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Photo Gallery: Grand Theatre
The history below was posted to a Cinema Treasures as
a comment. It was written by Terri Cox, program coordinator for the theater.
Since the text does not appear to be on the
Grand Theatre website, it is
kept below in its entirety.
A Grand Theatre History
In the Beginning—From Vaudeville to Motion Pictures
In January of 1910, Mr. J.W. Smith of Atlanta announced that he would soon
be constructing a new Opera House at the corner of Wall Street and Market
Streets in downtown Cartersville, Georgia in the old Exchange Hotel. In
November of that year, The Greenwood Theatre was opened. Patrons entered
from Market St., now known as Cherokee St. The theatre, which occupied the
second floor of the building, seated 800 and featured a 20-foot by 50-foot
stage.
In January of 1911, a contest was held in which the stylish young ladies of
the town sought to find a new name for the theatre. The winning entry was
Grand Opera House, suggested by Miss Emily Daves.
Performances at the new opera house included live shows such as orchestra
concerts and plays by community theatre groups. Also featured were silent
“moving pictures”, and there was a different show each night. Often Miss
Marilu Munford, a local pianist, accompanied the silent movies.
The Movie Years
On November 15, 1923, tragedy struck when a fire broke out in the stable
located adjacent to the opera house. The entire block was destroyed,
including the theatre. Mr. Germain, the theatre operator, also resided in
the building, and was able to escape unharmed with his wife. The theatre was
rebuilt on a smaller scale using some of the outer walls of the building
which were still standing, and it reopened in 1924. It was that year that it
began to bear the name, The Grand Theatre.
With the new name came new stars and constant improvements in theatre
technology. Techniques in lighting, costume, and makeup gave a more
professional look to the movies. Often seen on the screen at The Grand
during the 1920’s were movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford,
Loretta Young, Rudolph Valentino, and Charlie Chase.
The first “talkie”, or motion picture with synchronized picture and sound,
debuted on May 9, 1929. It was called “Syncopation” and was advertised as
the entertainment sensation of the age.
In 1930, a newly designed façade was built on the theatre featuring the
Beaux-Arts style of architecture with Corinthian columns, urns, swags, and
an elaborate marquee. The interior was appointed with plaster relief
carvings, stained glass skylights, and terrazzo flooring. A small stage
remained for occasional live performances, but motion pictures were the main
attraction. It was advertised as offering new air conditioning, cushions on
the seats, a new screen, and the latest talking devices.
In the 1940’s, film star Lash Laroo appeared in person at the Grand, as did
western stars Kitty Wells and Little Beaver. Local resident Bonnell Cox
remembers standing in line to be photographed with Smiley Burdette after his
appearance promoting one of his western comedy roles.
Throughout the years, the Grand was the place to go for family
entertainment. On Saturdays, the house was filled every weekend with
children who came to spend the day. For the price of a quarter, a kid could
see a cartoon, serial, a western, a newsreel, and a main feature and still
have money left over for popcorn and a soda. Most patrons had their favorite
seats and many have fond memories of spending the day with friends, while
occasionally getting into trouble from the theatre manager, Mr. Anthony, who
ruled the Grand with an iron hand.
Late in the summer of 1977, the Grand Theatre, then owned and operated by
the Martin Theatre Company, presented its last movie performance with
“Silver Streak” starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor.
From Movies to Live Performance
The Grand Theatre’s programming was kept alive between 1978 and 1983 by a
local theatre group called The Pumphouse Players. Cartersville native
William Brown served as manager for The Grand, bringing in shows including
rock and roll bands, beauty pageants, and plays. The Pumphouse Players
performed plays including “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “The King and I,” and
“Oklahoma”. They mounted a “Save the Grand” campaign to make the community
aware that the theatre was a local historic treasure, well worth saving.
The campaign was successful as the Grand Theatre was purchased by a local
resident and slated for a complete renovation. In 1988, Don Kordecki was
hired as manager of the renovation project. The theatre was completely
converted from movie theatre to live-performance venue including stage
expansion, fly system, orchestra pit, lighting and sound equipment, and
acoustical tiles to enhance sound. The Grand Theatre re-opened as a
live-performance venue on May 19, 1989 with a production called
“Gallavantin’ at the Grand”. It was managed by The Etowah Education
Foundation for the next 11 years.
The Grand Theatre Opera Company and The Pumphouse Players produced shows
featuring local performers as well as professional singers and actors.
In 1990, a two-week summer music theatre camp program was started for the
youth of Cartersville and Bartow County. It was directed by George and
Jonalyn Bew and Don Kordecki. Students learned not only how to sing and act,
but how to express themselves with confidence and the wonderful camaraderie
of a cast. This program has now expanded to include camps for four age
groups, each culminating in a stage performance. The senior high group has
presented many well-loved musicals including “Grease,” “Fiddler on the
Roof,” “Bye Bye, Birdie,” “Li’l Abner,” and “Oklahoma”.
The Grand Theatre Today
Today, the Grand Theatre serves as a cultural center for the community. The
summer music theatre program now serves over 100 students per year. The
Grand hosts school groups all during the year for educational performances.
Groups also come individually and learn about areas of the school curriculum
through drama, music, and dance. An annual Entertainment Series is presented
featuring professional performing groups of many genres including country
music, orchestral concerts, comedy, drama, musical theatre, and bluegrass.
The Grand Theatre also provides a venue to many community groups who rent
the theatre for their performances. Theatre personnel assist in the
productions and advise clients on how to make the most of their experience.
An extensive renovation in 2005-2006 gave The Grand a beautiful new look,
harkening back to its original art deco look of the 1930’s. Upon entering
the lobby, you see a beautiful gold “G” inlaid in the terrazzo floor. To the
right, you will see an expanded concessions area, and adjacent to that, The
Encore Room-- The Grand’s reception hall.
All restrooms have been refurbished with beautiful black and white tiling
and accommodations for more patrons. Facilities for handicapped visitors
have been expanded and improved. The décor of the lobby now features
detailed wood paneling and wooden columns lining the walls. Coved lighting
adds an elegant feel to the room. Additional terrazzo flooring was added to
the upper lobby floor.
Many improvements have also been made inside the theatre. A new color scheme
features burgundy and gold designs on the walls, carpets and seating. The
house area ceiling has been replaced and changed from white to black.
Lighting in the ceiling has been moved and lowered to provide maximum use of
the lights. This required building a gondola and catwalk for access to the
fixtures. Additional lighting has also been added to the side walls to give
more depth to the lighting affects used on the stage apron. The walls
surrounding the entryway and balcony areas are now inlaid with beautifully
detailed woodwork. The new seats are roomier and more comfortable. All in
all, the theatre gives an elegant atmosphere to each performance.
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