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The Colonial
Fox Theatre: vision,
volunteers needed By JT Knoll Some are calling their mission quixotic, and it may be, but before we demolish their dream and pave it over for another parking lot, let's not forget the same thing was said of those who sought to save both Memorial Auditorium and the Stilwell Hotel. After hearing the theatre's long list of electrical, plumbing and structural woes at a Thanksgiving gathering recently, I too voiced the opinion that it sounded hopeless, but after reading that those who seek to save it are men familiar with solving such problems, I've changed my mind. If a group of professional contractors, and journeyman carpenters, plumbers and electricians think it can be saved, it can be saved. Built in 1920 by Alexander Besse, the 900-seat Colonial once had a barbershop and cafe in the basement (Keys told me there's beautifully tiled walls down there.) and was the early home of vaudeville acts and "two reelers" starring the likes of Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton. Besse later joined with two others to form the Pittsburg Amusement Co., which ran the theatre until it was leased to the Midland Circuit, Fox Midwest, and, finally, Dickinson Theatres. The Boller Brothers, who worked on many theaters in the Kansas City area, renovated the Colonial Fox Theatre in 1926, doing it in the Italian Renaissance Revival style that was then popular. My earliest memory of the Fox is of leaning back in the plush seat, watching grandma as she gazed intently at the black and white melodrama on the giant screen and massaged my tingling foot that had fallen asleep. No doubt there are those reading this who sat in the front row as a kid, and double-featured with brothers, sisters and friends. Toward the back of the Fox, there is a gentle upward slope (Besse had an aversion to balconies which resulted in the stadium design.) Were those darkened seats where you, like me, went on your first dates ... where you first held hands or awkwardly put your arm around a girl? On any given Friday or Saturday night those seats were filled with couples watching movies like "Bullitt", "Romeo & Juliet" and "Bonnie & Clyde." Although wistful memories are certainly needed to fuel our passion to save the Fox, they won't be sufficient to get the job done. Like Memorial Auditorium and the Stilwell before it, a feasible use for the theatre must be part of the plan. Keys and company seek to turn it into a performing arts center that could hold anything from musicals to comedy performances, to blues concerts to children's plays. Great ideas, but likely not enough. That's where you come in. The group needs your energy, your ideas, and your hard work: Corporate sponsorships? Company sales meetings? High school reunions? Willie Nelson concerts? Classic movie showings. Cat shows? Swap meets? Parties? Event space? Luciano Pavarotti concerts? Remember, when brainstorming there are no rules. I did a little research on old theatre preservation and turned up the same words over and over - "vision" and "volunteers". (Also crucial words in the successful movement to save the Stilwell and Memorial Auditorium, both of which were scheduled to be parking lots at one time.) Keys told me by phone Sunday they have the expertise to do the restoration, what they need now is people to do the administrative work required to secure the grant funding and volunteers to keep it going once they get it reopened. So, whattya say? Let's give it another go and join our southeast Kansas vision and volunteerism with Keys and company. If enough of us do, you can bet that, in a couple of years, we'll be strolling up to the classic old Colonial Fox ticket booth on re-opening night beneath its brightly lit, 1920s era marquee. And what will the marquee read? How about "It's A Wonderful Life".
J.T. Knoll is a writer,
speaker and prevention and
wellness coordinator at
Pittsburg State University.
He also operates Knoll
Training, Consulting and
Counseling Services in
Pittsburg. He can be reached
at 231-1852 or
jtknoll@swbell.net. |
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Movie House History - Classic
Theaters Of Kansas © 2007 |
