Page 5 - Fall 2021 inLEAGUE with Historic Theatre Resource Guide/Allied Member Directory

ContEnts: How to Update Marquees

ARTICLES:
How to Update Marquees ..............................................................................................................3 Without Losing the Charm

Nonprofit Board Committee Structure ...........................................................................................6
The Three Committee Concept ......................................................................................................11

RESEARCH: In the early 1980s, there was a popular advertising campaign called “Is it real or is it Memorex?” that
demonstrated the lifelike quality of Memorex videotape. The commercial showed a woman talking
Pandemic Salary Survey .................................................................................................................14 while the camera panned out to reveal that she was recorded on a videotape.

Pre-Pandemic Salary Survey ..........................................................................................................17 The commercial’s point—technology can make things very lifelike—is the same idea behind the
Pandemic Historic Theatre Economic Impact Study ...................................................................18 movement to rescue historic American theaters. Owners want to preserve these bygone buildings so
patrons can experience nostalgia, while also taking advantage of today’s technology to make them
Pre-Pandemic Economic Impact Study ........................................................................................21 more efficient and easier to maintain in the future.
RESOURCES

Service Industry Quick Guide ........................................................................................................22 To paraphrase the slogan, there’s no greater compliment to how well this is done than for patrons to
say, “Is it original, or is it new?”
LHAT Allied Member / Service Provider Directory ........................................................................24
The challenge that often arises is how much historic buildings can be updated with today’s
LHAT STAFF: technology before they lose their charm. This is especially true for marquees, which are so visible.
Ken Stein, President & CEO - kstein@LHAT.org
Colleen Poehlman, Director of Membership Services - cpoehlman@LHAT.org Two theaters in Indiana, The REES
Tisha Shelden, Membership Services Coordinator - tisha@LHAT.org
Theresa Grier, Digital and Creative Content Development Manager - tgrier@LHAT.org Theatre in Plymouth and The Embassy
Theatre in Fort Wayne, both recently
underwent complete renovations. The
way they updated their marquees
couldn’t have been more different, yet
they both look authentic.

The REES
Since 1940, the REES Theatre has
provided family entertainment for
generations in Plymouth, Ind., about
25 miles south of South Bend. Once
home to the first retail outlet of the now-
defunct Montgomery Ward, Plymouth
today is a manufacturing hub for
Marshall County.

The Art Deco theater, built by Badgley Construction Company for a cost of $75,000, closed in 2009.
Shortly thereafter, a capital campaign to revitalize the theater gained more than 900 donors. Today,
The REES Theatre Project is part of the city’s revitalization efforts to create a downtown that promotes
pedestrian activity and provides a destination for visitors. The renovated theater, now a multipurpose
facility, is scheduled to reopen in 2022.

As part of the restoration, The REES marquee needed an upgrade. The V-shape, two-sided marquee
includes the theater name in green neon letters atop red neon-surrounded reader boards. Despite
being closed, volunteers continued to change the sign’s hanging letters to highlight events, promote
nonprofit organizations, and thank community supporters.

The Indiana weather made this uncomfortable and treacherous. Snowy, icy conditions made the
pavement slick, and the wind and heat made climbing the 10-foot ladder dangerous. For over

Historic Theatre Resource Guide / Allied Member Directory December 2021 INLEAGUE | PAGE 3