Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

Recommended reading

Jim Grey
5 comments on Recommended reading
1 minute

💻 I love the blog After the Final Curtain, which shows grand old theaters in dilapidated condition. This week, however, Matt Lambros shares a grand old theater that’s always remained in great condition. It’s in Somerville, MA. Read Somerville Theatre – Somerville, MA

Indiana Theater, Terre Haute, IN
Kodak EasyShare Z730, 2008

💻 In the late 1970s Andrew Morang conducted beach profile surveys in Rhode Island. He shot some Kodachrome on those surveys and shares the images. He also reflects on climate change and the questionable intelligence of people who build expensive homes right on the beach. Read When We Were Young: Beach Surveys in Rhode Island

💻 Kevin Drum argues that we are near or at full employment in the US. So why are there not enough waitstaff at the local B Dubs? Read We are at full employment, more or less

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Comments

5 responses to “Recommended reading”

  1. Andy Umbo Avatar
    Andy Umbo

    I love old theaters and actually view part of any metropolitan area “culture quotient” by it’s drive to keep it’s theaters alive. You can say I was not very happy when I moved from Milwaukee, a city that had a number of “art house” theaters in vintage theaters built in the 20’s, and kept up with fund drives etc.; to Indianapolis, where in order to see a foriegn or “art” film, I had to go to an upscale shopping mall in the suburbs, while the Irving Theater (with all it’s seats ripped out), was run down but still shuffling along, and the Rivoli on 10th was boarded up. (Good News, I read recently they’re trying to restore the Rivoli).

    Milwaukee had a number of what they used to refer as “atomospheric” theaters. The Egyptian, The Venitian, The Avalon, and the magnificent Oriental (the main art house theater today, along with the Downer, on Downer Avenue). Alas, the Venitian turned into a store house early, before it ran down, and the Egyptian was alowed to run down, until they had to tear it down, altho I was able to revel in it’s magnificence shortly after we moved to Milwaukee, when my Mother took me there to see a “Hard Day’s Night”. The Avalon was and still is a decent neighborhood theater in the Bay View district. These were just the “mains” as well as the theaters downtown on Wisconsin avenue, there were plenty of neighborhood, well built theaters like the Villa, the Sherman, the Tosa; even “German Film” only theaters in the near north-side German district. So many, there was abook written about them!

    To show you the difference in “cultural thinking” in different cities, the lauded Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, just completed a multi-million dollar project rebuilding the Warner Grand theater in downtown Milwaukee on Wisconsin Avenue to be a home for them. While when I was in Indianapolis, the wealthy suburb of Carmel was trying to build their own preformance center, and have their own symphony, so so one had to get their hands dirty driving downtown!

    https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2018/10/02/see-inside-the-msos-warner-grand-theatre.html

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      The downfall of old theaters in Indianapolis is common in Midwestern cities. Not universal, but common. I’ve photographed the exteriors of so many theaters that are no longer used…

      Reply
      1. Andy Umbo Avatar
        Andy Umbo

        I suggest that theater lovers in Indianapolis back the Rivoli project! I’m excitied about it and I don’t even live there any more!

        https://www.rivolitheatre.org/future

        Reply
  2. Kodachromeguy Avatar
    Kodachromeguy

    These old theaters were certainly ornate back in the Vaudeville era. About 15 years ago, a friend and I attended a Detroit Symphony concert at Orchestra Hall. It had recently reopened after a 20-year (!) renovation and restoration.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Given all the decay in Detroit, it’s great that this place got restored!

      Reply

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