Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Theaters
-
August 24, 2015
A Great Collection of Old Pictures From the Michigan Theatre in Detroit.
The Michigan Theater was built for the Kunsky circuit in 1926 by Chicago-based firm Rapp & Rapp, in their traditional French Renaissance style, and sat over 4,000 in its cavernous auditorium.
It cost over $5 million and was extravagantly elegant. The Michigan’s four-story lobby was decorated with a set of huge chandeliers, towering columns painted to resemble multi-colored marble, and oil-paintings and sculpture from Europe. Its grand staircase swept up-wards to a mezzanine level complete with a sitting area with antique furniture and another staircase led to the balcony levels.
0 comments -
August 19, 2015
Macon, GA’s Historic Douglass Theatre Goes Digital!
Great News From Our Friends in Macon, GA: The Douglass Theatre has a new digital projector! The success of the Douglass is something for historic theatres to celebrate. The 400 seat venue raised more than $100,000 for the new projector with the support of the community.
-
August 17, 2015
Abandoned America’s Gallery of Historic Theatres
You’ll be moved by Abandoned America’s gallery of historic theatres and might be be inspired to renovate a theatre in your neighborhood! There are also galleries dedicated to the Victory Theatre, the Variety Theatre, the Donnely Theater*, and the Lansdowne Theatre.
-
August 12, 2015
Historic Theatre Preservation: How New Mexico is Saving its Historic Theatres
This article written by Elmo Baca, a New Mexico MainStreet Program Associate, Economic Development Department, looks at how historic theatres are achieving success with investment from Main Street programs.
A tiny prairie town of 3,200 on the state line in northeastern New Mexico, Clayton welcomes many Texas snowbirds in the winters en route to the New Mexico and Colorado mountains. Long before, Santa Fe Trail wagon caravans rumbled westward near here, and the vast buffalo plains surrounding Clayton nurtured great herds of cattle.
In town, meanwhile, sits the nearly 100-year-old Luna Theater, which operates today as one of New Mexico’s oldest movie houses, and the state’s best preserved from the silent movie era. The reason for its success: New Mexico’s MainStreet Historic Theater Initiative, the only program of its kind in the nation to actively invest in rural downtown theaters to keep them as economic anchors for their communities.
-
August 7, 2015
Saving the Terrace, a Masterpiece of International-Style
Robbinsdale, MN: Considered a masterpiece of International-Style when it opened in 1951, The Terrace was one of the first ultramodern theaters in America. The spectacular venue was the most luxurious, comfortable and up-to-date theater in America. Local movie theater owners, Bill and Sydney Volk, spared no expense when they built their flagship overlooking the marshes on the west side of Crystal Lake.
-
August 6, 2015
American City & County Governments Make the Case for Historic Theatres
The American City & County website makes the case for historic theatres. Historic theaters like Count Biase Theatre in Red Bank, N.J. pictured above, bring beauty and revenue to local communities. Enjoy the article ‘Preserving the past is a key to the future’ by Michael R. Schnoering, AIA for American City and County.
-
July 31, 2015
Europe’s largest Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ brought back to life, in pictures!
Programs & Performances: From The Telegraph – Enjoy their amazing images and the story of this great theatre organ.
“The Grand Hall at vintage venue Troxy in London’s East End is soon to be filled with the sounds of a magnificent full orchestra upon the recent completion of the restoration project to save Europe’s largest Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ. Launching to the public on 22nd August, the Wurlitzer holds over 1728 pipes ranging from 16 ft to 1 inch housed in four separate rooms, four keyboards, one pedal board and 241 stop keys, the Organ is a truly captivating sight and the sounds are even more incredible.
-
July 29, 2015
Gorgeous Old Movie Theatres That Have Fallen Into Ruin
This is a little sad, but also beautiful and inspiring. Do you have a theatre in your neighborhood in need of community support and investment?
From io9:“Movie theaters used to be glamorous places, like music halls or opera houses. The spectacle of the movie-going experience extended out into the actual look and feel of the cinema. But many of these ornate old movie theaters have fallen into disrepair, and look like gorgeous disaster areas…
-
July 27, 2015
20 Of the World’s Most Breathtaking Cinemas
Planning a trip to the movies? Here’s an incredible collection of theatres around the world, from historic gems like the Winter Garden in Toronto to more creative and contemporary cinema experiences, like the Floating Archipelago Cinema in Thailand.
-
July 23, 2015
Stage Technicians Throughout History from Audio Visual Resources
Check out these great images of stage technicians in historic theatres from Audio Visual Resources, like this image: At the rail, 1935.