Archive for August, 2008

Aug 21 2008

Strand Theatre Weekly Email: August 21, 2008

Published by David under Weekly Emails

Hello Strand Fans,

This week sees the return of Shelby Idol.  On Friday night August 22nd, the final six contestants will vie for top honors.   The winner of this contest will perform at the Bears of Blue River Festival on Saturday night.    Speaking of the BBRF, the Strand will be open for tours during the Festival.   Come downtown and support not only the Strand, but the great work that goes into producing the Bears of Blue River Festival.  

 
The Festival has been helping with the mission of the Strand well before any of us even dreamed of a performing arts center.   The BBRF stage on the square has provided a venue for local talent for two decades.    We believe strongly that live entertainment is part of the vitality of our community.    Kudos to the Festival for helping make this a reality year in and year out.
 
If you missed the Shelby County Players fundraiser "Divas and Duets on Broadway" you really missed out.   It was a wonderful show.   The performers filled the Strand with wonderful music.   The show highlighted some of our best talent.    The Strand hopes that the SCP were successful in this fundraising effort.
 
After the "Divas" left, we had to return the theatre to a usable space for this week’s events.   This facilitated raising the downstage portion of our stage back to the level of the rest of the stage.   Strand volunteers Gordon H., Bob S. and Lou M. all got up early Sunday morning to help rebuild the stage.  5 hours later is was back to its original look.   By Monday it was repainted and ready for the new shows.
 
This week Beck Studios will again return to the Strand to finish a few items on our screen.    Beck has been a wonderful vendor to work with, and we thank them for all their generosity towards our project.    We also want to thank Quality Concepts Awnings & Signs of Indianapolis for providing grill cloth for our stage surround built for the "Divas" shows.   They do a lot of work providing awnings for our downtown businesses, and we appreciate them supporting the Strand. 
 
Work is still progressing on the exterior windows.   They are almost completely hung.   We will have to align and adjust them to work perfectly.   The chandelier is being hung soon, so when the windows open, you will be able to look into a beautifully decorated and lit space.
 
Should you have any suggestions for things you would like me to write about, please send me an email at david.finkel@strand-theatre-shelbyville.org    I am always interested in answering questions that should arise.    Our theatre is packed with history and is blazing a trail into the future.   There are lots of things to observe and document.
 
Thank you for all your support.   We are proud to continue to establish ourselves as part of our community’s landscape.   Hope to see you at the theatre to help support the performing arts in Shelbyville and Shelby County.

 

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Aug 17 2008

Bears of Blue River Festival: Strand Theatre Tours

Published by David under Events

August 22, 2008 5:00 pmtoAugust 24, 2008 5:00 pm

The Strand Theatre will be open for tours at this year’s 29th Annual Bears of Blue River Festival.   Come visit downtown Shelbyville an enjoy this special time on our Square.    The BBRF Committee has worked very hard providing a weekend of fun in our downtown.   Check out the exciting schedule of events at : http://www.bearsofblueriver.com

 

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Aug 17 2008

Divas at the Strand: Final performance

Published by David under News

On August 16, 2008 the Shelby County Players performed their final night of "Divas & Duets at the Strand".   This event, the major fundraiser for the Shelby County Players was well attended.    The audience again enjoyed local talent performing some of the best of Broadway.   

Broadway Beth, the opening act said "the Strand is off-Broadway, only about 4 stores!".     Those from Shelby County know that our theatre is in the block at the corner of Broadway St and Harrison Street, so we are just slightly off-Broadway.

Below the is the cast in the finale of Act I:

(The above picture was taken from the furthest seat from the stage in our Upper Balcony.   Every patron at the Strand enjoys an excellent view of the Stage.   We call these seats our "teenager" seats, since being in the last row in the corner, you better be a teenager!   Our theatre has a long history, especially with these two seats.)

Below Strand Volunteers Candy & Mike staff the concessions area:

The Strand was pleased to be able to provide the venue for this year’s "Divas" event.    Our theatre, in Shelbyville Indiana, is designed to hold 30+ cast member shows as well as single person lectures.  

 

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Aug 16 2008

“Divas” at the Strand

Published by David under News

Friday August 15, 2008 the Shelby Couny Players opened their annual frundraiser "Divas & Duets on Broadway".  This season, the are performing at the Strand Theatre.    They loaded in on Sunday August 9, 2008 and everything was ready outside and in for the first performance.

Tuxedo Men greeted the patrons as they came into the theatre.   These fellows were 8 feet tall!

The stage was ready:

…and director Cindy Leahy and committee member Debbie Ewing were eager to greet the patrons.   Cindy and Debbie are both Strand volunteers too.   Cindy is our print newsletter editor, and Debbie does just about everything:

                                  

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Aug 15 2008

Strand Theatre Weekly Email: August 15, 2008

Published by David under Weekly Emails

 

Last week the Strand had quite a surprise.   Gretchen and Marsha from Energy2Action, LLC, the producers of Shelby Idol, told us to expect about 100 patrons for the event.   They were wrong…..we had 319!   It was incredible seeing the line down the block to get into our theatre.    The competition was well run and 6 very talented performers will advance to the finals.   The last round will be held at the Strand on August 22, 2008.    Thank you to Gretchen and Marsha for packing the theatre!
 
