Filming at the Ritz Theater
Dublin Core
Title
Filming at the Ritz Theater
Alternative Title
Filming at Ritz Theater
Subject
Sanford (Fla.)
Buildings--Florida
Valencia Community College
Theaters--Florida
Film
Movies
Motion pictures--United States
Extras (Actors)--United States
Description
Extras outside the Ritz Theatre during the filming of Sealed With a Kiss, produced by Valencia Community College. The film was produced by about 350 students and took over a year to complete. Sealed With a Kiss is about a love story that spans three decades, starring Candace Miller and Christopher Calvert. Ralph Clemente directs the film, which includes original music by Richie Havens.
Originally the Milane Theatre, the Ritz 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 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 Ritz 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 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.
Abstract
Many of the extras for s[sic] scene from a Valencia Community College film, shot outside the Ritz Theater in downtown Sanford Sunday night, were recruited from the Half Shell Oyster Bar next door.
Creator
Vincent, Tommy
Source
Photocopy of newspaper reproduction of original black and white photographs by Tommy Vincent, October 29, 1989: The Sanford Herald, October 30, 1989: Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Publisher
Date Created
1989-10-29
Date Copyrighted
1989-10-30
Date Issued
1989-10-30
Has Format
Newspaper reproduction of original black and white photographs by Tommy Vincent, October 29, 1989: The Sanford Herald, October 30, 1989.
Is Format Of
Original black and white photograph by Tommy Vincent, October 29, 1989.
Is Part Of
Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Milane Theatre Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Format
image/jpeg
Extent
667 KB
229 KB
Medium
2 black and white photographs
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Sanford, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.810527, -81.266859
28.522105, -81.464222
Temporal Coverage
1989-10-29/1989-10-30
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Humanities Teacher
Visual Arts Teacher
Provenance
Originally created by Tommy Vincent and published by The Sanford Herald.
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by The Sanford Herald 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.
Hinman, Catherine. "Valencia Students' Film Debuts." The Orlando Sentinel, November 12, 1991. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-11-12/news/9111120333_1_richie-havens-film-valencia.
"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
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
2 black and white photographs
Collection
Citation
Vincent, Tommy, “Filming at the Ritz Theater,” RICHES, accessed April 23, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1099.