How about a few statistics?   Too bad, you’re getting them anyway.    Our marketing efforts on the web site have been slowly gaining speed.   Here are the locations that we have received hits from this past month:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week has been a flurry of activity at the theatre.   You might have noticed the change in color on the front facade.   We (Gordon actually) brightened it up with a limestone color.   We still have some trim work to do, but when done it will look great.   In preparation for painting, Bob S. power washed the front of the building.   It was black with grit and grime.    The new color is a few shades lighter on purpose.  Give it a month, and it will darken down to what we need.   After only 3 days, there is already a film of black soot on the new paint!
 
Take a look at the chains holding the marquee.   They are now gloss black.   They used to be painted the same brown as everything else.  When completed all these small details will help make the most of the visual presence our facade needs to project.
 
Check out the door handles as you drive by.  ;  The first of next week, you will see that they are all shiny.   Half of them are currently getting re-chromed.   We wish we could put a nickel plate finish back on, but our local plating shop only does chrome.   That is OK, they will look great.   Sandman Brothers has agreed to clear coat the handles to help protect the finish.    A little tidbit we learned is to install a small o-ring on the mounting screw before installation.  This will help keep from cracking the new chrome.
 
The office upstairs is slowly turning into a butterfly.   The windows are being reglazed this week by our neighbor Adam’s Glass.    After everything is done, we will take the plywood off the center set of windows, then on the the next set.   Steve F. is leading the charge on this project.    They will look wonderful when finished.   When you see Steve in front of the th eatre looking hot and dirty, well now you know why.
 
Bob S. has officially completed the total rebuild of our heating and A/C system.   He completed the last task with the help of his lovely wife this week.   He cleaned the A/C coils above the stage.  Much to Bob’s surprise, when opened they looked brand new!    He said there was hardly any dirt.    With that task completed, every component of our system has been cleaned, checked, rebuilt and given an new lease on life.   We also have installed safety sensors on all our compressors to prevent damage in case of a failure of any component of the system.   

Last week the Shelby Community Band was able to raise $451 dollars for the victims of the tornado and floods at our Friday night concert.   The audience was asked to bring non-perishables to the concert too.   Over 200# of non-perishables were delivered to Human Services on Monday morning.    Thank you to all the members of the Community Band and the Strand staff for helping us "give back" to the community.   Also a thank you to the Shelbyville News for publishing the very nice color picture on the front page of the paper showing the delivery of the donations.
 
This week we will continue in our small way in helping others.   Strand volunteer Cindy H. is producing a concert on Sunday July 20 entitled "United We Sing".   Members of our community and many of the church choirs will perform.   All the money collected will be given to the Blue River Foundation for flood relief victims.   P lease help us fill the theatre.   The concert will start a 2:30pm.    Hope to see you there.
 
On Saturday July 26th at 8:00pm Joey G. will produce another outstanding show.   Adam and Amanda O’Connor will be headlining the night.   They play a very warm and easy style of music.   If you have yet to come to one of these concerts, this would be a great time to try it out.   
 
On a final note, we have been given a due date for our movie screen.   It will be installed the week of August 4th.    We will need 20 volunteers to help walk the 30 foot long crate holding the screen into the theatre.   Once in, we will lift it onto the stage.   If you are available during the day, and can spare an hour, please send Steve or I an email.   It will only take about 5 minutes to move, but by the time we reinvent the wheel, an hour will pass.
 
Thank you for all your support.   Without your interest and participation, this project would not be where it is today.   We passed our 6 month anniversary this week.   We have come a long way since starting the operation phase of our mission.   We are thrilled you are a part of the process!
 
