State Theatre

I am quite thrilled to read more about the history of the State Theatre and see the photos of the inside of it. That is because I believe that my father, Harry Limes, helped build it! He was a lather who lived in the Lorain area in 1927 (he was born in 1904) and in my notes of his discussions with me about his lathing work, I have these statements:

“And, he had a big job in Springfield, Ohio, and he offered me $2.00 an hour over the scale if I’d go over there and help him do this big theatre. It was round domed ceiling, it was quite fancy, and I learned a lot. I worked all through this theatre. This was all done during 1927.”

He also worked on the Palace Theatre in Lorain, Ohio, which also has a large chandelier in the center of the theatre’s ceiling with a beautiful round plaster motif surrounding it. So, I am thrilled to learn the name of the theatre!

More shows happening at the State in 2011 –

Musical “The Last Five Years” in February.

An original film and play about Edgar Allan Poe in March.

Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus in April.

Dates and further details here:

www.springfieldstageworks.org

Cool looking marquee.

Also to note: Yes, in fact the Chakeres Theatres home office WAS in the balcony until the State closed down. It’s now located inside the Lobby Shoppes about two miles away from the State. Following its closure, the State was occupied by “Arms of Love Bingo” for many years. It then sat vacant and was briefly a Mexican-themed nightclub in the Summer of 2008 when a fatal shooting took place in the basement, after which the nightclub shut down. Sometime in 2009 the building was taken over by Springfield Stage Works, which runs productions inside the building from time to time.

Springfield StageWorks presents THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES by Eve Ensler at the State Theatre.

Three performances only – Thursday, Friday and Saturday, February 11th, 12th and 13th 2010.

8:00pm

Tickets -
$10.00 at the door

This production is directed by Liz Dillard and is being presented in association with Project Woman of Springfield and VDAY, the global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award winning play.

http://www.springfieldstageworks.org

http://www.vday.org

http://www.projectwomanohio.org/

NOSFERATU returns this weekend at the State Theatre:

View link

Here are some pictures from the April 2009 production of HAMLET at the State:

www.myspace.com/springfieldstageworks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30977055@N04/

Next, the State will be holding a film tribute to the 40th Anniversary of the 1st lunar landing, then a production of Sweeney Todd in October, and the annual screening of NOSFERATU again near Halloween.

Accoring to Marquee Vol. 20:2 (put out by the Theatre Organ Society), Charles Dawley designed the theater based on a design by John Eberson. As of 1988, the theatre was still owned by the Chakeres chain.

Here is a very nice article about our screening tomorrow night of “Caligari” at the State Theater:

View link

That story seems accurate to me. I was one of the people who attended Nosferatu, and 125 is what I had estimated for the crowd. I would not count this theater as open, as there have been no events since then. When the theater was a bingo hall, all of the seats were ripped out, and flat wood floors over the slight slope of the old floor (at Nosferatu, the audience sat on card table chairs). The walls remain the same, though in disrepair. And I toured the upstairs, so I can vouch that there is still a projector, though video projection was used for Nosferatu. Also, as mentioned in other posts, the organ is long gone. To truly renovate the place would be expensive, and I suspect the other closed downtown theater (Regent) is in better shape. The screen looked fantastic, though. I will be there for Caligari and any other silent films they choose to show.

According to an online source, the state’s organ, opus 1754, style EX3M was removed on 6-2-1995 to the residence of Tom Smith in Dayton, OH. It is listed as being in playable condition.

I was one of the organists at the State Theater in the late 1970’s until the theater’s closing in 1990. I still reside in Springfield. The bingo hall which resided in the theater has since been closed, and there is local interest and activity around alternative uses for the space. Much of the original decor is still intact, but much is in need of repair and cleaning. I am interested in learning what happened to the 3/7 Wurlitzer organ that was original to the theater, but disappeared when the theater was closed in 1990.