Ritz Theatre, 1950s
Dublin Core
Title
Ritz Theatre, 1950s
Alternative Title
Ritz Theatre
Subject
Sanford (Fla.)
Buildings--Florida
Theaters--Florida
Description
Photograph of the Ritz Theater in the 1950s.
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.
Source
Photocpy of original black and white photograph: Ritz Theatre Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Date Created
ca. 1950-1959
Has Format
Original black and white photograph.
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of photocopied black and white photograph.
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/jpeg
Extent
743 KB
Medium
1 black and white photograph
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Sanford, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.810527, -81.266859
Temporal Coverage
1950-01-01/1959-12-31
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography 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
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 black and white photograph
Collection
Citation
“Ritz Theatre, 1950s,” RICHES, accessed April 25, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1102.