Warner Theatre

Warner Lady: Great article! Congratulations!

Yes, very colorful and full of acrobatic talent. BTW, the Warner has never closed in its long history in Erie PA on State Street just blocks from the shores of Lake Erie.

This evening I saw the show, Cirque Dreams Holidaze at the Warner which is beautifully decorated for the Christmas and holiday season. The tour schedule for Cirque Dreams is @ http://www.cirqueproductions.com/

If you want to purchase this book online, go to www.warnertheatrebook.com

Finally the new book is out! “A Picture Palace Transformed: How Erie’s Warner Theatre Survived a Changing World” by Barbara J. Hauck based on the works of Dr. John Marsh is available at Borders, the Erie Book Store, and in the Warner before concerts. If you are out of Erie, you will have to go to Borders and tell them to search for it in their system. It is only at the Erie store, but all other Borders Book Stores can order it. It’s a beautiful book with many old and new photos. The new ones have been shot by Art Becker, a nationally renown Erie photographer. Contributing Editor Brian Sheridan did a great deal of research to add some really exciting facts.

I love reading all the fond memories of the Warner. As a young boy I took tap lessons at Little’s Dance Studio, and as such, got to perform on the Warner stage 2 Times!! What fond memories. Is the blue clock still next to the stage? That clock sticks very strongly in my memories of the theater. Any new news on the book?

Yes, thank heavens!

The issue is price of heating and maintaining the building. Just too high a price for the smaller audiences. Remember that before TV and subsequently VCR tapes, there was only one type of venue to look at film, a picture palace or movie house. Filling the Warner’s 2,222 seats would be very easy for a movie debut then. It would be impossible now. So the theatre is changing its purpose. Last night my husband and I went to the opening night for the Erie Philharmonic. Just fabulous! And in such a beautiful, uplifting space! The Erie’s Warner has evolved into a successful performing arts center wrapped in the cloak of history. We should be proud, not sad.

Too costly. Hard to compete with Tinsel Town. I have nothing to do with programming anyway. I just raise money for the restoration.

About the organ, it was donated by Warner Bros to the Cleveland Armory as a tax deduction…long before the present management every owned the building. Here’s the text explaining this from the upcoming book: “In 1969 the company(Warner)offered the Mighty Wurlitzer to the Western Reserve Chapter of the American Theater Organ Enthusiasts (ATOE) as a donation. The instrument was installed at Cleveland’s Gray’s Armory. The Armory, a non-profit museum dedicated to Cleveland, Ohio’s voluntary militias, and the ATOE provided the perfect opportunity for Warner Bros. to receive a tax deduction that year. This move to take the organ out of the theater was indicative of the changing times: Performance on the organ was no longer in demand. The loss of the organ to the Erie community has been an issue for many years to those who loved the music. However, both Jack Burger and Monsignor William Biebel, who had played the instrument in its new home, commented that there is irony in its location: In losing its organ, the Warner helped to preserve it. On January 17, 1972, a broken water main flooded the house’s basement, orchestra pit, and the first 12 rows of seats. If the console had been in its place, it would have been ruined.” Warner Lady

And in the meantime, perhaps Warner Lady will come through for us, too! I will try to reach her via phone also.

And perhaps Warner Lady could help us out with interior photos. I can’t seem to locate her email address so hopefully she’ll read our request and contact me @