See-More Theatre

The See-More Theatre building was constructed in the World War I period by a Mr. Martin. It immediately became the community’s center for film entertainment and other community functions including school functions, as they lacked facilities for extra-curricular activities; students would haul a piano from the school to the See-More Theater stage. Talent shows and touring entertainers shared the stage with films and high school programs. Charles Winninger of Wausau and his family brought their plays to the See-More periodically. Minstrel shows were always popular and Everett McBain frequently was the interlocutor.

When the See-More was purchased by Charles Warwick, the manager was Joseph Decker and the projectionist was Ray Decker, assisted by the young Marvin Babbitt who later became a county board vice-chairman. Other owners included Frank Lubinski, Arwin Otto, Frank Ebert and Otto Settele. Ebert extensively remodeled the theater and installed a wide screen. Settele continued to book first-run features but was forced to curtail screenings in the See-More’s later years due to the influence of television. He and Mrs. Settele also owned the theatre in Clintonville.

The community hall was a center for the high school’s basketball team. There were dances, and forensics were popular with the school administration. Eventually the Community Players took over the See-More for rehearsals, and discovered that the titles of plays and names of cast members were written on backstage walls, telling a story of many high school productions there. Many were faded but recalled school plays dating to 1929 including “Honor Bright”, “A Friend in Court”, “Mystery of Third Gables,” “Shirt Sleeves”, “Unexpected Debut”, “A Prince in Rags”, and “Dulcy”.

The Community Players constructed a track on which the theatre’s wide screen could be moved to the stage wall while a play was in progress. Later the stage set could be moved back as the screen was rolled to the front. Dressing rooms were below a portion of the stage; lighting was often borrowed from the high school.