Theatre Historical Society Readerboard

Hollywood Thr, NYC — lots of coverage

theatrehistoricalsoc — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:49:21 +0000

We recently received postings from three THS members regarding the fate of the Hollywood Theatre on Avenue A in New York, recently used for storage for the bodega in the street level storefronts:

http://blog.preservationnation.org/2012/01/26/death-of-a-bodega-and-the-forgotten-theater-upstairs/
– Cezar Del Valle

http://gawker.com/5879382/the-beautiful-decay-of-a-theater-hidden-above-a-new-york-bodega
–Tim Wagner

http://evgrieve.com/2012/01/inside-old-theater-at-east-village.html

http://gothamist.com/2012/01/25/secret_theater.php#photo-1

– Biff Buttler

Taco Supper At Onarga, IL Theatre to fund digital

theatrehistoricalsoc — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:27:15 +0000

From the Onarga Theater website

From Glenview Illinois THS member Carol Slingo a creative, tasty way to help keep this vintage small town house open.

Welcome to the Onarga Theater website! We are a small town theater with competitive prices, quality entertainment for your family, and a hometown feel.

Please try to make our Taco Supper Fundraiser on March 3rd to help raise money to convert to digital projection and keep The Onarga Theater doors open. Tickets on sale soon

Theatre history, schedule, pictures here:

http://www.onargatheater.com/

Howard Haas of Friends of Boyd, Philadelphia

theatrehistoricalsoc — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:54:08 +0000

The photos included from After the Final Curtain are spectacular.

Howard Haas mentions how joining THSA long ago has helped, in his interview regarding Philadelphia’s Boyd Theatre published online yesterday by After the Final Curtain

http://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2012/01/24/qa-with-howard-b-haas-president-of-friends-of-the-boyd/

Mary C. Henderson, Scholar of the Theater, Dies at 83

theatrehistoricalsoc — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:35:42 +0000

Mary Henderson's "Broadway Ballyhoo" , Katherine Cornell on Theatre Magazine, cover, January, 1926

Via Biff Buttler, THS founding member in New York City. Her “The City and the Theater”, “Broadway Ballyhoo”, and “The New Amsterdam” are excellent resources found in the THS Archive library.

Mary C. Henderson, Author and Scholar of Theater History, Dies at 83

Ms. Henderson, who taught theater history at New York University and other schools, wrote several books, often lavishly illustrated, reflecting her familiarity with and love of theater imagery and theater artifacts. They included “The City and the Theater” (1973, revised in 2004), a history of the city’s playhouses dating to the 18th century . . .

Full New York Times obiturary:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/theater/mary-c-henderson-scholar-of-the-theater-dies-at-83.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

Hip in Baltimore to host Main Streets conference

theatrehistoricalsoc — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:27:03 +0000

From the National Trust via Dennis Wilhelm. This is a Thomas Lamb designed house.

Restored Landmark Welcomes Main Streets Conference to Baltimore

Baltimore’s legendary Hippodrome Theatre will host the Opening Plenary of the 2012 National Main Streets Conference on April 2nd. . . .

http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/main-street-news/story-of-the-week/2012/12118hippodrome/the-last-movie-theatre.html?log-event=sp2f-view-item&nid=305010474

DAVIS, Higginsville, MO goes non-profit to meet digital challenge

theatrehistoricalsoc — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:15:57 +0000

THS vice-president Mike Hauser of Detroit takes us to Missouri

Mo. town rallies to help local theater survive

A western Missouri movie theater in danger of closing because it can’t afford to switch from film to digital equipment got a boost from a community that sees value in a venue that has been one of the main local entertainment options for decades.

The Davis Theatre in Higginsville, about 50 miles east of Kansas City, was a livery building before it was transformed into a grand movie theater. Fran and George Schwarzer bought the theater in 1998 when it was in danger of closing after serving as a concert venue since the 1980s. . . .

Grand Thr/Crookston MN Another small theater caught in the digital upgrade crunch

Karen Colizzi Noonan — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:23:01 +0000

Thanks to MIKE HAUSER for this story from the Grand Forks Herald:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/227253/

STRAND THEATRE, Plattsburgh NY gets rehab grant

theatrehistoricalsoc — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:32:49 +0000

Dennis Wilhelm takes us to upstate New York. The house was at one time owned by an organ fan who, with his wife and daughters, installed a Wurlitzer.

Strand Theater Gets $150K Grant

Plattsburgh Rebuilding Project Gets More Funding

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — More good news for attempts to renovate Plattsburgh’s Strand Theater. The project just picked up a $150,000 grant . . . .Read more: http://www.wptz.com/news/30243599/detail.html#ixzz1kJZEmens

Film Repertory House Petition to Keep 35mm Film

theatrehistoricalsoc — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:16:14 +0000

supplied by Ted Gooding, THS member in Pasadena CA. Over 9100 people have signed from all over the world.

SAVE CLASSIC 35MM PRINTS!

An internet petition was set up this week by the owner of THE NEW BEVERLY cinema in Los Angeles, a repertory film house owned by Quentin Tarantino, that screens cult and classic films exclusively on 35mm Prints. The reason for the petition was VERY distressing for anyone with even a passing interest in film.

With the commercial industry moving rapidly to total digital presentation as early as 2015, some major studios have expressed their desire to stop renting their archival 35mm prints to film houses like The New Beverly and other famous revival houses like New York’s Film Forum and Austin’s Alamo Drafthouse (which would trickle down to The Astor, given the nature of our business). The repercussions would be disastrous – repertory cinema will be forced out of business, film lovers would be doomed to see many, many classics in an isolated environment of their lounge rooms and archives pertaining to the history of cinema will be potentially destroyed. It makes NO sense to do so given there is a wealth of classics and oddball cult favourites readily available on perfectly usable 35mm prints.

The decision is due to, what they believe, a dying industry. This is simply not the case. Repertory cinema is an enthusiastically received business, thriving like never before, with a large and dedicated following. It is a welcome alternative to the multiplex environment, being run independently by movie lovers catering to an audiences that cherish the communal viewing experience of the greatest films of all time, and the curious classics long though lost. Something like the unearthing of a cult favourite on 35mm is always met with incredible enthusiasm and like finding buried treasure.

PLEASE head to this link to sign the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/fight-for-35mm/ It is almost stunning to hear of the disregard and contempt shown to the classics, given the industry was born on the backs of these very motion pictures, and like seeing a painting, the celluloid canvas is how many of the classics were shot and the only way they can continue to be seen. We believe that the preservation of 35mm, alongside the forward thinking of distributors releasing restorations committed to digital DCP, thus being available to wide audiences, can co-exist with 35mm.

It would be cultural vandalism to allow such a proud past to be lost forever.

Come on guys, S I G N !!!!

ian wiliams,

CALIFORNIA, Pittsburg, CA — better organ news

theatrehistoricalsoc — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:59:07 +0000

(The city acquired the original organ but was going to put HVAC in the organ chambers instead.)

RE: CALIFORNIA THEATRE, PITSBURG, CA

UPDATE…………

On Tuesday evening (Jan.17th) several concerned individuals met at the
Pittsburg City Council meeting in regards to the California Theatre and
the pipe organ…….at the end of the meeting the Mayor and the City
Manager mentioned that the Robert Morton Pipe Organ would now be a part
of the theatre project and the HVAC units will have to be re-located.
Tom LaFleur is now heading up a group “Friends of the California
Theatre” to help the City in raising funds for the pipe organ
restoration and installation…..This is a rare project of re-installing
a historic pipe organ back into it’s home. Thanks for all the inputs
on this matter.
Musically, Dave Moreno