Opera House
Dublin Core
Title
Opera House
Alternative Title
Opera House
Subject
Sanford (Fla.)
Buildings--Florida
Theaters--Florida
Opera--United States--20th century
Opera houses
Description
Photograph of the Opera House in Sanford, Florida. The Opera House was first replaced by the Star Theatre and then later the Milane Theatre.
The Milane Theatre was built at 203 South Magnolia Avenue. 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 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 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.
The Milane Theatre was built at 203 South Magnolia Avenue. 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 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 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.
Abstract
The Opera House stood on the southeast corner of Magnolia Avenue and Second Street. It was replaced by the Milane Theatre in the 1920s.
Source
Photocopy of original black and white photograph: Milane Theater Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Date Created
ca. 1900
Has Format
Original black and white photograph.
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original black and white photograph.
Is Part Of
Milane Theater Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Milane Theatre Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Is Referenced By
Sanford, page 41.
Format
image/jpeg
Extent
1.41 MB
Medium
1 black and white photograph
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Sanford, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.810527, -81.266859
Temporal Coverage
1900-01-01/1900-12-31
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Humanities Teacher
Music Teacher
Theater 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.
Sanford: Our First 125 Years. Sanford, Florida: Seminole Herald, 2002.
"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.
Transcript
OPERA HOUSE
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 black and white photograph
Collection
Citation
“Opera House,” RICHES, accessed April 26, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1090.