Amateur Night a Treat
Dublin Core
Title
Amateur Night a Treat
Alternative Title
Amateur Night a Treat
Subject
Sanford (Fla.)
Buildings--Florida
Theaters--Florida
Talent shows--United States
Description
Newspaper article on Amateur Night at the Milane Theatre, located in Sanford, Florida. Juanita Smith won first prize and Wema Graves came in second.
The Milane Theatre was built at 203 South Magnolia Avenue, 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 Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane, respectively. 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 Theater 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 and 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.
The Milane Theatre was built at 203 South Magnolia Avenue, 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 Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane, respectively. 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 Theater 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 and 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 newspaper article, September 25, 1923: Milane Theater Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Date Created
ca. 1923-09-25
Date Copyrighted
1923-09-25
Date Issued
1923-09-25
Has Format
Original newspaper article, September 25, 1923.
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of photocopied newspaper article, September 25, 1923.
Is Part Of
Milane Theater Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Milane Theatre Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Format
image/jpeg
Extent
937 KB
Medium
1 newspaper article
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Sanford, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.810527, -81.266859
Temporal Coverage
1923-09-25/1923-09-25
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Humanities Teacher
Music Teacher
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by the Sanford Museum and is 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
AMATEUR NIGHT A TREAT
_______________
Amateur night at the Milane theatre last night was a treat to the patrons of the Milane. The acts were very clever and made the giving away of the first and second prizes very difficult for the management. Miss Juanita Smith won the first prize of five dollars with a neat little dancing act. Miss Wema Graves won the second prize with a dandy little song, "I've Got the Mumps." Mrs. Gordon entertained very highly with the two songs, "Just a Weary'ng for You," and "Marchetta."
The Schuld[?] brothers with a cornet and saxaphone duet, played "Lonesome," and "Yes, We Have No Bananas." The two boys are great.
_______________
Amateur night at the Milane theatre last night was a treat to the patrons of the Milane. The acts were very clever and made the giving away of the first and second prizes very difficult for the management. Miss Juanita Smith won the first prize of five dollars with a neat little dancing act. Miss Wema Graves won the second prize with a dandy little song, "I've Got the Mumps." Mrs. Gordon entertained very highly with the two songs, "Just a Weary'ng for You," and "Marchetta."
The Schuld[?] brothers with a cornet and saxaphone duet, played "Lonesome," and "Yes, We Have No Bananas." The two boys are great.
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 newspaper article
Collection
Citation
“Amateur Night a Treat,” RICHES, accessed November 15, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1081.