My wife and I went on the Ghost Tour this past Saturday at the Tampa. This was the second Ghost Tour open to the public. It was a lot of fun and we got to see parts of the theater that the public is not taken into. They have not scheduled the next one yet. There definitely were some unexplainable events. The midnight buffet was very good!
Went to the Aztec to see the San Antonio Rose Live Christmas Show. Status should be changed to Open. The theater is magnificent and the stage is very high tech. The stage was built out past the proscenium and the seats are large and comfortable with wide arm rests. The balcony is not in use. I imagine that the seating has been reduced considerably with the new seats. I could not see any traces of the organ. The organ screens were not back lit so I could not see if swell shades existed. There is an rectangle outlined on the center of the stage about where the proscenium is so I don’t know if the Wurlitzer console still exists in a pit. No one around seemed to know anything about the theater.
According to the New Victoria Action Group site on Facebook, meetings began in May, 2009 to discuss reopening of this theater. A possible target is the 2012 “Guild Year.”
Steve had a good deal of influence in my becoming a theater organ lover. We spent many hours at the Avenue Theater, which his father owned during the days they showed silents and also at Ye Olde Pizza Joynt in San Lorenzo Village. Steve had a skill I have never seen in anyone else. He was able to turn his eyelids inside out and he would walk around that way just to get people’s looks. I am glad he continued to advance his outrageousness. I wish we had kept in touch.
I knew Steve in high school and have not seen him for years. I don’t know if he maintained his outrageous sense of humor and willngness to do outrageous things as an adult. He was a lot of fun. We saw many movies together. His obituary:
I am still deciding whether to come to New York to attend the organ concert in August. I understand that when the organ was used for the American Theater Organ Society convention last year, it was in bad shape with a lot of dead notes and difficult to play a melody. Before I invest in an air ticket and the price of admission, I would like to know if the problems with the organ are being worked on. Does anyone associated with the RCMH have any knowledge about the repair of the organ?
On August 9, 2008 at 8pm there will be a rare program at the RCMH featuring the largest theater organ to come out of the Wurlitzer factory (4/54 with two fully functional consoles) or any other organ manufacturer. More information on the program and how to get tickets is available at:
Visited the Polk today. They show art or classic films on Friday & Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon. The theater is beautiful. They did a great job restoring it and the cloud projectors actually work! The organ program was disappointing. The organist hit a lot of bad notes and the choice of registration was not very sophisticated the tuned percussion was overused. I felt bad for the people in the audience who had never heard a theater organ before. As an example of theater organ style, it was lacking. The organists are apparently volunteers and at least it is in the theater and playing.
An earlier comment said the theater was restored to its original appearance. I was in the theater this past weekend and the only decorative elements in the auditorium are the proscenium and then another arch further into the auditorium on the other side of what might have been organ screens. The rest of the theater was painted a light color and there were no other visible decorations. I would suspect that the original 1924 appearance would have included more decoration. I have not been able to find any pictures of the interior of the auditorium.
Did the Strand Theater have an organ? I can’t find any mention of one.
It has been over three years since I made the comment about the theater. They were definitely operated by Phoenix at that time.
Update on new owner of the Casino and plans:
View link
My wife and I went on the Ghost Tour this past Saturday at the Tampa. This was the second Ghost Tour open to the public. It was a lot of fun and we got to see parts of the theater that the public is not taken into. They have not scheduled the next one yet. There definitely were some unexplainable events. The midnight buffet was very good!
Went to the Aztec to see the San Antonio Rose Live Christmas Show. Status should be changed to Open. The theater is magnificent and the stage is very high tech. The stage was built out past the proscenium and the seats are large and comfortable with wide arm rests. The balcony is not in use. I imagine that the seating has been reduced considerably with the new seats. I could not see any traces of the organ. The organ screens were not back lit so I could not see if swell shades existed. There is an rectangle outlined on the center of the stage about where the proscenium is so I don’t know if the Wurlitzer console still exists in a pit. No one around seemed to know anything about the theater.
The 3 manual 6 rank Rutt Cinema Organ (one of three built by Rutt) is now in the St. Albans Organ Museum.
People go to church in Florida in clothing that would violate the dress code!
This theater was in “downtown” scenes in the movie The Man in The Moon.
The organ from this theater is apparently available:
View link
According to the New Victoria Action Group site on Facebook, meetings began in May, 2009 to discuss reopening of this theater. A possible target is the 2012 “Guild Year.”
There is a project to try to reopen this theater.
View link
This theater reopened yet again on July 1, 2009 and is operated by Phoenix Theaters. It is now a first run house.
Steve had a good deal of influence in my becoming a theater organ lover. We spent many hours at the Avenue Theater, which his father owned during the days they showed silents and also at Ye Olde Pizza Joynt in San Lorenzo Village. Steve had a skill I have never seen in anyone else. He was able to turn his eyelids inside out and he would walk around that way just to get people’s looks. I am glad he continued to advance his outrageousness. I wish we had kept in touch.
I knew Steve in high school and have not seen him for years. I don’t know if he maintained his outrageous sense of humor and willngness to do outrageous things as an adult. He was a lot of fun. We saw many movies together. His obituary:
View link
Another article said he died of pneumona.
Picture of Cine Teatro Municipal can be seen at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31585688@N02/
Some information on the theater and its 2/4 Wurlitzer installed in 1925 can be found at this link:
View link
I am still deciding whether to come to New York to attend the organ concert in August. I understand that when the organ was used for the American Theater Organ Society convention last year, it was in bad shape with a lot of dead notes and difficult to play a melody. Before I invest in an air ticket and the price of admission, I would like to know if the problems with the organ are being worked on. Does anyone associated with the RCMH have any knowledge about the repair of the organ?
On August 9, 2008 at 8pm there will be a rare program at the RCMH featuring the largest theater organ to come out of the Wurlitzer factory (4/54 with two fully functional consoles) or any other organ manufacturer. More information on the program and how to get tickets is available at:
View link
Visited the Polk today. They show art or classic films on Friday & Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon. The theater is beautiful. They did a great job restoring it and the cloud projectors actually work! The organ program was disappointing. The organist hit a lot of bad notes and the choice of registration was not very sophisticated the tuned percussion was overused. I felt bad for the people in the audience who had never heard a theater organ before. As an example of theater organ style, it was lacking. The organists are apparently volunteers and at least it is in the theater and playing.
An earlier comment said the theater was restored to its original appearance. I was in the theater this past weekend and the only decorative elements in the auditorium are the proscenium and then another arch further into the auditorium on the other side of what might have been organ screens. The rest of the theater was painted a light color and there were no other visible decorations. I would suspect that the original 1924 appearance would have included more decoration. I have not been able to find any pictures of the interior of the auditorium.
According to www.historiccocoavillage.com/history.php?mod=601 during the 60’s this theater was the Fine Arts.
The City of Cocoa sold the theater for $1 to Brevard Community College in 1984 for $1.
Is there any infromation on the organ that might have been in this theater?
The Christie organ in the La Scala was a 2/8.
The organ in the Capitol was a 2/8 Ingram.
The organ was a 4/10 Compton.
The Compton organ in this theater was a 4/11.
The 14 rank Wurlitzer had 4 manuals.