Ritz Theatre Presents the Hit Music Godspell
Dublin Core
Title
Ritz Theatre Presents the Hit Music Godspell
Alternative Title
Ritz Presents Godspell
Subject
Sanford (Fla.)
Theaters--Florida
Plays, American
Plays for performance
Musicals--United States
Description
Flyer for the Ritz Theater's presentation of Godspell at the Sanford Civic Center. Godspell is a musical produced by Stephen Schwartz based on a book by John Michael Tebelak. The play originally opened on Broadway on May 17, 1971. The musical consists of a series of parables based on the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke.
Originally the Milane Theatre, the building was constructed at 203 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, the former location of the Star Theatre, an abandoned movie house. Scroggs and Ewing, architects from Georgia, prepared the plans for the Milane. The name of the new theater was derived from the combination of the presidents of the Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane. The Milane opened in July of 1923 and seated 823 patrons. In 1933, the Milane was sold to Frank and Stella Evans, investors from Lake Mary, Florida. The new owners renamed their business the Ritz Theatre and held the property until the 1990s. However, the Ritz struggled financially in the 1960s and closed in 1978 due to failure to compete with the new multiplex theaters. The building remained vacant until 1984, when it reopened as the Showtime Cantina. The Showtime Cantina closed in 1988 and remained vacant and in decay. In the mid-1990s, Ritz Community Theater Projects, Inc. acquired the property and began rehabilitation in 1998. On May 6, 2000, the theater reopened as the Helen Stairs Theatre in honor of the citizen who led the restoration project, Helen Stairs. The following year, the location was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, additional renovations were completed at the theater was renamed the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in honor of the Wayne Densch Charitable Trust Fund for contributing to the renovations fund.
Originally the Milane Theatre, the building was constructed at 203 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, the former location of the Star Theatre, an abandoned movie house. Scroggs and Ewing, architects from Georgia, prepared the plans for the Milane. The name of the new theater was derived from the combination of the presidents of the Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane. The Milane opened in July of 1923 and seated 823 patrons. In 1933, the Milane was sold to Frank and Stella Evans, investors from Lake Mary, Florida. The new owners renamed their business the Ritz Theatre and held the property until the 1990s. However, the Ritz struggled financially in the 1960s and closed in 1978 due to failure to compete with the new multiplex theaters. The building remained vacant until 1984, when it reopened as the Showtime Cantina. The Showtime Cantina closed in 1988 and remained vacant and in decay. In the mid-1990s, Ritz Community Theater Projects, Inc. acquired the property and began rehabilitation in 1998. On May 6, 2000, the theater reopened as the Helen Stairs Theatre in honor of the citizen who led the restoration project, Helen Stairs. The following year, the location was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, additional renovations were completed at the theater was renamed the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in honor of the Wayne Densch Charitable Trust Fund for contributing to the renovations fund.
Source
Photocopy of original flyer: Ritz Theatre Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Date Created
ca. 1971-1978
Has Format
Original flyer.
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of photocopy of original flyer.
Is Part Of
Ritz Theatre Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Milane Theatre Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
1.26 MB
Medium
1 flyer
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Ritz Theatre, Sanford, Florida
Sanford Civic Center, Sanford, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.810527, -81.266859
28.812994, -81.264649
Temporal Coverage
1971-05-17/1978-12-31
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Humanities Teacher
Theater Teacher
Music Teacher
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is owned by Museum of Seminole County History and provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Curator
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
Source Repository
External Reference
"Helen Stairs Theatre." StageClick. http://www.stageclick.com/venue/457.aspx.
"Theater History." Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center. http://www.wdpac.com/footer-menu/theater-history/.
"Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center." Seminole County: Florida's Natural Choice. http://www.visitseminole.com/things-to-do/general/wayne-densch-performing-arts-center.
External Reference Title
Transcript
RITZ THEATER
Presents The Hit Musical
GODSPELL
Direct from Titusville Playhouse
November 21st-23rd
Friday & Saturday 8 P.M.
Sunday 2:30 P.M.
AT SANFORD CIVIC CENTER
Tickets $12 Adults, Seniors & Students $10
For Reservations Call: 321-8111, Group Sales: 323-9421
Second Image, Delilah's Our House Books
Presents The Hit Musical
GODSPELL
Direct from Titusville Playhouse
November 21st-23rd
Friday & Saturday 8 P.M.
Sunday 2:30 P.M.
AT SANFORD CIVIC CENTER
Tickets $12 Adults, Seniors & Students $10
For Reservations Call: 321-8111, Group Sales: 323-9421
Second Image, Delilah's Our House Books
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 flyer
Collection
Citation
“Ritz Theatre Presents the Hit Music Godspell,” RICHES, accessed May 23, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1110.