Embassy Theatre Community Celebration------A 90Th Birthday Party by Michele Devinney Forethought Than the Embassy
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MAY 17-23, 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/WHATZUPFTWAYNE // WWW.WHATZUP.COM -------------- Feature • Embassy Theatre Community Celebration ------------- A 90th Birthday Party By Michele DeVinney forethought than the Embassy. The fact that In fact, the Embassy website is now also it survived is thanks to the many who over an archive for much of the theatre’s history, The opening of the Emboyd Theatre on the years found value in keeping it, and the some of which will be on display via a new May 14, 1928 was a pretty big deal, as one fact that it’s functional and will be part of museum on the first floor where the old Indi- can imagine when reading what the News- the 90th anniversary celebration is thanks to ana Hotel once stood. Pulling together these Sentinel had to say about it: displays was also made “Today at 1 P.M. Fort Wayne possible by the Mathiesens Proudly Receives Its Magnificent who live in Ellettsville, In- New Theater. Come to the opening diana. today of the Emboyd. You’ll thrill “We have three display to its sumptuous beauty – revel in cases,” says Hughey. “Act I its atmosphere of luxurious comfort is called ‘Under Construc- – and marvel at the giant inaugural tion’ and features things Tuesday, May 22 • 7:30pm • $35-$75 entertainment program. Follow the that were going on during GIVE HEAR ‘SOUND OF LOVE’ Eager Throngs to the Opening of 1928 when it was first being Indiana’s Wonder Theater – a Gala built. Act II is ‘Grand Open- BENEFIT CONCERT Event the Memory of Which You’ll ing’ and shows some of the Cherish Forever!” images and newspaper ad- Now, 90 years later, the theater vertising for the opening MANDY HARVEY later renamed the Embassy is cel- on May 14, 1928. Act III ebrating its rich history in style. The shares some of the other May 19 community celebration is history, like how the the- only one aspect of that celebration. atre came to be named the Sharing the origins of that history Emboyd. Clyde Quimby, – with quotes like that from the era the original owners, named – is another important piece of the the theater the Emboyd in puzzle. Those who attend this Sat- honor of his mother, Emilie urday’s festivities will have access Boyd Quimby.” to all of that and more. The Embassy, renamed “Our entertainment commit- in 1952 when the theater tee wanted to show what going to was sold after Quimby’s Wednesday, May 23 • 8pm • $20-$35 a movie at the Embassy would have death, still has many of been like in the 1920s,” says John the old posters and items Hughey, the Embassy’s marketing which today are priceless. MARCUS KING BAND director, “so we’re having the Farm- land Jazz Band playing songs from that era, and we’ll have tap danc- ers as well as Mark Herman com- ing back to town to play the Grande Page Organ. 90th ANNIVERSARY Mark is from Fort Wayne and is popular here, so COMMUNITY CELEBRATION it only seemed right to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19 have him come back to his hometown and play Embassy Theatre for this celebration.” 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne In addition to that, $9 thru Ticketmaster and box office, attendees can look for- Wednesday, July 11 • 8pm • $20-$40 ward to performances 260-424-5665 by the Fort Wayne Chil- dren’s Choir and Fort Wayne Dance Collec- a couple of local volunteers. The fact that those, the Brenograph and the tive and a Buster Keaton silent film classic, “Tom and Penny Mathiesen have been enormous slide collection are still around WALTER TROUT Haunted House. Such an eclectic lineup very helpful in making some of the things and in a condition which allows for con- provides a pretty good idea what the early that have been in storage available again,” tinued enjoyment, says something for the Friday, Oct. 26 • 8pm • $30-$60 Emboyd years looked like. says Hughey. “Tom helped connect us to pack-rat mentality which have allowed them JETHRO TULL GUITARIST “This is what a night out in the 20s some people, and we now not only have the to endure for almost a century. It also dem- would be like,” says Hughey. “Going to a Brenograph but a vast collection of glass onstrates how much the Embassy volunteers movie was a major outing. It wasn’t just a slides. At the May 19 event people will get have maintained the theater’s glory. Once set MARTIN BARRE movie like it is today. There was live enter- to experience some of that technology. In- for demolition, Fort Wayne and its people tainment with vaudeville acts and the organ stead of coming attractions like you have have saved and improved the Embassy many GO TO OUR WEBSITE which would play during the film and be- today, there would be these other things times over the years, and the Embassy wants fore. We’re trying to incorporate all of those projected on the