This past week we had something happen at the Strand.  You might have noticed it, our marquee is finally going together!   Under the guidance of Strand performer (and sign company owner) Ron Moenter, we came up with a plan to totally renovate the marquee.  Ron fabricated new aluminum panels (purchased locally at O’Neil Steel).  There were 60 pieces in all.   They were taken to Lester’s Body Shop for the color.   They were painted with an automotive finish, then clear coated.  The historical “S” on the side corners was done by our friend Rachael Ackley of H2O Designs.  This is a replica of the “S” that first appeared in the newspaper for the Strand in 1916.   That is not a decal or sticker, but automotive paint.  It will give decades of use and still look as good as the day it was installed.   The interior lighting was fabricated by Ron and Steve Dennis this summer.   The Strand Volunteers are wiring the 274 sockets for the outside chase lights.   The sockets will be installed, then the poly carbonate panels will be installed.   On the north and south faces, we will use 6″ slide-in letters.  The front (east) panels will retain their Wagner Style marquee letters.

The marquee has a total of 294 lights.  There will be several settings.  When the theatre is in use, you will know it.   All 294 will be on.   When we are not in use, we have an energy efficient switching system that will allow us to run only 10 fluorescents to make the marquee messages visible.   After the lighting is finished, we will use color filters to turn the fluorescent lights into a warmer more historic color.   The marquee, as we know it, is in a picture from 1935, so we know it goes back at least that far.  The original structure, which we suspect is under the present marquee, was very small and not lit.

We still have one or two surprises in store.   So keep looking, the marquee will be changing before your eyes every time you pass by.   Hopefully if the weather cooperates we can be completed by December.    Thank you to Ron & Steve for providing the professional guidance.  Gordon originally stripped and cleaned the marquee to get us to this point, all the work now is because of his preparation.  Bob S. helped get all the panels installed.  It is, like everything else at the Strand, a team effort.

Last weekend we had a full schedule.  There was a successful Art Auction on Friday, the Snowflake Princess Contest on Saturday, a wedding reception (congratulations Tom and Christine) in the mid-afternoon, and a country music concert in the evening….whew.    In addition to the events at the Strand, Mike R. and Whitney R. went to our storage location and sorted and identified all our old projection equipment.  This was made possible by the efforts of the Wabash College Alums that volunteered last month.  They moved the stuff from the 2nd floor office to the warehouse.  Mike wrote a nice article for our web site.

This week on Thursday night is the Freeman Family Funeral Home Remembrance Service.   On Friday night we are showing “Holiday Inn” after the festivities of the Downtown Holiday Parade.   This is FREE thanks to our friends and partners at Shelby County Bank…Thank You!   Since everyone will be in the theatre for the movie, Strand Performers Cindy Houpt, Willandra Macklin and Kim Wallace will perform “White Christmas” in beautiful 3 part harmony on the Strand stage before the show.

On Saturday we will show “Holiday Inn” at 1:00pm.   At 7:30 Push/Play will perform.  They have something new…comedian Robert Lewis will be the warm-up act.  “Robert!” you say….we know.   It will be worth the $5 admission just to hear him.

Sunday the trio will return to perform before the 5:00pm showing of “Holiday Inn”.   Help start a tradition at the Strand.

On the theatre pipe organ front, Carlton Smith Pipe Organ Restorations finished another instrument.  This makes the Strand organ project one step closer.  There is an excellent link on our web site to listen to this newly installed instrument.  It is played by Strand friend Justin Nimmo.  Check it out.

Thanks for all the support.  All of us at the Strand are pleased that you take an interest in the project.  We work each and every day to help, in our own small way, to improve the quality of life for our community.  It is because of you that we are successful.   Thanks.