Ironwood Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ironwood Theatre
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| Location | 109 E. Aurora Street Ironwood, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | Albert Nelson |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 85000061 |
| Added to NRHP | January 11, 1985 |
The Historic Ironwood Theatre is a special place in Ironwood, Michigan. It's a theatre where you can watch many different live shows. These include plays, concerts, and other artistic performances. It's a non-profit place, meaning it's run by volunteers. They work hard to bring fun entertainment to the community.
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A Look Back at the Ironwood Theatre
The Ironwood Theatre was built in 1928. At that time, it was one of three movie theaters in Ironwood. It showed brand new movies and live variety shows called vaudeville. The very first movie shown was "Wings" from 1927.
The theatre was very popular in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. This was known as the "Golden Age of Hollywood." But in the late 1970s, the theatre faced money problems. It closed its doors in the spring of 1982.
Later in 1982, the owner gave the theatre to the City of Ironwood. The theatre reopened in 1988 as a non-profit cultural center. It started offering many different types of shows again. In 2010, the city bought the building next door. This gave the theatre more space for things like new restrooms and offices.
Theatre Design and Architecture
The theatre was designed by Albert Nelson, an architect from Ironwood. It was built in 1928 and cost about $160,000 back then. That's like $2 million today! The building's style is called Italian Renaissance. It has fancy fake pillars and a grand arched stage opening.
When it first opened, the theatre could seat 1,000 people. There were 600 seats on the main floor and 400 on the balcony. Over time, some seats were removed to add new features. These include a special area for wheelchairs, a sound booth, and a snack stand. Now, the theatre seats 732 people. The chairs you see today are exact copies of the original ones.
The Famous Barton Organ
The Barton organ is still in the theatre where it was put in 1928. People lovingly call it "The Grand Old Lady." This historic theatre organ has two keyboards and 499 pipes. It is still fully playable today!
Work to restore the organ began in 2000. Volunteers learned how to fix the organ's parts, like its pipes and wires. They replaced all the old leather parts. They also replaced over 700 wire connections.
After many hours of volunteer work and donations, the organ was fully restored. The main part of the organ, called the console, returned in June 2010. The organ is now completely ready to play. In 2010, the American Theatre Organ Society even wanted to start a local group in Ironwood.
The Barton Organ in Ironwood is very special. The Barton Company built about 250 pipe organs. Only about 40 of them are still in their original homes. The Ironwood Theatre's Barton organ is one of only six that are still playable. As of 2010, it was the most recently restored Barton organ.
Shows and Performances
The theatre hosts many different kinds of shows. Famous performers like Matt Giraud and Jeff Daniels have been there. Other groups like the Duquesne University Tamburitzans and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra have also performed.
The theatre also puts on popular musicals. These include Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific" and "Chicago." Many local, regional, and national acts perform here too.
H.I.T. Idol
In November 2011, the theatre held "The Historic Ironwood Theatre Presents H.I.T. Idol." This show was like American Idol. Forty-one young singers performed solos. Six winners were chosen to open for Matt Giraud, a finalist from American Idol. All the singers also got to sing backup for two of Giraud's songs. H.I.T. Idol was a show that highlighted local youth talent. Volunteers helped run every part of the show.
The Beautiful Proscenium Mural
The theatre has a stunning mural above the stage. This area is called the proscenium. The mural is a large, three-piece canvas painting by William Hasenberg. It was painted in 1927 to make the theatre look even grander.
In 1973, during a renovation, the mural was painted over with dark blue and white paint. People thought the mural was ruined. But in 1994, artist David Strickland successfully removed the paint. He did this without harming the original mural underneath. Now, the mural is perfectly restored. It catches the eye of everyone who enters the auditorium.
