Ritz Theatre
3422 N. Illinois Street,
Indianapolis,
IN
46208
3422 N. Illinois Street,
Indianapolis,
IN
46208
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I own the Geneva pipe organ from this theatre.
According to a new article on the Historic Indianapolis site, the building still exists, sans roof per a comment.
A second article contains a link with 3 photographs.
I saw Savoy Brown in concert there in 1970
I remember the Ritz by name only as a movie theater, but I was part of the scene there in 1970 when it became a rock house. The name of the place was Middle Earth, and I worked there briefly in concessions and even more briefly as a bouncer! Some name acts as well as local bands played there, including Richie Havens and Frank Zappa.
The building is still there—long boarded up and sans marquee and generally falling apart, but it is still there. The neighborhood around 34th and Illinois remains pretty much a slum, and heaven knows if anything decent will ever become of the old Ritz.
Here is a photo, circa 1920 according to the caption, but clearly later if the theater opened in 1927:
http://tinyurl.com/mhjkt