Oh come on, this is too good not to print out in full:
Havana theater in flux
Saturday, September 10, 2005
BY BRENDA BOWEN
OF THE JOURNAL STAR
HAVANA – Re-opening the closed Lawford Theater is in question, with the building’s managers and former employees at odds over workers getting paid.
Mike Novelli and Paul Warshauer, co-owners of Wheaton-based Grande Venues Inc., leased the Havana theater in June and opened in late July, showing recently released movies.
Novelli and Warshauer hired local employees to sell tickets and concessions at the theater. The men closed a week ago when a projector bulb blew out during a show. Warshauer said the projector housing needed replaced, so the men decided to close for renovations and planned to re-open by Thanksgiving.
But theater employees say they have been released permanently from their jobs and still haven’t received their last paychecks.
“They can’t even pay their employees,” said Mike Kolves, the Lawford’s former assistant manager. “They were paying themselves, and they can’t pay us?”
Another former employee, who asked not to be named, said she had to bring her own calculator and vacuum cleaner to the job to add ticket sales and clean up after shows.
“None of that was ever appreciated,” she said. “There was nothing in there to work with … I even took my own Scotch tape there.”
The worker said she and another former co-worker are looking into ways to get the last paycheck owed to them.
“It’s not much money, it’s just the principle of the thing,” said the other former employee, who also asked not to be named. “They more or less wanted us to donate our time.”
Novelli said Friday he and Warshauer are investigating theft by employees at the Lawford.
“There is an investigation going on into some wrongdoing,” he said. “We know one of them stole from us.”
The investigation is “internal,” not being handled by police, Novelli said.
Warshauer said he and Novelli have contacted police about their suspicions. “We’ve locked (the former employees) out, that should tell you something,” he said.
In November 2003, he was at odds with Bartonville officials over his plans to rehab a Peoria State Hospital into a “boutique hotel.” Warshauer asked the village to invest in a $190,000 feasibility study into the concept with no commitment on his end to move forward on the proposed $6 million project.
Village trustees said they were leery of using taxpayer funds for the project under the terms proposed.
That same month, the Chicago Revenue Department issued a cease and desist order on the Portage Park Theater, owned by Warshauer on the city’s Northwest side.
When the men came to Havana, they asked city officials for a $15,000 loan to renovate the Lawford but were turned down because Mayor Dale Roberts said they didn’t have collateral.
Roberts said Friday that Novelli and Warshauer owe the city money for the theater’s water service but declined to say how much.
“They have a water bill that is unpaid,” he said. “We shut the water off. We were going to shut it off anyway, but they called and asked us to before the cutoff date.”
Novelli said re-opening the Lawford by Thanksgiving is still a goal for him, but it may not happen.
“We’ve got a lot of issues,” he said. “It’s not a solid thing.”
Paul, why don’t you start your noble effort by paying the legal judgments against you pertaining to your (ahem) work at the Uptown. I think you still owe in the thousands. Why don’t you square yourself by paying your debts first, and THEN you can go back to being the humble guy you pretend to be?
By the way, look at this quote you posted here on Cinema Treasures a while back:
“After almost three months in the dark, the historic Lawford Theatre will reopen July 22 at 7:00 pm with a showing of “War of the Worlds,†according to its new owners.
posted by Paul Warshauer on July 19, 2005 at 8:00am”
Do you actually own the Lawford, Paul? Or did you (giggle) misquote yourself?
What about this one (a golden oldie):
“I am the new owner of the Portage Park Theatre.
posted by Paul Warshauer on Oct 24, 2003 at 5:28am”
Did you actually own the Portage? I didn’t think you did. Did you “misquote” yourself again?
I hate to borrow another person’s phrases, but Life’s Too Short nailed it with these about you, Warshauer:
“Everything I have seen points to the notion that you are a dangerous and foul force within American preservation.”
and
“If you really do the things people say you have done in all these places where you have worked, you are perhaps the greatest enemy of theatre preservation in the United States.”
I’m far from “armchair” you moron. And the work I do isn’t laced with scandal and legal disputes like those that follow your sorry self around. And you conveniently didn’t answer my questions, which I’m sure readers are dying to know. Why haven’t you paid the legal judgments against you? Do you consider yourself to be above the law? How you continue to find work amazes me. Oh, and my name is in your honor. Its what I sincerely hope that you’ll do. And very soon.
