The theater — a touch of culture
Don Coldsmith
Monday, February 16, 2009
THERE’S a tendency today to look back with a certain amount of ridicule on the lack of culture on the frontier of the 19th century. People who are into genealogy find that the family names change in spelling through the generations. Many early settlers and immigrants from other cultures could not read or write English. Everything was phonetic, which allows for a lot of leeway. I heard of a French poodle, for instance, named “Fido,” but spelled “Phydeaux.” But you get the idea —
However, there was a strong push toward education and culture from very early times. Some of the mountain men in the fur trade period were highly educated and could even recite Shakespeare. Cowboys in lonely “line shacks” often read not only “dime novels” during lonely winter evenings, but classic literature in paperback form, given as premiums with such supplies as coffee or other staples.
Small towns began to dot the prairie, a day’s travel apart to provide “farm to market” access. There was a lot of patriotism, which translated on the local level into civic pride. A town would need a store, a church, a livery stable and very early, a school. And for the edification of adults, some sort of meeting place for lectures, concerts, debates, minstrel shows, magicians, anything a traveling show company might provide. The towns with the best facilities might attract the best entertainment. Sometimes, even, internationally known vocalists and entertainers. Many were called “opera houses,” because there were quite a few legitimate opera companies bringing culture to the frontier.
Some of the buildings were plain and functional, but many were quite ornate showplaces. This was a period when architecture had some real class. A variety of styles and traditions from highly developed cultures were evident. Greek, Roman, Asian — various time periods, representing the big points of achievement in France, Italy — the Renaissance period. (By comparison, what will our current designs look like in a century or two?)
All of this comes to mind as a major effort was launched to restore and preserve the old Granada Theatre in Emporia. Like many in other towns, the Granada was converted into a movie theater. Sometimes the structures were used for both live acts and movies for a few decades. Many citizens recall such usage and have a soft spot in their hearts for memories of spectacular “shows,” or maybe a high school date in the darkness of the balcony. People in all walks of life have some memories in these old theaters. For a surprising start, I learned that there are dozens of of communities in Kansas alone, working with their respective heritage. The Kansas Historic Theaters Association lists 29 membership groups.
In looking over the list, I find that I’ve been in several of these, usually to attend a movie more years ago than I’ll admit. Some have interesting names which reflect that they were once part of a commercial chain, usually movies. Fox, Granada, Chief and Ritz are examples. On the other hand, there are three “opera houses.”
Some of these member theaters are already restored and in use for multiple activities. I’ve seen two, the Columbian Theater in Wamego and the Brown Grand Theater in Concordia. Both are worth a trip just to tour them and see their grandeur. I’m told that there are others, too.
It might be worth mentioning that many old theaters have a reputation for ghosts. This includes theaters on college campuses, such as Albert Taylor Hall at Emporia State University, where a figure in Shakespearean costume appears backstage from time to time. Why? Who knows? But on any stage there has been a variety of intense emotional outpouring, over a long period of time.
Author Lisa Hefner Heitz, who has made a study of reported hauntings in the great plains, says that “I have yet to run across a theater that ISN’T haunted — ”
The Granada? Of course. Maybe I’ll have to do a column on HAUNTED theaters.
See you down the road.
Author and columnist Don Coldsmith lives in Emporia.