Ashland Theatre

Tour of Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas Theatres in 2004
From June 26 through July 1, 2004 the Theatre Historical Society of America will tour a number of theatres in Kansas City Missouri and surrounding areas, including theatres in Lamar, Joplin, Richmond, St. Joseph and Springfield, MO, as well as Miami, OK, and these cities in Kansas: Leavenworth, Kansas City, Emporia, El Dorado, Augusta, Wichita, Hutchinson, McPherson, Salina, Concordia, and Topeka. More information is contained on their web site: http://www.HistoricTheatres.org and special photos and information concerning the Kansas City theatres: UPTOWN and the MIDLAND is available on this temporary page of their site at: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/fromarch.html A glossy brochure about this “Heart of America” Conclave is available from the Society’s headquarters listed on their homepage, via E-mail to the Ex. Director, or via snail mail. Membership in the Society is not required to attend the Conclave and tour the theatres, but fees do apply as detailed on their site. Bring your camera and lots of film, for it is usually difficult or impossible to enter these theatres for photos, and some of them will surely not be with us in the years to come.

Hi, I have found a ledger for the original Ashland Theater, it opened in April 1911; I think it also operated an airdome during the summer. And it was destroyed by a dynamite explosion set off by a disgruntled projecitionist in 1922! Then apparently rebuilt, eh? The first manager was Rich Steadman, his wife Anna sold tickets, they ran films, an act or two of vaudeville, amateur shows, and cash prize giveaways. And made money hand over fist. I would love to communicate with folks who can help me find out more info about the Ashland, will share info; I am working on an article about transition-era nickelodeons. Kathy Fuller-Seeley

An item in the February 19, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World had information about the Ashland Theatre:

“Ashland to Seat 2,000.

“R. Stedman, manager of the Ashland theater, 24th and Elmwood, Kansas City, is remodeling his theater from a seating capacity of 1,000 to one that will hold 2,000 people. When this is completed, Mr. Stedman will have practically the largest capacity of any of the residence district theaters. The Apollo, when its new balcony is done, will also be among the largest, but the seating capacity will not quite equal that of the Ashland.”

I remember as a young child going to both the Aladdin and the Ashland Theaters with my sister and parents. Yes, there were two side small curtained states with special lighting and I do remember the holiday displays for some reason. I know the history that it was first an open air live performance and movie theater. It did have a theater organ which had a lot of pipes on each side of the movie screen and also on the back wall of the very large stage area. Sadly, when it was demolished, most of the organ pipes were still there intact. It closed in the early 50s but then because a church for the next 15 plus years and was not changed that much on the inside auditorium but did have some water damage because it seems that no one would repair the roof during that period. At one time, The Minute Circle Community Center was very interested in the theater building after they lost their’s due to a fire. I wish that could have happened – they probably would have had it fixed up pretty nice.

The Ashland Theatre is listed at 24th and Elmwood in the 1914-1915 American Moving Picture Directory. David & Noelle’s list of known Boller theaters has it listed as a 1946 remodeling project.

The October 27, 1915, issue of Western Contractor had a notice about a planned remodeling of a theater at 2400 Elmwood, but didn’t name the architect or give the name of the theater itself.