screen, like the words to to acknowledge that as much as its own his- FOR TICKET INFO & MORE aspects into the evening.” a sing-along with the organ. We wanted to tory as it marks 90 years. ALL SHOWS ALL AGES Adding one more special wrinkle is the showcase what that would look like, and be- “We really know that the Embassy be- restoration of the old Embassy Brenograph, ing able to do that has been a major accom- longs to the community,” says Hughey. “Our a remarkable machine which helped proj- plishment. These slides are so special, and greatest hope and our goal with this 90th an- ect images before newer technology came this is the largest collection that’s still intact. niversary event is to bring the generations along to make them somewhat obsolete. Many were just dumped when newer tech- together, to honor the legacy of those who The Brenograph and the glass slides used nology became available. Now we have it all came before us, and to celebrate these 90 with it were cast aside by those with less cataloged, and it’s linked on our website.” years together.” 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com -----------------------------------------------------------------May 17, 2018 whatzup Volume 22, Number 40 s winter turns quickly into summer (hey, it’s Indiana – what do you expect?) the entertainment opportunities for our little corner of the world continue to spring up like lighters at a rock concert. And here atA World HQ, we’re making feature story assignments at about the same rate as Donald Trump issues tweets. Looking ahead, our calendar’s getting pretty full; yours is too, most likely. What this summer is going to come down to is choices, and we’re here to SEPTEMBER 21 help. whatzup readers can see everything that’s going on in and around northeast Indiana in one neat little package. So whether your tastes run from Anthrax to bluegrass, from theater to art museums, you’ll find all the options in these pages. We only leave it to you to choose from among them FOELLINGER THEATRE In the immediate future you get to choose from among the aforementioned Anthrax and bluegrass along with, well, there’s just too much to list in the space we have here. Check the contents below before you start turning pages and finding those events that best suit your tastes. TICKETS ON SALE 10AM FRIDAY, MAY 18 Till next week, make the most of what our corner of Indiana has to offer and remember to tell ’em whatzup sent you. AT FORTWAYNEPARKS.ORG inside the issue • features PICKS ............................................. 10 Sidewalk Prophets FARE WARNING ............................. 11 ALL TITLES AVAILABLE AT MODESTMOUSE.COM EMBASSY THEATRE Cherry Blossom Festival COMMUNITY CELEBRATION .....................2 ROAD NOTEZ .................................. 12 A 90th Birthday Party FLIX ................................................. 16 ANTHRAX .....................................................4 Overboard Still Grinding, Still Hungry SCREENTIME ................................. 16 MANDY HARVEY.........................................5 Avengers Likely to Wind Up No. 2 All Time Feeling the Music DIRECTOR’S NOTES ....................... 18 MARCUS KING ............................................5 Pinocchio Therapeutic Blues NORTHERN INDIANA BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL .............................6 • calendars A Finger Pickin’ Weekend LIVE MUSIC & COMEDY ....................8 • columns & reviews MUSIC/ON THE ROAD .................... 12 ROAD TRIPZ ................................... 15 SPINS ................................................7 ART & ARTIFACTS .......................... 19 Sting & Shaggy, Carlton Melton STAGE & DANCE ............................ 18 BACKTRACKS ...................................7 Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run (1975) THINGS TO DO ............................... 17 OUT AND ABOUT ...............................8 Beatles, Stones and Modest Mouse Cover by Brandon Jordan Membership Makes The Difference • Job Referrals • Experienced Negotiators • Insurance • Contract Protection Fort Wayne WITH SPECIAL GUEST THE EASTHILLS Musicians Association Call Bruce Graham for more information TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, MAY 18! 260-420-4446 AFM Local 58 SWEETWATERPAVILION.COM www.fwma.us 5501 US HWY 30 W | FORT WAYNE, IN 46818 May 17, 2018 ------------------------------------------------------------------ www.whatzup.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 BROUGHT TO YOU BY: ----------------------------------Feature • Anthrax -------------------------------- 103.3 The Fort .............................................................18 Arab Fest........................................................................12 Auburn Cruise In ............................................................16 BrandArts .........................................................................3