Warner Theatre

Lost: These are fine photos. I have been given a tour of this theatre and it is a real gem on State Street. BTW, I ran into the current general manager a few weeks ago and told him that I’d like to see the original organ returned to the Warner and he agreed so that is a start in the right direction! They know where it is and that certainly helps…there hasn’t been an organ in this theatre since the original one was sold.

And I have received the wonderful book about Playhouse Square in Cleveland…a wonderful read!

Warner Lady: Also how is the Warner Theatre book that was to be published coming along? Recently I ordered a book by Arcadia Publishing about the theatres of Cleveland OH in Playhouse Square.

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If you haven’t been in Erie in the past year, then you’re in for a surprise. The theater has an addition to it now. A building on the corner of 8th and French was connected to the Warner. It houses new restrooms and concession stands on both levels of the building. Now patrons have restroom areas on either side of the auditorium to use. No congestion anymore. The Erie County Convention Center Authority offices were moved into this addition. A French Street entrance was construction with its own marquee. Although the building is newer, the architect Dan Coffey, Coffey & Associates from Chicago, did a great job of making everything work well together.

Warner Lady: I’ve been visiting the Erie Playhouse link today and have been comparing photos posted on Oct 2, 2005 to a b/w sketch posted today, Jan 14, 2008. Could you give me any background information on why th theatre name was changed from the Strand to the Erie Playhouse and why the overall exterior was changed so drastically from the mid 60’s?

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Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job in putting this book together about the Warner Theatre, Erie’s gem. Thank you for doing this for us theatre buffs and let us know when it can be purchased.

Barb: My husband and I met you last summer and it was good to read your recent posts and to knnow that the Warner Theatre book is near completion. Let me know when and where it will be available. BTW, we have the Warner Theatre poster framed and in a prominent place!

The company Rapp & Rapp was still in existence. This is a Rapp & Rapp designed theater. I can’t tell you for certain whether C.W. had anything to do with the design. I do know that Warner Bros. contracted the company to do this. I’m in the midst of finishing up a history of Erie’s Warner Theatre. I did not identify C. W. as the architect in the manuscript. The intro on this site was not written by me. If you know something about Rapp & Rapp, please let me know. Barb Hauck

I know many great live acts have graced the stage of The Warner in recent years. George Clinton and P-Funk, Jethro Tull, Bo Diddly and this summer Dweezil Zappa will be bringing his Zappa Plays Zappa tribute to The Warner. I was there for a First Night Erie show many years ago and my cousin was married in the lobby there. it is indeed a grand palace.

“…..an emblem on the front that has the WB logo, but it’s a little different than the one we are all used to seeing.” Could you describe this logo on the glasses or send me a photo via email? Thanks.

To Warner Lady: Your name sounds familiar. The day of Mark’s fundraiser I came down with a horrid case of flu, which my grandson, who was visiting from Pittsburgh, had given me. I’m the middle child, who really made my father mad when I took a job with Vee Corp. and went on the road as a Wardrobe supervisor. In every city We played, there was someone who knew “Vinnie”, either from touring and playing the Warner or the Civic Center, or through the IATSE Union. and Mark.. I still have a hard time with that because mark and I were closer in age and spent alot of time in the Warner toether along with some of our friends, who always had open invites from my Dad to come down to the “thee-ay-ter” (Both my Dad and HIS mother called it that) and watch movies or 17 cartoons with us.
As far as the Warner Logo, I can try to scan the glasses and see if I can get a photo of the emblem.

Hey, Joanne, I don’t know if you and I actually met. I know your sister and, of course knew your dad and brother. I was the development director at the Erie Philharmonic as well as, still, executive director of the Warner Trust. I helped organized the fundraiser for your brother’s medical bills. Your family is indeed special to the Warner and to others…Barb Hauck.

My father, Joseph “Vinnie” Marchant devoted 60 years of his life to the Warner Theater. My sister, Charlene, my brother Mark and I literally grew up in that building. My father started out as a runner for his father, Charles Marchant who was a stagehand at the Warner from its openeing in 1931, and the first member of our family to belong to IATSE Local 113. Vinnie was 10. He loved the Warner Theater aslmost as much as he loved his family. That building was our second home. Any day off from school meant going into the Warner with Dad at 8:30 AM and exploring every part of the theater until 11:30, when my dad would raise the curtain for the start of the feature.We sat through endless hours of films if we enjoyed them, or we would stay backstage or play underneath the orcestra pit. An occasional trip to the Strand, or Columbia, or Sheas was in order if the heating or other problems arose, but most of the time was spent at the Warner. On Tuesday evenings during the summer, we could help sort the letters, and my father would ascend a high latter and change the sign on the Marquis, where we also had the best view of the parades on State Street. We sat backstage during live shows and met so many famous people I can’t count them. During lean times for the Warner, my father cared for it and sometimes litally held the carpet together with duct tape. When Cinamette owned it, my dad took my wedding party inside so that Mark Fainstein could do our Wedding Photos. If I could have had the ceremony and reception there, I would have. But no matter what, I was and still am always in awe of the beauty of that bulding. My father worked right up until a couple of months before his death from cancer at age 83.His loyalty was to the building. My whole family including myself have been working backstage for decades now, but anyone who has ever traveled through with a show , or worked in that building will tell you, “It’s not the same”. I can’t think of my childhood without thinking of the Warner. My brother eventually ended up performing on stage for many years as timpanist and percussionist for the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra until his untimely death from cancer in Aug. 2006. My whole family history is in that building. The Warner has a character all its own front of house, but backsatge , the Warner also had a character…his name was Vinnie and I don’t believe anyone will ever love her as much as he did……My name is Joanne Marchant-Heim