Friday night local talent Austin Siebert and seven of his friends performed an eclectic mix of music on the Strand stage.   It was a very entertaining show.   The did a great job in preparing for the performance in our venue.   Thank you Austin for bringing your talent to the citizens of our community!
 
The Strand is preparing for the Shelby County Players fundraising event "Divas on Broadway". In order to accommodate this show, the Strand stage had to be extensively modified.   When the stage was designed and built, it was to be flexible.   This past weekend was certainly a test.    Fortunately the components assembled just as planned, and really didn’t take that long given the amount of work to be performed.
 
In addition our friends at Advanced Plumbing Contractors have been in the theatre doing all sorts of things.   They installed the bathroom behind the stage and a sink in our concessions area.   The bathroom was there, it just hadn’t been used in about 50 years.   If anyone out there knows when the last time it functioned, please let us know.    The remodeled bathroom has a new sub floor and vinyl floor.   Thank you Ray and Cindy Wetnight for helping us out with the floor! The bathroom also sports the theatre’s paint scheme.   Thank to Gordon H., Debbie E., Bob S. & Steve F. for each doing what was necessary for its completion.   Again thank you to Pat Turner of PET Construction for doing the construction.
 
This week in order to fulfill a request of the Shelby County Players, Ron B. is preparing to install speakers for our Cabaret Area. Steve D. and Darin M. will be inside the balcony fishing the wires for these speakers.   When completed it will fill the sound in under the balcony area.     This is a major job being done in a very quick manner.   Thank you to Rick and Darla H. of Kash Entertainment who were able to get our equipment shipped from various places around the country and to the Strand on time (and UNDER budget!)
 
Gordon didn’t want to get left out.   To accommodate the change in the stage floor, certain touch up painting was needed.   Not good enough for Gordon…..he repainted the whole stage so it would look great for the Players.    Also Gordon drew the short straw and replaced the horns in our top speakers.   This is not easy to get to, and once there it is not an easy job.    Somehow we blew both speakers, but considering they are 50 years old, we will forgive them.   The replacements are installed and sound great!   Thank you Gordon.
 
Work is still steaming along on all other fronts.   The Players will perform "Divas" this Friday and Saturday.   You can consult their web site www.shelbycountyplayers.com for more information.

Thanks for your support.   The Strand Theatre of Shelbyville, Inc. is thrilled at the success of the theatre. Without you, it would not be possible!
 

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Aug 14 2008

Divas on Broadway…..this weekend!

Published by David under News

Tickets are going fast for the Shelby County Players’ production of "Divas on Broadway".   This is a great show.  You don’t want to miss this!

Friday August 15 and Saturday August 16, 2008

 

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Aug 08 2008

Austin Siebert & Section 7: August 8, 2008

Published by David under News

Local talent Austin Siebert producted a variety show on August 8, 2008 at the Strand Theatre in Shelbyville.   Along with his former Roncolli High School classmates, Austin and his friends played a variety of music.   Below is Austin on the violin accompanied by members of Section 7.

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Aug 08 2008

Strand Theatre Weekly Email: August 8, 2008

Published by David under Weekly Emails

This week was fantastic at the Strand.  First, Steve F. is getting oh so close to having the center windows and office ready.   The windows are painted and stained and ready for reinstallation.   When completed not only will they look great, but they will work perfectly.    Steve has really done a great job and soon the whole community will see the fruits of his labor!

We had our friends and Strand vendor Beck Studios install our movie screen this week.   It took several people to unload the 30′ crate from on top of the truck.    It was an all day affair to get it hung.   The guys from Beck Studios left for home at 12:20 AM!    It was worth the effort.  I looks great.   When it is in the up position, you don’t even know it is there.   This screen was anonymously endowed to the Strand.   If by chance one of you out there is that person, THANK YOU!   Your gift will give back many times over to the community!
 

It will take several months before we can start our film series.   We are now going full force on making our projector booth ready.   Check out our web site for pictures of the installation.
Beck Studios also installed our Grand Drape.  Not only did they do the installation, but they donated the curtain to the Strand!   That is a big gift!   It really changes the feel for the theatre when closed.   It looks beautiful and is a great addition to our theatre.

We have built the back stage bathroom and the plumbing is being installed this week.  The old fixtures were not so nice after sitting for several decades.   We are installing all new fixtures.   The basement under the stage is clean and clear of all the old mechanical equipment.  We installed a floor that covers to old stained concrete.

This past Sunday, Brenda and Randy Mershon of  the Indianapolis area visited our theatre.  The write a blog about fun activities to do in the Indy area.  We spent a very enjoyable 90 minutes with them.  They have added us to their website with a very nice article.  Their website is http://worthyourattention1.blogspot.com/.  Please take a few moments to enjoy their site.
 
This week we have Shelby Idol on Thursday night at 7:00 pm, Austin Siebert & Section 7 on Friday at 8:00 pm,   Next week the Shelby County Players are loading into the theatre for their fundraiser "Divas" on August 15 & 16.
Thank you for your support of the Strand.  Hope to see you at an event soon.
 

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