Well I still have plans if anyone is interested. It was once plans of restoration and appears to now be re-creation. My plans are still to retire in Paxton and see young and old benefit from live theatre. Whatever it takes I will maintain the cause. Those interested, contact me directly. If the land can be acquired the dream may be able to be realized as there is no financial gain in holding onto an empty lot. It should move pretty fast as I hear no plans to rebuild are ringing in the air. Although extreme maybe it is finally a way to get the life back into the center of town. Anyone interested, you see my email address in previous posts. Contact me directly.
Freckled kid was all you had to say. I thought it was you, but couldn’t be sure. I can now tell by your message you have the same energy you had on stage. Wish you were here. We need the energy from younger actors as we are missing you greatly. Whatever thoughts you have, let me know. I have been in the trenches for the past two years and don’t want to see this as the end.
Why not focus on the memories experienced at the fine theater instead of spending time trashing others. What’s done is done. Being spiteful will not bring things back to life, only trash the treasures we all have from our experiences there and what the theater represented when the lights were glowing bright. Let’s use those littles sparks left to help keep the memories alive to one day be relived in a great theater again.
Sad to say clutzycook is correct. I spent over an hour wandering downtown this evening and had updates all day from concerned friends as I work much to far away to have been present. It is truly a great loss and kind of a missing heart in the downtown. Since there is no longer historic preservation I am not sure where to go from here. I wish I was independently wealthy and could start from scratch. I guess I have the bittersweet memory of being on stage for the first time in my life in Paxton and directing the last show to appear there. Not the way I would have scripted the ending. Renea if your dream includes starting from the ground up, I know I will be with you as well as others tonight with sad hearts. Not sure who you are exactly, but if you tell me your last name or what shows we appeared in together I would know. If you want to contact me directly my email address is It would be great to hear from you.
This is in response to Mr. Majestic. I have been patiently waiting for the scales of progress to tip in our favor and I am disappointed in the lack of communication and it appears the lack of discussion on how things are moving. I was told things were being handled and a low profile was the best method. My patience is wearing thin and I am about ready to blow up the scales of progress. I have requests in to a couple of people to find out why things are not moving forward. I will let you know as soon as I do where things stand. I am way past perturbed as I know you have been in the past.
Bottom line and all heated comments aside, she is a great building and if I came into the money tomorrow I would do everything to restore her to what you and I know is grand. I might even hire you with all your tenacity to guide the progress as despite our disagreements on what transpired we appear to have a common vision of what she could be again. Just a difference in opinion on how to get there and also a lack of the means at this time to accomplish that. My dream has been to retire and own the theatre one day restored to the nines and provide it to the community at no charge just to keep the arts (film, music, live theatre) alive in this town. I know a handful of new playwrights that would love to see their shows performed there and even filmed and shown on a restored big screen. I have spoken to them after some of our performances and even have their scripts. The dream is there. The means and time belong to my kids. One day they may meet on the same road and the dream will become a reality. Keep the faith.
I think Mr. Titus and Mr. Majestic need to get their facts straight before commenting on things they have insufficient information on. To clarify, the Paxton Majestic Theatre Group (so named to honor the building and the town) was only locked on some weekends and 4 weeks out of the year for 20 years. During the rest of the time there were either auditions, rehearsals, tech/dress rehearsals, performances, or kids camp going on. Apparently the two people commenting have no idea what goes into a live theatre production. It is much more than plugging in the projector and popping corn. There is a week of auditions, 6-8 week rehearsals, dress rehearsal week and seven performances with each show. We usually did 5-6 shows a year and a two week kids camp. Costs for musicals ran from $3000-$4000+ for royalties, costuming, set construction and advertising. All this was done without being non profit and with no grant assistance. The group was and still is successful after 20+ years. We have seen many young actors go off to become theatre majors, teachers, and directors. Because live theatre went through times went attendance was slim, sometimes we had to perform to slim audiences and settle for breaking even and even losing money. Given all that we were able to make several thousand dollars of improvements in lights, sound, and an awesome grand curtain that was severely damaged beyond repair from water because of an absentee owner that didn’t care. We didn’t gut the place. We took what was left when we got there and made it into a 20 year success. The last two years we literally bailed water off the back of the stage during performances plagued by a rain storms. The damage to sets, props, and rented costumes was more than we could continue to handle and explaining the lack of heat to patrons that were cold during the last performance was the last straw. We did not have the means or the expertise to repair the roof or fix a boiler that was never maintained. What we paid for rent is what we could afford and only our business and the owners. We might be only performing in the bowling alley, but we are still here because the of the owner of the bowling alley. He deserves extensive kudos for giving us the opportunity to stay alive when no one else would. We didn’t abandon anything, but decided to keep alive what was dying in a run down building owned by an uncaring person. We didn’t turn tail and leave our home town when the going got rough. You can call us amateurs and yourself professionals, but we and still here and you’re not. That should show who believes in community more. All I can say is, MR. MAJESTIC, WAKE UP! WAKE UP NOW!
I can contact Marilyn with information on shows. Can you please tell me how I can go about updating the above information and how to add a picture. We also have a new link to our website as the one on this page is old. I am on the theatre board for the Paxton Majestic Theatre and would like to provide new information.
