Frauenthal Center for the Perfoming Arts
425 West Western Avenue,
Muskegon,
MI
49440-1101
425 West Western Avenue,
Muskegon,
MI
49440-1101
15 people
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The Michigan Theater opened on September 17, 1930 with a seating capacity of 1,848. Built during the Depression, by Schlossman Theatre Inc., and designed by famed theater architect C. Howard Crane, descriptions of the theater from this time talk of an extraordinary beauty and grace.
The theater was purchased in October 1976 by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, with a generous grant of $475,000 provided by A. Harold Frauenthal.
From 1995 to 1998, a $7.5 million restoration project returned this gem to its original beauty.
Recently, the theater has served as the location of the Cherry County Playhouse, as well as the Miss Michigan Scholarship Program.
Contributed by
Rob Huisingh
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
This is a nice 2009 photo.
Here is an October 2008 ad for a Buster Keaton double feature:
http://tinyurl.com/nn8aqv
I missed that one.
I just learned of this beautifully restored theater with Barton organ in western Michigan after being at an energy conference in western NYS.
I’ve read about Buster Keaton on this link…was he from Muskegon?
I’ve read about Buster Keaton on this link…was he from Muskegon?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buster_Keaton
Had a great Keaton convention again this year. the theater-projectors-Barton organ—all did a wonderful job. The theater turns 80 this year and they are planning a year of celebration starting with Dale and Gale Zieger presenting an afternoon of just plain old fun with the Barton organ and grand piano. Oh yes there will be a short comedy silent film with Dale at the Barton!!It will be Sunday afternoon at 3;00 January 31.
Here is an ad for the American Seating Company in Boxoffice of June 7, 1952, featuring a photo of the auditorium of the Michigan Theatre.
The Barton Theater Pipe Organ started out in 1927 as a style 23, Opus 513, that cost $5,630 in the Regent Theater in Muskegon as a 2/6 (manual/rank, keyboards/sets of pipes). It was moved to this theater when it opened and enlarged to a 3/8. Barton was in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.