at 7:16 pm #132702
Ron Kley
ParticipantThe city of Gardiner, Maine, has had a vaudeville theater (Johnson Hall) for at least 20 years — most if not all of that time it has been a mostly if not entirely volunteer operation. I don’t know any specific contact person, but the Johnson Hall phone nmber is 207-582-7144. Gardiner probably has a municipal web site, and you might find some Johnson Hall information posted there.
A key catalyst in the birth and early development of Johnson Hall was a talented veteran vaudevillian, Benny Rheel (now deceased). I think that some of the enthusiasm has cooled since Benny’s passing, but that’s probably an inevitable result when so much has been done by a single key individual who then leaves the stage.
Good luck!
Ron Kley
-
May 29, 2013 at 8:11 am #132701
Larry Behlen
MemberThere is an organization of historic theatres – The League of Historic American Theatres. Their web site lists theatres by state.
-
May 29, 2013 at 10:16 am #132700
Dennis McFadden
MemberWhile I know that in one case the theatre was built as a movie theatre and am not sure about the other one, I would suggest two organizations that you might look at. The first is the Orpheum Theatre here in Chatham, Massachusetts (http://www.chathamorpheum.org/). They are not open yet but well under way in a project to reopen as an independent film venue. I don’t know whether their business plan includes other types of programming. The other organization is the Colonial Theatre in Bethlehem, NH (http://bethlehemcolonialtheatre.org/). It is primarily a summer venue offering a broad range of programming with strong local support.
-
May 29, 2013 at 11:43 am #132699
Amber Skantz
ParticipantI believe the original construction of the Princess Theatre in Decatur, Alabama was close to the same time period, and the Princess did at one time run some vaudeville acts. They host a variety of community programs now (I’ve actually performed on their stage myself-it’s a great performance facility) and I belive they still have some long term restoration plans going on. A neat variety of programs, and a neat history, especially in such a relatively rural location in the Tennessee Valley/North Alabama. http://www.princesstheatre.org/about/history.php
-
-
AuthorPosts
- The forum ‘C2C Community Archives – 2012 through 2014’ is closed to new topics and replies.