See you Sunday

 

 It has been a busy week at the Strand.     We have had the theatre used every day this week.   The Shelby County Players held their youth acting classes on our stage this week.   It is good to get the participants comfortable performing on our theatre.    In addition SCP volunteer Don Newman built a new stage staircase for us.    Don doesn’t believe in skimping on the material.   It is stout!     No sooner did Don install the stairs, then boom….Gordon had it painted.     Thank you Don and Gordon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The past few weeks the Strand has seen a myriad of activity.   On a daily basis something is happening in or to the theatre.   Steve F. is busy reworking the office windows.    Along with the restoration of the windows, the offices are being remodeled back into usable and good looking space.   Remember, when the boards come off the windows, you will see into the offices…and they have to look good too!    Bob S. has been a busy bee keeping our A/C going.     So far we have lost 3 of our 4 condenser fan motors.   When these motors quit, they cause the A/C units to shut down.    Thank goodness Bob knows everything to know about that….he has replaced one after another.    This week while he is fixing number 3, I think he is going to preemptively replace number 4!    Our theatre has been comfortable, thank you Bob.

Ron B. is also a busy bee with the sound system too.  We discovered we had a few funds left over from our Blue River Foundation Grant.  Not a problem for Ron, he knew just how to spend it.   We again went to vendor extraordinaire Kash Entertainment and order two compressors.    These, according to Ron, are a must.   If you ever take a look at the rack under the sound board, the compressors are the gizmos that have the pretty flashing lights.    Ron is getting the system better and better all the time.

 

Mainstreet Shelbyville delivered a nice sign which we will place in our window as we work on our facade restoration.    The grant from Mainstreet will certainly help us accomplish this task.   There is lots to do, but unlike last summer when the theatre was closed, it is a bit more difficult to squeeze in the work sessions.   Fortunately we have bookings that we have to work around.

 

Nick Ciarletta and his crew put on a great show Thursday June 12th.     They raised lots of money for our theatre!   Thank you Nick!    Please check out the pictures on our web site of the hair show.   It was quite the entertaining event.    I am a bit disappointed that they didn’t ask me to be a hair model.   Gordon was disappointed too, but that is OK, we can handle it!    Those of you who know both of us understand the joke.

 

Friday the 13th, Smashed Productions had another fun night of rock music.   We heard from three diverse bands.   Check out the web site for more details for that entertaining show.   It too had all the proceeds donated to the Strand.   On a side note, the band Faded Daze had an interesting mix of musicians.   Not because they were good and sounded great together, which they did, but for another reason.    3 of the 4 worked for me while they were in high school.  The were playing music back then, and it nice they are still playing today.   The show was a great success.   Thank you Joey G.!

 

Between Nick and Joe, they have kept us afloat for yet another day.   As we prepare financially for the challenges ahead, it is nice to have these great financial shots in the arm.    As a bunch of volunteers, help from many makes it better for all.   When you see either of them, give them a big Strand Thanks.

 

Next week we have a few things at the theatre.   The Shelby County Players are holding auditions for their "Divas" fundraiser.   On Wednesday the 18th the Shrine Club Band will perform a free concert at 7:00pm.    In the following week the Blue River Foundation will hold their annual meeting at our theatre.

 

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Rhonda S. at rhonda.schwegman@strand-theatre-shelbyville.org   We could really use some additional help during the performances.    We always have fun, and it is nice to talk to our many patrons at the various shows.   Please drop her a note if you are interested.

 

This week was yet another milestone for the Strand.   We passed the 3000 audience member mark!     Thank you for all the support, and making our theatre available to help support the performing arts in Shelbyville and Shelby County.

David

 

 

 This week Exit 113 played the Strand on Saturday night.   It was enjoyable to get to hear the music.    This coming week the Library is celebrating its 105th Birthday with a Piano Jazz concert by Dave Hepler at the Strand.   This free event will start at 7:00pm.    There will be birthday cake for all who attend!   Please so your support for the Library and the Strand by attending this concert.

 

 

 

 

 

 Work on the exterior windows has started in earnest.   Steve F. had taken apart the windows and started stripping the old finish.   As expected, the windows are cherry wood.   They will be beautiful when completed.   Fortunately this work can take place from the inside.  The exterior plywood will be removed only when the windows are finished.    As the work on the windows progress, so does the work in the offices.   They will look equally as good as the rest of the project.