Will Rogers Theatre

The Will Rogers' lobby is now a coffee house called Will's, opened in 2002. The auditorium is still used for special events. See this article from Boyd's Coffee. The Will Rogers Theatre is currently owned by Carl and Anita Milam. Mr. Milam is a great-great-grand nephew of Will Rogers.

Is the mural by J. Craig Sheppard still there? The article at Boyd's Coffee website has been either removed or re-filed.

Warren,
According to the article, the mural has been preserved...here's that article in full.


BOYD COFFEE COMPANY AND WILL ROGERS THEATER ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP

BOYDS Signed as Exclusive Coffee Provider for Oklahoma City’s New Coffee Shop

Portland, OR — October 2, 2002— Two parties, both rich with family history, announce a new partnership set to debut late this month. Boyd Coffee Company, the Pacific Northwest’s original coffee company since 1900, is set to become the exclusive coffee supplier for Will’s, the new coffee house at the historic Will Rogers Theater in Oklahoma City, OK. An October 3rd opening is planned. Will’s is located at 4322 North Western Avenue.

Will’s is located in the former lobby of the historic Will Rogers Theater, now a special events center in downtown Okalahoma City. The coffee house will feature products from Boyd Coffee Company’s Boyds Coffee line, including a signature house blend—Will’s Special Blend—developed especially for Will’s by Boyd’s Coffee Master Randy Layton. Will’s will also feature espresso from Boyd’s Italia D’Oro® line and Boyd Coffee Company teas. Will’s menu will include basic hot and cold espresso drinks and specialty drinks like the Chilly Willy—house coffee with sweetened condensed milk served over ice. The limited menu will also feature cookies, bagels, fresh muffins and assorted pastries. Will’s will be open daily from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Extended evening hours of operation are planned for the future along with an extensive dessert selection.

“We’re thrilled about this opportunity to work with Boyd Coffee Company. Boyds has the best approach to coffee and espresso that we have found, and we feel strongly about passing along Boyds’ passion and experience to our guests,” said Carl Milam, co-owner of Will’s and great-great-nephew of Will Rogers. “Boyd’s has been a true partner with us on this project, providing not only high quality products but extraordinary customer service and expertise to help us get our shop up and running,” continued Milam.

“We’re excited about the chance to partner with such an historic property in Okalahoma City. Will’s has great leadership, and all the right ingredients to bring a wonderful coffee house experience to Oklahoma City. Boyd’s is very pleased to be associated with this venture,” said Katy Boyd Dutt, Marketing Manager and great- granddaughter of founder Percival Dewe Boyd.

About Will’s
Adding to the atmosphere of this funky, fun space, Will’s underwent substantial renovations in preparation for the October 3rd grand opening. The original art deco design and mural by local artist Craig Sheppard have been preserved, but the coffee house boasts a new color scheme and furniture to make the space a comfortable place for guests to relax.
The Will Rogers Theater was built in 1946 and is currently owned by Carl and Anita Milam. Mr. Milam is the great-great-nephew of Will Rogers. The Milams are also partners in Western Concepts LLC with Fred Langford, the company that owns and operates Sushi Neko and Musashi’s, two restaurants adjacent to the theater. Supha Thongthai will manage the coffee house. She was an assistant manager for Sushi Neko from 1998 through 2000.

About Boyd Coffee Company
Boyd Coffee Company has been serving Oregonians since 1900. A privately held company managed by the third and fourth generations of the Boyd family, Boyd Coffee Company provides coffee, espresso, rare estate coffees, teas, and related equipment for restaurants and other foodservice operations nationwide and abroad. Boyd Coffee Company offers more than 650 coffee and food items, and is headquartered on a 30-acre site just east of Portland, Oregon.

I tried to send you an email but I had to register first. I wasnt sure if the first one went so her it goes again. :-). I am in desperate need of your help. I am getting married in May 2005 and would like some information on pricing if you rent your facility for this kind of event. Ive checked into several wedding locations and the prices were extrememly high. My fbest friend works across the street from your theatre and told me to check with you. It is for 125-150 people. Hopefully you can give me some information and save me from walking into the courthouse to get married so i wount be in debt. ha. Thank you for your help and have a wonderful Day!

Shellie,
Cinema Treasures is not affiliated with this theater. You will need to contact them directly. The contact information is available on their website (http://www.willrogerscenter.com/). Thanks,

Bryan Krefft
Cinema Treasures

This was a great place to work. Another really cool place was the Cinema 70 Drive-In. It was the only 70mm drive-in in OKC!

Here is a photo of the Will Rogers Theater.

Here are some recent photos:
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/cinemas/Oklahoma/

Updated:
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/cinemas/Oklahoma/Oklahoma%20City/Will%20Rogers%20Theater/

This is another photo of the Will Rogers Theater.

Sharp pictures of the Will Rogers Theatre can be seen below.
http://www.agilitynut.com/theatres/ok.html

Best vintage photos of the Will Rogers facade, lobby, and auditorium can be seen on Oklahoma Historical Society pages. Type in word "theatre", then search.
http://okhistory.cuadra.com/starweb3/b.archives/servlet.starweb3?path=b.archives/STARArchives.public.web

Here is another view of the Will Rogers.

This is the Will Rogers Theater at night.

1985 photo of the Will Rogers Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c36%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=32572

Some shots taken in 1995.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34152329@N06/3472865220/in/set-72157617054310351/

Here is another photo from 1985.

This is a 2009 photo.

This 1947 photo comes courtesy of LIFE. Though listed as being in Clarmore, it is actually the OKC Will Rogers Theater.
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=3352cad626efc5cb&q=movie%20theater%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmovie%2Btheater%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26start%3D160

The web site for the Will Rogers has expired.

Here it is Chuck.

Thanks LM, maybe Ken will put the new web site in the header. Boy the food sure looks good in the photos.