RKO Mainstreet Theatre
200 Main Street,
Racine,
WI
53403
200 Main Street,
Racine,
WI
53403
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 32 of 32 comments
(March 12, 1954; Racine Journal Times)
Progress of Move Involving Theater
Dear Tex: Just a line to keep you and the readers up to date on
the question of theater facilities for Racine people.
As you know, Paul Lange of the Junior Chamber of Commerce called a meeting two weeks ago at Hotel Racine to discuss the possibilities of obtaining the Main Street Theater for Racine. Paul Lange was elected chairman of the “Mainstreet Theater Association” at the meeting. The group decided to appoint three committees to gather facts for later evaluation.
Investigating Casts
At the present time Hans Geyer is heading a committee investigating the cost of putting the Main Street Theater in safe, sound and efficient operating condition. Another committee, headed by Bill Boy, is obtaining information on yearly maintenance and operating costs for the theater.
The third committee, headed by yours truly, has been asked to survey organizations in Racine concerning their needs for a theater like the Mainstreet. Members of this committee will contact presidents of organizations by phone this coming week to sound out their needs for theater facilities.
Not the “Only Pebble”
Members of the growing “association” realize that the Mainstreet Theater isn’t the only pebble on the beach. In order to get a complete picture it will be necessary to bring past surveys conducted on existing theatrical facilities up to date. It will also be important to get information about the city’s plans for community buildings.
People interested in the theater question are cordially invited to
meet with the “association” Wednesday, March 17, at 6 p.m. at the
Theatre Guild Playhouse on Erie and High Streets.
â€"JAMES L. PAGE.
(Tuesday, February 6, 1912)
Theater Nears Completionâ€"
Work on the new Bate theater is being rushed and it is thought that within a month or so the first performance can be staged at the theater. The outer walls were completed some time ago, but the cold weather delayed the interior work considerably.
Thank you for that valuable Rapp & Rapp information and the other research, Paul; unfortunately there’s no way I know of to edit additional data into the header above once the page is constructed.
This theatre was designed by Rapp & Rapp. Hopefully, Louis you can add that to the top so this important early work of theirs receives the appropriate attention. The following articles confirm their involvement:
Racine Daily Journal
August 26, 1911
P. 7
“Contractors of this city received word from D.(sic) W. and George L. Rapp, architects, of Chicago, today the time for the opening of bids for the construction of the new Bate Opera House, to be located at State and Main streets, had been extended to Thursday of next week.”
Racine Journal News
April 3, 1912
P. 7
“Inspect New Theatre – Yesterday afternoon Martin J. Gillen, John Bate, H. C. Andress, George Rapp, artchitect, Richard Attart and others interested, made an inspection of the new Orpheum theatre…”
Racine Journal News
April 25, 1912
P. 2
“New Orpheum Theatre to Open Monday: Marks New Epoch in Local Amusements…George Rapp of Chicago was the architect.”
Racine Journal News
April 30, 1912
“Orpheum Opening Grand Success; Society Patrons of New Theatre; First Bill Presages Future Treats…All Are Pleased…George Rapp, architect of the building…”
Louis,
Do you know of an opera house built in Racine prior to 1906? I’ve found a listing for Chicago area builders, Wiley Brothers, that says they built an opera house in Racine. Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Paul
I’ve been researching this theatre, which just might have been Wisconsin’s finest legitimate playhouse and able to stand on its own as such worldwide.
The namestone above the curved entrance at State and Main Streets read “Bate”. John W. Bate had come to Racine in 1905 and was the general superintendent at the Mitchell-Lewis Motor Car Company. He was the builder and owner of the $150,000 theatre which was to be named for him and open on December 23, 1911 with a charity performance of “A Snug Little Kingdom”, starring a then-unknown Alfred Lunt. (Racine Journal-News, Oct. 11, 1911).
However, that didn’t happen, and the theatre opened instead as the Orpheum (“Racine’s Play House De Luxe”) on 11 AM on Monday, April 29, 1912, leased and operated by the Chicago-based Allardt Bros. Circuit and a Martin J. Gillen. A Mr. H.C. Andress was the first manager.
The Allardts were already operating the Orpheums in South Bend IN, Hammond, IN, and Ft. William, Ont. and the Broadway in Superior WI, the Grand in Joliet IL, the Majestic in Springfield IL and the Lyric in Danville IL.
(Interestingly, there was another Orpheum Theatre nearby on College Avenue, a movie house which became known as the Orpheum on College Avenue.)
The opening program featured the Orpheum Concert Orchestra conducted by Professor O. M. Cotton, Ted Bailey’s Posing Dogs, monologuist Bernardi “The King of Protean Artists”, farceurs Hermine Shone & Company, dancers Lydell & Butterworth, parodist Murray K. Hill, and some unspecified film program of first-run “superlative views”.
Tickets started at .10 for matinee balcony seats and topped out at .50 for box seats at night and on Sundays and holiday matinees. (Racine Journal-News, April 27, 1912.)
On July 1, 1920 the Orpheum was leased by the First National Theatre Company (based in the State-Lake Theatre, Chicago) and was redecorated and renamed the National, with W.E. Duncanson in charge. A new electric sign was mounted.
The announcement ran in the June 27, 1920 Racine Journal-News which had some stunning (and rare) interior photos of the theatre.
The Main Street was built in 1911 for $60,000.
There is a rare 1958 (?) photo of the closed RKO Main Street Theatre in the July 6th, 1972 Racine Journal Times showing the smallish rounded marquee and the spectacular vertical sign which remained until demolition.
That sign towered seven stories above Main Street. In a large circle at the top were the letters ‘RKO’, where scintillating “lightning bolts” would shoot outward from it. The sign’s bottom edge was likewise shaped into jagged lightning-bolt edging outlined with bulbs, typical for RKO theatres but rare in the Midwest.
That sign at night had to have been stunning.
The small accompanying article is captioned “What Might Have Been” (indeed) and praised the Main Street as “one of the best stage houses in the Midwest”. In 1941 it sold for $35,000, in 1945 for $65,000 and for $120,000 in 1948.
But ten years later the owner offered it to the City for $20,000 which was of course rejected and the Main Street was quickly demolished. The owner stopped paying taxes on the empty lot ten years later, the property is still vacant to this day, and retrospect today, a half-century later, shows that everyone lost.
For photos, see www.groups.yahoo.com/group/RacineGranada