Last night members of Collinsville Progress met with the Miners Theater board in the old theater building in order to present a check for renovating the stage. For years, various Collinsville community people organized in an attempt to get the Miners fixed up and running but the task has been so daunting the success rate has not been good. With a new entity overseeing the theater and with a monetary kick start from the Boeing Employees Community Fund, Collinsville Progress and others, hopefully this era will at last see the reopening.
This project reminds me of the day I visited Emporia Kansas and had the opportunity to see that city's Granada Theater, a theater which also had a complete re-do. The Granada opened in 1929 and the Miners opened in 1918, both unique but both similar in style. What made the Granada different is how they acquired the funds to get this job completed. Kansas Preservation Alliance, the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance was formed and acquired the building, saving it from destruction. Funds were obtained from large corporations and individuals to the tune of 2.5 million dollars. Or thereabouts.
But moving on, here's a look at what I saw inside the Miners last night.
A panorama look at the massive stage. The height is such that people look very tiny. The detail work on the walls and ceiling is intricate and must have taken much time to complete with 1918 tools.
The ceiling has a sunrise or sunset rising from the decorative molding and the blue is studded with stars.
This is looking back toward the entrance and balcony. The seats are new and so are covered to protect them.
On each side below the stage are two private boxes. I had never noticed these before and find them so historically cool. So cool that I had to wind around the dark back area and hop into one.
Up on the stage sit several control boards for (we thought) lights and curtain control.
The old theater organ sits in a dark corner behind on of the private boxes.
There are any number of scary looking old stairwells leading up and down to the basement and back stage.
I did not follow where this set of stairs led.
When the Miners Theater was constructed the second and third floors were set aside as a miners union hall, offices and meeting rooms. Lots of old artifacts sill in place up there, chairs, tables, paintings and...
Ancient typewriters
My first guess at what this is was an early popcorn machine since there seems to be a heating element, but I could well be wrong.
The bathrooms appear to be original. I did not see a women's restroom so most likely only miners and their officers spent time upstairs. Again, I could be wrong, there are so many nooks and crannys upstairs.
Heh.
This is the sculpture you see in the stairway leading to the second floor. I do not know who this is supposed to be, but it has that Greek/Roman look.
Hopefully this go round the Miners Theater will be welcoming the people of Collinsville and beyond to a vital thriving place of entertainment once again.
