Comments from SchineAdvocate1

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SchineAdvocate1
SchineAdvocate1 commented about Auburn Schine Theater on Mar 23, 2009 at 10:00 pm

The Schine’s Auburn Theater is indeed one of the greatest of the remaining movie palaces, and without a doubt one of Eberson’s greatest works.

One only has to tour the severely water damaged, but structurally sound building to realize that this place is still alive. As one tours the lobbies, the men’s and ladies lounges, the great staircases, the balcony, the location of the original candy counter, the projection booth, and the hidden backstage dressing rooms to realize that there are ghosts here, who long to tell you of this city’s, and this nation’s past, and who long to point us in a new direction.

Auburn is a fascinating city, with a storied past. We have a number of great treasures here, including the home of William Seward, who of course was Abraham Lincoln’s rival but eventual Secrectary of State. Seward is soon to be remembered in our first annual Founder’s Day celebration, which will hopefully be highlighted by a visit by Governor Sarah Palin. Seward House is also hoped to play a role in Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln”, which is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals.

Auburn was also the location of Harriet Tubman’s home, which is soon to become a National Park. Our South Street, which is the address for both Tubman and Seward’s homes, will therefore be a one of a kind historic walking tour, highly unique for a city of this size.

Auburn is a blue collar town, an industrial town at heart. It is a prison town, which still boasts a large maximum security correctional facility in its center. And it’s historical figures include the Osborne family, which was instrumental in prison reform in the first half of the 20th century.

Auburn is a fantastic sports town which has tremendous roots in baseball, still going strong in our Falcon Park, a very popular minor league venue located in the center of a small city neighborhood, a relic that is becoming an endangered species in modern times. This is a living, and vital center of summers in this community. And we have one of the greatest of high school football venues in our Holland Stadium, a bowl shaped park built into a hillside during the rebuilding efforts of the nation during the Great Depression, and still a great center of pride.

And Auburn has a vibrant arts and theatrical community, perhaps best exemplified by the Merry Go Round Theater, situated on Owasco Lake. This local venue has steadily grown into a major force in off broadway summer musical theater productions in the northeast.

Currently, there are a number of factors that therefore bode well for the restoration of the Schine’s Auburn, which indeed shoud be the centerpiece of Auburn’s revival. The Stardust Foundation has been a leader in number of new, and innovative efforts toward the resurrection of our downtown, and toward the future of this city. The aforementioned Tubman Home is soon to be a National Park, allowing for a great influx of interest and tourism to the area. The Seward House continues to raise important historical attention, and will only expand upon this during this year’s Founder’s Day, and the upcoming Spielberg “Lincoln” film.

And perhaps most importantly, and organization known as Musical Theater Festival is in its early stages, which has a grand vision of using the Merry Go Round Theater as a seed to create what can only be described as a new Broadway, with multiple venues of varying sizes, in the the Finger Lakes, with the epicenter in downtown Auburn. This indeed may transform downtown Auburn into a major theater district, just as it was back in the 1930’s to 1950’s.

The Schine’s Auburn Theater indeed should be in the forefront of all of the above plans. This venue is like no other, locally or nationally. This theater can serve as the main venues for Musical Theater Festival, or if not able to serve their needs can still serve as a major Performing Arts Center that will be utilized by the entire cross section of Auburn’s citizens, as well as those traveling to the area.

The past 15 years of attempts at restoration of the Schines’s have not been without their frustrations. Indeed, what started as a strong and committed grassroots effort eventually floundered, and various difficulties have resulted in delays and roadblocks. Unfortunately, this caused great friction and divisions to occur, along with loss of confidence in the public. Nonetheless, those who were involved in the initial grassroots effot need to continue to be proud and realize that they SAVED this landmark, and the building still stands, ready for restoration.

Many now believe that now is the time for true collaboration, to make the vision a reality. This vision of a restored Schine’s Auburn as the central site of a new theater district in downtown is of the utmost importance for Auburn, and for that matter for all of us who recognize the importance of great American landmarks in the fabric of not only our past, but our America’s future.

We ask that all interested folks pay attention over the ensuing months; lend positive support, advice, and investment whenever and wherever possible. As an Auburnian, American, and Schine Theater Advocate, thank you for listening.