Ticket Booth at Milane Theatre A Thing of Beauty
Dublin Core
Title
Ticket Booth at Milane Theatre A Thing of Beauty
Alternative Title
Ticket Booth at Milane Theatre A Thing of Beauty
Subject
Sanford (Fla.)
Buildings--Florida
Theaters--Florida
Architecture--Florida
Description
Newspaper article on the Milane Theatre's ticket booth, designed by H. S. Selleck and built by Sanford Novelty Works.
The Milane Theatre was built 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 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 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 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.
Source
Photocopy of original newspaper article: Milane Theater Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Date Created
ca. 1923-08-02
Date Copyrighted
1923-08-02
Date Issued
1923-08-02
Has Format
Original newspaper article.
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of photocopied newspaper article.
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
759 KB
Medium
1 newspaper article
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Sanford, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.810527, -81.266859
Temporal Coverage
1923-08-02/1923-08-02
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teache
Humanities Teacher
Visual Arts 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
TICKET BOOTH AT MILANE THEATER A THING OF BEAUTY
The ticket booth that will be used by the Milane theater is one of the most beautiful pieces of work in our city. It was built by the Sanford Novelty Works of which Mr. V. C. Coller is proprietor and was designed by Mr. H. S. Selleck foreman of the wood working department of this firm, and does the designer great credit. Mr. Selleck did the entire wood work doing most of it by hand. It is made of gum finished in mahogany with polished glass windows and brass grill work in front of the ticket window. The inside being finished in panel work setting forth much taster used by the builder. The staining, varnishing and painting is the work of Mr. H. E. Wise the paint foreman of the same firm, and this also does much credit to Mr. Wise. This piece of furniture equals anything that might be built anywhere in this country, and goes up to show that Sanford has as fine a wood worker and finisher that may be found anywhere. We ask that every one that can come and have a look at this piece of work. We congratulate the designer and wish him much success and trust that it may be the means of securing the building of other pieces of furniture of this style and design. The management of the theater extends publicly their thanks to the firm and the workmen connected with this piece if work for the extra efforts put forth as shown by the finished product.---Milane Theater.
The ticket booth that will be used by the Milane theater is one of the most beautiful pieces of work in our city. It was built by the Sanford Novelty Works of which Mr. V. C. Coller is proprietor and was designed by Mr. H. S. Selleck foreman of the wood working department of this firm, and does the designer great credit. Mr. Selleck did the entire wood work doing most of it by hand. It is made of gum finished in mahogany with polished glass windows and brass grill work in front of the ticket window. The inside being finished in panel work setting forth much taster used by the builder. The staining, varnishing and painting is the work of Mr. H. E. Wise the paint foreman of the same firm, and this also does much credit to Mr. Wise. This piece of furniture equals anything that might be built anywhere in this country, and goes up to show that Sanford has as fine a wood worker and finisher that may be found anywhere. We ask that every one that can come and have a look at this piece of work. We congratulate the designer and wish him much success and trust that it may be the means of securing the building of other pieces of furniture of this style and design. The management of the theater extends publicly their thanks to the firm and the workmen connected with this piece if work for the extra efforts put forth as shown by the finished product.---Milane Theater.
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 newspaper article
Collection
Citation
“Ticket Booth at Milane Theatre A Thing of Beauty,” RICHES, accessed April 24, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1093.