Re-read all the contentious, slanderous, outrageous posts you’ve littered this site with. You’ve engaged in name-calling, lies, slander and God knows what else. And then you have the audacity to wonder why people are negative towards you? Are you insane? Look in the mirror, man. The help you need is probably best found elsewhere.
Well, nobody would ever accuse you of being meddlesome and troubled. By the way, when are you going to pay Annoyance Productions the remaining $3136.00 you owe them (http://www.annoyanceproductions.com/lawsuit.html)? You LOST a judgment against them in a court of law. Aren’t you legally obligated to pay that? Why are you suing other people when you yourself have outstanding judgments against you?
Another Warshauer suck-cess story!! You were open for what, almost two whole months? Hope that popcorn stays fresh until Thanksgiving!
From PJStar.com:
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
HAVANA – The Lawford Theater has closed again, but one of its managers says the cinema will reopen with an updated sound system.
“We’re remodeling. We’re not out of business,” said Paul Warshauer of Grande Venues Inc. Warshauer and his partner Mike Novelli operate the cinema and have an option to buy the historic building in downtown Havana in the next year.
Warshauer said a bulb went out during a Friday night show, and when theater employees went to replace it, they discovered that the entire 1950’s-era lamphouse was bad. He said the repairs and sound upgrades will be costly.
He also wants to find someone local to oversee the Lawford on a full-time basis, Warshauer said.
“We just can’t do it long distance,” he said. “We want the building, we want to fix it up.”
Warshauer said he still hopes to bring live theater to the building.
The cinema opened several weeks ago, playing new movies and changing them every week.
Warshauer said there is no set time frame on reopening the theater.
Oh come on, this is too good not to print out in full:
Havana theater in flux
Saturday, September 10, 2005
BY BRENDA BOWEN
OF THE JOURNAL STAR
HAVANA – Re-opening the closed Lawford Theater is in question, with the building’s managers and former employees at odds over workers getting paid.
Mike Novelli and Paul Warshauer, co-owners of Wheaton-based Grande Venues Inc., leased the Havana theater in June and opened in late July, showing recently released movies.
Novelli and Warshauer hired local employees to sell tickets and concessions at the theater. The men closed a week ago when a projector bulb blew out during a show. Warshauer said the projector housing needed replaced, so the men decided to close for renovations and planned to re-open by Thanksgiving.
But theater employees say they have been released permanently from their jobs and still haven’t received their last paychecks.
“They can’t even pay their employees,” said Mike Kolves, the Lawford’s former assistant manager. “They were paying themselves, and they can’t pay us?”
Another former employee, who asked not to be named, said she had to bring her own calculator and vacuum cleaner to the job to add ticket sales and clean up after shows.
“None of that was ever appreciated,” she said. “There was nothing in there to work with … I even took my own Scotch tape there.”
The worker said she and another former co-worker are looking into ways to get the last paycheck owed to them.
“It’s not much money, it’s just the principle of the thing,” said the other former employee, who also asked not to be named. “They more or less wanted us to donate our time.”
Novelli said Friday he and Warshauer are investigating theft by employees at the Lawford.
“There is an investigation going on into some wrongdoing,” he said. “We know one of them stole from us.”
The investigation is “internal,” not being handled by police, Novelli said.
Warshauer said he and Novelli have contacted police about their suspicions. “We’ve locked (the former employees) out, that should tell you something,” he said.
In November 2003, he was at odds with Bartonville officials over his plans to rehab a Peoria State Hospital into a “boutique hotel.” Warshauer asked the village to invest in a $190,000 feasibility study into the concept with no commitment on his end to move forward on the proposed $6 million project.
Village trustees said they were leery of using taxpayer funds for the project under the terms proposed.
That same month, the Chicago Revenue Department issued a cease and desist order on the Portage Park Theater, owned by Warshauer on the city’s Northwest side.
When the men came to Havana, they asked city officials for a $15,000 loan to renovate the Lawford but were turned down because Mayor Dale Roberts said they didn’t have collateral.
Roberts said Friday that Novelli and Warshauer owe the city money for the theater’s water service but declined to say how much.