I am part of the Paxtom Majestic Theatre Group and would like to change the Related Website link to point to our current website as well as update some of the information provided. Can you tell me how to do that? My email address is Thanks, Tom Janowski
Well I still have plans if anyone is interested. It was once plans of restoration and appears to now be re-creation. My plans are still to retire in Paxton and see young and old benefit from live theatre. Whatever it takes I will maintain the cause. Those interested, contact me directly. If the land can be acquired the dream may be able to be realized as there is no financial gain in holding onto an empty lot. It should move pretty fast as I hear no plans to rebuild are ringing in the air. Although extreme maybe it is finally a way to get the life back into the center of town. Anyone interested, you see my email address in previous posts. Contact me directly.
Freckled kid was all you had to say. I thought it was you, but couldn’t be sure. I can now tell by your message you have the same energy you had on stage. Wish you were here. We need the energy from younger actors as we are missing you greatly. Whatever thoughts you have, let me know. I have been in the trenches for the past two years and don’t want to see this as the end.
Why not focus on the memories experienced at the fine theater instead of spending time trashing others. What’s done is done. Being spiteful will not bring things back to life, only trash the treasures we all have from our experiences there and what the theater represented when the lights were glowing bright. Let’s use those littles sparks left to help keep the memories alive to one day be relived in a great theater again.
Sad to say clutzycook is correct. I spent over an hour wandering downtown this evening and had updates all day from concerned friends as I work much to far away to have been present. It is truly a great loss and kind of a missing heart in the downtown. Since there is no longer historic preservation I am not sure where to go from here. I wish I was independently wealthy and could start from scratch. I guess I have the bittersweet memory of being on stage for the first time in my life in Paxton and directing the last show to appear there. Not the way I would have scripted the ending. Renea if your dream includes starting from the ground up, I know I will be with you as well as others tonight with sad hearts. Not sure who you are exactly, but if you tell me your last name or what shows we appeared in together I would know. If you want to contact me directly my email address is It would be great to hear from you.
This is in response to Mr. Majestic. I have been patiently waiting for the scales of progress to tip in our favor and I am disappointed in the lack of communication and it appears the lack of discussion on how things are moving. I was told things were being handled and a low profile was the best method. My patience is wearing thin and I am about ready to blow up the scales of progress. I have requests in to a couple of people to find out why things are not moving forward. I will let you know as soon as I do where things stand. I am way past perturbed as I know you have been in the past.
Bottom line and all heated comments aside, she is a great building and if I came into the money tomorrow I would do everything to restore her to what you and I know is grand. I might even hire you with all your tenacity to guide the progress as despite our disagreements on what transpired we appear to have a common vision of what she could be again. Just a difference in opinion on how to get there and also a lack of the means at this time to accomplish that. My dream has been to retire and own the theatre one day restored to the nines and provide it to the community at no charge just to keep the arts (film, music, live theatre) alive in this town. I know a handful of new playwrights that would love to see their shows performed there and even filmed and shown on a restored big screen. I have spoken to them after some of our performances and even have their scripts. The dream is there. The means and time belong to my kids. One day they may meet on the same road and the dream will become a reality. Keep the faith.
I think Mr. Titus and Mr. Majestic need to get their facts straight before commenting on things they have insufficient information on. To clarify, the Paxton Majestic Theatre Group (so named to honor the building and the town) was only locked on some weekends and 4 weeks out of the year for 20 years. During the rest of the time there were either auditions, rehearsals, tech/dress rehearsals, performances, or kids camp going on. Apparently the two people commenting have no idea what goes into a live theatre production. It is much more than plugging in the projector and popping corn. There is a week of auditions, 6-8 week rehearsals, dress rehearsal week and seven performances with each show. We usually did 5-6 shows a year and a two week kids camp. Costs for musicals ran from $3000-$4000+ for royalties, costuming, set construction and advertising. All this was done without being non profit and with no grant assistance. The group was and still is successful after 20+ years. We have seen many young actors go off to become theatre majors, teachers, and directors. Because live theatre went through times went attendance was slim, sometimes we had to perform to slim audiences and settle for breaking even and even losing money. Given all that we were able to make several thousand dollars of improvements in lights, sound, and an awesome grand curtain that was severely damaged beyond repair from water because of an absentee owner that didn’t care. We didn’t gut the place. We took what was left when we got there and made it into a 20 year success. The last two years we literally bailed water off the back of the stage during performances plagued by a rain storms. The damage to sets, props, and rented costumes was more than we could continue to handle and explaining the lack of heat to patrons that were cold during the last performance was the last straw. We did not have the means or the expertise to repair the roof or fix a boiler that was never maintained. What we paid for rent is what we could afford and only our business and the owners. We might be only performing in the bowling alley, but we are still here because the of the owner of the bowling alley. He deserves extensive kudos for giving us the opportunity to stay alive when no one else would. We didn’t abandon anything, but decided to keep alive what was dying in a run down building owned by an uncaring person. We didn’t turn tail and leave our home town when the going got rough. You can call us amateurs and yourself professionals, but we and still here and you’re not. That should show who believes in community more. All I can say is, MR. MAJESTIC, WAKE UP! WAKE UP NOW!
Bryan,
I can contact Marilyn with information on shows. Can you please tell me how I can go about updating the above information and how to add a picture. We also have a new link to our website as the one on this page is old. I am on the theatre board for the Paxton Majestic Theatre and would like to provide new information.
Thanks
Tom Janowski
I am part of the Paxtom Majestic Theatre Group and would like to change the Related Website link to point to our current website as well as update some of the information provided. Can you tell me how to do that? My email address is Thanks, Tom Janowski