“They have a water bill that is unpaid,” he said. “We shut the water off. We were going to shut it off anyway, but they called and asked us to before the cutoff date.”
Novelli said re-opening the Lawford by Thanksgiving is still a goal for him, but it may not happen.
“We’ve got a lot of issues,” he said. “It’s not a solid thing.”
Paul, why don’t you start your noble effort by paying the legal judgments against you pertaining to your (ahem) work at the Uptown. I think you still owe in the thousands. Why don’t you square yourself by paying your debts first, and THEN you can go back to being the humble guy you pretend to be?
http://www.annoyanceproductions.com/lawsuit.html
http://www.annoyanceproductions.com/lawsuit.html
Well, I hope they do their research first!!!
http://www.annoyanceproductions.com/lawsuit.html
“The DuPage will not be torn down anytime soon. I can guarantee it."
posted by Paul Warshauer on Aug 4, 2005 at 7:49am
How exactly do you plan on doing that Paul?
By the way, look at this quote you posted here on Cinema Treasures a while back:
“After almost three months in the dark, the historic Lawford Theatre will reopen July 22 at 7:00 pm with a showing of “War of the Worlds,†according to its new owners.
posted by Paul Warshauer on July 19, 2005 at 8:00am”
Do you actually own the Lawford, Paul? Or did you (giggle) misquote yourself?
What about this one (a golden oldie):
“I am the new owner of the Portage Park Theatre.
posted by Paul Warshauer on Oct 24, 2003 at 5:28am”
Did you actually own the Portage? I didn’t think you did. Did you “misquote” yourself again?
Is any of this actually true?
The disgust is mutual, trust me.
I hate to borrow another person’s phrases, but Life’s Too Short nailed it with these about you, Warshauer:
“Everything I have seen points to the notion that you are a dangerous and foul force within American preservation.”
and
“If you really do the things people say you have done in all these places where you have worked, you are perhaps the greatest enemy of theatre preservation in the United States.”
Fine work!
I’m far from “armchair” you moron. And the work I do isn’t laced with scandal and legal disputes like those that follow your sorry self around. And you conveniently didn’t answer my questions, which I’m sure readers are dying to know. Why haven’t you paid the legal judgments against you? Do you consider yourself to be above the law? How you continue to find work amazes me. Oh, and my name is in your honor. Its what I sincerely hope that you’ll do. And very soon.
Re-read all the contentious, slanderous, outrageous posts you’ve littered this site with. You’ve engaged in name-calling, lies, slander and God knows what else. And then you have the audacity to wonder why people are negative towards you? Are you insane? Look in the mirror, man. The help you need is probably best found elsewhere.
Well, nobody would ever accuse you of being meddlesome and troubled. By the way, when are you going to pay Annoyance Productions the remaining $3136.00 you owe them (http://www.annoyanceproductions.com/lawsuit.html)? You LOST a judgment against them in a court of law. Aren’t you legally obligated to pay that? Why are you suing other people when you yourself have outstanding judgments against you?
Wait, here’s another one: View link
That one’s for $5000!!! Have you paid that one yet Paul? Seems like someone needs to get their house in order.
Another Warshauer suck-cess story!! You were open for what, almost two whole months? Hope that popcorn stays fresh until Thanksgiving!
From PJStar.com:
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
HAVANA – The Lawford Theater has closed again, but one of its managers says the cinema will reopen with an updated sound system.
“We’re remodeling. We’re not out of business,” said Paul Warshauer of Grande Venues Inc. Warshauer and his partner Mike Novelli operate the cinema and have an option to buy the historic building in downtown Havana in the next year.
Warshauer said a bulb went out during a Friday night show, and when theater employees went to replace it, they discovered that the entire 1950’s-era lamphouse was bad. He said the repairs and sound upgrades will be costly.
He also wants to find someone local to oversee the Lawford on a full-time basis, Warshauer said.
“We just can’t do it long distance,” he said. “We want the building, we want to fix it up.”
Warshauer said he still hopes to bring live theater to the building.
The cinema opened several weeks ago, playing new movies and changing them every week.
Warshauer said there is no set time frame on reopening the theater.
“We’d like to be open by Thanksgiving,” he said
Interesting reading here:
View link